Recommends

Patrick Heig

Joined 5 years ago

Lavish surroundings and rustic-yet-decadent cuisine.. Sitting on sleepy Saratoga's tree-lined main street, this former barn was transformed into a six-room fine-dining destination, with everything from intimate, wood-paneled banquet rooms to a lofty, opulent dining room lined in white ostrich leather and a transparent, 24,000-bottle wine vault as its centerpiece. The tableside service starts with silver carts ferrying iced champagne and a deeply knowledgeable staff as excited about the food as those who are about to eat it. The decadence continues with all the gaudy edibles one expects at a place like this--oysters, abalone, foie gras, truffles, caviar by the ounce--balanced by the cream of the local organic crop. The tasting menu offers the best of Chef Peter Armellino's (formerly of Jardiniere, Campton Place, Aqua) considerable talents, with each of the seven courses setting up the next and strong notes of umami throughout. The wine pairings tend toward the unexpected--pinot noir with butterfish, or squab with chardonnay, for example--but work wonderfully. Though it earned a Michelin star less than a year after its transformation, The Plumed Horse is not yet mentioned alongside the best restaurants in the Bay Area, probably because of its South Bay location. It's a glaring omission, but one that at least allows those lucky enough to experience it to be surprised.

Recommends

Johanna885

Joined 5 years ago

Great Food.... I had dinner here with a friend since the new remodeling and we were very impressed. We both weren't expecting the restaurant to look half as good as it did. The moment you step into the Plumed Horse, you feel like you're at a restaurant in San Francisco. The changing lights in the main dining room are genious. Both me and my friend had the tasting menu, which we enjoyed. The Foie Gras was delicious, as well as the souffle at the end. Very nice setting and service, plus amazing food. We'll definitely be back.

Doesn't Recommend

pdlosgatos

Joined 5 years ago

Never, ever go here.... What a disaster. Totally not worth the price or the pretense. The Chef decides what you like, and if it isn't fat, fennel, foix gras of truFFle oil, you are out of luck. Every dish has all or some combination of the above Even the bread is polluted. The wine list is extensive, except that every bottle unter $140 seems to be unavailble. Add all this with a mediocre staff, if adds up to a bad evening.

Recommends

romib

Joined 6 years ago

beautiful restaurant, warm atmposphere. This restaurant is outstanding. The food is excellent and the service is spectacular. The chicken entrees are to die for and the desserts...wow! The staff is extremely knowledgeable. A previous review said the service was slow but perfection can not be rushed. Do not come here if you are in a hurry because this is certainly not fast food, everything is fresh and the wine cellar is well worth visiting. This is a great date restaurant, sure to impress.

Doesn't Recommend

ericbythebay

Joined 6 years ago

better service at Denny's... and make this an all day trip. As a person that appreciates fine dining, I have to say I was disappointed that we had to wait an hour for a table although reservations were made.

After ording, we waited FOUR HOURS for the main course to be served, which I'm sure in anyones opinion is unexplainable, unless someone went out to the bay to hand pick the scallops. In the kitchen's failed attempt to appease the customer, we were served a few premeal 'teasers'. One of those teasers was a house made icecream... yes... ice cream prior to the main meal.

When it was finally served, the food was excellent, after the kitchen fixed some food preparations errors. One of those errors was a rare New York steak which was ordered rare and served well done. But this revview wasn't written to explain the kitchen's inability to cook one of the easiest pieces of protein.

This review was written for the lack of sincere service. The food servers all lack any genuine hospitality. Anyone can refer to another person as 'Sir' but these food servers possessed a sence of arrogance. The atmosphere was more like a druid sacrifice ritual, save the robes.

For a resturant that holds themselves in such high regards, I expected much more when spending more than $500.00 for a meal. I feel I've experienced better service at a fast food resturant.

Recommends

xmanchai

Joined 11 years ago

my favorite dish -- duck. I went there a while back and I got my best duck ever. it tasted so juicy and yummy. Can't find other place can make such a good dish. highly recommended.

Recommends

kmoussally

Joined 8 years ago

Fine dining and a world class wine list. The Plumed Horse has one of the best wine lists in California, if not the entire United States. They also have a Master Sommelier (those of you in the know understand how prestigious that is). The food is beyond compare, always delicious and inventive. The food is, regretably, expensive. Nevertheless, it is still less expensive than comparable restaurants in SF, making The Plumed Horse a comparative bargain.

The service here is superb. I have no idea why another reviewer was displeased. Every time I've been here, the staff has bent over backwards to make the meal an absolute pleasure. I cannot recommend this place highly enough. If you truly have concerns about service, make sure you ask to be seated in Manuel's section. He is, without a doubt, the best waitperson that I've ever encountered in fine dining.

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Longtime, elegant Cal-French establishment stays frisky with innovative fare.. The six dining rooms each maintain a discrete personality. There's the intimate Gold Room bathed in light from stained-glass windows; the airy Green Room, a banquet room; and the Cellar Room for wine-maker dinners and wine tastings. Seared Sonoma foie gras is centered in a pool of dusky veal demi-glace, swirled purple from fresh boysenberries and black raspberries. A proponent of organic farming, the restaurant showcases a salad of greens from which organic baby beets, turnips, fennel and other vegetables peak out, all glistening with a blood orange and basil oil dressing. Entrees include the seared Morgan Hill ostrich filet, brought back into the fold by slivers of black truffle and thin pan-seared slices of foie gras, spring carrots and haricots verts.

Recommends

darvey

Joined 11 years ago

Almost Perfect. Everything was great from the time you walk in. The caesar salad was made fresh right in front of you. Only drawback is the price. It is on the expensive side but definitely worth every penny.

Doesn't Recommend

volyths

Joined 11 years ago

skip this one. While I have frequented this establishment on several occassions, I am highly disappointed by the poor service.

The environment is soothing and can be peaceful at times but-

The owner, as well as his son take a "holyer-than -thou attitude and when you mix the sometimes limited entrees with the poor service...

Skip this one.