1 post from May 2008

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    San Francisco

    Gary Danko *(19.5) !(5) $(65-100) 415-749-2060  www.garydanko.com.  800 Northpoint Street at Hyde  Dinner from 5:30 nightly.
    Vibrant electricity is evident as you enter the restaurant and continues throughout the evening... resembling something out of a 1940’s movie with the “right” people going to the hottest place in town. Soft lighting with muted colors and exquisite floral arrangements mix with happy diners and lots of professional staff scurrying around the room. Elegant table settings and linens complete the picture. As for the food: Gary has hit his stride; without his even being in the kitchen during the dinner service for the 3 visits we’ve had recently, uniform excellence has been orchestrated by his kitchen staff. Fabulous appetizers with great balances were: seared foie gras with caramelized red onion and rhubarb; risotto with lobster, rock shrimp, zucchini, crispy artichokes and lemon herb butter; as well as green and white asparagus salad with red peppers, quail eggs and caper red onion vinaigrette. Fish and seafood courses have been spectacular: branzini (sea bass) with fennel purée, nicoise olives, naval oranges and saffron; roast Maine lobster on a pillow of mashed potato with morel mushrooms, asparagus and tarragon; seared sea scallops with salsify, fava beans, frisée and pancetta; and somewhat overly salted with excess garlic pancetta wrapped frog legs with sunchoke purée, potato and lentils. An unbeatable quail course was served with mushroom ragout, foie gras, gigante and fava beans, English peas, tasso and arrugula. Also terrific was a guinea hen breast with fregola, asparagus and lemon confit. Skip the overly spiced lemon herb duck breast, but don’t miss some scrumptious roasted loin of bison with king trumpet mushrooms, glazed cipollini onions  and herb spaetzle. Leave room for the best cheese service west of Paris, all properly aged, including brebiou, brie de Nangis, Brillat Savarin, Livarot and Taleggio, among others. Desserts held their own including: a toothsome baked chocolate soufflé with 2 sauces, a light and delightful non-cholesterol raspberry soufflé and a delicious passion fruit-strawberry vacherin with poached rhubarb, almond meringue and sour cream ice cream. The wine selection and service are world class; corkage is $35.00 per bottle if you bring your own wine. Valet parking is available with $11.00 charge.