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Two of us dined here for a birthday celebration. Although I’ve know of this restaurant and passed by this location probably a thousand times I’ve never noticed it. The façade of the building is pretty ugly and seriously need a redesign in my opinion. Upon entering, the interior is nice if you like the whimsical circus feel. Not my favorite but well done for this genre.
Your menu choices are a 3, 4, or 5 course prix fixe. Chef Hubert Keller’s food is well executed and tasty. Reading his bio, you expect a new French cuisine that is a bit lighter. I feel his food is a lot more classical French than you will find at the other greats (French Laundy, Manresa, Campton Place) in the Bay Area. There are lots of things the Chef does that are straight out of Escoffier – which is to say heavier and richer. He utilizes lots of posh ingredients – truffles, foie, porcini mushrooms, etc. His presentation however is much more whimsical to match the room – truffle popcorn as a garnish and a duck and foie burger as a first course.
I would describe the chef’s cuisine as high end heart warming French food – which is to say, his flavors are bold and rich. Service was perfect and the sommelier did a great job with the wine pairings. I’ll be returning the next time I need a nice hearty meal.