jeffj

Here's a tip that isn't often mentioned: As long as you can get 8 people together, you can reserve the private dining room. And you can have your pick of dates up to 2 years in advance (so long as the date isn't already taken by another party). You'll pay a bit more for the tasting menu but the privacy and space are well worth it. The room has two sets of doors that lead out onto the second floor balcony which is perfect for mid-meal stretches.

melkor, congrats on the engagement...similarly, our meal was in celebration of our wedding last month. I can't think of a nicer place to celebrate. I'm totally jealous of the dishes you had. That truffle dish looks mindblowing. How'd you get so many courses...did you guys order the 2x2 menu? Thanks for posting the pics...

There were 3 cameras used for these photos. The majority of them were taken with our trusty pocket sized Pentax Optio S and Optio S4 cameras. Five of the photos were taken with a larger pro-sumer sized Sony camera (I don't know the exact model number as it is my father-in-law's camera). From my experience, as long as you put your food in natural light, it's really hard to take a bad photo with any quality of camera.

We had lunch this past weekend at The French Laundry. While I don't have a full write up, I thought I'd go ahead and post a photo essay of the meal. One thing of note: Keller was not in the kitchen and when we asked if Doug Psaltis was, we were told that he "no longer works here." I don't recall reading anything about his departure...anyone have further details? "Cornet" of Salmon Tartare with Sweet Red Onion Creme Fraiche Gruyere Cheese Gougeres "Bacon and Eggs" Soft Poached Quail Egg with Applewood-Smoked Bacon Osetra Caviar and Toasted Brioche "Oysters and Pearls" "Sabayon" of Pearl Tapioca with "Beau Soleil" Oysters and Iranian Osetra Caviar "La Ratte" Potato "Agnolotti" Diane St. Claire Butter and Grated Perigord Truffles Custard with Black Truffle Ragout Poached Moulard Duck "Foie Gras au Torchon" Bartlett Pear Relish and Toasted "Brioche" Ciabatta Bread Animal Farm Butter "Moi" Crispy Skin Filet of Pacific Threadfish Melted Belgian Endive, Orange Supremes and Orange "Aigre-Doux" "Peas and Carrots" Maine Lobster "Pancake" With Sweet Pea Shoot Salad and Ginger-Carrot Butter "Aiguillette" of Four Story Hills Poularde Breast Poached Royal Blenheim Apricots, Golden Chantarelle Mushroom and Sauce "Perigourdine" Medallion of Elysian Fields Farm Lamb Ribeye, "Rissole" of New Crop Potatoes, "Haricot Verts" and Paloise "Mousseline" "Tomme de Savoie" Braised Cipollini Onion, Scallion Salad and Black Truffle Syrup Coconut Sorbet Persian Lime Jelly and Toasted Cocconut "Gianduja" "Valrhona Chocolate Tasting" "Manjari" Chocolate "Ganache", "Guanaja" Chocolate Brownie and "Caraibe" Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Caramel Pot de Creme Tahitian Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee "Mignardises" Macaroons Assorted Chocolates: Caramel, Peanut Butter, Earl Grey

My wife and I were looking forward to a great truffle dinner at Oliveto this evening. I’d love to say the meal was perfect...unfortunately, there were some major flaws in this meal that I’ll get to in a moment. First, the good stuff...the food: Insalata di carne cruda of Watson Farm Lamb with Walnuts, Celery Heart, and Parmesan Butternut Squash Soup with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Parmesan Sweet Potato gnocchi with Bay Scallops Spit-Roasted Niman Ranch Rib of Beef with Marrow Bone and Sweet Potato Gratin Overall, these dishes were great. The lamb was served raw and was fabulously showcased by the earthy walnuts and salty, tangy parmesan. The soup had great flavor and the chanterelles were to die for. And the beef and marrow combination was hard to beat. However, the way the truffle dinner is conducted at Oliveto boarders on appalling to me. For those who are not familiar, the menu consists of approximately 20 dishes that work well when accompanied by truffles. The guest simply chooses the dishes they’d like to eat and then decides whether or not they want fresh, white truffle shaved onto the dish. The truffles cost $7.50 per gram and the restaurant recommends 4 to 6 grams as a good serving. We choose to include 5 grams on both our soup and gnocchi dishes (10 grams total). We were very curious to see how they portioned the truffle at the table. I thought they might use a small scale or some other means to determine how much to serve. However, our waitress simply came over and started shaving the truffle right onto the butternut squash soup. Now get this, she takes a whole truffle and swipes it repeatedly over the slicer while verbally calling out “one gram”. This is kinda like when you played football as a kid and counted out “one Mississippi, two Mississippi”, etc. She was determining the proper portion by her cadence. So after pausing to show us the first gram, she continues to count 2-3-4-5 grams. As you might have already guessed that this method has some major problems, not the least of which is the fact that the first gram she sliced was at the small pointy end of the truffle while the fifth gram was nearer to the meaty center. So how can the first gram of shaving equal the fifth gram of shaving…it simply can’t. In any event, we were fine with it. I trusted that she knew better than I what the correct measurement of 5 grams was. So, we were just about to dig in when she rushes back to the table and informs us that she was incorrect and had only shaved 3 grams onto the dish and offers to shave the additional 2 grams we ordered. I guess she had gone back, weighed the truffle, and realized that she shortchanged us. So, we had her shave a few more slices on the soup to account for the missing 2 grams. We sat back and enjoyed the soup; the flavor was outstanding, however, it was served too cold. Actually, the temperature was fine if the soup had been served without truffles. However, the lack of heat failed to activate the awesome aroma of the truffle shavings. So the dish ended up being a little disappointing in the end. Well, the empty bowl is cleared away and then much to our horror, the waitress returns to inform us that she actually over-shaved the truffle by 2 grams on the second attempt. She then goes on to say that we can have fewer truffles on our next dish if we want to make up for her mistake! Yes, she was informing us that we were required to pay for her error. Now, I’m not even going to get into whether or not she actually over-shaved the second time (I have my doubts that she actually did). I’m more concerned about this policy in general. If I’m dining in any fine establishment and let’s say that I order a run-of-the-mill glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and the waiter inadvertently delivers a glass of reserve Cabernet from a well regarded winery…would the waiter bill me for the incorrect wine? I don’t think so. So if I clearly order 5 grams of truffle and the waitress clearly understands my order yet delivers 7 grams by accident, should I be charged for her incompetence? I don’t think so. And this isn’t about money (I ordered 10 grams total and, in the end, they charged me for 13 grams so we’re only talking about an extra $25 or so). It’s simply about doing the right thing. I can think of several ways the restaurant could have handled itself better: 1) Have the waiters tell the customer that all shaving is approximate and that you will be charged not for what you order but what you actually receive. 2) Bring a scale to the table to more accurately determine the appropriate amount to shave. 3) Simply increase the cost per gram by a modest amount in order to absorb any costs due to over-shaving. By padding their margins they have the luxury of slightly over-shaving while not charging the customer any overage fee. It’s all about perception, in the end the customer feels happy because they got a little more than they paid for. 4) Don’t have a customer choose a specific number of grams from the start. Instead, shave one gram for the customer, pause so that they understand what one gram looks like, and then continue shaving until the customer is satisfied. Then weigh the truffle and charge based on the weight difference. Needless to say, we will not be going back to an Oliveto truffle dinner ever again. And for those who are curious about the quality of the truffles, they were mediocre at best. We had much more fragrant white truffle last year (which was a bad year in general) as well as the year before.

This is a great idea...my wife and I would fly out from California for this.

According to GraceAnn Walden's column from back in July, Nam is not related to Charles. The Inside Scoop - July 7, 2004

This is very, very exciting stuff. My hat's off to everyone involved with putting this project together!

I just wanted to follow-up my original post. I received a call this afternoon from the manager at Seeger’s restaurant. She had read my review here on eGullet and wanted to extend an offer to have us return to the restaurant for another meal. She wanted me to know that the service I described was abnormal and is not indicative of what Seeger’s is all about. She also informed me that she passed along my observations and concerns to Chef Seeger. I appreciate her going to the trouble of tracking me down and giving me a call…it indicates a dedication to service excellence. And as I stated in my original review, service was very warm in nature. Several members of the staff took the time to talk to us about food and restaurants in general. However, I stand by my criticism of some absolutely bizarre service snafus that we witnessed. Was it just an off night? I’m definitely not one that can make that determination after eating there only once. I’d love to hear from other Seeger’s diners and find out how they felt about their experience. In any event, I take the time to write these reviews not only for the benefit of prospective patrons but also with a hope that the principals involved might somehow gain some constructive input. It’s good to know that in this case, a mediocre experience may help make the restaurant stronger in the long run.

I would return but not anytime in the near future (too many other great places to try). On my next visit I'll probably opt for the Mina "Classics". I've had the Black Mussel Souffle and the Lobster Pot Pie in the past and they were both amazing.

It’s been called the highest profile San Francisco restaurant opening in the past 10 years. And while I don’t have the historical knowledge to judge this statement, I can conclude that restaurant Michael Mina has had a lot of thought and talent put into its conception. For those just becoming familiar with this brand new restaurant located in the Westin St. Francis hotel directly off Union Square, I highly recommend that you read this article from the San Francisco Chronicle. It gives an in depth description of the genesis of the restaurant. The Location We were dining on the restaurant’s second night of public service. Walking into the hotel one is immediately presented with a modern, clean-lined lounge area that is situated at the foot of the restaurant’s grand staircase. Completely open to the lobby below, the restaurant has a bird’s eye view of the hustle and bustle of the hotel. Consequently, Michael Mina is not a quiet dining experience...in fact it’s one of the loudest meals we’ve eaten in some time. Some will love the energy and vibe of the room while others will find it difficult to carry a conversation or to focus on the food. I’ll also point out that the receptionist’s podium is not visible when approaching the restaurant. You must walk up the stairs and turn left to find it. I noticed that the restaurant was getting some consistent foot traffic from people who, I assume, were attempting to drop in and dine without reservations. The problem with this is that as they reached the top of the steps, they were essentially standing in the middle of the dining room (this is due to the restaurant’s open layout.) Why have these people schlepping up into the dining room and clogging up the aisle-ways? Personally, I would have chosen to position the receptionist at the foot of the stairs so that people weren’t entering the restaurant unnecessarily. One other related note, there is a bar and small lounge area in the restaurant but when it fills up, guess where people stand? Yup, at the top of the stairs, a mere few feet away from guest tables and right in the way of the wait staff as they transport dishes, etc. The Menus Michael Mina offers a unique 3 course menu. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works: Course 1: The diner must choose one selection from one of two categories: “Seasonal Menu” or “Tableside Classics”. Seasonal Menu selections are complex, multi-preparation dishes which revolve around a theme ingredient. Tableside Classics are some of Mina’s signature dishes (lobster pot pie, ahi tuna tartare, etc.) There are 5 choices in the Seasonal Menu section and 3 choices in the Tableside Classics section. Course 2: Repeat the same process as described for course 1, choosing among a new list of dishes. Course 3: Dessert course. Make a selection from approximately 6 choices. An amuse bouche is also served with this menu. Price is $78 (some selections require a $10 supplement.) The restaurant also offers two different 8 course tasting menus. “Seasonal Tasting Menu” showcases a selection of seasonal dishes listed under the 3 course menu. “Michael’s Classic Tasting Menu” includes 8 different signature dishes from Mina’s repertoire. Price for each is $120 and they must be ordered by the whole table. Wine pairings are available for the two tasting menus. And for the 3 course menu, the staff is more than happy to recommend wines by the glass to pair with whatever food selections you choose. The Service Seeing as though the restaurant had just opened for business, I wasn’t expecting service to run smoothly. And indeed, there were a couple of definite problems. During the first course, the wait staff presented me with my girlfriend’s dish and she received my dish. This error could (and should) have been caught by double checking the silverware settings and/or wine glass pairings before setting the dishes down. For us, this wasn’t a big deal since we were sharing all our plates anyways. So we didn’t bother to correct the error as it happened. Also, during the second course, our food was brought out well before our wine arrived. This is an obvious timing issue that needs to be worked out. With that said, service on a whole was pretty good. Our server was extremely cordial and relaxed in nature. There was absolutely no stuffiness or pretentiousness at all. He appeared to be very well educated about the food and about the wine list. Water service was great; glasses were kept full. And both sparkling water and coffee were on the house. Nice touch! The Food We opted for the 3 course menu. Here’s a pictorial rundown of what we had: Lobster Bisque Roasted Spot Prawn with Dungeness Crab and Jalapeno Hollandaise Mock Corn Dog Roasted Foie Gras ~ Torchon Apricot, Star Anise Bing Cherry, Pink Peppercorn Maui Gold Pineapple, Young Ginger Lobster Salad ~ Heirloom Tomato Ceviches Brandywine Guacamole Green Zebra, Whole Grain Mustard Golden Jubilee, Buffalo Mascarpone Crispy Skin Black Bass Maine Lobster, Saffron, Fennel Brandade Razor Clams, Parsley, Corn Pudding Dungeness Crab, Cherry Tomatoes, Whipped Potatoes Kobe Beef Rib Roast Heirloom Spinach, Truffle Fries White Asparagus, Horseradish Mashed Potatoes Creamed Morels, Asiago Potato Gratin Fruit gratin with crème fraiche panna cotta Strawberry Raspberry Blackberry Roasted fruit compote ~ Artisanal cheeses Peaches - d'Alpage (cows milk cheese from the Rhone valley) Cherries - Boucheron (aged goat cheese Loire valley) Apricot - Mountain gorgonzola Bon Bons Going into the meal, my biggest fear about this multi-preparation concept was that by the time I worked my way down the plate, the food at the far end would have gotten cold. On a whole, this was an unfounded fear. Yes, the crispy skin of the black bass was not so crispy by the third iteration, but most dishes held up pretty darn well. However, there was a deeper concern to be unearthed by actually sitting down and eating this concept. The lobster salad plate serves as a good example: When my brain was presented with six preparations at the same time, I found it hard to focus and gain clarity on any one of the six. It was simply too many flavors and too many combinations bombarding me all at once. I was unable to sit and contemplate a single preparation because 5 more were staring me in the face. And if I was supposed to be comparing/contrasting flavors, I found it nearly impossible because by the time I reached the fourth dish I could no longer remember what the first dish tasted like. The second course contains only three preparations and I found this to be much more manageable. Maybe it’s just my feeble mind that couldn’t wrap itself around six iterations at one time. Moving past conceptual analysis and focusing on the quality and flavors of the food, I’d say our selections were hit and miss. The amuse collection was whimsical yet it presented food whose flavors exuded the effort and care that had gone into its preparation. The lobster bisque was warm, rich, and vibrantly lobster-like. The single spot-prawn successfully balanced the cool accompaniment of cucumber with a late-to-develop kick from the jalapeno hollandaise. And the little mock corndog with a seafood ball inside was fun and surprisingly appealing. The foie gras plate was very solid, especially the apricot & star anise preparation which was to die for. I especially enjoyed the torchon versions of all three preparations. The rich, buttery mouth feel of the foie, accented with brightness of a few salt crystals is hard to beat. This plate paired very well with a late harvest gewürztraminer. However, the entire lobster plate seemed to lack coherent harmony. Although lobster and tomato were featured in every preparation, these dishes had too many things going on which made it hard to trace them back to any semblance of a resonating note. Additionally, the dish was plagued by a mundane version of guacamole and lobster pieces that were rather one-dimensional in flavor. The black bass plate failed to present any aggressive or assertive flavors which caused me to eat my way through without ever stopping to give it a second thought. Kind of like sleepwalking while dining. And for some reason the starches on this plate had a rather grainy texture that absolutely did not work for me when paired with the fish. Wine for this course was a 2002 Petit Chapeau Macon-Villages. Generally, things got back on track for the Kobe beef plate. The pieces of beef included too much gristle and silverskin for a restaurant of this caliber but flavor-wise it was outstanding. Again, salt crystals placed on top of the meat added so much enjoyment for such a basic ingredient. Also, the meat’s crust had a great herb flavoring to it. The creamed morel preparation was probably the closest thing this entire meal had to a “wow” moment. Very, very good. And who couldn’t love truffle fries; they were also a good accompaniment. The matching wine, a glass of 1993 Domaine Tempier Bandol, was an outstandingly smooth pairing with the meat...best pairing of the night. Things dipped again as we headed into the dessert course. The gratin and crème fraiche dish presented nothing to write home about...pretty standard renditions. And if anything, the cheese plate was more notable for pairing the cheeses with three types of honey. I’ll also give credit to our server for going to the trouble of pairing three different wine selections to go along with the cheeses: a 2001 Moscato d’Asti with the d’Alpage, a 1998 Hirtzberger Austrian Riesling with the Boucheron, and a glass of Quarts du Chaume with the gorgonzola. However, points were lost on the fact that the cheeses that arrived at the table did not match what was listed on the printed menu. So what’s the final verdict? The meal as a whole didn’t blow me out of the water but it’s really much too early to tell for sure (you can’t fairly judge a restaurant after only being open for two days). However, I can provide prospective diners some advice: 1. Be ready for noise 2. You’ll be experiencing a lot of flavors…get your head in the game before you go 3. Enjoy the warm service and attentive staff

I'll be dining at Michael Mina tomorrow night. I hope to post a detailed report soon after.

Thanks Extra for that tremendous report. Over the past 9 years I've spent about 11 weeks vacationing throughout the islands and I've dined at many of the places you detailed. Your pictures are top notch...great job. Too bad you didn't get to have lunch or dinner at Ocean View in Kona...it's one of our favorite local dives. Thanks so much for sharing and for bringing back some fond memories.

I'll keep this brief...the statement above is exactly correct. The whole point of my grades is to compare apples to apples. Of course I'm not comparing The Dining Room to The Varsity and stating that The Varsity presents better food. That comparison would be utterly ridiculous...kinda like comparing apples to oranges wouldn't you say. So you can't directly compare a Varsity 'A' grade with a Dining Room 'B' grade. I guess I assumed that was obvious. The Varsity gets an 'A' in the realm of sub $10 fast food joints that serve traditional american fare (ie burgers, hot dogs, fries, etc.) The Dining Room gets a 'B' when compared to over $150 meals that are served in the nation's finest restaurants (ie ADNY, The French Laundry, etc.) I guess I should have realized that including grades in my reviews would cause controversy. But their whole point is to help people judge how a restaurant compares to other similar restaurants. Five better meals I had in the last year: two meals at The French Laundry, two meals at Trio, a meal at Charlie Trotters, and possibly a meal at Fifth Floor. Don't think that a 'B' is negative...I've also had several 5 star meals in the past year that have been worse than The Dining Room... P.S. As for The Varsity...my girlfriend agrees with you therese...she didn't find it to be as enjoyable as I did.

Well Robyn, historically, you and I never seem to see eye-to-eye…and this is just one more instance. You opinion is noted and respected. However your statement about my grading of The Dining Room is faulty. The restaurant received a “B” grade based not on the chocolate dessert but rather on six of the previously served dishes. In fact, as I noted, I felt the chocolate dessert was outstanding based on my general dislike for chocolate (and if anything, this dish helped raise the grade.) Off the top of my head, I can list 5 meals I’ve eaten in the past year that have exceeded to greatly-exceeded my meal at The Dining Room. When I’m presented with dishes that are overwhelmed by assertively cacophonous flavors, contain components that are overcooked, and lack proper saucing then obviously I’m not going to give the meal an “A”. While The Dining Room may be the best restaurant in the Southeast, keep in mind, I’m grading against the rest of the country. My grades are given based on food, service, and value; and are never based on a single dish.

Wow...eloquently and passionately put Tana. My writing can't hold a candle to that. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

It's always my policy to be as unobtrusive as possible when taking pictures in restaurants. Because of that, I never use flash (in fact, the pictures would look much worse if a flash was used.) My digital camera is extremely small (a Pentax Optio S4…it fits in an Altoids can.) So I simply keep it in the breast pocket of my jacket and quickly remove it as necessary. It’s all done so quickly that most people never realize I’m taking pictures. But I will mention that for the first time, someone did ask me why I was taking pictures. It was the end of our meal at Seeger’s and the room was mostly empty except for us and another couple at the adjacent table. So I briefly explained what I was doing…it was the perfect opportunity to indoctrinate two more people on the wonders of eGullet. Anyways, they were simply curious and not the least bit annoyed by the whole camera thing. Yes, as I mentioned, it was an uneven meal. The food was pretty good but the service was terribly lacking. They need to do a better job of training the servers if they expect to charge the prices they do. I just want to thank everyone for their appreciation of my posts. It really is your enjoyment of them that keeps me writing and documenting what we eat. I feel fortunate to be able to contribute to eGullet in my own little way.

With my girlfriend having to travel to Atlanta on business, the two of us decided to make a mini vacation out of the trip. Excited about discovering what Atlanta has to offer, we were primarily looking forward to trying the avant garde cuisine of Blais. But much to our dismay, the restaurant abruptly closed two weeks before our trip. Disappointed but not deterred, we rearranged our dining plans and came up with the following series of meals: May 21, 2004 – 9:00PM The Dining Room Ritz Carlton Buckhead Chef Bruno Menard’s Signature Menu Carrot and Bonito Flan with Orange-Cilantro Fromage Blanc Small amuse to start the meal. Overall this had a mild flavor with none of the components providing any assertiveness. The carrot was enjoyably sweet and the bonito provided a bit of smoky flavor. However, the flan had an unexpected consistency that was a bit more course than we were expecting. The most aggressive flavor component to the dish was the cocoa tuile which provided a salty punch. Kumamoto Oysters with Vichyssoise Espuma and Beluga Caviar Sancerre, Lucien Crochet, Loire Valley 2001 The vichyssoise espuma was definitely the highlight of the dish. Delicate in flavor and texture, it exuded a fluffy sophistication when it hit the palate. Unfortunately, the single oyster in each cup was floating in a soy and ginger sauce. This Asian style sauce was simply too strong and astringent for the delicate nature of the dish. Not only did it overwhelm the vichyssoise but it also clobbered the caviar, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the salty pop of the eggs. This could have been fantastic but instead we were left dreaming about what might have been. Sautéed Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Ginger Jordan Almonds and Argan Oil Kracher, Beerenauslese Reserve, Austria 2002 I’d have to say that overall, I enjoyed this take on foie gras. However, as I worked my way through it, the novelty of crushed Jordan almonds began to wear on me as the particles stuck to the grooves of my molars. I think a few less almonds would have been better, though I praise the textural contrast that they provided. Georgia Organic English Pea Soup with Crustacean Custard, Lobster, and Mint Cream Riesling, Loimer, Wachau 2002 This was the first outstanding dish. Great combination of flavors. The soup had a lot of brightness and was definitely fresh in flavor. And as one mixed in the mint cream, a very successful layer of richness was gained. The custard provided a satisfying lobster flavor through the first few bites. And as I progressed, the flavors began to meld together and incorporate in a pleasing manner. Texturally, the small pieces of lobster with their soft chew provided a counterpoint to the otherwise smooth, velvety dish. The paired Riesling was also on the money as its lack of sweetness and its pronounced herbal tones played well against the flavors of mint and peas. Lobster, Coconut Jasmine Rice, Marinated Pineapple, and Curry-Calamari Sauce Vouvray, Champalou, Loire Valley, 2001 From the start, I wasn’t sold on this conceptually. It seemed a bit too gimicky/fusiony. However, about a third of the way through I began to recognize the harmony of flavors in this dish. Coconut, pineapple, peanut, and curry provided a wide range of flavors that allowed for a great variety of flavor pairings. Completely Malaysian in feel, I think this dish ended up working overall. However, as so often is the case, the lobster was a tad overcooked. Coffee Crusted Lamb Loin with Caramelized Jewell Sweet Potatoes and Edamame Chateau Gaillard, St. Emilion, Bordeaux 2000 Bonus points for using a fine grind on the coffee crust. It wasn’t too bitter and it actually worked well compared to the sweetness of the meat. The portion size was large…bordering on too large. The sweet potatoes were appealing. However, for the amount of meat, the dish needed much more of the sauce reduction. I can’t tell you how many dishes I’ve eaten which were over-sauced but this is one of the few I’ve come across that would have benefited from a bit more. But overall I have a positive view of this dish especially considering (in our experience) the fact that as a category, red-meat dishes seem to have the hardest time presenting ‘wow’ moments. Fourme D’ Ambert with Banana Slice and Chocolate Spiced Bread Sauternes, Chateau Lafaufie, Peyraguey 1997 Pretty simple dish. The cheese was very tasty…strong aggressive flavor. And it worked well with the Sauternes. However, the spiced bread was a little too dry and one-dimensional…maybe a quick toasting would have provided some crunch and textural excitement. Apricot Sorbet with Yogurt Espuma Absolutely delicious. Amazingly vibrant apricot flavor that worked perfectly with the rich moist almond cake below. The yogurt provided a great tangy punch but in a delicate, light manner. This should be a main event dessert rather than a palate cleanser. Perfect dish. Cuban Chocolate Tart with Chocolate Sorbet Port Neither of us loves chocolate desserts that much. However, I thought this one actually worked. None of the components were too densely chocolate in nature. The chocolate was showcased in several forms which were pretty light and thus easy to eat. The bottom cracker provided some saltiness that contrasted well with the sweetness of the chocolate. Mignardises Our choices from the cart: Strawberry with green tea sugar, strawberry with citrus sugar, pistachio nougat, pistachio cake, butter almond cake, orange tuile, crème brulee, saffron-orange soleil. They were all very good, but the saffron-orange soleil simply stole the show. Intensely flavorful and completely enjoyable…I was actually able to taste saffron in my mouth the whole way back to the hotel. Dinner at The Dining Room had three ‘wow’ moments: the pea soup, the apricot sorbet, and the saffron mignardises. That was balanced by one flameout: the Kumamoto oysters. With that said, I think that overall, the meal was above average in terms of food. The décor is lodge-like with rich dark colors and busy fabrics. But I think it’s pulled off in an elegant way. As a random side thought, the plaid under linings used on the tables seemed incongruous to the rest of the décor. Service was generally good…only a few minor issues with silverware settings and a flubbed description of the salted/unsalted butters. But overall it was a smooth meal. Chef Menard stopped by to check in with us toward the end of the meal…that’s always a nice touch. Also impressive were some of the additional services. There was great coffee service (served in large French presses) along with compelling tea, mignardises, and cheese carts. And, setting an unheard of precedent, our sparkling water was apparently free of charge. Grade: B May 22, 2004 – 10:00AM The Varsity Onion Rings Chili Cheese Dog Frosted Orange What can I say…it’s an Atlanta institution and its acclaim is well deserved. While the chili cheese dog didn’t initially appear to be that exciting to me, once I popped it in my mouth I was hooked. The chili really helped spice up the dog and make the whole thing sing. And there was just the right proportion of everything so that no one flavor overwhelmed the other. The onion rings were some of the best I’ve had. A light and crispy exterior gave way to a hot and tender onion on the inside. I appreciated the fact that I could bite cleanly through the onions without pulling the whole thing apart. The frosted orange was cool and creamy…a great accompaniment to the meal. If there’s any reason to make a return visit to Atlanta, The Varsity is it. Grade: A May 22, 2004 – 11:00AM The Busy Bee Café Fried Chicken, Collard Greens, Fried Corn This place filled up with locals rather quickly after opening so I’m betting it’s the real deal. I thought the chicken was good: crispy exterior that was not greasy in the least and a hot juicy interior. However, I think it lacked overall flavor and that was probably my mistake for forgetting to ask for some gravy. The greens and corn were great. But the corn muffins were the real stars…they were outstanding along with some whipped honey butter. Grade: B May 22, 2004 – 7:45PM Seeger’s Grand Tasting Menu Goat Cheese Profiterole with Pumpkin Seed Oil and Celery Microgreens This one biter was rather mundane. While not offensive, it lacked the ‘kick’ that a palate opener should have. Nothing jumped out with only the faint taste of celery lingering in the finish. White Asparagus Gazpacho, Wild Salmon Tartare, Late Harvest Riesling Gelee Curtis, Viognier 2000 Surprisingly, the predominant flavor of this dish was celery. Found as a small dice in the tartare, the celery completely overwhelmed the delicate salmon flavor. The dish really failed because of it. The Riesling gelee had a pleasant sweetness that was enjoyable with the soft textured salmon. But if the spoonful held any bit of celery, the dish was completely out of balance. The gazpacho didn’t really capture the essence of asparagus…for some reason, it had a heavy taste of oil. Flat Rock Farm Egg Custard, Carrot Syrup, Shaved Bonito Riesling Kabinett Gunderlock “Jean-Baptiste” 2002 Again this dish lacked any strong flavors. There was a slight smokiness from the bonito and only a hint of sweetness from the carrot. So the egg-iness of the custard won out as the feature flavor. Not bad but definitely not exciting in the least. These first three dishes were all very reserved flavor-wise. At this point I was in desperate need of some bolder tones. Vegetable a la Grecque, White Shrimp on Lavender Vouvray sec, Vigneau-Chevreau 2000 The scent of lavender wafted from the plate as this dish was set on the table. However, it was lacking in lavender flavor which would have been appreciated. I felt the dish lacked focus. The honey flavored broth was interesting and delicious but the sheer number of vegetables overwhelmed my ability to locate a harmonizing note to the dish. Fava, asparagus, pearl onion, artichoke, and zucchini were all included. Fortunately, the shrimp were cooked well and we were finally starting to get some bolder flavors going on. Roasted Maine Halibut, Braised Young Romaine Sauvignon Blanc, Domaine de Lalande 2002 Things really started improving with this dish. Overall, it was very good with some extremely satisfying bites toward the thickest part of the halibut. The one thing we wanted was a bit more golden brown crust on the fish. It would have really enhanced the flavors and added additional complexity. Flavors of bacon were present in the sauce as well as in the cream on top…both worked quite nicely with the fish. The Sauvignon Blanc was outstanding and paired very well with the dish. Grilled Quail, Sweet Potato, Morel Chateau de Campuget, Merlot 2002 Hands down, the best dish of the night. The quail was very tender and juicy with a nice clean flavor. I enjoyed that the sweet potato still had a bit of tooth to it, though it could have been a little sweeter. The morels were simply outstanding…large, whole caps that were rich and earthy. They worked magnificently well with the quail. The accompanying sauce was well refined and delicious. Seirass E Seirass Del Fen, Marinated Sweet Peppers Domaine du Tariquet 2002 Not a strongly flavored cheese. Although we were not familiar with this cheese, it was evident on first taste that it was a ricotta. The sweet peppers were a straightforward accompaniment. The wine matched really well and helped add some complexity to a relatively one-dimensional dish. We appreciated that it was cut from a whole round of cheese and served tableside. I’ll go into service issues in more depth below, but I must note that when I inquired about what was wrapped around the cheese, our server was forced to head downstairs and ask the kitchen (mountain cress is what we were eventually told.) I would think that all the servers should be knowledgeable at this level of detail. Garden Rose Essence, Goat Yogurt Sorbet Very interesting palate cleanser because it veered in the opposite direction of what is typically a fruit-centric course. I really liked this, mostly because it was unique. Great floral notes contrasted perfectly against the tangy yogurt flavor. Warm Georgia Mountain Peach, Vanilla Ice Cream Rumania, Murfatlar 2000 About as basic as you can get…a whole Georgia peach along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Sometimes the simplest things are the most rewarding…and this is a perfect example. The warm peach exuded pure and concentrated flavors. It’s exactly what you dream a peach should taste like. Why slave over an elaborate, multi-component dessert when you can send this out? Great dish. Petits Fours While we’re almost always stuffed beyond belief when the petits fours arrive, we still have come to expect some great things on these plates. Unfortunately, this was one of the skimpiest selections we’ve come across: lemon Madeline, mint-chocolate truffle, and a praline cookie. They were very good but I’d like to see some wider selection. The coffee was sensational…rich and smooth. However, it was served after the petits fours…it’s my belief that most people would want their coffee served before so that they can enjoy it with these small bites. I’m not going to sugar coat it…considering that Seeger’s is a five diamond restaurant, service was atrocious. Immediately upon sitting down, I could tell that the front of house was stretched completely thin. We were seated upstairs and were able to view eight tables inclusive of 18 covers. For the whole evening, all of those tables were serviced by a single lead waiter and a single back waiter. Occasionally the sommelier would show up but otherwise it was just the two of them trying to keep up with eight tables. As you might guess, pacing was a major issue. After sitting down and having our amuse bouche, it took 34 minutes for our next course to arrive. What’s even more insane is that it was the asparagus gazpacho dish that doesn’t even have a single fired element…it’s a ‘plate up and go’ dish. Possibly it was the kitchen’s fault…maybe they, too, were stretched too thin. But there’s no excuse for a 34 minute wait. The wait between dish two and dish three was actually too fast: less than one minute. However, it was back to a snails pace as we waited 27 minutes for the fourth dish. And this slow pace was happening at other tables around us, too. We saw other typical gaffes going on all night: missed silverware, dishes served before the wine, wine poured before presenting the bottle, and long waits to clear empty plates. Guests were not escorted toward the bathrooms by the staff (though, I know many people don’t like this practice.) But most troubling was what we saw at an adjacent two-top table. The women had gotten up to use the restroom and while absent from the table, their next course was delivered to the table. So, not only was her dish sitting there getting cold, but her male companion also felt obligated to hold off on his dish until she returned (which was several minutes.) That’s downright bad service. Also, we had asked for sparkling water with dinner and the closest they had was Sanfaustino which is somewhere between still and sparkling. Plus, it was unappealingly served at room temperature. For something as basic as water, Seeger’s needs to be more on the ball. On a positive note, the staff had seemingly genuine warmth and really appeared to be concerned that everyone was enjoying themselves. Wine pours were extremely generous in size. And bonus points to the receptionist who, on our arrival, spotted us approaching from a far distance and was ready to greet us with an open door. It may seem that I’m being tough on Seeger’s but if you’re awarded five diamonds I think that you’re responsible for upholding a certain level of excellence. So I’m comparing them to the best. Grade: C May 23, 2004 – 11:00AM Park 75 Four Seasons Hotel When I heard that the Four Seasons offered a 12 course Sunday brunch tasting menu for only $36 I was in disbelief. And I also knew we had to make a trip to check it out. Since these dishes aren’t meant to be taken as super haute cuisine, I’ll keep my comments brief: Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Holes A lot of doughnut holes for just two people…or so we thought. We hadn’t realized that all tables (regardless of size) receive the same number of doughnuts until we had scarfed down all eight of these. We felt like pigs but they were fresh, warm and very good. CreamBroccoli and Gruyere Frittata Chocolate and Hazelnut Blintz with Cocoa Whipped Frittata: Just the right size, the Gruyere and egg tasted great together. Almost like a mini omelet. Salty goodness was provided by what appeared to be fried tomato skins and sweet potatoes on top. Blintz: Very sweet and rich for my palate. Pear and Spring Green Salad with Maytag Blue Cheese, Candied Walnut and Dates Golden Tomato Gazpacho with Olive Oil and Cilantro Sweet Grass Dairy Fresh Chevre Pillows Braised Beef and Cepes in Fillo with Spanish Almond Oil Salad: A classic combination of flavors…good. Gazpacho: Good texture and taste. Very clean. Chevre Pillows: These were delicious. Tangy chevre raviolis accented by a lemon based sauce that added some interest. Tiny, baby white asparagus provided a hint of bitterness. Beef: Beef was very rich and flavorful. Good contrast with the crispy fillo. “Fish & Chips” Roasted Monkfish and Fingerling Potatoes with Malt Vinegar Remoulade Angus Beef Hanger Steak over Succotash and Fresh Garlic Cream Tempura of Soft Shell Crab with Smoked Salmon Tomato Butter Duck Confit Arancini with “Cassoulet” Sauce Monkfish: Started getting really full at this point (the last couple days were beginning to add up.) The fish was somewhat overcooked but it was still an enjoyable play on traditional fish and chips. Hanger Steak: Unfortunately the steak still had some veining running down the middle. It was tender but not quite salty enough. Succotash didn’t really work taste wise for me but it did add textural variety. To me, the dish lacked a strong overall taste. Crab: Too much breading and shell was a little bit tough. Cold by the time I got to it. That’s the problem with sending out four hot dishes at the same time. Arancini: By the time I got to this the sauce was cold and congealed. The breaded exterior was tasty but the portion size was just too big. Thomasville Tomme with Laquered Kumquats and Stone Fruit Salad Good combination of flavors between the cheese and cherries. But, not super exciting. It’s a firmer style cheese which I don’t usually prefer in cheese plates. Loquat Sorbet Decent flavor. Pistachio Lemon and Raspberry Tart Really full at this point. Chocolate Coffee Toffee Cake with Chai Ice Cream The Chai ice cream added great flavor contrast to the cake. Overall this meal is a tremendous deal. As I mentioned at the start, this is not super high brow cuisine. But it is solidly good upscale food that has some real thought put behind it. And it’s executed rather well. Where else can you find this for $36…simply amazing. Oh, and I didn’t mention that the meal came with complimentary fresh squeezed orange juice…great touch. Service was very warm. They checked on us on multiple occasions and even offered to replace anything we didn’t like with more of what we did like. However, one major annoyance was the fact that in every case where we were served plates containing multiple dishes, my plate was never oriented in the same way as my girlfriend’s. So as the server recited what was on the plate, the sequence of descriptions was incorrect for one of us. I don’t know how they repeatedly failed to catch this mistake. I’d also like to see some of the progressions paired down so that dishes aren’t getting cold before the diner has a chance to eat them. But overall, I’d encourage everyone in Atlanta to get over to Park 75 and take advantage of this wonderful deal as often as possible. Grade: A- May 23, 2004 – 9:00PM South City Kitchen Sunday night found us taking a break from formal dinners as we dined at South City Kitchen. I was looking forward to finding out how Southern inspiration is translated into nouveau cuisine. We were started off with a bowl of cornbread. Unfortunately, it was dense, chewy and had a weird taste. But that was good reason not to fill up on the carbs. Throughout dinner I enjoyed a couple glasses of Dr. Burklin-Wolf Riesling. Now, on to the dishes: Fried Green Tomatoes goat cheese, sweet red pepper coulis and crisp dandelion greens Awesome…best fried green tomatoes of the trip (though, I’m not sure how authentic they are.) Great tangy taste between the cheese and tomatoes…and a good sweetness from the pepper coulis. I could have eaten a couple plates of these. Old Charleston She-Crab Soup with fresh cream and sherry Rich and creamy without being too heavy…some good bits of crab floating at the bottom of the bowl. This soup was delicious. Sautéed Shrimp, Scallops and Grits with creamy stone-ground grits and garlic gravy This dish never got off the ground. Three small shrimp and three little scallops just don’t cut it. And they weren’t prepared with any care…they were reminiscent of something you’d find on a plate at TGI Friday’s. Not so good. Buttermilk Fried Chicken market beans, whipped potatoes and bourbon gravy Better…the chicken was tasty and crisp (portions with no gravy over it). The bourbon gravy was decent but it was nothing exciting. The green beans were well prepared and provided another level of crunch to the dish. Overall, it was enjoyable. Chocolate Pecan Pie served warm with caramel, chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream Good but very sweet…almost too sweet to finish. The blackberries were a welcome accompaniment and provided some tartness. South City Kitchen generally provided what I was expecting. I think it’s a great place to visit with friends over a few glasses of wine and a couple appetizers. The appetizers and decent wine selection really saved the day. I would have to try more of the entrees before recommending full meals. Grade: B- May 24, 2004 – 11:30AM Mary Mac’s Tea Room Time for more down home Southern comfort food: Pot Likker with Cornbread Simply outstanding. Tremendously rich flavor from the runoff of the collard greens pot. How much more Southern can you get? A true highlight of the trip. Fried Chicken, Cheese Grits, Hoppin’ John This chicken really was finger lickin’ good…great flavor and a very crispy exterior. However, I was hoping the cheese grits would have been a bit cheesier…they were still somewhat bland for my tastes. Chicken Pot Pie, Collard Greens & Cracklin’, Fried Green Tomatoes Very enjoyable…piping hot on the inside. The white meat chicken was deliciously tender. Even better were the fried green tomatoes. Very flavorful with fried, sweet, and tangy flavors harmonizing as one. Georgia Peach Cobbler Strawberry Shortcake & Whipped Cream Both desserts were good but very sweet. We were unable to finish the cobbler. Mary Mac’s Team Room has a very warm and welcoming wait staff. Our server took the time to help us with the ordering instructions and brought us the complimentary Pot Likker. They definitely know how to provide that famous Southern hospitality. Grade: B+ May 24, 2004 – 6:00PM Bacchanalia I’ve read reports that Bacchanalia was on the decline and was over the hill. So I had debated about eating at Joel instead. But in the end, we ended up at Bacchanalia: Crispy Pastry Puff with Liquid Cheese Center Very tasty and full of warm gooey cheese. It was a good starter. Fresh California Asparagus with Cold Asparagus Soup This soup was outstanding. Paired with the slices of fresh asparagus, this dish is a great example of how to showcase a single ingredient. It really broke everything down to its core essence. Makes me think back to the asparagus gazpacho at Seeger’s and how much that failed to capture pure asparagus flavors compared to this dish. Wild Ramp Ravioli with Prawns Raviolis were done with a thin pasta which allowed the flavor of the ramps to dominate. Good flavor and texture, complemented by the ricotta inside. Prawns were cooked nicely…crisp and flavorful. Saucing was accented with red pepper and garlic. Foie Gras Terrine & House Cured Duck Salad Mount Horrocks, Gordon Cut Riesling 2003, Clare Valley Delicious. It was a chunkier style terrine that had a fabulous gelee on top (I’m assuming it was their famous Sauterne variety.) I could have used a bit more brioche but it was still enjoyable (and decadent) to eat the foie gras by itself. Roasted Maine Halibut with Butter Braised Mizuna, Tarbais Beans & Sweet English Peas This was a very big portion size. Flavor-wise the fish was okay…the edges were a bit tough and overcooked but the thick center portion was good. It was salted well but with such a big portion of fish the dish became a bit monotonous. There weren’t a lot of other flavor components to mix and match with and, again, the jus was accented with red pepper and garlic…coincidence? Wood Grilled Duck Breast with Duck Confit & Spring Vegetables Keegan, Pinot Noir 2001, Russian River Valley Good smoky flavor to the duck breast. It was salted and seasoned just about perfectly which is a difficult balancing act to do. The confit added a different take on duck and added welcomed variety to the plate. As far as the ‘spring vegetables’ go, the peas were wrinkly and mushy…not very good. But the morels were rich and successfully paired. A Selection of Cheese from Star Provisions Stilton, Lou Perac Perail, a creamy cow’s milk cheese covered with soltana raisins, and a mild goat’s milk cheese covered with tarragon and peppercorns. The milder cheeses presented nothing mind blowing. Stilton was the best (and obviously most pungent) selection. Local Georgia Strawberries with Aged Balsamic & Fleur De Lis Pleasant pairing between the cheese and strawberries but it was nothing revelatory. However, this is a great example of a composed cheese course that anyone could do at home for your own dinner guests. Peach Ice Cream with Macerated Strawberries and Peaches Straightforward. Pleasant flavors. Local Strawberry Tasting: Strawberry Soufflé, Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Strawberries, Strawberry Shortcake The soufflé had a gummy top and was very runny…most likely undercooked. But it did have a pleasantly mild strawberry flavor. The panna cotta was unconventional in its liquid consistency. The sour versus sweet interaction worked well in that dish. The shortcake was enjoyable…especially due to the fact that they used unsweetened whipped cream. It kept it from being overly sweet. Rhubarb Brown Butter Tart with Strawberry Sorbet Brachetto D’Acqui, Braida 2003, Piemonte Outstanding dessert. Good concentration of flavors in the strawberry sorbet. The tart was light and flaky, not dense or chewy…it wasn’t the least bit heavy. Rhubarb was not discernable in the overall flavor of the dish but that did not really detract from it. Really, this was as close to perfect as a dessert can get for me. The paired wine was sensational…notes of roses and strawberries worked well together. In fact, this was the best wine pairing of the entire trip. Mignardises Pecan brownie, citrus gelee, nutty brittle, candied grapefruit peel, chocolate dipped apricot, warm Madelines. Good…nothing outstanding. I loved the décor of the restaurant…it’s very modern with a bit of urban loftiness thrown in. The building also has a very hip vibe being out in the middle of nowhere next to some train tracks. However, the wine service needed a bit of work. First off, our waiter and I got into a side conversation about Italian red wines with effervescence. I mentioned Lambrusco and the waiter looked confused and then proceeded to tell me that Lambrusco has no bubbles. At this point I knew there was no use in continuing the conversation. Anyways, never in my life have I seen someone pour wine like him in a fine dining restaurant. It was like watching a train wreck. Careless and brash with his pours, by the time the meal was over, the tablecloth looked like a Jackson Pollack painting. But it all comes back to the food and Bacchanalia delivers. Most everything was solid or excellent. And for the price, I think Bacchanalia presents a pretty decent meal. Grade: B+ Bonus Review: May 25, 2004 – 8:00PM Gottlieb’s Restaurant Savannah, GA We made an overnight trip to Savannah and choose a relatively new restaurant, Gottlieb’s, based on reports that it’s the best example of nouveau cuisine in the city. The night got off to a somewhat rocky start. I had called earlier in the day asking for an earlier reservation but I was told that no table was available. That was okay with me…I assumed that business was too heavy to accommodate the request. So when we arrived at the restaurant only to find it a quarter full, I was not too happy. Then we walked in and the receptionist asked us to take a seat in the lobby and wait to be seated at our table. ?!?! The place was only a quarter full!!! That made no sense to me at all. After a few minutes we were finally seated, so it’s on to the food: Duck Spring Roll with Peanut Sauce This amuse was fine…nothing to write home about but at least it had some flavor. Pan Roasted Maine Lobster on a Southern Corn Cake with Lobster Gravy This was a very solid dish. The half lobster was tender and was cooked perfectly. The gravy was very decadent and captured the delicious essence of lobster. The corn cake was a neutral backdrop that allowed the other components to shine and was light in texture, like a pancake allowing the gravy to be sopped up….yum!. Seared Foie Gras on a Belgium Waffle with Sugar Cane Gastrique Syrup I knew this one sounded a bit gimmicky but I still wanted to try it. Flavor-wise, this dish worked well. However, there were a few problems. The Belgium waffle was just too thick in proportion to the foie gras. I would have liked to have tried a thinner waffle. Also the foie gras was two thin slices stacked upon one another. I would have like a single thicker piece as well as one of better quality (there were still veins in the pieces I had.) I had wanted a paired wine for this dish but the wine list had nothing available by the glass that would be sweet enough to pair well. That was disappointing. Our Brunswick Stew with Braised Rabbit and Wild Mushrooms Very rich and tasty. Stew was heavily reduced with the vegetables being indiscernible, but steeped with flavor. Braised rabbit was showcased as two separate pieces, the whole leg portion and the tenderloin. Wild mushrooms provided a good accompaniment due to their earthy flavor and velvety texture. Sugar Cane Glazed Pecan Crusted Rack of Colorado Lamb with Creamy Grits The lamb was cooked perfectly…tender and very flavorful. The creamy grits were probably the best we had on this trip. The pecan crust was equally delicious…but here’s the rub, the crust had some heat from what tasted like red pepper. I had asked for the waiter’s suggestion on the wine pairing and he guided me toward a 2002 Saintsberry Pinot Noir. I decided to give it a shot (without knowing about the ingredients in the crust.) However, the pepper in the dish just wrecked havoc on the high alcohol content in the pinot. There was a very pronounced mouth burn going on with that pairing. It was without a doubt, the worst matched wine of the whole trip. I’m very surprised the wait staff wasn’t better trained on these issues. Savannah Red Velvet Cake Good but nothing exciting for me. But what was exciting was a glass of 1975 Toro Albala Don PX Reserva that I had for dessert. A deep brown color with vividly strong prune flavors. Intensely sweet but incredibly smooth on the palate…extremely mellow. A great way to end a jam packed few days of eating. I mentioned a few service issues at the start and I have to add one other thing. We had the most surreal experience as our first courses were placed on the table. The waitress set them down, smiled, and then departed with nary a peep. My girlfriend and I just turned and stared at each other with confused looks. We soon deduced that we wouldn’t have any of the dishes announced nor explained to us this evening. It was a glaring omission for a restaurant that is attempting to provide fine dining service. However, overall the food was delicious. The kitchen is really saving the day and keeping this restaurant afloat. And for that reason I would give Gottlieb’s another try. Grade: B-

Yes, possible. If I were to base the grade on just those two factors, the grade would most likely be lower. But don't get me wrong, we left the restaurant with an overall positive feeling.

I'd highly doubt that. I think chefg has made it clear that he'd love to eventually take his style of cuisine to a more prominent scene (ie New York) but I doubt he'd return to FL and try to mold back into the Keller style. Just my own thoughts. -j

This past week my girlfriend and I had our first dinner at Masa’s in San Francisco. Chef Ron Siegel, of Iron Chef fame, has put together a special Kaiseki menu that will be offered through the end of May. Here’s a rundown of the menu along with the wine pairing: Kaiseki Menu May 4, 2004 Asparagus Soup with Meyer Lemon Oil 2001 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Chardonnay Ovation Napa Valley This amuse presented a pure, clean asparagus flavor. The soup’s consistency was pleasant, not too runny nor too thick. Flavor was accented by the zip of the Meyer lemon oil. Portion size was right on. Chilled Corn with Lobster and Avocado Ceviche Corn had an intense sweetness, almost like candy. There was a good contrast of textures between the corn and ceviche. This dish typifies a consistent theme that was presented throughout the meal: clean, light flavors that are anything but aggressive. Very much in line with a Japanese sensibility. Candy Cap Mushroom Soup Meyer lemon essence 1977 D'Oliveiras Madeira Reserva Terrantez Earthy, salty, and savory soup that was served piping hot. Pretty much straightforward flavor-wise, with an additional small hint of sweetness (lemon) revealed by the finish. I assume that the paired Madeira was intended to play off the slight sweetness, but I don’t think it was entirely successful. Sashimi of Hirame Osetra caviar, cucumber gelee Dewazakura Sake Beautifully done. Super thin slices of very fresh and clean fish. Sprinkled with salt, the first bite of Hirame was incredible. The firm texture and subtle yet engaging flavor was heavenly. However, as one progressed through the dish, the accompaniments ended up masking and overpowering the fish. The caviar and cucumber provided good flavor compliments but they were just too dominating. Thus, it was hard to distinguish the fish from that point on. But overall, some of the best sashimi I’ve had. Glass Eels Grilled onion, kefir lime reduction 1999 Hermann Donnhoff Riesling Spatlese Oberhauser Brucke Very interesting dish. At first glance, one might not realize that the apparent “garnish” is actually the heart of the dish. The thin, crispy glass eels had an appealingly salty and briny quality. The onion provided a good grounding, neutral flavor. It must be noted that while the sauce grew on me over the course of the dish, I had began to tire of the citrus aspect that had already been repeated in two previous dishes. Snapper Geoduck, shiitake mushrooms, mirin reduction Champalou Vouvray, Loire Valley, France Outstanding…best dish of the night. The snapper had a crispy skin with delicate, tender and juicy flesh. The fish was cooked to perfection. The sauce was excellent…sweet and savory at same time. There was just an amazing progression in this dish from eating a bite of fish followed by a mushroom followed by the paired Vouvray. Delicate oceanic followed by woodsy earthy...it was incredible. Simple ingredients, expert preparation. One slight knock was with the geoduck clam…for my palate, it was an unnecessary component that simply muddled the purity of the snapper. Poached Lobster Hearts of palm, lobster foam 2000 Domaine Lucien Albrecht Tokay Pinot Gris This was a great showcase of lobster. Even simpler in construction than the last dish, the vibrancy of lobster flavor was very enjoyable. The foam was really successful in capturing the essence of the ingredient. On the downside, the lobster may have been a bit over done…it was just a touch rubbery. The Costa Rican hearts of palm was a simple accompaniment that added some textural variety. Shabu Shabu Beef Rib-Eye Melted foie gras, glass noodles, ponzu essence Bolivian salt applied tableside Veraison Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard, Napa Valley Unfortunately this was not up to the level of the previous two dishes. The sliced rib eye was only average…not really bursting with flavor. And the noodles didn’t do much in relation to other components. At least the foie gras was enjoyable and it went well with the ponzu sauce. I give it credit for being a fresh take on a traditional dish but I felt it lacked complete focus and was overly complex. Creamy Risotto Santa Barbara sea urchin, shaved bottarga 2001 Cornas "Renaissance", Domaine Clape By this point we were relatively full and this extremely rich transitional course was simply too much. Conceptually the dish was interesting…the melding of Japanese and Italian themes. However, in the end, I didn’t think that the sea urchin/risotto combination fit well in the whole progression of the meal. It was just too rich…and thematically it didn’t seem to compliment the previous dishes. Green Tea Ice Cream Passion fruit soup This intermezzo was just the right size and had just the right intensity…not overly sweet or tart. The delicate flavor was a good palate cleanser. Vanilla Poached Pear Pear and ginger sorbet, pear jus Domaine de Coyeux Late Harvest Muscat Another delicious dessert with delicate flavors…nice way to end the meal on a lighter note. The pear was very flavorful and it had a nice little scoop of sorbet hidden inside. I would have loved to have a bit more of the cookie stem/leaf for textural variety. Mignardises All of these were made in house and were surprisingly good across the board. Great sizing and not too heavy. Included was: chocolate lavender, chocolate pepper, chocolate caramel, candied orange peel, lemon tart, strawberry jelly, passion fruit jelly, praline, pineapple cake, hazelnut and lollipops. Conclusion The room itself was enjoyable to dine in. The décor is easy on the eyes with its modern, clean-lined style. There is adequate spacing between tables so that you don’t feel as though you’re right in the middle of your neighbor’s conversation. I believe that all two tops are served at a four top table. Service was technically accurate but relatively cold in nature. Our waiter did nothing more than recite the wine labels before he poured rather than taking the time to give further details (as the sommelier and other servers were doing at other tables.) He also seemed to be in quite a rush to leave the table and did little to engage in more conversation. We felt that other tables were definitely getting a greater education about what was being served. There was definitely some confusion amongst the front of house. On more than one occasion the back waiter brought out plates and ran around the room verifying with lead waiters as to what table the dishes were supposed to be sent to. In addition, pacing was an issue early on in the meal…with a wait of over 22 minutes between course three and four, we were left wondering if the kitchen had forgotten about us. Overall it was an enjoyable meal with a couple “wow” moments. But in the end there weren’t enough of those moments to justify the relatively high cost of the meal. At $150 for the Kaiseki menu and an additional $99 per wine pairing, Masa’s is comparable in price to The French Laundry. Unfortunately, the meal was not of the same caliber as Chef Siegel’s alma mater restaurant. If I were looking for haute cuisine in the downtown area, I would choose Fifth Floor over Masa’s every time. Fifth Floor is priced a bit lower and has much better wine service in my opinion. Grade: B

Well, this really bites. I'm flying out from California in less than a week and a half specifically to eat at Blais. Guess I need to make new plans. BTW, my OpenTable reservation has not been automatically cancelled as of yet. -j

Thanks Tammy for taking the time to write your wonderful report. I'm delighted to hear that you had as good a time as we did. Trio is definitely an amazing experience.

Yes, it was the butter. Although I didn't try it on this occassion, it is the most wonderful butter that I've ever tasted. It comes from Animal Farm in Vermont. It's primarily served at The French Laundry (where I have tried it). It's definitely a great carryover from chefg's time at FL. The bread served were small rolls. In order to save room for the meal I didn't try it.

I used an Pentax Optio S camera...one of the smallest digital cameras available (it fits in an Altoids tin). I like the size and it's perfect for restaurant photography. But if you want to have more manual control you'll have to go with a larger and more expensive camera. I shoot without flash so as not to disturb other patrons. By doing so, you have to have a really steady hand because the shutter needs to be open for an extended period. I usually take several shots and often only one or two come out decent. As for the compositions...chefg's food just cries out for great photography. It's food art at its finest.