Every Bay Area ⭐⭐⭐!

After going to the new Quince recently, I’ve been to every Bay Area 3* within the last 18ish months! Here are my thoughts.

I’d give them 4* if you could!

SingleThread +🍀: What really needs to be said! Every bite is beyond incredible, and the service is among the best on the planet! Their amuse-bouche/starting bites are truly beyond world-class, and the whole experience is just magical! I’d highly recommend a stay at their inn as well! I had a better breakfast there than in practically all of the top ryokans/hotels I’ve stayed at in Japan! 10/10 service and wine team!

An incredible, true 3\ experience*!

The French Laundry +🍀: Once again, what really needs to be said. While all the dishes are great, I can only say that the signature starters and butter-poached lobster (often not on that day’s menu) are truly spectacular. The service is phenomenal here, and TFL has the best wine program in the country, IMO. It’s always a pleasure to be back!

Quince +🍀: Simple, incredible dishes with super fresh ingredients! The beetroot and caviar spaghetti dish is one of my favorite pasta dishes ever, and all the dishes I’ve ever had here were solid. While some people dislike it, I enjoy how they often use one super-in-season ingredient throughout their menu, whether it be white asparagus or peas. The service here isn’t the greatest, but by no means bad. I also like the incredible wine pairings they can make, tailored to your tastes/preferences or what you want to explore!

Borderline 3\*

Benu: While I had no bad dishes at Benu, nothing was truly excellent either, with all the savory courses being above average, and the desserts being just average. Make no mistake, most of the dishes were quite tasty, but the majority weren’t significantly above what you’d get at a quality casual Korean/Asian restaurant. The service and beverage pairing were subpar, and I personally really dislike the restaurant’s interior. Corey Lee himself was pretty incredible when I met him, so I’ll be a bit generous perhaps.

Not at the 3\ level*

Atelier Crenn +🍀: I’ve been here twice, and each time, I’ve had several bad dishes, like the spot prawn, cod, and abalone dishes I was served, and no dishes were outstanding. Most of the remaining dishes were above average overall, though they often had relatively subdued flavors. The desserts, which I was served in Bar Crenn, were a pretty big letdown. For instance, the small cake I was served was very dry, and the ice cream quenelle was 50% melted. The service and wine team/pairing were poor. One place where Atelier Crenn did stand out, though, was the quality and freshness of the seafood.