Chef's Table

Last night Jack and I went to eat at Chef's Table with one of his helicopter students and his family (to celebrate the student getting his Private License). I'd heard of this restaurant but had never been. The atmosphere was great - I liked the decor, and they had huge windows looking out over the valley. The service was also awesome. This is the type of place where they put your napkins in your lap for you, and sometimes the chef comes out and talks to people. The waitors were great - they were very polite and didn't linger.

This student's family is quite wealthy, so they ordered every single appetizer on the menu! Kind of crazy. I've never eaten out with people like this! So I can give my critique of each appetizer they have. :) Here's the rundown:

Coconut Crusted Shrimp - great. And I don't usually like sweet mixed with non-sweet.
New England Crab Cakes - Pretty good, but not the best I've ever had.
Marinated Tomatoes and Balsamic Roasted Artichoke Hearts - I didn't get any of the tomatoes, but the artichoke hearts and toast were good.
Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops - These were small, but really good.
Wild Mushrooms in an Asiago Tuile - I didn't have any of this, but Jack's student really liked it.
Carpaccio of Beef Tenderloin - I don't think I had any of this, either, but I'm sure it was good since Jack got the beef tenderloin for his entree and loved it.
Thyme Roasted Duck in Phyllo - This was really good. Very tender, and tasted a lot like chicken. :)
Gulf Shrimp Cocktail - I don't think we got this. I'm looking of the internet menu, so this may not have been on the menu in the restaurant last night.

You can choose soup or salad with your entree, and I've heard their soup is really good. Jack and I both got the Cream of Broccoli soup, and it was really good. I ordered the Atlantic Salmon and Potato Gratin. Honestly, I was so extremely full at this point that I couldn't really enjoy the entree to the fullest. :) The salmon was good - the sauce on it was okay but not my favorite. I was disappointed with the potatoes - the preparation seemed dry. Jack got the Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin, and he loved it.

THEN, for dessert we got the Creme Brulee. It wasn't great. I've only had this once before, so I'm not the best critic, but the people who took us were disappointed in it. The consistency was more like pudding than custard (according to them), and I thought it was a little grainy. It was still good, but I'm realizing I'm not a huge brulee fan. The layer on top tastes burnt to me.

This was quite the meal, and the people who took us were so kind and generous. I don't know if I'd go here if I was the one footing the bill (our meal - just Jack and I - would have been about $85). I think I like more down-home good food, and sometimes fancy food isn't my favorite. But the atmosphere was great, and it would be a good place to go if you had something to celebrate. I think I'll initiate a star rating system for restauarants now. :) So on a scale of five stars, I'd give this place 4 stars.