It’s always
nice to be on the “same page” with fellow food writers. Last week, Michael
Bauer, my longtime friend and colleague and Restaurant Critic of the San
Francisco Chronicle, awarded The Restaurant at Meadowood four stars. That
“Extraordinary” rating ranks it among such greats as French Laundry and Chez Panisse.
Bauer raved
over some of the same dishes that wowed me on my recent visit to
Meadowood: A tissue-thin strip
of Wagyu beef, cured in pine
needles from the heavily forested property, and dressed up with sea beans,
caviar and poufy clouds of crème fraiche; the whimsical “Rye Dirt,” a "garden" of
pulverized breadcrumbs (with a remarkable caramely taste and crunchy texture),
blended with finishing salt, in which weensy radishes and carrots, dipped in
butter were “growing.”
Indeed,
chef Christopher Kostow pushes the envelope – his “Composition of Carrot" teams
dark chocolate, foie gras and candied tangerine – but he does so with
intelligence, precision and elegance. On paper, his creations may provoke a
raised eyebrow; but in the mouth, they bring wide eyes and broad smiles .
The
Restaurant, which has also won two Michelin stars three years in a row, is located in a stunning rustic lodge that melts into the resort’s woods. It's a supremely comfortable space, with exquisite furnishings, atmospheric lighting and pretty paned windows that look out onto Meadowood's fairytale grounds. Service is impeccable; there when you need it, but not overbearing. A
three-course prix fixe menu (with choices) is offered for $75; the 8-course
Tasting Menu is $155.
Read
Bauer’s full review here.
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