Quince

Best time I've ever had at a restaurant. My husband and I went to Quince last weekend for my birthday dinner. He could not have chosen a better place. We were early for our reservation but still only waited 10 minutes to be seated, during which time we each had impeccable cocktails; my husband ordered the Quince Martini and I had a drink (unfortunately I can't remember the name) but it reminded me of a lemon drop but with much more sophistication. We had the tasting menu paired with wines and they could not have been better chosen. The food was fabulous--we started with the "free wheeling fava beans," a plate with five different textures and flavors; which were wonderful and a present on a plate; the squash blossom filled with dungeness crab, zucchini, served with Muscadet Sevre et Maine "Cuvee L d'Or," Luneau-Papin 2005 from France was a perfect complement. My husband was served what Quince calls the Raviolo Gigante, which is actually five ravioli in a row;one was filled with carrot, one with wild nettle, artichoke, one with beet and dill and a fifth with ricotta and a quail egg--perfectly cooked and still whole, which I found a miracle. I received the cappellacci with white asparagus and speck, also perfect. The risotto, entitled Acquerello Carnaroli Risotto, had sea urchin, hot pepper and passion fruit; we were given some type of accompaniment tableside, and it was the best risotto I've ever eaten. I can't even remember what else we had; I know my husband got the cheese platter, which he loved, and which came with sweet and savory accompaniments. The staff could not be more professional and anticipated our every need. I'd eat there every night if I could.…

Nice place, not the best meal though. The birthday celebration for Alyssa J. Rapp was a beautiful 20 person private dining affair at a well known San Franciscan destination named Quince. We were treated to a tour of the private wine cellar and a delicious rose bubbly before sitting down to our four course meal.

Alyssa chose the wine pairings which, not surprisingly, delivered a perfect complement to each course and presented a highlight in their own right. The food, however, was disappointing. I realize expectations run high for a one-star Michelin rated restaurant, but I arrived with an open mind. Our first two courses displayed signs of brilliance and quality of exceptional cuisine, but not consistently and certainly not with the main course. Private parties of large size probably present unique challenges to the kitchen, but that is not an excuse. I would also like to see and possibly explore the entire menu, but all I have to work with is our meal.

Our amuse-bouche was a delicious melon gazpacho with mint and cucumber. The first course was a single seared scallop topped with a muscle served over a potato puree. The scallop was perfectly cooked and tender, but I did not see how the oyster or puree added to the flavor of the dish. It was a nice start, but too bland with all the ingredients used.

Our second course was the best and a popular favorite among the diners. It was roasted red pepper and cheese filled tortelloni. There were amazing flavors that grew more complex with each bite. The pasta was handmade and tasted fresh. Everything worked well and I could have consumed at least 10 more.

The main course was a choice between chicken and lamb. I choose lamb and Erica chose chicken. Neither dish impressed us. My lamb had flavor but did not seem to be anything more complicated than what I or my better cooking friends could produce at home on our grill. There was no sauce and the sides of fingerling potato and artichoke puree were small and strange, respectively. It was also a rather small portion, especially for the main course of a four course meal. Erica’s report on the chicken was similar and my one taste did not reveal anything I would describe as special.

Alyssa made a good decision by selecting a cheese course as opposed to a traditional dessert. The cheeses were very good and well portioned. I could have done twice as many, but I love cheese and some self restraint is a valuable quality. I don’t know how much credit to give a restaurant for a cheese plate. They didn’t make the cheese, but I recognize there is a skill to selecting high quality cheese. The wine pairing stole the show though - Chateau Haut-Peyraguey Bordeaux, Sauternes, 2005 . It was the best dessert wine I have enjoyed because it was not overly sweet. There was a perfect balance of smoothness and sweetness that leaves a special taste and feeling in the mouth. Perhaps the wine is the reason I loved the cheese so much…

I hate to sound like the meal wasn’t great, but the best part of the evening was not the food. We were with great company in a beautiful private room drinking world class wine. One dish was worthy of high acclaim, but the rest were forgettable. I am certain Quince is deserving of the recognition and awards and I would like to return for delicious Italian cuisine. If the tortelloni were any indication, I bet there are some knock-out pasta dishes. For now, it was a great birthday celebration with many more to follow.

my blog: jjrappeats.blogspot dot com…

Quince great for special occasions.. Quince (in the SF Financial District) is festive, elegant, and calm. The food is intriguing and delicious and the staff is extremely attentive. Our sommelier opened the 30-year-old bottle of French wine we had brought with us with exquisite care and expertise.…

New Quince...Still Getting its Footing. Went to the new Quince on Monday night. Waited almost 30 minutes past the reservation to be seated - not what you would expect from this caliber restaurant. Additionally, there was little to no attempt to make up for the fact that we were so delayed in our seating.

The space is very pleasant. Frankly, I think it is an upgrade from the old Myth space and conveys the Quince brand. Service was an A-, food was a B+. Highlights of the meal were the Sweetbreads appetizer which is the best I've had. The pasta dish (pappardelle with suckling pig) was not as good as I remembered from the old place and the venison main course was just ok. Nice presentation on desert and the cheese tray was pretty good but not as good as Danko or The Ritz DR. Overall, I think Quince is still a top 10 restaurant in SF but needs to work out the kinks - I will go back in 6 months and check it out.…