PAMPERING POOCHES MJ, a terrier mix, drinks cucumber- infused water as owner Joey Lake exits Dogue, a restaurant for dogs in San Francisco, California, on Oct. 5. 鈥擜FP
SAN FRANCISCO鈥擠oes your dog like fine dining? Does your pooch like posh nosh? Then one US eatery has just the thing.
At Dogue in San Francisco, four-legged friends have their pick of the very best foods available, with a menu designed to please even the most exacting canine palate.
During the week, that means an extensive selection of immaculately crafted pastries (from the 鈥減awtisserie,鈥� naturally) washed down with one of three 鈥渄ogguchinos鈥濃�攃reamy creations infused with spirulina or charcoal.
On Sundays, Dogue transforms into the Bone Appetite Cafe, where pup patrons can sample a three-course tasting menu for $75.
鈥淭he visual look of something is incredibly important,鈥� owner and chef Rahmi Massarweh told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
鈥淲e do make pastries inspired by some of the finest chefs, some of my favorite chefs in the world.
鈥淵ou know, we have the saying, 鈥榊ou eat with your eyes first, before you even take a bite.鈥� And in regards specifically to the dog food, it鈥檚 always been a goal to make it look as if I wanted to eat it,鈥� Massarweh said.
Offerings when AFP visited included the petit gateau with shredded chicken and pastured cream, the red rose with wild antelope heart, and the golden paste cake with organic coconut and raw unfiltered honey.
Classical French cuisine
Massarweh, a classically trained chef who cut his teeth at a top San Francisco restaurant, said the showpiece pastries are just a small part of the business.
鈥淭he whole essence of Dogue is fresh whole food for dogs鈥� with bespoke menus available for pet parents to take home.
The inspiration for the new venture came from a pet English mastiff that Massarweh and his wife had in 2010, who didn鈥檛 enjoy store-bought food.
Using his culinary know-how, he began crafting small-batch artisanal dishes, using fresh, seasonal food.
The new eatery鈥斺�渄ogue鈥� is French for 鈥渕astiff鈥濃�攊s 鈥渒ind of an homage to my roots in classical French cuisine, and at the same time, a gentle nod and almost a tribute to the dogs, the English mastiffs that my wife and I have and love so much.鈥�
Skewed priorities
The establishment of a fancy doggy diner in San Francisco, where locals claim there are more pets than children, has raised eyebrows in some quarters.
Critics said it was emblematic of the skewed priorities of a city with rampant homelessness and soaring levels of drug addiction.
鈥淪an Francisco鈥檚 eye-roll-inducing power remains unmatched,鈥� tweeted reporter Jeremy White.
But what about the four-legged clients?
Massarweh says they鈥檙e impressed.
鈥淒ogs are amazing, because what you see is what you get, right? There鈥檚 no facade,鈥� he said.
鈥淚f they like it, they like it. If they don鈥檛, there鈥檚 nothing you can do. They鈥檙e not going to eat it.鈥�
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