MICHAEL MINA - SAN FRANCISCO, CA

MICHAEL MINA

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Oops I did it again.  How many times have we tried what are supposed to be the best restaurants in a city and found them not to live up to the hype and expectations.  Michael Mina goes to the top of the list for total let downs.  While the service was excellent, the food failed to impress.  Best part of the evening was the company.  My girls and best friends Tom and Arlene.  We had a great table set away from the main dining room.  I convinced our guests to go with the Chef's Tasting Menu that is $125 per person.  $185 with the wine pairing.  Tom brought a bottle of wine from a local vintner near his home in Pleasanton.  Corkage fee was $35.  This was one of the most unimpressive and tasteless meals of my life.  The only dish with some taste was the grilled cheese sandwich served as a pre-appetizer.  The fish had no taste, the steak had no taste, the scallop had no taste. I don't know how you can serve up so many dishes and not have any flavor.  I was shocked at the lack of flavor of each dish.  This was just not right for the price.  I expected to be blown away by this chef.  I was embarrassed for having brought my friends here.  I wanted to take them down the street for some good pasta after this meal.  Just don't get this place.  The ambiance and service was excellent.  The food came out of the kitchen at all the right times.  Everything was perfect except the food.  Would not recommend this restaurant or go back.

GLASS WINDOWS FRONT THE RESTAURANT

NICE BAR AREA ADJACENT TO DINING AREA 

MAIN DINING ROOM WAS PACKED

MY GIRLS ARE READY TO EAT

ARLENE AND TOM ARE READY FOR DINNER AND WINE

GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH AND SOUP.
PROBABLY THE BEST THING WE ATE ALL NIGHT.

HEAVILY BUTTERED SOUR DOUGH BREAD WITH HONEY

CRUDO OF HAWAIIAN KAMPACHI
LADY APPLE COULIS, JAPANESE UNI, MITSUBA

FOIE GRAS AND HAM HOCK TERRINE
APPLE MUSTARD, QUATRE EPICES BRIOCHE, CHICHARONES
AND FRISEE SALAD
(ADD $10 TO THE $125 PRICE FOR THIS APPETIZER)

PASTA WITH GREEN BEANS (NOT PART OF TASTING MENU)
THIS WAS ORDERED FOR OUR DAUGHTER

PAN SEARED DAY BOAT SCALLOP
MONTEREY BAY SQUID, HIJIKI AND CHIVES

HERB ROASTED JOHN DORY
GERMAN BUTTERBALL POTATO, BLACK TRUMPET
MUSHROOM AND YOUNG LEEKS

ROASTED PORCINI MUSHROOM RAGOUT
HANDKERCHIEF PASTA, HUDSON VALLEY FOIE GRAS,
DUCK PROSCIUTTO

BLANK ANGUS NEW YORK STRIP STEAK
DAUPHINE POTATOES, WILD MUSHROOMS AND
BONE MARROW JUS

SORBET

ROOT BEER FLOAT 2.0
SASSAFRAS ICE CREAM, ROOT BEER GELEE, SELTZER

SQUASH PAIN D' EPICES

MILK CHOCOLATE LOZENGE

BROWN SUGAR WAFERS