9 replies to this topic

[fnydm4]

Anyone know how many four star restaurants are in the bay are? I am from out of town but i assume Danko, French Laundry and Fleurs De Lys. Any more?

[mikeczyz]

What's your definition of four star? Mobil four star? San Francisco Chronicle four stars? or are you just looking for fine dining in general?

mike

[Fat Guy]

Mobil ranks on a five-star scale. The Chronicle uses four, and has designated five restaurants:

Aqua
Chez Panisse
Fleur de Lys
French Laundry
La Folie

Gary Danko has three-and-a-half stars from the Chronicle. Fifth Floor has three. Hahahaha. Whatever.

[mikeczyz]

how about san francisco magazine ratings? i believe they're on a four star scale as well. i tend to trust their critics more than mr. bauer at the chronicle.
mike
btw, masa's and the french laundry have four stars. fifth floor just picked up their award for the best restaurant in the city, i believe.

fatguy- have you eaten at danko and fifth floor?

[Robert Schonfeld]

The Fifth Floor now features Laurent Gras, the outstanding, formerly overlooked chef at Peacock Alley in New York. Mazal and I will be checking in with him in a few weeks.

[Fat Guy]

fatguy- have you eaten at danko and fifth floor?

I wish. But no, I'm speaking based on intimate familiarity with Laurent Gras's cuisine here in New York and the reports I've heard from the people I trust which basically indicate that Fifth Floor is already a better restaurant than Peacock Alley ever was. If that's the case, they need to add an extra star to the ranking system.

[mikeczyz]

fatguy-
I've been to danko's. Really, really spectacular service. The food was real good too. I'm not too familar with many fine dining places, but I thought it was fantastic. I had a chance to visit the fifth floor as my gf's birthday was a few weeks ago and we were gonna celebrate, but we visited La Folie instead. Nice food. If it were up to me, i woulda liked to have been to fifth floor to try gras' food which I've heard so many good things about. maybe next year.
mike

[Stone]

I've had the tasting menu (lunch) at Aqua and it was great. I went to Fluer De Lys and wasn't overly impressed, but then again, I was distracted by the overbearing decoration and that free drinks (big problem is that I often go to top restaurants on someone else's tab). The only time I hear about Fifth Floor is on this site and when reading SF "best of" articles. I don't recall ever hearing of anyone going. La Folie is supposed to be excellent. I used to live nearby and took my coffee at the Boulangerie next door. The staff at La Folie were always milling about, and they're good people.

From my 2 1/2 years of eavesdropping, Gary Danko is the place to go in SF. Ches Panisse in Berkely. French Laundry in America.

[Leslie Brenner]

the reports I've heard from the people I trust which basically indicate that Fifth Floor is already a better restaurant than Peacock Alley ever was.

I was a huge fan of Gras's at Peacock Alley--felt it (and he) were totally underrated. I dined at Fifth Floor a month ago and didn't feel it measured up. It was very, very goo--a warm summer salad, with gorgeous tiny vegetables poached in vinaigrette served atop a purslane salad, blew me away. But other dishes were disappointing, and the place as feels like a money-making-machine--completely unlike Peacock Alley. I think he's tremendously talented, but based on only one visit, I don't feel he's shining there.

[Leslie Brenner]

Oh my goo-ness. It wasn't very very goo, it was very very doog. I mean good.