The Peasant & The Pear

Came here to celebrate Father’s Day meal. Enjoyed the braised lamb shank and mashed potatoes dish – really good. And the flourless cake dessert was a great way to finish it off. Dishes that I did not enjoy very much were the olives appetizer and the Paella entre. The olives were too salty and the Paella flavor was not that interesting.
Service very strong, our waitress was very attentive and helpful with some recommendations. But then again the place was not that busy. And no sign of either a peasant or a pear…

One of my favorite East Bay restaurants. Tonight we had 4 of us all getting different dishes. The wait staff was great, informing us of the special for the evening and making a few recommendations.
We brought our bottle of 2013 Pezzi King Reserve Row 22 which was phenominal… just picked up some at Pezzi last weekend.
I had the sea bass special. The fish was perfectly cooked with a nice crispy outer texture and moist inside that couldn’t of been cooked any better. The bass was on a bed of corn purée with some sautéed onions and other pan seared veggies. The flavor was fantastic and the portion of fish was a very nice size, probably 6oz cooked.
Several of us had the ceaser salad with the Spanish white anchovies which are the only anchovies worth eating to me. Regular anchovies are fish bait!
The capreese salad was big enough for two to share and looked fantastic. Our friends said it was great.
Everyone loved their dinner and we all finished off with the cherry cobbler. The cobbler had a great crust with plentiful cherry filling.
Tonight reminded me why we like coming here for dinner throughout the year.
Great job P&P.
Photos posted from tonight’s update.
5 stars.

I came here a few years back and the food was stellar. My recent trip was middle of the road at best. For close to 100 bucks a plate, I expect excellence, excellence approaching perfection even. Sorry to say this is off the special occasion list.

The Peasant and The Pear is just steps away from another business that I visited and the cute arbor just off the sidewalk with a sign saying welcome drew me in. I curiously entered the outside courtyard with tables and shade umbrellas and made my way into the restaurant. I was a little confused when I first entered as you walk into a dining area and there is no sign pointing the way to the hostess station which is to the back, past the bar, and to the right.
The restaurant is classy with white table cloths and dim lighting. The hostess was very friendly. She said the patio is a great place to sit but it was too hot for me in the afternoon. But perhaps on some enchanted evening…
So many items on the menu caught my interest. So I had a great idea! I chose about 5 items on the menu and told my waiter, Victor, to surprise me. I love the anticipation of wondering what will come out! Victor brought out a Spring Panini of roasted Delta Asparagus, mozzarella, lemon aioli, added tomato and lettuce on a perfectly grilled toasty ciabatta. This was the simplest of all the options I gave him to choose from, but my word! What a great meld of flavors and textures with the warm melted cheese and the roasted asparagus. The panini was accompanied by a deliciously dressed mixed greens salad. The salad and panini paired nicely with my Sauvignon Blanc.
Victor was constantly making rounds and checking on everyone in his area. He and the hostess were both very personable. I forgot my sunglasses at the table and another staff brought them out to me as I was leaving. But even without forgetting my sunglasses, it won’t be hard to find an excuse to come back.

Worst. Service. Ever.
I was a server for 3 years of my life and have dined out frequently, this was one of the worst experiences I had with service.
We arrived a little early for our reservation but were seated promptly. We received water and complimentary bread. Then nothing for over 20 minutes. We grabbed someone’s attention to let them know we hadn’t been waited on yet, still had to wait another 5 – 10 mins.
We ordered promptly, the filet mignon (med rare) and sturgeon. Both items came out way overcooked. The filet barely had any pink and did not come out with the sides we ordered. So we sent it back. It was returned cooked rare but was still good. The manager delivered the meal and proceeded to comp our check for the inconvenience.
The food was good but I can’t say I’ll be back here which is a shame. The ambiance was great, we sat outside on the patio with light, live guitar playing outside.
We were just so turned off by the experience we won’t be back.

Service was rather slow… Actually very slow. Fondue was watery and had to send back because it was too cold. Also, there was a terrible smell of gas throughout the restaurant that was rather gross. Calamari was bland, pear tart was good! Dinner bishop rather salad is not a dinner nor a decent salad. It is just lettuce. I will try again but not impressed!

We have been here several times and it’s a good spot for large groups and a formal setting.
For drinks, the best mixed drink has to be the pear martini. It’s their specialty drink so it’s a crowd favorite. The appetizers as usual were delicious, particularly the apricot quesadilla, bruschetta and calamari.
The prosciutto pizza was average, a little salty but kept well for leftovers. It was topped with arugula and an over easy egg. One pizza can easily feed two people.
The lamb shank had, by far, the best presentation. Cooked to a soft perfection where the meat fell off the bone.
The paella was tasty with a good saffron color and plenty of pieces of meat. The bolognese special (comes with dessert) was a smaller portion because it had another course, topped with Parmesan, diced tomato and parsley.
For dessert we could get ice cream with chocolate sauce which was a good portion for my young nieces (toddlers).
Overall service was decent. They took a while but were able to present all the main dishes at the table relatively at the same time. Since its in a complex, parking is in a shared lot which can get a bit crowded on popular days.

This place is off the hook. Great service by a great staff.
I had the New York steak, medium rare and it was cooked perfectly. Had some of the lamb shank as well and it was incredible. The roasted garlic with the steak was a great touch as well.
Nothing wrong with this place. I wouldn’t mind coming here or recommending this place at all.
Great job!

This place is Michelin recommended… and now I see why! The flavors are unique and difficult to describe. The house made burrata was one of the better appetizers I have had in a long time. The smoked chicken salad sandwich is worthy to be selected on Food Networks Best Thing I Ever Ate… if I were famous that is… It contained smoked chicken, pears, cherries, pecans, onion, lettuce, and other ingredients. Even the house brewed passion tea was excellent.
The only correction I would make is the asparagus bisque was too thin to be called a bisque. It had decent flavorful, but certainly needed thickened.

The squeezed us in at the last minute on a Saturday night. Our server (Edgar I believe) was spectacular. His suggestions and menu knowledge were spot on. We both had the lamb and it was prepared perfectly. The winelist was nice and varied and the by-​the-​glass selections hit the mark pricewise. We actually brought in a bottle in my girlfriend’s big purse and were prepared to pay the $ 15 corkage but after perusing the list, we opted to just order a few glasses.
The bar area is small and was crowded on this night so arriving early for a drink while waiting for a table wasn’t the greatest idea. All said, we shall return but maybe for a special occasion.

To be honest, I have no idea what’s good on the East Bay, but according to Unilocal,this place seemed pretty popular with a good rating. Walking in, it kind of reminded me like a grandma’s house. Just a tad old fashion and there was indeed a lot of older people dining at this place. I got the Spicy Tuna Sandwich and it was really good. The Ahi tuna was crusted with chili and it was cooked perfectly with the right amount of flavor. There was also avocado and jalapeño coleslaw in it which I thought overpowered a fish a little bit. And despite all the spices, I felt like it could have been a little spicier.
Overall though, the Ahi tuna was really good and the sandwich as a whole was pretty good.

My experience at The Peasant & The Pear is a prime example of 5 star dining. Phenomenal food and excellent customer service!
We came for dinner on a Saturday night, ordered the lamb shank and the day’s special… sea bass. The sea bass was the BEST EVER! It’s pan-​fried and perfectly crisp on the top, yet so soft and tender on the inside. It comes with red roasted potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and crimini mushrooms in a white vermouth sauce… the flavor was super delicious!
The lamb shank was huge and the meat was fall-​of-​the-​bone tender! It’s served with a creamy provolone polenta, which was also cooked perfectly. The flavors of the lamb shank and the polenta were so tasty and matched so well together.
Our server was very friendly, attentive, full of smiles, and gave excellent recommendations. We sat outside in their lovely patio and the staff continuously worked on the heating lamps to keep customers warm.
Tip — I would definitely recommend making reservations (they use open table). The sea bass was the day’s special and not on their regular menu. The sea bass was $ 32 and the lamb shank was $ 28.
The Peasant & the Pear is an excellent fine dining experience in downtown Danville. There were so many things on the menu I wanted to try, from appetizers to entrees to desserts. Definitely a place I would recommend for a nice, special evening.

This place is tucked away in Downtown Danville. I remember walking by it but never stopping in. My friend invited me to check this place out with a few other friends. It has a nice patio with a nice ambiance. A guy playing acoustic guitar was entertaining us outside while we ate. They have an extensive menu of items like pear salad, pear quesadillas with chutney sauce, pear flatbread pizza and pear flavoured cocktails.
Our server really on top of things making sure our glasses were never empty and he even made sure to bring us extra bread and fruits to go with our fondue. I ordered the pear flatbread pizza which had a nice sweet and savory flavour. My friend ordered the meat flatbread pizza. My other friend ordered the fondue and the pear quesadillas. My other friend ordered the pasta. We were all pretty satisfied with our food and cocktails.
Prices are fairly reasonable for the area. I’m not sure about sitting inside, but outside was quite comfortable. I would definitely come back here again, especially because you can make a reservation and enjoy a nice meal.

The peasant and The Pear is by far my favorite of Rodney’s peasantry-​eqsue restaurants. Maybe because it has more of a feudal-​lord feel to it, but who knows.
This is a nice, more upscale (compared to the other restaurants) place that serves up good food. I’ve had both brunch and dinner here. I like the pizza creations they have, and they have good cocktails. For the area, its a really good place to stop by. Do so if you can.

I am not sure where to begin on my review for our favorite restaurant in Danville. We have been here 7 times now starting out on our first date a little over a year ago. Interesting fact we came here for our 1 year anniversary and sat at the exact same table from our first date.
Ok back to this amazing restaurant, first everything we have had on the menu is amazing, whether it is dinner, brunch or a holiday brunch. The cheese fondue is our favorite appetizer however I have also heard great things about the pear quesadilla. You cannot go wrong choosing any of the wonderful entrees for dinner, my favorite is the steak and frites. For brunch the Cowboys and hash, peasant scramble or the brunch pizza are fantastic. I recommend sitting outside on the back patio if you come here for lunch, and definitely make reservations as they get crowded on the weekends. As long as we live in the Danville/​San Ramon area we will continue to come back here for some of our favorite meals! Thank you so much for such great service and excellent food!

I’ve always heard downtown Danville has great brunch places, so when my mom randomly woke up one morning insisting that she wants a bloody mary with an omelette, this looked to be the perfect place!
The Peasant and the Pear is quaintly hidden in the small plaza, so the first time you drive past it, you might not see the signs (HINT: back parking lot is way better than street parking). It’s got a beautiful interior with a great ambiance and pleasant and cordial service.
The brunch menu was kinda short in my opinion, with only about 20 items to choose from such as quiche, eggs benedict, etc. but their drinks menu looked extensive. Two tables over, these two ladies were sipping on moscow mules for sunday brunch!
The food is delicious and it’s definitely a pleasant place to dine for brunch. Will be coming again to try out their dinner and lunch menu :)

This is for the lunch menu — I will have to come back to do a dinner review
3 years ago this place for a 5 stars for me. It was my «fancy» place to take people when I had visitors but then I became a Unilocaler and a foodie in Houston.
Upon my return to San Ramon, I couldn’t wait to check it out again. How would it hold up after a 3 year absence with more experience. I had high hopes… alas it failed for me miserably.
I took my friend out for a belated birthday lunch, again very excited to be back here. I made reservations and off we went. The moment I saw the lunch menu, I jumped back a little, the prices were much higher than I remembered. $ 29 for a NY steak sandwich? seriously? i hope it’s prime or aged for a sandwich!
My friend and I settled for their Bistro burger and Rodzilla burger. When the burgers got there, they visually looked delicious. They were on nice artisan bread, the burger itself was a very nice size, and the lettuce and tomato looked fresh. Then things went south after my first bite.
We had ordered them medium, they came back medium well. Since they were a little over cooked, I felt it was going to take a little while to eat them. Then I realize that there was something missing. It says it had BBQ sauce on it, well i barely felt any. I needed something to help «moisturize» this sandwich. I wanted some kind of aioli. Also, the burger itself was very plain. I couldn’t taste any kind of seasoning on it. It was beautiful to my eyes, but plain to my taste buds…
Don’t get me wrong, the location is great, the service also. However, when it comes down to the it, it’s all about the food. And maybe they just don’t make good burgers. Next time, i’ll have to try their cubano sandwich but i’m a little worried i’ll be disappointed again.
Next Next time — it’s dinner :)

Finally had a chance to come here. We have had reservations for months. But each time something came up and we had to cancel. So finally on a late Saturday, we were able to make it. Lunch was on point. We had appetizers of mussels and calamari. Entrees included: the black and use which I’ve had at their sister restaurant, where the beef is melt in your mouth tender; pulled pork sandwich which was «messy» enough to require a fork (not a complaint); French dip; and Cubano. The Cubano had great texture and the fries were just right.
Dessert of course, and it was a great way to wrap up a meal.
Good service that was prompt and friendly. Will come back for sure.

I came here for a girldate mostly because my friend loves «&» in restaurant titles. I know. There were a few aspects of the meal that still make me salivate, but then there were some aspects that I wasn’t such a big fan of.
Located in downtown Danville, The Peasant & The Pear leans towards the more formal side. The tables are rather close together, and there’s not much elbow room. The lighting is dim, which gives an ambiance of intimacy that the small space then negates. The waiters are kind and attentive for the most part.
Complimentary bread and herb butter:
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I enjoyed this focaccia bread and herb butter, as the bread came out warm and fragrant and it paired well with the herb butter. I did find the butter to be a little on the salty side, but I can’t complain since it kept me from devouring the whole thing.
Mussels:
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These mussels were incredibly juicy and well-​cooked, and there wasn’t one that was difficult to open. I’m sure that if there were any closed ones, the chef kindly took them out as the plate was being arranged, which I absolutely appreciated. I did find one or two remnants of byssal threads, but they were small pieces and didn’t affect the overall dish. The broth was perfectly balanced and was a touch salty, which I expected as it was meant for dipping. I adore black mussels much more than their green counterparts, and I thought the portion was generous.
Lamb shank over polenta:
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The lamb shank here was cooked well, but it was over-​marinated in my opinion. I could have used a little less of the sauce so that I could taste the meat (although the gaminess was evident, which I personally like). The meat fell off the bone easily, and the morsels paired well with the polenta. The polenta was so incredibly good, as the texture was the perfect balance between firm and mealy.
Duck leg with arugula salad (special of the day):
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I’ve had a lot of duck, but for some reason this didn’t quite taste like duck to me. I again thought it was heavy on the salt, but the arugula salad did balance it out a little. There were also nibs of something else strewn throughout the salad that I wasn’t a fan of, but I can’t recall what they were. capers, perhaps? I enjoyed this dish less than the lamb shank and polenta, so I probably wouldn’t order it again.
Gingerbread cheesecake:
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I wasn’t a huge fan of this dessert, and that may have bee in part due to my neutrality towards gingerbread anything. The cake itself was much too dense, although there was a very apparent gingerbread flavor. The crust also tasted a little burnt and bitter, which then made the gingerbread portions bitter. The whipped cream on top was too heavy a pairing, and there was no textural relief from the one-​dimensional blandness of the cake.
I would be open to coming back, but the cramped space is a personal deterrent for me.

Review is for lunch/​brunch:
We came here for a late lunch on a Sunday afternoon. They still offer cocktails, though the menu was a bit more limited with apps, salads, sandwiches, and a bunch of breakfast items. Great option for lovers of eggs, waffles, and benedicts!
We ordered three items which turned out to be too much for two. Portions are huge! The Pear Quesadilla was wonderful — crispy skin, cheesy interior and some nice sweetness from the thin pear slices. The pear chutney sauce was superb. Pulled Pork sandwich had a nice and toasty bun and very tender shredded pork. Tuscan chicken was juicy and cooked perfectly, but was just missing some seasoning. The sun-​dried tomatoes and provolone were good but didn’t add enough savory. Shoestring fries on both dishes were crispy and good.