Please excuse the craptastic photos - Commis' signless storefront intimidated me enough to not bring my camera, though it didn't stop me from snapping a few with my phone.
I had read a lot about this restaurant since its anticipated opening, followed by Michael Bauer's griping review and others mixed. I am not one to ever take him seriously, so I was still curious and decided to go a few weekends ago. Despite its lack of any signage and overall pretentious aura from the outside, I found the ambiance to be comfortable and not sterile at all, the service warm and friendly, and the food subtle and unexpected.
To address a few of MB's complaints - Yes, it was strange that the utensils were placed upside-down, but after asking the hostess she explained that it was really just the design, and if they were placed right-side-up they would rock back and forth. Odd choice, but really a minor detail. The walls were bare, yes, but there were so many live plants and other decor that I didn't feel like I was in a lab at all.
Let's get to the food. Their signature amuse (poached egg yolk surrounded by onion cream) was quite unctuous - fatty, rich, and delicious. I wasn't a fan of everything we had (broccoli soup tasted like strong ginger to me), but one app was a revelation - crispy sweetbreads with cereal grain and fowl juices (think savory oatmeal). The cod entree felt like Asian comfort food with its clear broth, turnips, and cabbage. The food was surprisingly accessible and familiar, yet still refined in technique.
The third course, however, was a bit underwhelming. Presented with 3 options (fruit, chocolate, cheese), we went with the goat cheese panna cotta with beet-blood orange sorbet, blood orange segments, beet foam, and candied pistachios. The pistachios had the perfect texture, but something went awry with the panna cotta which seemed to have tiny air bubbles and seemed to foam in the mouth. Instead of the chocolate, I thought the cheese course sounded interesting, but while the menu said "warmed," I was not expecting melted cheese on puff pastry! The lavender onion marmalade accompaniment was interesting, but it was really a waste of a dish.
While not every dish was stellar, there were definitely a few winners that made the meal satisfying. The wine pairing was also spot-on, and our servers were extremely knowledgeable in each bottle's story. I don't know if I would go back since it was over $100 per person, but I'm glad I tried it.
November is always insanely busy, even before Thanksgiving. This year... bachelorette in Napa, 24 hrs in LA, Mike's birthday + his family visit, lots of potlucks, Mom's birthday, my birthday!
560 Divisadero (& Hayes)
(415) 864-8643
American in Western Addition/ "NOPA"
**Update 27Sep09: OK after visiting a few more times, I must say that their pork chop, flatbread, and blue bottle martini are my go-tos. They will never fail!
*Update 06Jul09: I've been meaning to go back for awhile, especially since seasonal restaurants are always better in the summer. I finally understand the hype because this meal was sooo much better than the last! Flatbread was seasoned perfectly, with a nice char and crunch. Burger, chicken, and white beans were all pretty good, but the real star was the brined pork chop with grilled peaches. I'm a sucker for grilled peaches, but the juicy pink chop is what won me over. The cornmeal cake was really dry, but the Blue Bottle martini was the perfect ending to a great meal.
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[28-Jan-08] Went to Garrett's hood on a rainy Thursday, and this place was still packed! We couldn't get a reservation so we just tried walking in, and had to wait about an hour. Service was friendly, and the space is pretty nice. "Barnyard"-like is how Garrett described the roof, but I'd say it's more rustic. The ceiling is high, and there are very long windows - I'd imagine it'd be great on a nice day with the sun pouring in!
The food was solid, classic American fare. Nothing blew my mind, but I did enjoy my meal. We had the crispy duck leg to start, which was very meaty for this type of fowl. As for entrees, I had the cod which was eh, and Garrett's pork chop was a very juicy cut. We also shared the donuts as a dessert, which were fine, although you can't really go wrong with anything fried.
So overall, the restaurant was decent, but nothing special.
Time flew by so quickly and the month of January is over. The only Dine about Town restaurant I went to this year was Anchor & Hope. We actually didn't end up ordering the DAT menu because there are other stuff that we wanted to try. There are some interesting stuff they have on the menu, but the overall experience was ok.
