Weekend in SF / Napa

[Ling]

It's funny to feel so nostalgic so soon. Your trip echoed a lot of what Molto and I did only we did it over a little bit longer period I am impressed by your gastric handling capabilities! We will have our own reports on The Slanted Door (similar response), Chez Panisse Cafe and Taylor's Automatic Refresher soon. I thought the mushroom shop was amazing!

I am very much enjoying your report and comparing notes.

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THANK-YOU! I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the Taylor's Automatic Refresher burger. We really wanted to fit that in on the last day, but I woke up late and we had to rush to the airport. I also didn't get to eat at In-and-Out. Ah well. Next time!

Here are some pictures of the stunning Darioush winery. I'm sure hhlodesign can comment more on the building (he said these cool cowhide chairs they have inside were designed by some famous designer/architect?)

We had a wine tasting there. I especially love their cabernet sauvignon. (We also had a bottle of the cab at Don Giovanni.)

[Ling]

Bouchon Bakery

I have more pictures from Bouchon Bakery, but here are a few to start off.

ham and cheese scone

sticky bun

twice-baked almond pain au chocolat

cheese danish (lemon flavoured cream cheese filling)

The best pastry I had there was the twice-baked almond croissant. It was even better than the one at Tartine, because at Bouchon, the filling is smooth and there is not quite so much of it. Also, because the pastry is smaller than the one at Tartine, you get proportionately more of the crispy outside in each bite. I'll have to post a picture of it later.

Bouchon Bakery...9/10.

Edited April 12, 2006 by Ling (log)

[hhlodesign]

The Imperial spring rolls photographed beautifully. The kitchen did an excellent frying job on these, but we both felt that the flavour of the filling and the sauce was dumbed down. The spring rolls were even blander when you fold them up with the lettuce leaves and add the undressed noodles to your bite. This dish was fine, but not something I would order again.

Kinda bland. Although very nicely fried.

We shared the ginger duck soup. The soup was very light and clear (something we didn't expect--a pleasant surprise!) It came with this spicy sauce that you could add to the soup base or use as a condiment for the duck. We thought the soup was very flavourful but agreed that the noodles were kind of on the mushy side...

Loved the broth! Subtle, yet very flavorful. And yes, the noodles were over cooked.

Then came the Niman Ranch flank steak and noodles. This dish was also pretty good--the flank steak had much more fat than I expected for flank...a very good thing. Some bitter greens provided a nice foil to the rich meat.

Very nice flavor to the beef. Beef to noodle ratio was way off. Espescially since the noodles were undressed.

Service was pretty informal. Mr. Architect commented that the decor and layout of the room reminded him of a cafeteria, and I agree with that.

Though the food was fine at The Slanted Door, there's so many better restaurants in San Fran that we'd probably skip this place if we were to go down again. The food in the Market looked much better.

The room had a nice view, as illustrated above. But very little personality. Lots of hard surface with nothing to soften the feel of the space.

We should have had the Lamb Cassoulet and sweetbreads at Mistral across the way!

[hhlodesign]

It's funny to feel so nostalgic so soon. Your trip echoed a lot of what Molto and I did only we did it over a little bit longer period I am impressed by your gastric handling capabilities! We will have our own reports on The Slanted Door (similar response), Chez Panisse Cafe and Taylor's Automatic Refresher soon. I thought the mushroom shop was amazing!

I am very much enjoying your report and comparing notes.

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Loved your report of the French Laundry! We had a similarly wonderful time, but had many differing dishes than you and Molto. Our report will come soon.

[hhlodesign]

Our last trip to the Carnelian Room as a huge disappointment.  Before, we had only gone to one of their private rooms that overlook the GG bridge.  This time we were in the main room and it really seemed like an over-priced, pretentious, tourist-trap.  Not nearly to the standards of the usual tourist places on the wharf. 

When all was said and done, I dropped them an email with our remarks.  No answer, which wasn't surprising.

I don't think we saw any other locals there..  (Actually, we're from the wine country, so we're not quite local...)

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I was warned by my local friends that this was not a place for food. Since it was Ling's first trip to SF, I thought it would be nice to have drinks where she could take in the entire city. It was a perfectly clear night as well. I was told that the Carnelian Room was a bit less touristy than the Top of the Mark. Although I must admit, the decor of the CR lounge leaves quite a bit to be desired. But we did enjoy our corner window table.

[docsconz]

It's funny to feel so nostalgic so soon. Your trip echoed a lot of what Molto and I did only we did it over a little bit longer period I am impressed by your gastric handling capabilities! We will have our own reports on The Slanted Door (similar response), Chez Panisse Cafe and Taylor's Automatic Refresher soon. I thought the mushroom shop was amazing!

I am very much enjoying your report and comparing notes.

←

Loved your report of the French Laundry! We had a similarly wonderful time, but had many differing dishes than you and Molto. Our report will come soon.

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I am looking forward to it. Who was running the kitchen that night?

[Ling]

^Chef Cory Lee (He also signed my menu!)

[hhlodesign]

After the Ferry Market, Ling indulged me as I wanted to see one of my favorite buildings in person. Herzog and DeMeuron's new DeYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park.

I know this is not food related, but I just wanted to prove that everything we did on this trip did not revolve around food.

Back on topic:

Dinner was at Michael Mina in the lobby of the Westin St. Francis right on Union Square.

The room has very high ceilings and corinthian columns throughout the space giving it a classical yet modern look. Not my taste, but I liked the high ceilings.

We started with the Lobster 3 ways amuse.

The only one that stood out for me was the corn dog. Very distinct lobster flavor. It was served with a dijon mustard sauce. The other two ways, I forgot. Ling?

For those of you unfamiliar, Michael Mina is known for presenting one ingredient with 3 different flavors. All on one specifically designed plate. A very interestingh concept to me, and the main reason I wanted to try his restaurant.

Ling and I decided to order the 3 course menu in which we select a starter, main, and dessert. We each chose differnt items so that we could trade and try double the amount of food.

Course 1:

Seared Diver Scallops.

Served with...

Meyer Lemon and Osetra Caviar

Butternut squash and black truffle

and scarlet beet and Maine lobster

By far the best of the three was the squash and truffle combination. The truffle was imbeded in some sort of pan fried cake under the scallop which provided a very nice contrast in textures.

The caviar and lobster versions both seemed a bit bland to me. Although I liked the caviar second most and the lobster last.

Roasted Foie Gras - Torchon

Served with...

Lychee nut, star anise

Maui Gold Pinapple, vanilla

seckel pear, port wine

We both found the seared portion overdone, and the torchon portion to be miniscule. The flavors were good, but they just needed a bit more kick (for lack of a better term.) I enjoyed the pineapple one the most.

Course 2:

Kurobuta Pork Lion, cheek, and belly with peppercorn spaetzle

Fuji Apple, red cabbage, cinnamon

pineapple, brussel sprouts, star anise

passion fruit, savoy cabbage, nutmeg

I enjoyed the pineapple one the most. The slightly sourness of the pineapple complemented the pork flavor very well. I was really looking forward to the belly, as I order this all the time in Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants. It might be because I'm used to the stronger asian braising flavors, but I found these to be very bland tasting. The prok cheeks served with spaetzle were all very tasty!

The rack of lamb pictures are on Ling's camera. We'll have to wait for her to post about those.

Dessert:

Citrus

Grapefruit ginger pie, ginger ice cream. I loved the ginger ice cream, but I love ginger anything! The pie was... ehhh.

Meyer lemon cheesecake, meyer lemon sherbet. Fairly pedestrian to me. Not very memorable.

Key lime napoleon, Saffron ice cream. One of the few things Ling and I disagreed on. I loved the saffron ice cream. It was not very sweet, alomst a savory quality to it. She found it inedible.

The chocolate desserts are also on Ling's camera.

We finished the meal with some min popsicles.

Oreo with white chocolate shell

and Vanilla with Valrhona chocolate shell.

A nice touch at the end.

I should also mention that Ling and I ordered a half bottle of burgundy to go with our main courses. The bottle did not show up until 15 minutes after our mains had arrived. We took small bites and eventually stopped eating so that we could enjoy our wine with our meal. When it arrived, I noticed that the vintage was not the one printed on the wine list (2002 on the list, 2001 on the bottle.) This was not a big deal, but I would have liked them to point this out to me, rather than the other way around.

All in all, the food was above average but not extraordinary, the service was great but for those two minor incidents I mentioned above. They were, in fact, very patient with us as it took a while for some in our party to figure out the bill (partially due to my math errors ). I might give it another try after I try every other place i need to try in SF. 6.5/10 for me.

Edited April 12, 2006 by hhlodesign (log)

[Ling]

The room has very high ceilings and corinthian columns throughout the space giving it a classical yet modern look. Not my taste, but I liked the high ceilings.

I usually love the high ceilings and column look, but the columns didn't really match the decor, imo. But what do I know about design anyway.

I loved the place setting--huge shells with pale blue napkins cinched tightly with a silver napkin holder. Gave the setting a touch of opulence. I didn't particularly care for the pale blue chairs though...kind of boring.

We started with the Lobster 3 ways amuse.

The only one that stood out for me was the corn dog. Very distinct lobster flavor. It was served with a dijon mustard sauce.  The other two ways, I forgot. Ling?

It was lobster salad, lobster corndog, and lobster topped with wasabi caviar.

By far the best of the three was the squash and truffle combination. The truffle was imbeded in some sort of pan fried cake under the scallop which provided a very nice contrast in textures.

The caviar and lobster versions both seemed a bit bland to me. Although I liked the caviar second most and the lobster last.

We found out on our trip that our taste in food is very similar...almost too similar and freaky, in fact. He didn't tell me in which order he liked the scallops, but I chose the same as he did--squash version #1, caviar #2, and lobster #3.

Roasted Foie Gras - Torchon

We both found the seared portion overdone, and the torchon portion to be miniscule. The flavors were good, but they just needed a bit more kick (for lack of a better term.) I enjoyed the pineapple one the most.

There was a $15 supplement charge for the foie. I was actually really disappointed with this dish. All the sauces were too sweet. Like hhlodesign noted, the torchon was t-i-n-y. I like my seared foie to have a good crust, and a quivering custardy interior (hint of pink). This foie was cooked almost uniformly throughout, offering no textural contrast.

Course 2:

I enjoyed the pineapple one the most. The slightly sourness of the pineapple complemented the pork flavor very well. I was really looking forward to the belly, as I order this all the time in Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants. It might be because I'm used to the stronger asian braising flavors, but I found these to be very bland tasting. The prok cheeks served with spaetzle were all very tasty!

I liked the Fuji apple version the best. I found the acidity in that sauce to be the most apparent and it was delicious with the crispy pork belly. The belly and the cheek were all good. Tenderloin was kind of dry...but it's pork tenderloin so perhaps it's the nature of the meat.

Lamb--done from L-R, with watercress, tomato, and olive. I liked the olive preparation the best. I should note that the dough in my tomato ricotta ravioli was raw...not really what I'd expect at MM, even on an "off" night!!

Just for fun, here's a shot of one of my friend's appetizer plates. She had the langoustines.

She also had the rib steak poached for 6 hours in butter (minimum 2 ppl, $20 supplement to the $88 dollar menu.) I tried a bite of her steak and it was OK but other than the buttery flavour on the outside, not too much different from steak cooked the standard way. It came with fries, creamed spinach, horseradish polenta, scalloped potatoes, etc.

Dessert:

Citrus

Grapefruit ginger pie, ginger ice cream. I loved the ginger ice cream, but I love ginger anything! The pie was... ehhh.

Ginger ice-cream was great. Very creamy. The tart filling could've been more tangy, I guess. It was an Italian meringue on the tart, if I remember correctly. I love it when bakeries and restaurants take that extra few minutes to do an Italian meringue instead of the regular version. The texture is so much nicer.

Meyer lemon cheesecake, meyer lemon sherbet. Fairly pedestrian to me. Not very memorable.

Agreed. Pretty boring. But still tasty!

Key lime napoleon, Saffron ice cream. One of the few things Ling and I disagreed on. I loved the saffron ice cream. It was not very sweet, alomst a savory quality to it. She found it inedible.

I like saffron. In ice-cream...not so much. The key lime napoleon was the best citrus pastry on this plate.

L-R

chocolate peanut soft-centered cake with peanut butter shake, chocolate banana bread pudding, banana pot de creme, devil's food cake, caramel sundae

All the desserts were good, though not mind-blowing or terribly creative. Here's my friend's banana desserts.

L-R

banana empanada, banana rum ice-cream, tart tartin, cinnamon ice-cream, banana charlotte, milk chocolate popsicle

I finished her desserts for her...the banana rum ice-cream and the tart tartin were my favourites. Banana charlotte was very mild in flavour.

Here's a better shot of the bonbons. Thought these were a cute touch.

I should also mention that Ling and I ordered a half bottle of burgundy to go with our main courses. The bottle did not show up until 15 minutes after our mains had arrived. We took small bites and eventually stopped eating so that we could enjoy our wine with our meal. When it arrived, I noticed that the vintage was not the one printed on the wine list (2002 on the list, 2001 on the bottle.) This was not a big deal, but I would have liked them to point this out to me, rather than the other way around.

This kind of bothered me too. If I were eating at a normal pace (perhaps taking 25 minutes for the main course?) I would've been finished my main course before the wine arrived. The glasses came before our course. A good 15-20 minutes later, a server came by and said our wine would be along shortly. Our wine came perhaps 10 minutes after that.

I thought the food was mediocre and not worth the price based on this one meal. 6/10.

Edited April 12, 2006 by Ling (log)

[docsconz]

I loved Aqua in las vegas, did not like Aqua in S.F. when mina was involved with both. This report makes me glad we didn't choose this for one of our dinners there. While I probably would have enjoyed it more than The Slanted Door, it would probably have hurt a bit more than The Slanted Door.

[Ling]

I know I'm going out of order, but I have some time now to post the French Laundry pictures so I'll start with those. I don't have the menu with me--I think I put them in hhlodesign's bag, so he can tell you more about the ingredients in each dish.

gougeres

salmon cornets

oysters and pearls

oyster with pickled cucumber, sevruga caviar

coddled hen egg with white truffle oil

(Sorry about the blurry pictures...someone with shaky hands were taking them!!)

brioche sticks...pan-fried in more butter

egg custard with black truffle ragout (this was one of my favourite dishes of the night)

I've never had such moist foie gras torchon...the consistency was definitely creamier than any other torchon I'd previously eaten. I wonder what their secret is...probably the quality of the foie.

($30 supplement for this)

seared foie with Medjool date

($30 supplement)

mackerel with vegetables...this was very flavourful. I loved the strong, oily fish with the bright sweetness of the red peppers.

seared tuna with bok choy (the bok choy was so sweet! Love the vegetables at FL.)

lobster "Caesar" (lobster cooked sous vide, braised romaine, shaved dried mullet roe, Parm crisp) Cute idea, but this dish was kind of bland.

I'm missing a picture of the other lobster preparation...the one with beets and leeks. Maybe hhlodesign has it. The beet and leek lobster dish was amazing! I tend to like bolder flavours.

boudin noir, quail egg

chicken and white asparagus. I think the sweet asparagus stole the show on this dish--I was surprised to find the chicken quite dry.

Elysian Fields lamb...this was cooked too much for my liking, and I found it a bit dry again. Great flavour in the lamb, though. The best part of this dish (and one of the high points of the meal) was the meaty king trumpet mushroom!

The cheese was quite mild. Served with apricot and hazelnuts. This was pretty good on the walnut bread that came with the course, though the raisin bread made it too sweet. I would've preferred a more challenging cheese course though...the runnier and smellier the better.

Cara Cara orange sorbet, and rhubarb jelly, I think

blanking on this dessert...(drank too much wine) hhlodesign will fill you in

Love the bold presentation! That piece of "wire" is actually just pulled sugar. The cake was layered with ganache and mint filling.

there was peanut butter and caramel on the inside...another beautifully composed dessert

creme brulee and these cookies made from the pate choux from the gougeres, rolled super thin and baked with sugar on top

pots de creme

the best chocolate-covered macadamia nuts. (Some genius thought of clipping the clothespin on the edge of the pot. So artistic. )

chocolates

L-R: peanut butter, licorce, caramel, espresso, rhubarb (I think)

kitchen (I was amazed by how small it actually is!)

Edited April 12, 2006 by Ling (log)

[Pontormo]

So glad you enjoyed the vegetables at French Laundry, Lorna!

[mkjr]

....I should also mention that Ling and I ordered a half bottle of burgundy to go with our main courses. The bottle did not show up until 15 minutes after our mains had arrived. We took small bites and eventually stopped eating so that we could enjoy our wine with our meal. When it arrived, I noticed that the vintage was not the one printed on the wine list (2002 on the list, 2001 on the bottle.) This was not a big deal, but I would have liked them to point this out to me, rather than the other way around.

All in all, the food was above average but not extraordinary, the service was great but for those two minor incidents I mentioned above. They were, in fact, very patient with us as it took a while for some in our party to figure out the bill (partially due to my math errors  ). I might give it another try after I try every other place i need to try in SF. 6.5/10 for me.

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You have pretty much pegged MM. Sending you the 01 instead of the 02 is very very poor form considering they lured you in on the list with the good year and then swapped it for the generally crappy 01 (without knowing what you ordered there may be some exception but generally I am not aware of too many producers who produced similar quality wines in both years and based on my tastings the 01s are not worth much time). I would have been pissed.

The Photos of your adventure are great.

[Abra]

Awesome.

At Recchiuti, right away I flashed on the star anise and pink peppercorn chocolate, thinking "Ling and I would both love that one." Too bad not - it sounds like such a neat combination, although I can imagine a bitter note that might creep in from the pink peppercorn. And those two chocolate dessert presentations at FL are gorgeous. Is that gold spiral stick some kind of sugar work too?

The stuff from Tartine looks irresistable, and the Taste concept is excellent. There is, or was, a place in Portland called 750ml that did little pours for tasting, but I think they were 3 oz. A 1 oz pour, and at such great prices, really appeals to me.

Too bad you missed Rancho Gordo. His beans are the best I've ever tasted. I'll give you guys some next time I see you.

[Ling]

So glad you enjoyed the vegetables at French Laundry, Lorna! 

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I did! They were so sweet and tender, and treated with the same respect and care as the protein on the plate.

[Ling]

Awesome. 

At Recchiuti, right away I flashed on the star anise and pink peppercorn chocolate, thinking "Ling and I would both love that one."  Too bad not - it sounds like such a neat combination, although I can imagine a bitter note that might creep in from the pink peppercorn.  And those two chocolate dessert presentations at FL are gorgeous.  Is that gold spiral stick some kind of sugar work too?

The stuff from Tartine looks irresistable, and the Taste concept is excellent.  There is, or was, a place in Portland called 750ml that did little pours for tasting, but I think they were 3 oz.  A 1 oz pour, and at such great prices, really appeals to me.

Too bad you missed Rancho Gordo.  His beans are the best I've ever tasted.  I'll give you guys some next time I see you.

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Yes, the star anise and pink peppercorn does sound like something we would like, doesn't it? But sometimes I think truffles are done moreso with creativity in mind, than taste. Star anise and pink peppercorn certainly marry well, but the chocolate seemed out of place. The flavours didn't add anything to the chocolate, and vice versa.

The gold spiral stick is also pulled sugar, I believe.

The stuff at Tartine was great, especially the ham and cheese croissant and the almond croissant...though I liked the almond croissant at Bouchon even more.

[ulterior epicure]

Ling/Henry.

Great reports and photos! Thanks for taking the time. A few quick questions/comments:

1. Did Scharffen Berger take out all of their vintage chocolate production machines? Are they still using them? I heard they "retired" them...

2. Sorry to hear about MM, it all looked pretty good... it also looks like an obscene amount of food! But I'm sure I wouldn't have a problem putting it away - unless, of course, it were really bad.

3. So, I've got an extra night in SF, any suggestions for a stellar dining experience? I'm gathering that it shouldn't be MM right now - perhaps G. Danko's or The Dining Room seems to be getting high regards... what about Fleur de Lys? You're dealing with someone who hasn't been to SF in way too long!

Thanks!

u.e.

[Ling]

I don't know if the chocolate machines are still the restored-vintage ones, but I googled an image and I don't remember seeing this:

vintage chocolate machine at SB

I remember seeing a bunch of shiny, copper-coloured equipment. So my guess is yes, the vintage machines are gone. Perhaps someone can chime in and let you know if I remembered correctly. (The walk through the factory was really quick.)

The food at Michael Mina wasn't bad, but lacked the depth of flavour and skill in execution I would expect from a restaurant of that reputation, hence my low rating of 6/10. We were a table of six that night, and everyone was a bit disappointed with the food.

At Don Giovanni, we ran into a couple whom we had seen earlier that morning at Bouchon Bakery. They are friends with the Michelin people, and told us that Fleur de Lys might be the third restaurant to get 3 Michelin stars in that area (French Laundry and Chez Panisse being the other two.) We spoke to some locals during our trip and everyone seemed to recommend Fleur de Lys, so it's definitely on my list when I get a chance to go down to San Fran next. Gary Danko is also on my list. I believe they have a 29/30 Zagat rating, though I know some people don't care for that rating system.

[Carolyn Tillie]

3. So, I've got an extra night in SF, any suggestions for a stellar dining experience?  I'm gathering that it shouldn't be MM right now - perhaps G. Danko's or The Dining Room seems to be getting high regards...  what about Fleur de Lys?  You're dealing with someone who hasn't been to SF in way too long!

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Where else are you considering? My gripe with all these restaurants is that they are so much alike; variations of Sonoma Duck Breast with Lentil du Puy and a reduced port wine sauce, blah-blah-blah...

When I travel, I look for cuisines that are different than what I can normally find. Here in San Francisco, we have such a wide variety of really interesting foods that might not be available where you live.

Although if you want to stick with haute cuisine, the Ritz IS getting rave reviews...

[hhlodesign]

Ling/Henry.

Great reports and photos!  Thanks for taking the time.  A few quick questions/comments:

1. Did Scharffen Berger take out all of their vintage chocolate production machines?  Are they still using them?  I heard they "retired" them...

2. Sorry to hear about MM, it all looked pretty good...  it also looks like an obscene amount of food!  But I'm sure I wouldn't have a problem putting it away - unless, of course, it were really bad.

3. So, I've got an extra night in SF, any suggestions for a stellar dining experience?  I'm gathering that it shouldn't be MM right now - perhaps G. Danko's or The Dining Room seems to be getting high regards...  what about Fleur de Lys?  You're dealing with someone who hasn't been to SF in way too long!

Thanks!

u.e.

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1. See Ling's response. I was just eating chocolate.

2. I'd recommend any number of other places for that kind of $ over MM right now.

3. Quince has risen to the top of my list. I'd also consider driving across the Bay Bridge to Chez Panisse Cafe (or downstairs if you can get a table) That was one of the best meals of our trip! Also... the couple we talked to at Bistro Don Giovanni really make me want to try Fleur de Lys.

[ulterior epicure]

Yes, have table at Manresa, TFL, and Chez Panisse downstairs... looking for another one... anything nearish to Palo Alto?

u.e.

[hhlodesign]

Here are a few shots we got at Cakebread Cellars:

We took the hour and a half tour of the facility which culminated with a tasting of 6 different wines. I guess only in wine country do you not feel guilty about drinking before noon. My favorite was the non-reserve Chardonay. I found it to have much more intersting flavors than the reserve, which was much smoother. We learned all about the Cakebread family and the methods in which they make wine. I learned a lot about malic acid conversion.

[alanamoana]

ling, that machine you have a picture of might be the roaster which is...if you're facing the machines with the big grinding stones...directly behind you in the other room. it should have been there when you were there as i took a tour on the tuesday before you were there. they might not point it out as it is in a different room. also if they were in production when your tour was taking place it might have been louder and noisier. they weren't actually making chocolate when we were there.

from what i understand, they're still using the old machines...also since they've been bought by hershey, we asked what changes are being made...it sounds promising that hershey doesn't want to change what scharffen berger is doing, but they do want them to up their production. i don't personally love scharffen berger chocolate, but it has its place in the chocolate world for sure.

in my opinion, fleur de lys is just the type of restaurant to get a lot of attention from michelin as they are french and owned by french people. not wanting to stereotype, but that is the cuisine they serve. there's nothing wrong with it, it just isn't overly imaginitive or interesting. to compare, i think the french laundry does "french" cuisine, but it uses the best ingredients at their freshest and takes the time to be a little inventive...but i have never eaten at the laundry, so maybe i'm wrong.

i ate at fleur years ago and wasn't overly impressed. we were well taken care of because i was friends with the maitre d' and i'm also in the restaurant business...so we were definitely treated well, but i didn't think the food was that impressive. maybe just not to my personal taste.

i might consider the dining room as ron siegal is a little younger and maybe a bit more inventive, but his food is very french leaning and very rich. i have only eaten his food when he was cooking at masa, so can't comment on the dining room.

i wonder how la folie is doing these days? roland passot is another of the old guard french chefs in the city that has four stars to his name. the restaurant is much smaller and cozier than fleur or the dining room...

of course, i dined at these places many years (at least four) ago and who knows what has changed since then.

edited to clarify

Edited April 13, 2006 by alanamoana (log)

[alanamoana]

Yes, have table at Manresa, TFL, and Chez Panisse downstairs... looking for another one... anything nearish to Palo Alto?

u.e.

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you might be disappointed to know that their chunk of aged compte is getting frighteningly small...they might be out by the time you get there

[alanamoana]

and finally...

to reiterate what carolyn said:

i'd much rather eat four to five great, moderately priced meals than spend the money at one of the following: TFL, G. Danko, Fleur, Ritz, etc...i think i've just gotten jaded but i feel that the law of diminishing returns applies to my eating out...there's just a point where the $200 premium i'm paying isn't worth the extra serving of foie gras or shaving of truffles.

it probably has to do with the fact that i'm in the food industry and know what goes into everything...or maybe i just hate getting dressed up , but i'd much rather snack on the foie scraps in the back and go out to enjoy a really great burger!

of course special occasions call for a special meal...it's just deciding where the enjoyment doesn't cause sticker shock after the fact.