Lee D.
Yelp
WOW, I mean WOW!!.
On our last two visits ,we were lucky enough to get the Chef's table!
Pure luck, just had regular reservations and the team gave us the Chef's table both times.
If you are following, please also keep in mind that we just got back from a 33 day cruise and have been "fine" dining nightly...
Quality/Quantity - Overall the meal was good, today 4 stars, (our prior visit, the food was 5 stars). Here is some feedback for today's visit:
Starter - My daughter loved this. I thought this was good, but she really really loved it!
Halibut Crudo - Good, but I thought the ratio of halibut with radish was off a little, I would have preferred more halibut.
Black Pepper & Parmesan Souffle - Uni & Dungeness Crab Fondue. This was a wow. At first I expected it to not be anything special since I have been eating this for dessert every other day, see Princess Cruise Yelp. But after the 3rd bite, I said wow. My daughter enjoyed the sauce so much that she started drinking it as if it was a soup.
Davenport Abalone - Again, I guess I am being greedy, but I felt the abalone could have been larger. But at least this was well proportioned. Complemented with a 2020 Saouma "Inopia" Southern Rhone, France
Bacon Wrapped Quail - Done well, wrapped tight. This was very hearty, with good flavors. Complemented with a Beaujolais.
Brentwood corn & Porcini Tart - Not my personal preference, but it was good. Complimented with a 2020 Torbreck Grenache, Barossa Valley, Australia
Roast Venison - Highlight of the meal, the entree. And they do not have venison often, so always get it when offered.
Buttermilk Ice Cream - A little disappointing. My ice cream was melted and soft and it was only 1 scoop and was drowned in sauce.
Frog Hollow Farm Cherries - Good, the cherries could have been more pronounced. Dark Chocolate Cake with Smith Wood house 20 year old Tawny Port, Portugal
Additional Desserts - A tray of baked goods, see picture. Always a favorite of ours.
Breads - Wow, I think I just like bread too much. Both the picture perfect muffin bread and pretzel roll were so good!
Wine pairing - 8 wine pairings, plus a complimentary glass of champagne. Very generous pours, so generous that I knew I was not going to be able to drive when we left!
Atmosphere -
Surprisingly almost no customers today. Approximately 6 tables, including outside and bar/lounge dining. The team says Sunday is their slowest day.
In the past we had to make reservations months in advance.
Indoor or outdoor dining. Weather permitting, 3 outdoor options.
Inside general dining, lounge dining, bar dining, and our favorite the Chef's table!
Simple, cool elegant decor.
Even the sinks in the bathrooms are splashless, see picture.
Some historic framed menus from their past.
2 wine cellars that you need to visit.
Valet parking for $15, but it was not needed tonight as there was plenty of free street parking.
Oh, they are trained to upsell, just and FYI.
Last visit we ended up buying champagne for the table, LOL.
Service - 6 stars, not sure if due to it being so slow today, but almost every employee helped us. Were they extremely bored or is this the normal amazing service? Service in the past has always been good, but I am not used to 6+ people waiting on us.
Price - $1500, expect to pay for quality and service.
My daughter would not let me pay! What a treat, so proud.
Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1975 with all your Michelin stars, we have been a long term customer. Also thank you for all your previous remodels and keeping up with the times.