Baker & Banker An upscale Cali grubbery in Pac Heights

When significant others collaborate, results can range from spectacular (e.g., Bela and Marta Karolyi bringing home gymnastics gold), to unspectacular (you and your GF breaking up over Pictionary again). Teaming up to create a spectacle in your unspectacular mouth, Baker & Banker.

Filling the sweet Pac Heights digs vacated by Quince, B&B's an affordably upscale Cali grubbery lovingly named for the husband/wife team that owns it (she bakes stuff, his surname's Banker); the inside's classily done up in black and gold, with leather booths lining the perimeter, old school gas lamps, and chalk boards to call out daily specials, and those of you who were tardy to Spelling. Mr. Banker (who's cooked at Home, Postrio, etc.) is the chef, and his menu kicks off with dishes like avocado/grapefruit tartar (with shiso n' ponzu jelly), PEI mussels in Thai curry broth, and crostini draped with crushed liver and paine squab, which came to bring it way harder than other domestic pigeons. Entrees range from red wine-braised lamb stew (with wild 'shrooms and polenta), to seared duck leg n' breast with sweet potato hash and Swiss Chard, to pumpkin ravioli with saba, brown butter, and candied chestnuts -- until they're cannibalized in record number by Joey.

Banker's wifey'll make her mark soon, when B&B opens up a bakery to sling fresh bread and pastries to the neighborhood folk, and maybe you and your lady, who you'd happily treat if you weren't so flabbergasted that she can't draw "mistrust".