34921 Thu Mar 10 12:04:42 -0800 2005 2 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 158616 Anyone have some suberb dishes on the tasting menu that they would like to recommend? Good red wines by the glass or half bottle? Thu Mar 10 12:04:42 -0800 2005 0 LB 1 158667 Not a direct answer to your question, but here's a link to my very long recap of Michael Mina. I got the classic tasting menu, but maybe you'll see something you like. Link: http://www.arthurhungry.com/archives/2005/03/michael_mina.html Thu Mar 10 15:26:56 -0800 2005 158616 0 Arthur Che 1 158731 Went there this past weekend...some random comments... First Course: - Foie Gras: Six ways, three seared, three au torchon. All pretty spare in terms of not mucking with the foie gras. Well worth the $15 supplemental. - Had a bite of ravioli from a companion's crab soup/ravioli...beautiful. - Didn't taste the black mussel soufflé and the companion who ordered it declared it "not too special," though that wasn't necessarily an indicator of quality. Second Course: - Kobe Beef Short Rib Tagine: Wonderful, fantastic, and totally fucking rad. - Pan-Fried Black Bass: Presented three ways...had a bite of the one with the orange jalapeno sauce and loved it for that spike of spice in the mild sweetness. Perfect fried texture to the exterior. - Liberty Duck Breast: Really liked the curry sauce that was one of the three preparations, but just don't get terribly excited about duck, in general. (Unless it's duck confit, in which case I sometimes lose my shit if it's good.) Third Course: Everything was very good and I very much enjoyed my banana tarte tatin. But, in general, I'm more of a fan of the savory than sweet and I was pretty sated by that point, besides. Don't care much for Michael Mina as a celebrity, but the meal we had was one I'll remember for a long time. Wonderful food from start to finish and superlative service all throughout. Hope you have at least as much fun. Thu Mar 10 19:49:17 -0800 2005 158616 0 Chester