I enjoyed SingleThread, but not enough to rush back. The meal was consistently tasty with a level of creativity that kept things interesting, even if no dish was mind-blowing. I appreciated the freshness of the ingredients, but I prefer bolder, more layered flavors.

FOOD

• Every dish was well-seasoned (a pleasant contrast to my kaiseki experience in Japan) with a comfortable intensity. Still, the flavors are less intense than most tasting menus – there are no flavor bombs, nothing is “punchy” or “maxed out.” Could be a pro or con depending on your taste.
• The plating and presentation is stunning. I can only imagine how much effort it takes to create the floral / botanical arrangements.
• The focus on fish and vegetables made many dishes feel light, but we still left very satisfied.
• No misses for me, which is impressive considering how many dishes are on the menu. On the other hand, nothing wowed me.

Note: I rate conservatively. 8.5+ is a highlight, 9+ is mind-blowing. The best thing I've ever eaten is a 9.75.

FAVORITES

Late Autumn in Sonoma
10+ small bites with a huge range of flavors and textures. Individually, most bites were enjoyable but not memorable – the real fun was in the experience of having so many at once. My favorite bites:

• Panna cotta with green onion and caviar [8.5]: My first bite was one of my favorites of the night. Dairy, allium, and caviar is just delicious. This reminded me of TFL’s Oysters and Pearls, but lighter.
• Potato puree with mushrooms [8]: Simple and comforting. The mushrooms were super tender and packed with flavor.
• Fish (halibut?) with pesto rice and kohlrabi [7.5]: A creative twist on a standard sushi roll. The fish was great, but what stood out was the acidic crisp from the kohlrabi and the herbaceous rice. (Not sure what fish they used – I missed it in my notes, and the opening bites aren’t on the menu).
• Sea bream with pear and dashi [7.5]: Fish and fruit is not something you see too often, but the flavors worked well here. Nice contrast between the crunch from the pear and the tender sashimi.

Healdsburg Chestnut [7.5]
Despite its appearance, this was more of a foie gras dish than a salad. Under the lettuce was a huge portion of duck liver parfait, a dollop of chestnut mousse (shaped like a chestnut), all balanced by tart huckleberry and a savory, crunchy soil. Everything worked together beautifully except for the lettuce, which got completely overpowered. Still a tasty dish overall. 

Sonoma Wagyu [7.5]
The beef was great: fatty but still beefy, and perfectly seasoned with a hint of smoke from the grill. The beef got lost when paired with the sesame sauce and broccolini, but everything was good on its own. 

Matsutake & Short Rib Gohan [8.5]
A simple, comforting dish that felt like the epitome of home cooking. The braised short rib was the best I’ve ever had, and was served with fragrant mushrooms and rice that had perfectly distinct grains. A highlight.

Sunchoke with malted milk, chocolate, croissant [8]
Sunchoke in a dessert? It worked! Both the sunchoke and malt were earthy and sweet, to the point where I couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. The cold mousse was complemented by a variety of textures (crisp shell, crumbly cookie base) and paired well with the croissant and hot chocolate. Very comforting.

LEAST FAVORITES (not necessarily bad)

The carrot with XO sauce and tofu mousse [6.5] from the opening was my least favorite dish, and it wasn't even that bad. It was just that some bites had too strong of an anise flavor. 

Several dishes had components that were delicious on their own, but got muddled when eating them together (Kan Buri [7], Kinmedai [7], Sonoma Wagyu, and Healdsburg Chestnut). Still enjoyable, but I would've liked more cohesive flavors.

The strawberry and goat cheese palate cleanser [7] was a bit polarizing. The goat cheese shaved ice was so potent it was overwhelming on its own, but worked much better when mixed with the strawberry.

SERVICE / AMBIANCE

Nearly flawless. There was a level of friendliness and banter that I haven’t experienced in other high-end restaurants, and the music, background noise, and lighting were all at the perfect level. This is the most comfortable I’ve felt at a fine dining restaurant. I only wish they provided a menu so we could follow along while we were eating (the menu is provided at the end), but I loved how every team member knew the ingredients in every dish, so we had no problems getting our questions answered.