Coi - San Francisco, California

Sweetmonger's and my recent trip to the San Francisco Bay Area was one of highs and lows. The weather was absolutely terrible, which was not really a surprise but nevertheless was still miserable. I did, however, have the absolute best cheeseburger of my life from 4505 Meats, which helped alleviate the sting of an epic disappointment of a meal at Manresa. We also ate this very good, albeit slightly disappointing, meal at Coi. Coi was a disappointment not because anything was particularly bad--indeed, the high-quality consistency of the meal is something for which every restaurant should strive. Rather, given Coi's reputation (and its price), I wanted a few more "wows"--for me, there were none. That being said, it was a very good meal.

Frozen Mandarin Sour: angostura bitters, kumquat, satsuma ice

This was a nice start to the meal. A direct sweetness right up front giving way to a strong citrus flavor. It was wildly refreshing and very good.

Oysters Under Glass: Marin Miyagi Oysters, Yuzu, Rau Ram

This was visually appealing and tasty. My problems with it were two-fold. First, it was very hard to eat as the gelee "glass" was extremely slippery, and second, it tasted exactly how a one would expect a Japanese-inspired oyster dish to taste. Perhaps that's a little too nitpicky but nonetheless. Good.

Pasture: Beets Roasted in Hay, Fresh Cheese, Wild Sprouts and Flowers

Given my current preference for vegetable-centric dishes, it is no surprise that this was my favorite course of the night. It was certainly the meal's most complex dish with many flavors working harmoniously. The beet flavor was evident but was wonderfully altered from its pure state by the hay and cheese. Although visually it resembled steak tartare, it was a delicious representation of the "Pasture." Very good.

Crab Melt, California Style with Steffan's Lardo, Wheatgrass

Sweetmonger loved this dish. I really didn't get it. It was tasty, no doubt, but seemed little more than crab and cheese to me. She, however, insisted that I was missing the "interesting" richness from the lardo. Maybe, but I have my doubts. Good.

Farm Egg with Cauliflower, Nettle-Dandelion Salsa Verde

This was a pretty ingenious dish. A cauliflower puree resembled egg whites and concealed a perfectly runny egg atop a nettle-dandelion salsa verde. It would be almost impossible not to like this dish, and the textural contrast added by the salsa verde made it my second-favorite dish of the night. Very good.

Earth and Sea: Steamed Tofu Mousseline, Mushroom Dashi, Yuba, Fresh Seaweed

Definitely the (relative) low point of the meal. Its flavors were a little too muted, and it seemed a little too Japanese given the rest of the meal. Good.

Savory Chanterelle Porridge with Crisp Root Vegetables, Cress, Sherry

A lot of wild mushrooms and some crispy root vegetables. Again, it would be hard not to like this dish. Very good.

Prather Ranch Beef Filet with Potato, Coastal Grasses, and Monterey Cypress

This was a tasty version of meat and potatoes but not a terribly inventive one. I feel like similar versions are plentiful. The meat was high quality and cooked extremely well, though. Good.

Reblochon (Joseph Paccard) with Mixed Chicories

Lime Sherbet with Frozen Yogurt, Pomegranate, Mint

Bread and Chocolate with Brioche Ice Cream, Pistachio, and Tarragon

These last three courses were not terribly memorable. I liked the cheese, but I am not enough of a cheese person to know whether or not it was particularly good. And the desserts, while tasty, aren't deserving of any special attention. As I said, despite the meal's consistency, it was a little disappointing, but that is almost certainly because of my very high expectations. Whatever the case, the meal was very good overall.

Coi

373 Broadway

San Francisco, California 94133

www.coirestaurant.com