634427 Mon Jul 06 15:15:25 -0700 2009 20 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 4834442 My husband and I love good food, but really only splurge on a $200+ meal (for two) once a year. Last year, it was at Cyrus in Healdsburg, and it was everything we could ask for, worth every single penny. We'll be in San Francisco in a few weeks, and are looking for a similar experience. Specifically, something with a fabulous 3-5 course menu (ideally with a nice fois gras option) served in a warm, attentive manner. As we only spend this kind of money once a year, we'd really like to make it count. FWIW, though we have adventurous tastes, for this, we'd prefer something with a French influence. And sadly, we don't have the time to leave the city. We currently have reservations at Fleur de Lys, but I've been reading a few complaints on these boards that have given me pause. Is the service really stuffy and cold? Are we better off at La Folie, Michael Mina, or Gary Danko? Or somewhere else? And if Gary Danko is the place to be, is it still possible to get a reservation at Gary Danko two weeks from now, on a week day? Thanks in advance... Mon Jul 06 15:15:25 -0700 2009 1091378 FloatingHoliday 1 4834552 For many, many years, Fleur de Lys was our restaurant of choice for the kind of once a year splurge you describe. It has one of the prettiest and most dramatic dining rooms I can thinki of. We have not been for a few years and, I too, have read the comments that it has declined in both food and service. Because we have not been there for about three years I do not have a personal experience to relate. I can say though, that we have recently dined at Gary Danko and in both food, service and ambience it was outstanding and I would highly recommend it. La Folie is also wonderful, though it has been about two years since we've last visited there. Friends of ours continue to swear by it and are going to celebrate their next anniversary there. Gary Danko, incidentally, will put you on a waiting list if they are fully booked when you call. I would call rather than use Opentable.com. Mon Jul 06 15:49:52 -0700 2009 4834442 183782 bobpantzer 1 4834793 I would go to either La Folie or Coi. You will quite possibly be able to get Foie Gras at La Folie but probably not at Coi. Mon Jul 06 17:23:32 -0700 2009 4834442 280762 skwid 1 4834796 Have you considered The Dining Room at the Ritz? Mon Jul 06 17:24:27 -0700 2009 4834442 14987 estnet 1 4835243 The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton has tons of interesting items on the menu (check the website), and the service is attentive without being at all overbearing. It is not at all stuffy and cold. My wife and I just celebrated an anniversary there and were completely pleased. For us it's either there or Chez Panisse for a special date. Mon Jul 06 20:16:51 -0700 2009 4834442 15172 Michael Rodriguez 1 4835590 I had dinner at Fleur d'Lys a couple of months ago, and found it to be one of the few restaurants I've seen visibly impacted by the economy. We eat out every week and most restaurants (albeit not at this level) are full or close to it, even on a weekday. FDL was half-full. And there was just something "off" about the meal -- courses came with little extra dishes (and sometimes a composed dish, not just a "side") that didn't seem to go with the main dish (and in some cases seemed to clash with it). The pacing was off (one dish hit the table as the previous was cleared), and we were done in a scant two hours (which sounds like a lot, but for the number of courses, felt hurried and was much faster than in the past). The whole experience was just "fine"... not quite what it should be. (I actually thought Keller might not be in the kitchen, but glimpsed him as we were leaving, so I have no clue why it wasn't perfect. A previous dinner there last year was better than French Laundry, so I know I like his style.) Another dinner more recently at Gary Danko was technically much better done, but didn't really wow me. (And no, we don't eat out at these types of places this often normally, but someone had given us a gift certificate for GD!) If you're at all open to a less traditional style, I'd try Coi (IF you can get in). His technique is grounded in classic French cooking in many ways (meticulous and precise knife work, for example), but he plays with scents and foams and more modern technique as well.... with very tasty results, in my opinion. Tue Jul 07 02:24:15 -0700 2009 4834442 22319 waldrons 1 4836479 Thanks for all the advice! Sounds as if there are better options than Fleur de Lys. Tue Jul 07 09:54:19 -0700 2009 4834442 1091378 FloatingHoliday 1 4837941 I am a HUGE Michael Mina detractor, having yet to have a decent meal there... Another said -- and I will agree -- that while Gary Danko is technically perfect, it seems to lack "chi" or soul. I am also no longer a fan of Coi as I once was, finding it having too many mis-steps vs. exceptional dishes. I seem to be one of the few around here who has also had lamentable meals at Dining Room at the Ritz. On the plus side, I would heartily recommend Murray Circle, Aqua, and Ame. Tue Jul 07 18:08:53 -0700 2009 4834442 1087059 CarrieWas218 1 4838014 If you've been to Cyrus, skip Fleur de Lys. I went after going to the Dining Room at the Ritz and was disappointed not because the kitchen didn't have enough technical skill, but because everything seemed so predictable. I think if you go to the Dining Room after Cyrus you'll feel the same, though I've only had great meals at TDR and place it head and shoulders above FDL. Try Ame. It's a little different from the usual French tasting menus, it's amazing, and it's certainly a splurge. But if, as you say, you want to stick to French, try The Dining Room. It isn't quite Cyrus, but it's a lovely meal and the staff is great. Tue Jul 07 18:36:00 -0700 2009 4834442 11577 Pei 1 4838288 It's no longer on the radar, but I think that Masa's is still serving very good food...I haven't been recently, but seem to recall a favorable post on this board no too long ago... Also, you might consider Acquerella; yeah, yeah, it's Italian, but it was also one of the best meals I've had in the last couple of years. Wonderful wine list, old school service... Tue Jul 07 20:17:49 -0700 2009 4834442 49788 Rapini 1 4841586 Just ate at Danko and loved it. However, you might have to adjust the monetary parameters of your search because it's going to be tough anywhere to get out for $200 (excluding wine). Wed Jul 08 18:40:26 -0700 2009 4834442 1086303 Marc Veyrat 2 4841603 There are very few restaurants in SF where you could easily spend more than $100 a head before wine. Wed Jul 08 18:49:40 -0700 2009 4841586 11369 Robert Lauriston 3 4844209 and yet, I manage to find them... Thu Jul 09 14:43:23 -0700 2009 4841603 49788 Rapini 4 4846476 Where? The only place I can think of with a prix-fixe over $100 is the French Laundry. The aforementioned Gary Danko is $66 to $98 depending on how many courses you want. Fri Jul 10 09:59:17 -0700 2009 4844209 11369 Robert Lauriston 5 4846534 That depends on whether you include tax and tip, in which case the amount you spend (as opposed to the menu price) will be quite a bit over $100 at quite a few places. Fri Jul 10 10:13:51 -0700 2009 4846476 10159 Ruth Lafler 6 4846639 I was responding to "it's going to be tough anywhere to get out for $200 (excluding wine)" for two. Including tax and 20% tip, that means you'd have to order over $76 worth of food per person. There are few places where you can't easily spend less than that: French Laundry ($240), Manresa (minimum $95), Chez Panisse on Fridays and Saturdays ($95) ... where else? Fri Jul 10 10:37:32 -0700 2009 4846534 11369 Robert Lauriston 7 4846682 I took a girlfriend to Aziza last Friday night. I had two cocktails and she had one. We both had the chef's tasting which included soup, two appetizers, b'stilla, two entrées, and two desserts. With tax and tip, the tab was exactly $200. Fri Jul 10 10:51:07 -0700 2009 4846639 1087059 CarrieWas218 7 4846689 Well, it depends on where you order, but there are numerous places in the City where the tasting menu is over $75. The original poster specified a "fabulous 3-5 course menu, ideally with a foie gras option" -- so if you think you can get that for under $75, why don't you tell her where? Fri Jul 10 10:52:29 -0700 2009 4846639 10159 Ruth Lafler 8 4847412 FWIW, as the original poster, by "$200+ (for two)," I actually meant a meal costing $200 or more. It was merely an attempt to define what I considered a "splurge." All the recommendations given here certainly qualify, and have been gratefully taken into consideration. Thanks! Fri Jul 10 14:19:28 -0700 2009 4846689 1091378 FloatingHoliday 9 4847455 Thanks for the clarification. I was just arguing with Robert's as yet unsupported claim that except for French Laundry it was hard to spend more than $75 a person for the food portion of a meal of the type you specificed (3-5 courses including foie gras). I didn't give any specific recs above, but my two cents would be La Folie, especially if you want foie gras. Fri Jul 10 14:30:50 -0700 2009 4847412 10159 Ruth Lafler 10 4848844 You can get three courses for $60 at Acquerello, $66 at Gary Danko, $70 at La Folie or Fleur de Lys, and $74 at the Dining Room at the Ritz. Of course there are lots of places where it's easy to spend more than $100 a head. The claim I was responding to was "it's going to be tough anywhere to get out for $200 (excluding wine)." Sat Jul 11 07:52:03 -0700 2009 4847455 11369 Robert Lauriston