The Restaurant At Meadowood - St. Helena

Going again soon... so moving this to the top of my blog because *squee*...

5/5 stars

Transcendent. I felt like I was floating, watching this girl, this couple, experience this - they are very lucky.

The dining room is quite intimate, with only 20 or so tables. Dark wood, cream-colored walls, crisp, white tablecloths with bright, yellow flowers in cloudy vases, and big windows allowing lots of light. We got seated next to one of the windows, overlooking the porch and the trees. An envelope with the restaurant's seal greeted us. It wished us a happy anniversary.

Olin was our host for the evening and he was friendly and easy to talk to. He asked us if we wanted to see the menu or if we wanted to be surprised. We said we wanted to be surprised. We were there for the journey. And one of the best parts of this journey? Getting to see what vessel Chef Kostow was going to use to display his food. The ceramics were part of the joy.

My husband did the wine pairing, but I opted for the bartender's, Sam, wild and wonderful concoctions. He even makes his own root beer. He delivers the drink with stories about what inspired them - thoughtful childhood memories. He was so sincere and incredibly talented.

I didn't get to speak to Chef Kostow that night when we toured the efficient kitchen, but I saw him again a couple weeks later when he came to Google to talk. I got another cookbook signed and got to tell him that his mashed potatoes with caviar was the best thing I'd ever eaten in my life.

The teasers:
Olive
Kale chip with chorizo
Clam

The menu:

Gwen avocado oyster rancho chimiles walnut
Fermented potato caviar nasturtium
Broccoli whelk agretti
Abalone coal roasted eggplant smoked pepper
Cod cooked in sunflower petals
Kohlrabi cooked in it's own juice flax seed mustard
Squab "tea"
Grilled squab hibiscus leaf berries
Veal short rib tendon roe dill
Alpine cheese roasted pumpkin honey truffle
Olive oil coconut borafe
Ha'ogen melon padron pepper vanilla
Praline

The highlights:

Fermented potato caviar nasturtium: Picture a smooth, white, perfect mound of the most delicious mashed potatoes ever made. Then imagine dipping your spoon into the center of it and, to your surprise, exposing a heart of tiny, quivering, shiny, black caviar. Served with warm, fresh, tiny, fluffy, buttery, salty rolls. Best. Thing. I. Have. Ever. Eaten.

Alpine cheese roasted pumpkin honey truffle: The presentation was fun (it was served in the pumpkin itself) and the cheese was creamy and only slightly pungent. It was perfect paired with the sweet honey and the homemade sourdough rye. I am not a rye fan, but I ate that entire loaf.

Grilled squab hibiscus leaf berries: Chef Kostow seems to utilize every bit of the plant or animal. Before we had the squab, we drank its tea. The squab with berries was amazing. It reminded me of the nursery rhyme, "Sing a Song of Sixpence":
Four and twenty blackbirds,
Baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing;
Wasn't that a dainty dish,
To set before the king?

I am no king, but Meadowood made me feel blessed. I'm coming back, and I'm bringing family.

(Oct 1, 2014)

State Bird Provisions - San Francisco

5/5 stars

State Bird makes eating FUN.

If you didn't know already, State Bird Provisions is... American-style dim sum. It's passed hor d'oeuvres, the most amusing of amuse-bouches.

A party in your mouth.

It was an inimitable experience. Hubby and I were utterly delighted and ordered 21 dishes. Yes, there were only 2 of us.

The rockstars:
1. the ice cream sandwiches & 'world peace' peanut muscovado milk... PURE FAIRY DUST.
2. pork belly pluot salad... this one blew us away. We would have never in a million years put together pork belly and pluots!
3. smoked trout-avocado 'homemade chip & dip'... how could smushed fish be so tasty??
4. state bird (which is basically the best fried quail ever made) with "french onion soup-like" onions
5. sourdough, sauerkraut, pecorino & ricotta pancake... I honestly could eat a pile of these!
6.. 'nasukatsu' japanese-style fried eggplant with miso, ginger, okra, and tomato... eggplant makes me swoon.

And hubby couldn't stop raving every 1.222346 seconds about the duck liver mousse with almond biscuits. Pssttt... the biscuits are made with duck fat.

We also ordered a few other things...

guinea hen dumpling with aromatic broth
necatarine with whipped crescenza & pink peppercorn
shishitos with cumin-goat cheese fondue
sweet corn polenta 'elote'
heirloom tomato bay shrimp 'louie'
chanterelle, ham & fregola summer salad
garlic bread with burrata
heirloom tomato cabot cheddar whole-grain pancake
CA state bird with provisions
air-dried beef with red chili vinaigrette
hog island oyster, spicy kohlrabi kraut & sesame
and I somehow got tricked into eating gizzards

SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT to my fellow foodie, Jen, who gifted me her reservations!!!

(2015)

Manresa - Los Gatos

5/5 stars

I left Manresa exactly 3 hours ago so this review is hot off the press!

Manresa has been on my list since David Kinch beat Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America in 2009 (Battle: Cabbage!).

We arrived at 5:30 and were greeted warmly. I congratulated them on their re-opening before being seated in their lounge. It was smaller than I expected, but comfortable. I stuck with the cocktails menu even though I usually prefer ordering off-menu. The drinks were classic, but nothing special. I had a Lemon Zest, an Aviation, and a Santa Cruz 75. Before our first drinks arrived, our table was ready. It was in an intimate corner by the window. I liked my view of the restaurant.

Our main server was William and he was soft-spoken and unobtrusive.

The menu - The Winter Garden - was super interesting. You're pretty much shown just a list of ingredients. Everything that is in-season in the month of February. Ours included: abalone, alliums, urchin, and yuzu. William explained that Chef was going to use most of the ingredients listed.

Hubby ordered the premium wine tasting and everything paired so perfectly with the food. It was a real treat (especially the breathtaking Fantino, Barolo "Vecchie Vigne" 2001). The pairing compared to that of the French Laundry's. We also had a pear cider (Eric Bordelet, Poire "Authentique") with the cheese course that was so magical, I want to hoard many bottles for charcuterie at home. Btw, ORDER THE CHEESE COURSE. We got a cognac-soaked cheddar, a gouda, a brie, and a blue and they were all so fun.

We started with 4 amuse-bouches: savory black olive madeleines with red pepper gelées, granola crisps, a delicious green panisse with meyer lemon curd, and some seafood (some caviar, some urchin) with fermented plum (it was my least favorite dish of the evening).

Next, the bread course. So fragrant, so crisp, so amazing. We pretty much filled up on bread. If all bread was this good, man really could live on bread alone. Well, and salted butter.

Next, Chef's signature "Into the Garden" which Did Not Disappoint. Underneath the perfect, beautiful vegetables were these "raviolis" that really stole the show. My favorite thing about Manresa was that almost every course outshined the one before it. Next, we had a sweet turnip consommé with crab and chrysanthemum that we declared our favorite dish until we got to scallop and carrot with flowering coriander. It was served with a chicharrón made out of scallop! But then we had the black cod and clams with celeriac and cabbage (Battle: Cabbage!). THAT was definitely the dish of the night. It was the best effing cabbage I've ever eaten. It's probably the best cabbage I will ever eat. It was both fried into a chip and steamed and used as a "wrapper" for a black cod. It was served with a delightful red cabbage relish.

Not to be forgotten was the beef bowl with buckwheat and smoked lentil. I *think* this was the first time I've had wagyu in the U.S. and... now I know what the fuss is all about. The lentils, while pleasant, got in the way. Just give me the wagyu, baby.

To our delight, the meal came full circle. After dessert, we were again served madeleines and gelées, but this time, they were sweet (chocolate madeleines and strawberry gelées).

I feel like Manresa was just as magnificent as the other Michelin-starred restaurants we've been to. I have no doubt that they'll receive their 3rd star someday soon.

(2015)

Saison - San Francisco

5/5 stars

Dinner at Saison was an extraordinary, overwhelming way to end 2014. The dinner was a surprise gift from my husband to celebrate Christmas and 10 years together :) I'm the luckiest [cue Ben Folds]. Or, if you're at Saison: Phil Collins.

I still think about this dinner. When people ask me how it was, I don't really know what to say. Dinner here was just one giant overwhelming FEEL. The price, the food, the moments-everything was staggering. It was kind of beyond me. Is what Chef Joshua Skenes doing considered modernist cooking even though he uses fire which is so... primal?

The doors didn't open until exactly 5:30 PM. I was delighted to find that we had one of the best seats in the house: one of the cozy tables with bench seating facing the bright, open kitchen. This was the place to sit. The kitchen was so quiet. It was like watching a ballet.

We had 3 main servers: Max (the somm), Matthew (the now-former maître d), and Simon (I may have hugged him). Everyone was friendly and tidy in their trim suits.

Even though the wine pairing was staggering ($398 + $50 addition for sharing), we went for it. We couldn't resist the fact that they were opening special magnum bottles because it was New Year's Eve. Balloons hung in nets waiting to be released at midnight.

Right as we sat down, Max poured us a taste of Krug (!). If I'm lucky enough to return, I may not do the wine pairing again because it was part sake and even if it's the best sake in the world, I am not a fan of the fermented rice. I'd stick with champagne (more Krug, please) and cocktails.

I ordered a cocktail because he's the bartender at one of the best restaurants in the world. Max helped me decide (I was having trouble). They were offering 3 cocktails not normally on the list for New Year's Eve. Max recommended the Jungle Bird which is what the staff drinks, he said. A tiki drink. I was sold.

It tasted like burnt, sea salt caramel. It was layered and delicious.

Our New Year's Eve menu:

* meyer lemon water tea... our tea was served in delicate, flowery china teacups. they made me feel elegant and giddy.

* anaheim peppers preserved in the wood burning oven, buttermilk... this was a delight! it was served in a small, crystal jewelry box and it was so delicious. definitely top 3 of the night for me.

* [an exuberant amount of] golden caviar (with pork fat)... it _is_possible to have too much caviar in case you were wondering. it was a very generous portion.

* lobster warmed over coals... served with an adorable wedge of yuzu... something in this dish tasted like... paper bacon. it wasn't bacon... but the umami was undeniable.

* mt lassen trout, its skin & roe... the skin was like... a perfect potato chip. and the broth was... even though it was unladylike, I went after that broth like a kid going after the last drops in a cereal bowl. I think Simon said it was OK.

* dungeness crab, the whole thing

* abalone grilled over the embers, sauce of the liver and capers... I think this one tasted like bacon, too. I just remember it being very, very, very yummy. I liked the texture of the abalone.

* seaweeds in seaweed vinegar... my least favorite dish

* blackgill rockfish, pine mushrooms, pine bouillon

* brussels & cabbages blistered in the fire

* naple long pumpkin, hung over the fire for 3 days... when they first brought this out, I thought it was beef! but no, it was all-pumpkin-3-ways and it was amazing.

* toffee, milk, bread & beer... this... this makes your mouth HAPPY. (One of the best things I've ever eaten.)

* whole duck grilled near the fire, a bouillon of the grilled duck bones, ham from the legs... the duck was delicious and the ham was like the best prosciutto ever.

* red hawk mousseline, yali pears... my favorite cowgirl creamery!

* ice cream & caramel cooked in the fire... it was ice cream. cooked in fire. it was ICE CREAM. COOKED IN FIRE.

* tea & persimmon

Everything tasted like it was kissed by fire and smoke. That's the thing about these 3-star Michelin chefs. They set out to do something and they succeed.

If you're collecting 3-star Michelins, then Saison is already on your list (as it should be). But if you are trying to decide on just one of the four 3-star Michelins in California, I haven't been to Benu (yet), this is how I'd rank the others:

Food:
1. French Laundry
2. Meadowood & Saison tie (I couldn't decide which was better)

Service:
1. Saison (they talk to you [if you like that])
2. Meadowood (they kind of talk to you)
3. French Laundry (they don't really talk to you)

Value:
1. French Laundry
2. Meadowood
3. Saison

(2015)

The French Laundry - Yountville

5/5 stars

Not everyday a girl starts her third decade :-)

My husband pretty much summed up our magical experience at the French Laundry in one sentence: "How do I grow carrots that taste like that?"

C'mon! I mean ... a carrot ... a carrot blew us away.

#

The above was the short review. This is the long one.

So, we arrived dressed to the nines 15 minutes early to our 5:30pm reservation January 27th. We had called 2 months earlier on the dot. It took only about 20 mins to acquire a Monday and a Friday reservation, but we were hoping for a Saturday one. We gave up after over an hour of re-dialing and settled on the Friday reservation.

Before getting out of the car, I screamed a little. I have been planning my 30th birthday at the French Laundry for years now and I couldn't believe it was finally happening.

It was still light out so we were able to walk around the FL garden across the street. I visited the chickens and hoped that I wasn't meeting my dinner. Then, the hubby and I walked across the street to peruse their lovely "backyard." A very polite hostess saw us milling around and came out to tell us that our table would be ready shortly.

A few minutes later, she came back, wished me a happy birthday, and led us to our table by the window. Everyone wished me a happy birthday - even Timothy Hollingsworth (who's a cutie, btw)! He's also cool as a cucumber under what seems like a lot of pressure - being the head chef and all.

Our server's name was Andrew and he was a sweet, charming, down-to-earth gentleman. I adored him because he was easy to talk to. Our sommelier was more business-like, but still nice.

My only moment of overwhelmness / nervousness came from ordering wine. I didn't know how much we wanted to spend, but knew that the hubby and I wanted to share the pairing. Sharing wasn't what we did per se (I realize now that they probably didn't want us sipping from the same glass), but what the sommelier ended up designing for us was perfect. He didn't recommend a glass of wine with each dish and we didn't want to do half-bottles of white and red. We wanted more variety so what he did was:

* glass of bubbly to start (with the gruyere pate chaud and salmon tartare cones)
* hubby and I each had our own glass of DIFFERENT white for our hors d'oeuvres
* hubby and I each had our own glass of the SAME white for our seafood courses
* SAME red for the pork belly
* DIFFERENT red for our meat course
* hubby finished with a glass of dessert wine and I finished with a glass of champagne (my request)

Some of the glasses were full glasses and some of the were half-glasses. To be honest, we couldn't tell the difference. What was miraculous was that our palettes were never exhausted and everything he picked seemed to have been "made for me." I was really worried about that, too, and didn't really get a chance to tell the sommelier what I didn't like, but somehow he nailed it. The bubbly was not too dry and the prettiest color. My Hungarian white was honey on my tongue and the hubby's riesling was one of the best I've ever had. The wine I was most excited about was the red that was served with my "cap of rib-eye." It was so dangerously soft.

So, the FL closed for two weeks in January so the staff could take a break. Right when they opened, I stalked the website every day for menu updates. And every single day, I went, "I hope my menu will be just as good." Well, ladies and gents. My menu kicked all those menus' butts. Again, it was as if it - in all its lobster, pork belly, rib-eye glory - was made just for me.

Everything was delicious, impeccably made works of art, but if I had to rank the dishes:

1. salmon tartare cones
2. pork belly
3. butter poached lobster
4. rib-eye cap
5. donuts and coffee
6. oysters and pearls
7. the 40-million salt that came with the foie gras
8. the assortment of Bouchon bread and unsalted / salted butter
9. the mignardises (highlights: pumpkin-filled chocolate truffle and insanely good chocolate & toffee covered macadamia nuts)
10. pommes anne
11. gruyere pate chaud
12. foie gras - only because I prefer seared
13. scallops - the cod was the better choice

We asked to see the kitchen and one of the oldest staff members (16+ years) obliged. It was fun seeing the pristine kitchen that inspired Pixar's Ratatouille. The staff moved like waves lapping at sand - calm, but with clear purpose.

Even though the cost - though expected - was staggering, we thought the experience was worth it and are already planning a return visit this summer! I mean, if Thomas Keller can do **THAT** with a carrot, what can he do with an heirloom tomato?

(2012)

Gary Danko - San Francisco

5/5 stars

I was SO excited about my dinner here that I (A) told anybody who would listen that I was going for my bday and (B) planned the bf and I's decadent 8-course meal out in advance.

Five-star service: it was like watching a well-choreographed march and bonus: they were 100% polite and professional, but still approachable and super friendly.

Five-star wine list: the sommelier was so down-to-earth and knowledgeable, she was able to recommend a red for the bf and a gewurzt for me after just hearing us describe a couple words of what we were looking for. I loved that she wasn't intimidating to talk to and it was really fun going through the list and wondering about the $10,000 bottles ...

Now on to the meal!

* The champagne was like liquid gold on my tongue and the amuse bouche was a butternut squash soup with duck rillettes: it was velvety smooth, perfectly seasoned, and mouth-watering - I kind of wish I had ordered a whole bowl of it (which you can do)! That's the thing about soups, it's all about the stock & the garnishes and it's something that often times gets overlooked when out at a restaurant. But if you want a celebration of flavors and something that will warm your heart, order the soup next time you're at Gary Danko's or at a restaurant like Gary Danko's - it's worth it because you (A) can't easily make this soup at home and (B) can't get soup this good at any ol' restaurant.

* Roast main lobster with potato puree, chanterelles, edamme beans, and tarragon: I knew even before I took my first bite that it was going to be the best dish of the night - the lobster was cooked rare, which didn't bother me (even though I don't like sashimi). It ensured that the sweet, Maine meat was the focus. But, the potato puree almost stole the show. It was the best mashed potatoes I've ever had - the delicate texture, the intense flavor ... yum. If you want to order one of the many lobster dishes on the menu, I highly suggest this one.

* White Winter root/vegetable soup: Like I said before, ALWAYS ORDER THE SOUP!

* Seared Sonoma foie gras with caramelized red onions and fuji apples: This was a real mouth treat. The bf had never had foie gras before so I'm glad that he was able to experience some of the best foie gras he will ever eat. It was art, eating this foie gras. It was seared so that your fork met the slightest of crunch, but then melted instantly when placed on your tongue. The onions were caramelized perfectly and the fuji apples were a nice contrast in both flavor and texture to the foie gras. This and the soups tied for second favorite dish of the night.

* Seared filet of beef with potato gratin, roasted eggplant-pepper marmalade and soy-mustard: Unfortunately, not only was this the least favorite dish of the night, but the least favorite steak of my dining career (thus far). I guess I've been spoiled by Alexander's and House of Prime Rib. This steak was mostly dry (even though I asked for it to be cooked medium) and the eggplant-pepper marmalade's flavor (it was slightly curried) did not compliment the steak well at all.

* Venison: Wasn't on the regular menu, but my bf was pleased to trade in the planned duck entree for the venison. It was way too game-y for me, but he raved that it was the best venison he's ever had in his life (his family are hunters so he knows a thing or two about meats like that). I figure, if you're going to order venison or boar or quail, Gary Danko's is the place to do it!

* Cheese cart: I've never been one to order the cheese plate, but was told by a friend who used to work at Gary Danko that THIS is what Gary Danko is known for. So I did and I had SO much fun doing it. I love being given choices and the cart had about 16 different cheeses (cow, sheep, and goat). Our waitress went over each and every single one - explaining what sort of flavor we should expect. I let the bf pick 1 blue called the Roaring 40s - he loved it, said it was unlike any blue he's ever had. We also got a delicious cheddar called Mimolette that tasted just like butterscotch (my favorite of the four), a creamy cow cheese that boasted 80% butterfat called Brillat Savarin (way too rich, the least favorite), and a hard sheep cheese called Petit Agour (sort of tasted like parmesan). The cheeses were served with raisin bread and grapes.

* Apple tarte tatin with calvados cream napoleon and honey ice cream: the desserts almost, ALMOST, out-shined the dinner. The half-a-deck-of-cards sized tarte tasted like it was made with an entire stick of butter and I'm not saying that in a bad way. It was delicious. The honey ice cream was a winner.

* Trio of creme brulee with cookies: hands-down, three of the very best. The pumpkin was very special, the chocolate was sweetened just right, and the vanilla was pure and silky. The layer of sugar on top was thicker than normal and added a fantastic crunch. I think the type of sugar they used really made the difference.

In a mouthful: Gary Danko is top-notch.

(2009)

OCK (Orchard City Kitchen) - Campbell - UPDATED AGAIN

4/5 stars

Now a fan of very special bits.

The bartenders have found their groove and they're true artists. The Ultimate Warrior (rum agricole, hibiscus, cinnamon, and tiki delightfulness) is the BEST rum cocktail I have ever had. It's a complicated, yet magical little drink. Summertime in the LBC is another freakin' genius drink. Who knew that ipa + pisco, grapefruit shrub, and dimmi could be sooo good!

The most delicious things on the menu include:

THE CHEATER: aged white cheddar, peppered bacon, parm hollandaise, lettuce, grilled onion, swag, and melt-in-your-mouth scallion-black pepper fries. It's a messy, tasty burger. If only drool was sexy...

THE FRIED RICE: potato chips in fried rice, wah? This fried rice is smart.

THE KFC: Korean fried chicken. Sweet n' spicy!

Mmm... I can't wait to go back! Service is ah-mazing.

OCK (Orchard City Kitchen) - Campbell - UPDATED

4/5 stars

Food was outstanding this time around. We came for an early bday celebration with a bigger group so were able to sample more things than our last visit.

We started with the bacon, biscuits, and butter. The bacon was magical. Like candy.

The beets & butterfish blew us away. Salt roasted beets, smoked black cod, horseradish dressing, and blue cheese: we would never ever put something like this together at home. But now, my MIL and I want to try and replicate it someday. Highly recommend this dish. All the flavors just worked together beautifully.

Another winner was the crab & avocado toast (with a delicious meyer lemo aioli) and I was a big fan of the octopus bucatini (castrelvetrano olives, tomatoes, bread crumbs, epcorino, finger lime) though the pasta itself was a tad overcooked.

And the mac n' cheese with BBQ'd brisket was ooey, gooey, tasty.

On the other hand, there were some things we wouldn't order again: lobster dumplings and hamachi sashimi.

The lobster dumplings did not taste as fresh as the crab in the crab & avocado toast. I actually didn't taste much lobster at all. It was also too spicy. The hamachi sashimi was more like a ceviche and the portion size was really, really small. The burrata cheese and pork belly were also mediocre, which is a shame.

Cocktails still need some work too. I loved my Milk Punch, but when I asked to substitute the vodka in the Marilyn Monroe with gin, I was told that the bartenders wouldn't do it. They also messed up my MIL's Manhattan. The cocktails' list is sort of limited compared to the Table. But I will say that I'm enjoying OCK's food a bit more.

Now I just have to try brunch...

OCK (Orchard City Kitchen) - Campbell

3/5 stars

I used to be a regular at Alexander's, so I was looking forward to trying Chef Jeffrey Stout's exuberant new venture. I had been following the construction of the restaurant on Facebook.

The day after Christmas, we had an unexpected guest. Instead of re-watching Christmas movies, I decided that if we were going to have to play host, we were going to do it with cocktails! So off we went to OCK for Happy Hour.

The restaurant was quiet when we arrived so we got our pick of the tables. I always prefer sitting at the bar so that's where we went. The bar is modern and rustic at the same time (if that makes any sense). I thought it was handsome. There were many labels that I didn't recognize which is always an exciting sign. It was fun watching the bartenders create syrups and tonics. Unfortunately, the bartenders weren't chatty or friendly, but they did their job.

The cocktails menu was interesting, but limited. I got the pisco, which was done very well. I also got the Long Island Milk Punch which was fantastic. I have no idea what was in it, the bartender didn't elaborate (he just called it tropical), but whatever it was, it was 3-days worth of tasty. I also asked if they could make me something off-menu and the response I got was lukewarm.

For food, we tried the hotdog, the tater tots, and the Korean fried chicken. The hotdog was like a fancy Chicago-style dog. It was good, but it needed mustard. I tried to get some from our bartender, but failed. The tater tots were crispy and almost too salty. I don't prefer curry-flavored tots so it wasn't my thing (but it may be yours). And I'd order the Korean fried chicken again. I can see why it's popular.

The space is refreshing. You normally would only get a restaurant like this in SF. I wasn't wowed, but that's probably because my expectations were high. I will give it another try. I'm thinking of ordering the steak next time. Chef Stout did earn Alexander's their Michelin star after all.