Game Restaurant

The food: Excellent but pricey. I haven't yet tried Sachin's San Mateo spot, but the dishes at Game are creative, tasty and have beautiful presentation. We started with the Carrot Run (rabbit saddle and confit) and Monterey Squid Rings. The rabbit was a fantastic dish, with contrasting flavors and textures that worked well together. For our main dishes we had the Roasted Venison and the Basted Duck. The waiter suggested to have the Venison medium-rare, and that worked wonderfully. I didn't taste the duck but my partner said it was amazing. The drinks: Can't really say. We both had cocktails and they were good but nothing special. This seems to be more of a wine place. The service: Excellent. Everything you can expect from a high-end restaurant. No complaints here. The decor: Game is attached to a hotel, and has that sort of dimly-lit, modern classic feel. It's not my particular cup of tea but my partner liked it. I would like to come again, but the hefty $200 bill for the two of us (including two cocktails each + one desert) would have to make this a special event spot, rather than a casual dinner.

Seemed a little formal from the outside, but it was very welcoming inside -- even a bit eccentric, check the paintings! I was kinda expecting Flinstones-esque slabs of exotic meat and delighted to find imaginative, carefully prepared dishes. Cavatelli with wild boar sugo was enlivened by pickled chilis and crisp kale leaves; goat was cooked long until tender but still juicy, brightened with pomegranate and some crunchy nutty crisps (I still can't figure how they made those). Sadly I didn't have room for dessert: I was really curious about the sorel ice cream that accompanied the chocolate financier. A large wine list had offerings at a wide price range including some "Fun Old World Reds" that were very reasonably priced. Eva and the rest of the staff were friendly and very professional and made me feel welcome. I'd definitely go back.