And now, as promised, a review of my experience at Coi, my first two-star Michelin ranked restaurant!
food makes me happeeeeee
My sous chef and I chose Coi (pronounced “kwah”) for our fancy shmancy anniversary dinner based mostly on their online menus. The dishes sounded so creative and fun. We thought about San Fran institutions like Chez Panisse and Zuni Cafe but the lure of Coi was too tempting. The techniques reminded me of Jose Andres and The Bazaar but with a more locavore, ingredient-based flair.
We told them over the phone about the gluten intolerance and they were extremely accommodating. The menu is a prix fixe, eleven course meal. The chef made perfect substitutions for me and I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything.
I took the menu with me so I could give you all a rundown of my favorite dishes. Sadly, I don’t have any great pictures (or even good ones) because the dining room was very intimate and warmly lit and my camera wasn’t feelin’ it and I wasn’t feeling using a flash in a two-Michelin star restaurant! The only reason I took any pictures at all was that I saw a couple of other tables doing it so I felt a little less gauche.
inverted tomato tart, gluten style
Inverted Cherry Tomato Tart: Black olive, basil – This was one of my very favorite dishes. It had a row of peeled cherry tomatoes that were perfectly sweet and balanced by a creamy foam and a basil paste. It completely melted like cotton candy the second you put it in your mouth and left the flavor of distilled Summer.
inverted tomato tart
Chilled Eggplant Soup: Fresh Pole and Shelling Beans, Preserved Lemon, Cilantro – I still hate Cilantro but this was too delicious to be fatally marred by soapweed. It was perfectly smooth and creamy and had a smoky rich flavor and the beans were so fresh and sweet, they popped in your mouth.
Monterey Bay Abalone Grilled on the Plancha: Nettle-Dandelion Salsa Verde, Spicy Breadcrumbs (I got crushed, spicy, toasted almonds,) Wild Fennel Flowers – Oh man was this good. The abalone was soft and meaty with just the right amount of chewiness and crunchy crisped edges. The salsa was flavorful and brought out the brininess of the abalone without making it taste fishy. So fresh.
abalone
Slow-Roasted Lamb: Chard Leaves and Stems, Rosemary, Garum – I am not usually a big lamb person. I don’t go in for the gamier meats. This lamb was different I don’t know what the hell they did to this lamb chop but it. was. bomb. The menu said it was slow-roasted and the tenderness proved that but the crazy thing was how juicy it was. It appeared to be rarer than rare but had no stringiness, no toughness, no bloodiness (ew, but seriously, bloodiness grosses me out.) I looked up “garum,” it’s an ancient Roman style fermented fish sauce. I definitely didn’t taste anything fishy in this dish but it was unlike any meat I have ever had. I could have licked the plate.
Caramelized White Chocolate Cream: Raspberries, Cocoa Nib, Sorrel – This dessert was the perfect end to a breathtaking meal. Soft plops of what looked like amber-colored whipped cream tasted exactly like what they were, caramelized white chocolate cream. I don’t know how they made this or how to describe it but it took white chocolate to a whole other planet. The tart raspberries were an ideal foil for the deep, rich flavor of the cream. Perfection.
caramelized white chocolate cream
We felt completely taken care of by the wonderful staff at Coi. They were well informed and happy to answer the gazillion questions I peppered them with. The meal was gorgeous, cozy, romantic and fun. It was the perfect ending to our only full day in San Fransisco.
Next up: Musee Mechanique and The Picky Gourmet becomes the Crabby Gourmet!
