Alyssa S.
Yelp
I've been here before, it's always good but never has been enough to bring me back more than once every few years.
As for this visit, the start of my meal here was not that exciting. They're friendly enough here, but the couple next to us - seated after us - must be soigné at this restaurant, because they leapt to specially greet them, bring them surprise apps and get their food out long before ours. We had to ask for bread so I was sitting hungry and watching them eat something quite yummy looking.
Also the salad with strawberries was much more bitter than expected. It's cool they are doing farm-to-table, but these were some bitter salad greens, with a dressing that didn't offset it, and not the sweetest strawberries ever. The saving grace was the pinenuts.
Also the comp bread, once it came, was absolutely nothing to write home about - cold baguettes, not really worth eating carbs for unless you're starving.
But still - I'm giving four stars. a) they have detailed tasting notes on the wine list by the glass, and still the server let me try two I was hesitating between. Good thing I tried, because the Malbec that sounded good was not at all my thing, and the Twelve Rows Cab she was recommending, which didn't initially sound that great, turned out to be quite interesting - more structured and somewhat less jammy than I usually like but overall a nice glass.
More important, b) the special of the night, seared tuna with corn puree and forbidden rice was DELICIOUS. Then I didn't feel I'm in a cookie-cutter "Italian bistro" in RSF but rather a chef-driven restaurant with a whole lot of creativity. I don't usually get excited over seared ahi, it can be dry and boring - but this was SCRUMPTIOUS, I was very impressed with the cookery and/or the product. The corn purée was amazing, the forbidden rice (not too large a portion, just to tempt you) was yummy, and I *loved* the perfectly al dente green beans even though I don't normally like green beans.
All told, a very pleasant experience (nice glass of wine and a fantastic entrée).