12/20/08

Would not go back

by mp03dk

I've had ubber tasting menus with super-ubber prices, and yes this is expensive, but I think it was not outrageous. Quality was okay, but it cannot compete with the Napa equivalents.

One negative I did not miss, when someone brings their own bottle the staff should open it in front of you, pour a little to taste, and so forth. Our server took the bottle away and it came back open. That may be a non-issue for most folks, but that's basic fine dining practice. Lack of training and unmemorable food. Unfortunately, most of the European restaurants in Castro street are the same - unmemorable, and I was hoping this would be different. It was more pricey. I find myself travelling to Napa for my ubber tasting menus and I was so hopeful to find something in the Peninsula.

• Pros: walking distance to my home
• Cons: not competitive to the tasting menus in like restaurants

12/08/08

We had a good memory - not anymore!

by lindseyea

We took my hubbys Grandma on Saturday and were very disappointed. We had the 4 courses with wine pairings, $140 each, my husband upgraded his appetizer to the fois gras (+ $15), we added one cheese plate (+ $25) with wine (+ $10 ea). With t&t, it was $700.

We have been lucky to eat at a lot of good restaurants - including Gary Danko, Farallon, Parcel 104, the Ahwahnee, Alexanders, Aquarello, and in October we were in New York and ate at Babbo (Mario Batelli). All are way better. We paid less at Babbo for 4 of us, including a dish with fresh truffles (though to be fair, we were with two teetotal vegetarians)

At $700 for 3, and a Michelin Star, I expect to be wowed. We were not. A few dishes were very good - the butternut squash souffle with langoustine curry to start was great. Foie gras was ok. The mushroom soup which was tasty, but had been ladled into a cold one-serving jug, and then was poured at the table into a cold dish. While this was a cool presentation, it also made for a cool soup. Literally - lukewarm at best.

The scallop was pretty good but Farallon definitely does them better. the striped bass was the better of the two fish dishes on offer. Again, sauce poured at table = cold.

We had all 3 of the meat dishes. My beef was the best of the 3 but not up to Alexanders. The pork dish was average - I had better at a Four Seasons wine dinner. Squab was merely 'meh'.

Cheese course was good - interesting selections. Desserts were average - nothing stood out.

Overall, their plating is way too complicated and dare I say it, pretentious. By the time they do all that, the food is getting cold. I'd rather eat it hot. They do a good job on the wine pairings. The small dining rooms are cute but sterile and the staffing was confused - which one was our server, and what were their names? Impersonal. No real love or warmth in the place, staff, and worst of all, the food. Not going back.

• Pros: Erm, erm, its the nearest michelin starred restaurant to our house?
• Cons: Doesn't deserve the star, overpriced, impersonal.

03/31/08

Small Portions, Large Prices

by joanhklovescody

Be sure to bring your own magnifying glass! The portions were too small to choke a toddler, but the bill was astronomical ($320 for the two of us). When we arrived home, my husband reached for the pizza and I grabbed a bowl of cereal. This felt like something out of a Seinfeld episode. We'll stick with Le Petit Bistro for our French fixes.