LaSalette - Portuguese, Sonoma

452 First St E, Suite H, Sonoma CA 95476
(707) 938-1927
Parking: street parking, parking lot
https://www.lasaletterestaurant.com/

Last Visited: June 27, 2018

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$$

LaSalette first opened up 20 years ago at a location on Highway 12 and since moved here to the Sonoma Plaza.  Known for its New Portuguese cuisine, a combination of classic Portuguese with local ingredients, this upscale restaurant which might seem less approachable offers reasonably-priced lunch specials as well as dinner.  Seating is available indoors and in its outdoor patio.

I arrived on time for my reservation at 11:30a and found that the 'Closed' sign was still posted in the patio. Since I was waiting for friends, I opted to enjoy the sun outside, but nobody seemed to notice my arrival on the patio.  Instead, they were cleaning the windows and interior.  At 11:40a, the sign finally came down.

- Tomato Water - While we were still perusing the menu, we were each given a shot of tomato water which contained very tiny cubes of ham, basil, cucumber, and bell pepper.  A drop of oil floated on the top.  This refreshing sip, compliments of the chef, had a lot of tomato flavor despite its clear color.  Too bad you can't order this as an appetizer.

After ordering, each person is given a warm Portuguese bun with butter on the side.  You won't find a bread plate - instead, the little slat of wood which I mistook for a coaster is for the warm bread.  Slightly sweet, you'll find the bread crusty on the outside and airy on the inside.

Lunch special offerings this week included fish and chips, a paella-like seafood rice, piri piri chicken salad, and a pulled pork sandwich.  Typical entrees, such as bacalhau, sea bass fillets, and fisherman's stew, are also available during lunch.

- "Fish and Chips" - Cassava floured fillets of local cod that is pan fried, piri piri fries, greens.  Served with tartar sauce and ketchup.   - Three small filets are lightly coated in cassava flour and pan fried. All of them were uniformly fried and the flaky cod was moist.  The tartar sauce was mild in flavor, but a good and necessary addition.  The greens were primarily made of frisee and arugula and lightly tossed in a vinaigrette.  The slight bitter taste was a good complement to the fish and piri piri dusted fries.  The chili base for the piri piri was very light - not spicy at all, but you could notice the flavor was present.  Good.  Well balanced in flavor and quantity. $14

From what I could tell, the paella-like rice was also good.  Our dining companions seemed to enjoy the dish which was presented in a bowl with yellow rice and seafood in their shells.

- White chocolate sprinkle covered passion fruit, cashew - Another complimentary bite, each person received this sweet treat at the end of the meal.  It wasn't profound, but it was nice and light both in flavor and texture.

Service was efficient and prompt, but could be a bit warmer.  Overall, it was a good experience and you feel pampered with these complimentary dishes, but they need to be better about opening on time, especially when there is a reservation right at the opening time.

Chef Gator's Rustic Burger & His Creole Friends

5 Petaluma Blvd South, Petaluma CA 94952
(707) 658-1845
Parking: in parking lot
https://www.gatorscreolefriends.com/

Last Visited: June 7, 2018

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Cousin Jimmy, a local Petaluma food enthusiast, suggested that I try out this new joint. It's been open for a few months now.

Chef Gator was a contestant on Guy Fieri's grocery games and recently had a food truck with similar fare in Petaluma.  Photos from his Food Network episodes are on display in one wall.  The room has a casual feel with bright colors, seating at the bar, regular tables, and high top tables.  Order at the counter and get a number, then wait for food to be delivered to you.

- Gator's Chicken and Waffles - 2 piece leg & thigh, southern fried, served with peach cobbler butter and maple syrup.  It's as good as it sounds.  The waffle is crispy on the outside and soft in the center.  The chicken is well seasoned, crispy, and golden brown - the portion is hearty and the balance of crunchy with sweet is perfect.  The peach cobbler butter is a pleasant surprise.  Very good.  This dish would get four stars. $12.99

- Smoked Chicken & Cajun Sausage Jambalaya - While there's no photo here, the half order is quite large and sufficient for a small eater.  The jambalaya is thick and well-seasoned.  Tasty and a good deal.  Half order $6.99, Full order $12.99

- Rustic Cheese Burger with Fries - Grass fed beef patty on shredded lettuce, tomatoes, caramelized onions, creole mustard aioli, and choice of cheese.  Chef Gator informed us that the buns are made daily and seemed particularly proud of their rosemary flavoring.  The bun could hold up slightly better - near the last few bites, it seemed slightly soft.  The fries were crispy and also lightly seasoned.  My burger patty seemed to be denser in one section than another, but this didn't seem to be the case with the other burgers.  Otherwise, it was pretty good.  $7.75 a la carte, $10.75 with regular fries

Chef Gator came and chatted with us and shared that he'll soon be battling Bobby Flay on Beat Bobby Flay and is also working on other tv appearances.  I appreciated his friendly demeanor and down to earth spirit.  The staff was friendly, but when it comes to service, there is still room for improvement.  Their computer system seemed to have glitches - one of our three burgers didn't arrive with the rest of the meal and I had to remind them that I had ordered it.  Also, while they were good to inform us that the chicken and waffles may take more time and that they were holding on to all the dishes so that everything would arrive together, when it did come, one of the servers slid a burger across the table (and past three people) in order to get it to the right person. The other server walked her items around to the appropriate person.

Generally speaking, the menu looks good, but I would recommend the chicken and waffles for a real treat.

Yuanbao Jiaozi - Chinese dumplings, San Francisco

2110 Irving St, San Francisco CA 94122
(415) 702-6506
Parking: street parking

Last Visited: June 10, 2018

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

Yuanbao Jiaozi is pretty unassuming from the outside.  Before the line starts to form outside, you might easily walk past it without a second thought.  The restaurant has been open for a few months, and focuses primarily on dumplings, one noodle dish, and a few side dishes.  While it's not very friendly for those whom require gluten-free diets, they do offer a few veggie side dishes.

Inside, the decorations are minimal.  One wall has a mural and the other is shown in the photo.  You'll be able to see the three ladies hand making dumplings and working the dough.   Overall, the food was very good, but service could use some improvements. 

- Marinated beef - The beef texture is right and the light brushing of chili oil paired nicely with the meat.  The meat is flavorful without being overpowering.  14 slices.  Good. $6.99

- House Special Beef Noodles (Spicy/Non-Spicy) - I ordered the non-spicy noodle soup this evening.  The noodles were excellent - al dente and cooked just right.  The noodles soaked up the broth without becoming soggy even as I got to the end of the bowl.  Marinated beef slices, beef stew cubes, and baby bok choy are served over the noodles in a flavorful broth that is just touch sweet.  It's a filling and delightful bowl.  Must try. $10.99

All dumpling dishes (14 dumplings) are available as Dumpling Soup (12 dumplings).

- Shiitake Mushroom & Fish Dumpling - 14 dumplings are served plain with dipping sauces (soy sauce, vinegar, chili sauce) available on the table. The fish takes on the mushroom flavor more than anything else, so if you like mushroom, the delicate texture of the fish takes on this flavor well.  The skins are made on site, so they're thin and tender without falling apart.  Very good. $8.99

- Pork & Three Delicacies Dumpling - The photo would have looked the same as that for the mushroom and fish dumpling.  Inside the pork dumpling mix, there is also shrimp, green chives, and a little bamboo shoot. The chives stand out in this dumpling and the texture is more dense than the fish dumpling.  Very good.  With this dish, we were told that one dumpling unraveled during cooking, so they owed us one and to enjoy the others for now.  About ten minutes later, a whole plate came, so there was clearly some miscommunication occurred.  Another ten minutes later, when we were nearly done eating, the final one arrived with an apology. $8.99

- Tea - Each cup comes with a tea bag.  It appears that aside from tea, there aren't other drink options.   ~$1/cup

While the food is quite good, there is a lot of room for improving service.  The two ladies serving are friendly and polite, but some changes are simple - bring a serving spoon when you're serving up the dumplings as almost everyone is sharing the plate.  When you bring the cold water pitcher, bring a hot water pitcher to refill tea cups too.  Improve communication behind the scenes so that the dumpling incident above gets resolved seamlessly.  If you say you're bringing bowls for the noodle soup, then do it.  When you bring the check, use a glass or some kind of holder; include the prices for each item (that's part of the reason I don't know how much tea cost because it's not listed on the menu or on the check), and bring a copy of the credit card receipt for the customer.  Don't make customers wait for the check - 20 minutes of waiting is pretty slow.   Get these kinks worked out and tables will turn faster and patrons will be happier.  The food will keep people coming back for sure. 

Tastebuds - Filipino, San Bruno

582 San Bruno Ave West, San Bruno CA 94066
650-583-0899
Parking: small parking lot and street parking
http://tastebudscuisine.com/

Last Visited: February 11, 2017

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Heidi recommended Tastebuds as a good place to try.  Since she's from the Philippines, I figured she would know what she's talking about, and since I drive by this place regularly, that was enough of an endorsement that I didn't think twice.

Since I came for Sunday lunch, I just missed the brunch buffet located along the wall in nice chafing dishes, but what caught my eye was all of the twinkling ceiling lights when it wasn't even Christmas time which resulted in a bright restaurant.  White tablecloths are covered by a glass tabletop and the inside looks a little nicer than the outside. 

- Pancit Miki-Bihon - Heidi recommended this dish.  Similar to other Cantonese style noodles, this dish had a variety of vegetables like celery, cabbage, and green onion.  It also had shrimp which was quite nicely done - not overcooked at all.  Unique to Filipino cuisine, it's a mix of rice noodles and egg noodles giving an interesting texture difference.  The flavors were comforting and authentic, but there was too much sauce making the rice noodles fall apart as soon as we scooped servings onto our plates.  Good flavor, but too much moisture.   $12.75

- Lechon Kawali - Tastebuds claims that it's the best lechon in the Bay Area, so of course that's a dish I had to try.  The roasted pork is cut and then deep fried resulting in a crunchy texture.  Fat has rendered from the multi-step process so each bite was very moist and tender. It can get dry if there's no fat in the cut, but overall, it was good. In case you need to purchase lechon by itself, Tastebuds also offers it in bulk up to 70 pounds.  $13.25

- Pinakbet - I had never tried this dish, but it's essentially mixed vegetables cooked with a sauce.  The vegetables included green beans, tomatoes, eggplant, okra, and bitter melon.  Good.  What I liked most aside from the variety was that the temperature is right - piping hot.  $13

- Steamed Rice - $1.95

Service was friendly, but it was hard to get their attention at times.  We had to ask for them to take our order as well as request more water mid-meal, but the actual interactions were always friendly and they also checked on us after the dishes were served.  Serving sizes are ok - not large, but not small.  While it was a good tasting meal, I still see room for improvement with the noodles.  Good flavors overall.

Marugame Udon - Japanese, San Francisco

3521 20th Ave, Space 184 (Stonestown Galleria)
San Francisco A 94132
(415) 680-1280
Parking: shopping center parking lot
Hours: Daily 11am-10pm
http://www.marugameudon.com

Last Visited: February 17, 2018

Food: 2 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

This hot spot had a soft opening late 2017 and grand opening in mid-January 2018.  The lines are pretty long as San Francisco flocks towards another trendy chain opening up.  Their other location is in Los Angeles.

If you've been to Marukame Udon in Waikiki, you'll recognize the setup at Marugame - cafeteria style ordering with a tray and watch your udon be assembled. Behind the assembly line, you can see someone preparing the dough and cutting noodles.  In the assembly line, you can see noodles being cooked, rinsed, and plated.  One can order from about ten varieties - some with and some without meat.  Choices include hot and cold noodles, spicy or curry or their house Kake sauce, and chicken or beef.

Then proceed to the tempura section where you can select vegetable tempura (zucchini, sweet potato, eggplant, potato, asparagus, veggie kakiage) or meat tempura (shrimp, fish, fish cake, chicken, squid). Lastly, there are few flavors of musubi to choose from.  Once your purchase is made, there is a side station for adding green onions, chopped cilantro, ground sesame, tempura flakes, and additional spices.  At this station, you'll also find more dashi, sweet tempura sauce, and regular tempura sauce.

Pro Tip - There are actually two sections of the line separated by a space to created a walkway for shopping center visitors.  The line starts as early as 10:20am.  If you come by 10:30 am, you'll likely be in the first seating.

- Nikutama Udon - Sweet flavored beef (a mixture of thinly sliced beef and caramelized onions) as well as a soft-boiled egg top the udon.  Kake sauce is poured on top.  What worked: the udon - it's chewy and fresh.  The beef also tastes really juicy, but don't be surprised that it's due to the quantity of fat.  What didn't work - the broth.  When you watch them assemble the udon, you'll notice that only half of the bowl is dipped in the hot water, so it's not uniformly hot.  The kake sauce is not quite hot enough and it doesn't even top the noodles, so the whole bowl turns room temperature pretty fast.  The broth makes the dish, and since it was lacking, it made it pretty disappointing - hence the two stars.  $8.50 Regular, $9.50 Large

- Tempura Shrimp - Pretty standard.  No complaints. $1.90

- Tempura Fish - This isn't showing on their menu, but is available.  Good. $2

- Tempura Fishcake - Not my favorite as it just seems to be filling and more chewy than tender.  Part of my fishcake was also not thoroughly cooked through as the batter was too thick and the flour was still present in its powdery form.  Avoid. $1.70

- Potato Croquette - This is essentially a mashed potato patty.  If you love potatoes, go for it.  Otherwise, it's more filler.  At least the outside has a good texture.  $2.20

- Salmon Flake Musubi - Not a whole lot of salmon, the price is reflective of what you can expect - more for show, the salmon is well salted, but you might be better off going to an onigiri shop. $1.60

It's easy to order too many pieces of tempura because it's so accessible - just take the tongs and go, but I would suggest two to three pieces maximum unless you've got a huge appetite.  It's quite filling.

I was hoping for a nostalgic experience that would remind me of Hawaii's Marukame and how amazing that experience was, but instead, I left disappointed wanting a hot bowl of soup that would warm me up.  If they don't fix this soon, their reviews on well-known apps will continue to have a mix of praise and those describing people getting sick from the food.  So much potential, and yet they have a ways to go to fulfill it.

Kusakabe - Japanese, San Francisco

584 Washington St, San Francisco CA 94111
(415) 757-0155
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon-Sat 5pm-11pm (First seating 5pm, Second seating 8pm), Closed Sundays
http://kusakabe-sf.com/

Last Visited: December 9, 2017

Food: 4 to 5 stars
Atmosphere: 4 to 5 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $$$$

Grand Omakase $165

Ron told me how much he loved his Kusakabe experience and highly recommended it to me.  I remember the articles about Kusakabe from when it first opened.  The fact that Chef Mitsunori Kusakabe (shown at the far end of the sushi bar) came from one of my favorite restaurants, Sushi-Ran in Sausalito, made this particular restaurant opening memorable and it has been on my list of places to go ever since.


I walked into the restaurant during the first seating and to my surprise, there was Chef Ngai whom also used to work at Sushi-Ran.  It was a mini-reunion of sorts as we sat at his station at the sushi bar and compared notes about places to eat.  I didn't expect to bump into him here, but learned about how he came over with Chef Nori and it was fun to see a familiar face.

Kusakabe's decor is modern with a long sushi bar and tables near the front of the restaurant.  A prix fixe menu,  either the regular omakase for $98 or the grand omakase for $165, is provided first followed by an a la carte menu if you wish to add to your meal.  The primary difference is that the grand omakase offers more pieces of special nigiri and a few additional dishes that are not available in the regular omakase menu.  If you want to try these additional dishes, you can still order them through the a la carte menu, but as a whole, the grand omakase is a better value than ordering all of the same items from the a la carte menu.

Ichiban Dashi
Upon being seated, you are presented with a tea cup which actually doesn't contain tea, but has a broth made from dried kombu and katsuo bushi.  It was a good way to warm up and prepare the palate for the delightful meal ahead.

Sushi Prelude
-Zuke chutoro - Seared on one side, this bluefin tuna is cured in soy sauce. This piece was so tender and was an excellent first bite.

- Live halibut - If you want to watch a cool video, the Kusakabe Facebook page has a video of live halibut that is still moving after it has been cut.  This piece of live halibut was still, but was alive earlier in the morning.  The shiso leaf and lemon zest make this piece very refreshing. The quantity of rice is just right and if you want less rice, they're happy to oblige.


Takumi Zushi
- Katsuo bonito - Cherrywood cold smoked tuna that has been aged two weeks is topped with garlic, chives, and radish.  Another melt in your mouth experience.  Each piece is so put together so that the garnishes don't just look pretty, but they balance the flavor of the fish and bring out its best qualities.

- Shima aji - Striped jack is topped with daikon radish.  This fish is what you might expect of a blend of yellowtail and mackerel. Good.

Oshinogi
- Santa Barbara sea urchin and shirako (cod eggs) - The menu refers to this one as the harmonic sushi. This combination topped with Italian black truffle shavings was one of the most memorable pieces because the earthy tones of the truffle balance out the creaminess of the fish so it's not too heavy.  Sometimes uni can be off putting, but when it's fresh, it's wonderful.  While this was a great start with the uni, it's good that it's spaced out in the meal from the Hokkaido uni which was amazing.  Great combination.

- Japanese snow crab - Served on a spoon, the snow crab is seasoned with crab miso and tops a slow cooked quail egg.  Topped with chives, this is another delicious bite.  My dining companion loved this one.  What I found interesting was how the mouth feel and flavor evolves - the initial bite is light at first and as the egg yolk surrounds the crab when you take the whole spoonful, the creamy richness makes it a more savory bite.

Sashimi
- Chef's selection of Sashimi with Umami soy sauce and yuzu onion sauce - Beautifully plated on a stand over shaved ice were two pieces of hon maguro, aged five days and two pieces of Thai snapper.  Accompanying the fish were pieces of radicchio, Japanese mountain potato inside the snapper, mizuna, a slice of radish, a slice of apple, and a dollop of fresh wasabi.  Depending on which server you receive this from, you get a different explanation of what is one the plate.  I heard my neighbor informed that you get two pieces of fish so that you can try one in each dipping sauce.  My server mentioned nothing about this.  Here's an opportunity for consistency, especially since we all sit side by side at the bar.  The fish itself was delicious and the accompanying vegetables were a nice touch. While the Umami soy sauce was good, I could eat the yuzu onion sauce by itself - slightly salty with a hint of citrus from the yuzu, I wish I could get vats of yuzu onion sauce to bring home with me.

Hassan
- Six kinds of chef's assorted les petit plats - Here's where you are likely to have a differing opinion from anyone else's because there are so many items on this plate with varying textures and flavors.  In the cup is a soy cream chowder with a single short neck clam in its shell, mushrooms, and chives.  While this was creamy and tasted like the sea, I'm not a fan of cold creamy savory things.  I prefer chowder to be hot.  In the lower right corner of the picture is rock shrimp with eggplant and bell pepper.  The rock shrimp is first fried and then marinated in dashi.  Topped with microgreens and a fried lotus chip, this was my least favorite bite because the rock shrimp had been battered and I didn't like the soft texture of the batter.  It soaks up the marinade well, but is still soggy.  The yellow cylinder is umaki - an egg omelette with unagi in the center and topped with unagi sauce.  I found the unagi to be too fatty here and sweeter than what I prefer.  In the square dish is ice fish (typically available in winter or spring) over cucumber and seaweed salad.  Grated ginger garnishes the dish.  This was refreshing and I found the cucumber and seaweed mix to be slightly bitter, but perhaps my palate was sensitive since my dining companion didn't notice any bitterness. In the upper left is a napoleon of red crab, braised sea kelp, and ikura.  While my neighbors enjoyed this the most, I found it unexpectedly sweet, but I liked the strong seaweed flavor.  The center bite was, by far, my favorite of the dish - a Shikoku oyster from Washington state topped with white sturgeon caviar.  The combination of the fat, juicy oyster with some yuzu juice was so refreshing - I loved this oyster.  I could have eaten a dozen of them.  Just bring me a plate of these.

Soup

- Ankou-jiru, monkfish tail, and Ankimo soup with shredded burdock and Kome Koji soy - A surprising mid-meal course is this monkfish in three ways.  Monkfish bones are used in the dashi based broth.  Monkfish liver floats to the top and a cube of monkfish sits on the bottom of the cup.  The presence of ginger juice is noticeable and there is fermented soy in the base.  When served, it comes covered and the lifting of the lid makes the contents a surprise.  Flavorful and not fishy, this was a good warm up.

Shizakana
- A5 Wagyu Kasu-Zuke, Daiginjo sake kasu marinated ribcap with buckweat risotto and Matsutake mushroom - When this plate arrives, the server pours the hot broth onto the plate.  The two slices of beef were very tender and the buckwheat risotto was a nice base.  While it's easy to want more and wonder why it's only two pieces, I found this to be very rich.  Good, but it wasn't significantly different from other experiences I've had.

Seasonal Sushi
- Seared arctic char - With a shiso leaf, sea salt, and lemon juice, this was another great bite.

- Young snapper - Cured with a bamboo leaf and topped with egg yolk powder that has been dehydrated with vinegar, I found this garnish to be too sour.  My dining companion was fine, so again, perhaps my palate was too sensitive.  Chef Ngai even tried the egg yolk powder and said it was no more sour than usual.  For me, less powder would have been better.

- Handroll - Chopped bluefin tuna is topped with bonito flakes and onion microgreens.  The seaweed flavor was strong, but such a great complement to the ingredients.  The onion microgreens were so flavorful and just a tad sweet.  I could eat a few more of these with ease. 

- Hokkaido uni - If you haven't tried uni from Hokkaido, it seems creamier and sweeter than any sea urchin from other regions that I've tried before.  As mentioned above, this one is definitely a few levels above the Santa Barbara sea urchin. 

Sushi Finale
- Fresh eel - From the Tsujiki fish market in Japan, they treat this one like royalty.  Braised with peppercorns, the fish is cooked on a leaf and the skin is heated until crispy.  This process lets you enjoy the two textures in a single bite.

- Toro - Closing out the grand omakase is a tender piece of toro that has been aged two weeks.  I found some silver skin in mine, so it wasn't quite the perfect bite, but still delicious. 

After the omakase, guests are given the a la carte menu.  By the time we got to this point, we were stuffed, but after hearing about their desserts which included tiramisu and sorbet, and after seeing a number of these being plated, I chose the sorbet.

- Yuzu shiso leaf sorbet - This dessert was indeed refreshing - the balanced flavor of citrus with the presence of shiso was a great complement and it was just the right level of sweetness.  It's also a great palate cleanser.   A lot of my sushi bar neighbors were celebrating special events this evening, so candles kept appearing in the desserts throughout the night.

Overall, I was very pleased with my Kusakabe experience - the fish is high quality and very fresh; the attention to detail of for each piece of nigiri and the other dishes is delicate and full of care.  The service from Chef Ngai was very personal and customized to each individual (he had six people per seating), and while there are still improvements that can be made with the overall service (such as wiping spilled tea after refills more thoroughly), I would highly recommend trying this experience.

As a side note, if you feel the need for a large personal space bubble, then you might not want to sit at the bar - besides being close to your neighbor, some of the staff members are close talkers as they explain the dishes.  Be sure to visit the restroom if you like technology - the Japanese style Toto toilet lid greets you (the lid lifts automatically) as you enter the room and of course, the typical full featured toilet offers bidet and other functions.   

If you know what you like, the regular omakase coupled with the a la carte menu many be just right for you, but if you want to try the chef's special, the grand omakase is certain to leave you feeling full.  Kusakabe makes it to the top of my sushi/kaiseki restaurant recommendations.  You get what you pay for here, but the bill is not for the faint of heart.  Make reservations early because it can be difficult to find a spot with only two seatings.

Marlowe - New American, San Francisco

500 Brannan St, San Francisco CA 94107
(415) 777-1413
Parking: street parking
https://marlowesf.com/

Last Visited: November 29, 2017

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 1 to 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$$

Walk in and see wreaths in the window and other items wrapped in a Holstein cowhide pattern.  I came here with a party of ten for a business dinner and when we arrived early, we found a waiting list for the bar and every table was full.  The restaurant was extremely packed, noisy, and dark (so dark that we had to turn on the flashlight app to read the menu).

After a quick aperitif at the bar next door, we returned at our reservation time, and after more than an additional thirty minutes of waiting to be seated and having our bar order lost, someone came to apologize and put the bar drinks on the house for that order.  It was a rough start for the evening and the hostess had told us that our table was being set, but a quick look around the restaurant indicated that every table was occupied - what table was being set?  This blatant excuse was disappointing.  To speed the process along, we started to order appetizers so that everything would be ready when we sat down and warm deviled eggs arrived while we were still standing and waiting.  Finally, after a total of forty minutes of waiting after our reservation, we were seated.

The dinner itself went reasonably well.  We ordered a number of appetizers and the food came in a reasonable amount of time.  Everyone was given lots of utensils (oyster forks, large knives, etc) and plates were changed twice during our appetizer courses. Clean bowls were placed in the center of the tables to help take away shells, bones, and other discards from our dishes, but some dishes sat in the area too long after they had been emptied which left a cluttered table.  Between the appetizers and mains, the entire table was cleared of plates and utensils, the table was cleaned, and they began setting the table with appropriate dinnerware for what we ordered.

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Since it was a business dinner, I didn't take photos with the flash.  As you can see from the photos, the restaurant is very dark.

- Warm deviled egg - The egg was topped with aged provolone, pickled jalapeno, and bacon - It was a good egg, but rich with the bacon.  There was a combination of sweetness and savory to the bite. Just okay. $3 each

- Crispy brussel sprout chips - Lemon and sea salt season the chips.  The brussel sprout leaves are separated and some were very crispy while others were not crispy at all.  The little buckets used to hold the chips are cute, but you could also make this dish easily at home.  Okay.  $9.50

- Okra, baby artichoke, and shallot fritto misto with Sichuan peppercorn and habanero aioli.  The batter on the fritto misto was excellent - crunchy, golden brown, and not too heavy.  The vegetables were fresh, but the favorite part of the dish was the habanero aioli with its bit of spice.  Good. $10

- Half Dozen Oysters - smoked mignonette and scallion - These oysters were pretty small, but the mignonette with pieces of shallots was nice.  I didn't taste the smokiness, but at least it was fresh. Okay.  Market price.

- Spiced jumbo gulf shrimp with hot and boozy cocktail sauce - Two sticks of celery protrude from the cocktail sauce that is presented in a glass jar and the shrimp (four or five) are lined up with their heads pointed towards the sauce.  Unfortunately, I missed the sauce, but the shrimp was cooked right and the presentation with the heads was good (but maybe not desirable for everyone).  Good.  $18

- Duck liver mousse - Citrus marmalade, micro basil, and chives -  Crostini are served with the mousse in a glass jar.  I missed the marmalade, but the mousse was fine.  Standard.  $14

- Little Gem Salad - Mashed avocado is spread on fresh romaine hearts which serve as a base to lots of shaved red carrots, shaved beets, and other market vegetables dressed in a citrus vinaigrette.  The portion is sizable and it's a colorful dish.  It's fresh looking and tasting. Good. $14

- Charred Octopus salad - Smoked frisee, mizuna, crispy sunchokes, blood orange vinaigrette, and mojo picon (Spanish red pepper sauce).  I really liked this dish because the slices of octopus were tender and the acid from the blood orange gave this dish a lot of brightness.  Again, I couldn't taste the smokiness of the frisee, but the octopus reminded me of some of the great octopus dishes of Portland - it makes you want to go back for another bite.  $16

- Roasted Bone Marrow - Crostini, salsa verde and fines herbes  accompany the two halves.  The bone marrow is nicely done, but it shrank into the bone so that there wasn't a whole lot of it.  I liked the freshness of the salsa verde that contrasted the richness of the bone marrow.  Good, but I wish there was more. $17

- Pan roasted cod, pork belly, littleneck clams, salsify, fennel, and tarragon beurre meuniere - First, this is a very rich dish - while you may think cod is going to be light, the pork belly and the sauce in this dish make the overall dish quite rich. The pork belly was a little overdone, adding a strong flavor, but the meat itself was a bit tough. There was only one littleneck clam which didn't add a whole lot to the dish - I would not have missed it at all if it had not been there.  The two caper berry halves are a bit of a shock in terms of their tartness contrasting the heavy flavors on the plate.  If it held up, I would cut it into quarters instead.  The fish itself was cooked just right, and I liked the salsify and fennel that offset the richness. $29

When the main dishes arrived, there was only one error in providing the right dish to the right person, so there are opportunities to improve.  Throughout the evening, I felt that the service was not steady, but more of a feeling of concentrated attention and then seemingly nobody.  Servers that we interacted with were friendly and fairly accommodating though, paying attention to empty glasses and taking drink orders.

Considering our long wait time and abundance of appetizers, we skipped dessert, but saw items such as fresh baked cookies, an apple crisp, and gingerbread cake as options.

Overall, the food was flavorful and good, and the service at the table was ok, but the experience of waiting at the start of the evening was deflating and a bit disturbing - my take is that if you explain the situation or own up to your mistake, it's much better than telling us that a table is being set when there was none.  Alternatively, make an exception and let the group jump the waiting list for the bar.

Lastly,  the noise level was so high that I wouldn't recommend it for a business dinner unless you want to shout for most of the conversation.