I really enjoyed Kiln, even though I thought the latter half of the meal was unbalanced. The meal opened with complex flavors and textures that I absolutely loved, then switched to a showcase of savory courses that was both impressive and tiring.

FOOD

Perigord Truffle | Andante Dairy 'Minuet' | Malt Vinegar
An awesome opening bite. A beignet with layered flavors of malty bread, earthy truffle, and funky cheese, balanced with vinegar and a bit of allium. Great combo of crispy, chewy, and creamy textures.

Beef Tendon | Roasted Onion | Sweet Potato 
The concept was more memorable than the taste. I didn’t realize you could puff a tendon. Subtle umami and sweetness, with a delicate crisp. 

Half Moon Bay Spot Prawn | Preserved Chamomile | Tomato
An absolute banger. The tomato water brought umami and acidity. The thin disc of raw shrimp was sweet and had a pleasant gummy texture. A totally unfamiliar combo of flavors that worked really well.

Sacramento Sturgeon | Dill Pollen Vinegar | White Verjus | Oscietra Caviar
Very enjoyable but not memorable. Smoky, salty, fishy, and balanced by the vinegar. 

Hokkaido Scallop | Teardrop Peas | Plum Wood | Rosehip
My favorite dish of the night. Lightly grilled slices of scallop, underneath delicate teardrop peas. I loved the playful textures: the peas had such a pleasant pop to them, which contrasted well against the tender, slippery slices of scallop. The sauce had a notable acidity (from fermented chrysanthemum, iirc). It worked great with the sweetness from the scallops and peas, and the touch of smoke from the grill brought everything together. Such an intricate and composed dish.

I was so impressed by these opening courses that I wanted to experience everything the menu had to offer, so I asked to add on a serving of the caviar supplement to share. They were able to accommodate the request even though the supplement is supposed to be ordered upfront, and is usually served earlier in the meal (before the geoduck clam, not after).

Geoduck Clam | White Turnip | White Peach | Elderflower
I didn’t get to try this one as I’m allergic to peaches, and Kiln doesn’t accommodate dietary restrictions. But I’m glad that they let my wife get my portion, instead of removing it entirely. My wife said this dish was decent (good enough to finish both portions), but not anything to write home about.

Imperial Kaluga Caviar | Onion Vinegar | Chicken Fat
Pleasant, but not something I would get again, especially for the added cost. Briny, sweet, and acidic. They mentioned the supporting ingredients should bring out the grassiness from the caviar, but I’m not sure if I got that. Maybe I’m just not a caviar person.

Monterey Bay Abalone & Their Livers | Vin Jaune | Fig Leaf
Intense abalone flavor paired with a rich sauce, veering on the edge of too salty. I was impressed they coaxed out so much flavor from the abalone, but I couldn’t find anything to balance out the richness.

Maine Lobster | Strawberry Spinach | Iberico Ham | Sake Lees
Similar vibe to the abalone dish, but with lobster. An impressive amount of lobster flavor, a rich sauce that’s salted to the brink, and not much to balance the richness. Also, we both found the lobster a bit too tough.

Modesto Squab | Cherry | Brentwood Corn | Lavender
Perfectly cooked squab with a deep gamey flavor. The cherry sauce offered a bit of balance, but not as much as I wanted at this point. Interestingly, the skin was chewy and slightly tacky. It seemed deliberate, but I would’ve preferred crispy skin.

Venison Saucisson d'Alsace
Small slices of cured sausage. I didn’t take any notes and don’t remember it very well, so it must’ve been fine.

Sunchoke | Aged Dairy Cow | Porcini | Fermented Mushroom 
A mousse packed full of mushroom flavor, to pair with the bread. I actually enjoyed this quite a bit, but it was hard to fully appreciate given its place amongst the other savory courses.

Dark Rye & Buckwheat Country Loaf | Raw Butter
Solid bread and butter course. Nicely salted. I liked that the more rustic bread could hold its own against the sunchoke/mushroom mousse. 

Aged Dairy Cow | Endive | Beef Marrow | Preserved Black Currant
Loved the steak, even amidst the barrage of savory courses. A slice of ribeye cap was served on top of the ribeye eye. The cap was so ridiculously beefy. We scarfed it down, and then were disappointed when we realized that the remaining steak was tougher and far less flavorful. I wish I had properly savored the cap, but this dish was still a highlight.

Aged Dairy Cow | Grilled Beet | Ramp | Reindeer Moss | Woodruff
Really liked this tartlet. The tartare had a deep, lingering savoriness, and you could really taste the funk from the dry age. And the seasoning was comparatively subdued, which I welcomed.

Broth of Dairy Cow Bones | Koji Oil
Not my cup of tea. The smokiness in the broth made it too bitter for my liking. They did describe this as a savory tea, which I guess checks out.

Andante Dairy "Nocturne” | Malted Barley | Buckwheat Honey | Australian Winter Truffle
Enjoyable but not memorable. Another cheesy beignet which mirrored the opening bite, but it didn’t compare in terms of flavor. Still, a nice transition into dessert.

Rhubarb | Mara de Bois Strawberry | Raw Milk | Anise Hyssop
Amazing. The most “strawberry-y” dish I’ve ever had. The tart rhubarb and bitter anise seemed to bring out even more strawberry flavor.

Salted Goat's Milk | 35% Chocolate | Birch | Dry Vermouth
Not my favorite. A huge serving of cheese mousse – salty, funky, and slightly sweet. The flavor was ok but it was one note, and I got tired of it halfway through. I think I would’ve liked this dish more if they reduced the portion size.

Petit Fours
Hazelnut | 33% Chocolate | Elderflower
Salted Butter Toffee | Walnut | Chanterelle Mushroom
70% Chocolate | Blackberry | Pig's Blood
Pâte de Fruit | Lillet Blanc

I only really remember the salted toffee with mushrooms, which was delicious, complex, and felt very new Nordic.

SERVICE / AMBIANCE

Service was very good. We were celebrating my wife’s birthday, and they customized our menus, noting the occasion. I appreciated that they let us add on the caviar supplement partway through the meal, even though it’s supposed to be ordered at the beginning. And I liked how the chefs themselves came out to serve the dishes, though a few spoke pretty softly, so there were several times where I had to ask them to repeat their description. At the end of the meal, they took a Polaroid of each table, and they customized ours with a birthday note.

The space is a converted warehouse. Spotlights above each table highlighted the food while the rest of the room was kept dark. I liked how my wife and I were positioned 90 degrees from one another facing towards the kitchen – it made us feel like we were watching a show. The music was prominent, but didn’t get in the way of conversation. I found the chairs a bit uncomfortable (my lower back was aching by the end), but my wife didn’t have any issues. 

OVERALL

Kiln is anything but boring. It had one of the strongest openings that I've ever experienced – inventive and layered flavor combinations that were exactly what I was looking for. The second act was bold and memorable, but I just wish they had more to complement the richness. If you love maximalist flavors, Kiln is definitely worth a visit. If you don’t, then you might find it overwhelming.

We paid $450pp after tax and tip. Without the caviar supplement, we would’ve paid $375pp (though the price has since increased to ~$400pp). That still feels like great value for this level of cooking and creativity, not to mention that they serve 18+ courses (we left uncomfortably stuffed).

I’m glad I went. Now that I know what to expect, I’d probably enjoy a return visit even more. But unless they balance out the second half, I’m not sure I’d choose to come back over trying somewhere new.