Le Bedaine, at 1585 Solano Avenue, is one of those spots that I'd walked by many times but never gone in. Our friend George says he bought some amazing sausage there for his cassoulet, but I wasn't sure how it would rate as a lunch spot, particularly since it's really a take-out place. So I decided to try it out.
They have more of a range than I'd expected, including hot and cold sandwiches, quiches, salads, and charcuterie. I went for a simple mozzarella tomato sandwich. It was a hot day, and a cold sandwich was what I was in the mood for. I was a bit disappointed because there wasn't anything particularly special about it, although it was exactly what it promised. My lunch companions were more enthused with their choices. Sandwiches are $6.50, whether they're paté, salmon, or veggie, which is a pretty good price, I think.
The best part was dessert—the lemon ginger cookies were heavenly. And I have to admit it was a tough choice to make with the variety of sweets they had to offer: madeleines, tarts, éclairs, shortbread, and much more. I'll have to go back there when I've made it down to my goal weight...
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It's also one of those places you can grab a full meal after a hard day when you don't know what to fix and don't want to face the lines at Safeway after work. They have French feasts that are vacuum packed, so that you can stick a bag into boiling water and 15 minutes later you have Coq au vin or Lapin à la moutarde or mushroom risotto, and at reasonable prices.
So in the future, I might go there to get a nice, easy dinner to bring home, or I might try a quiche. Or I might just go for dessert...
