With a Twist
Your New French Hideaway in North Beach

All week you've had French starlets on the brain. And if we know you, you've probably got a homesick Parisian on your arm who needs a taste of the ol' Eiffel backyard.

Luckily, we have just the thing. Say hello to Lemon Twist, a demure French spot that opened last week in North Beach.

Located in the same spot in Normandy Isle where the original Lemon Twist had a storied run a few years ago, this new incarnation feels like a warm, cushy mix of a European bistro and Audrey Tautou's living room (if memory serves you correctly).

Your date will be right at home amid the antique-y framed mirrors, plush benches with throw pillows and framed black-and-white photographs from New Wave films. You'll want to start at the bar with the namesake drink (made with vodka, triple sec and marinated lemons), then grab one of the tables in back for a panoramic view of the Francophile activity around you.

The kitchen dishes out the sort of comfort food you found in your travels through southern France—staples like mussels in white wine, hearty bowls of onion soup and a rich filet smothered in foie gras.

In France foie gras is like steak sauce.