Creativity, seasonal ingredients shine at Crescent Bistro in Pleasant Hill

PLEASANT HILL, CA (April 1, 2025) — Each week, the popular PBS television show “Check Please Bay Area” profiles three popular restaurants.

Over the years, the show has featured just 13 Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill eateries out of more than 250 selected from the East Bay market. No current Concord restaurant is on this list.

In February, host Leslie Sbrocco brought her viewers to Crescent Bistro in downtown Pleasant Hill. Owner-chef Brad Zeller creates a gourmet dining experience that compares favorably to many upscale rivals on the other side of the Caldecott Tunnel.

Zeller is a graduate of San Ramon High School and the culinary school at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island. He began his career working at Traci Des Jardins iconic Jardinière in San Francisco. He put in time at several other restaurants, including Va de Vi and Walnut Creek Yacht Club, prior to opening his own place.

This sophistication is evident at Crescent Bistro. Diners are greeted with options from a full bar and a creative small plate menu surpassing most restaurants on the 680 corridor.

First courses

A must try are the stuffed deviled eggs with house-cured salmon covered with dill crème fraîche.

The crisp pork belly buns are shaped like tacos and stuffed with a spicy Korean Gochujang glaze and pickled veggies. We also enjoyed the jalapeño cheddar doughnuts and a macaroni and cheese appetizer complemented by a creamy Alfredo sauce.

The salad offerings are notable. My favorite was the pear and spinach with dried cranberries, feta, toasted hazelnuts and radicchio, finished with a maple vinaigrette. The beet and Caesar salads displayed similar creativity.

All of Crescent’s first courses are sharable and can be enjoyed by the entire table. One can even make a meal of them.

Keeping prices down

Zeller is dedicated to making all of his dishes from scratch, while still keeping prices down. Seasonal ingredients are crucial in determining what he serves.

Diners will find several affordable dishes at lunch. I normally stay away from vegetarian items, but the portobello mushroom sandwich makes one forget about meat. The BLT with thick bacon, a Cuban and the bistro burger are also first class.

On weekends, Crescent has a more than respectable brunch menu. In addition to normal omelets and eggs Benedict type fare, they feature ricotta beignets, bananas foster pancakes, along with chicken and waffles. Noteworthy are the breakfast tacos with house-made chorizo sausage.

A major feature of Zeller’s diverse menu is the fried chicken. He brines Mary’s birds overnight in a buttermilk solution. Each meal is cooked to order; thus, it’s never soggy. The end product, served with a cornbread muffin and creamy coleslaw, compares favorably to the dish at Casa Orinda.
Crescent’s fried chicken is also an important component in many of the salad and sandwich items.

Other entrees of note include almond-crusted halibut, gnocchi in vodka sauce and butternut squash risotto. I especially enjoyed the red wine braised short ribs, the kind of dish that elevates Crescent to deserve recognition on food shows.

“We are grateful for the restaurant’s success,” Zeller says. “Being on ‘Check Bay Area’ has definitely given us a big boost. One of the hardest parts of being a small restaurant is gaining awareness and getting on people’s radar.”

Desserts

Zeller, who resides in Concord with his wife Emily and two young children, does not miss a beat with his desserts – which are all prepared on the premises. It is difficult to describe the yummy chocolate fudge brownie with peanut brittle and a marshmallow filling. Served with an insane caramel dipping sauce, this is not to be missed.

I also loved the butterscotch pot de crème with poached pears. Those at my table fought for the last bite. I plan to try the blackberry bread pudding on my next visit.

Crescent has a kids’ menu that is helpful when families come to dine.

Zeller recommends reservations for brunch and dinner, especially on weekends, online at https://crescentbistro.com/reservations or by calling 925-349-9456.

Contact Rich Eber at richeber9@gmail.com.