RN74

December 20, 2009

The eating weekend ended with yet another early birthday celebration (maybe I should do work travel every year on my birthday...I'm getting lots of early birthday love!...nah, I'd still rather not travel for work on my birthday...).

This time, Will, Wendy, Kat, Key and Gail took me out for dinner at the new Michael Mina restaurant in SOMA, called RN74 (so named for the national road in France that goes through Beaune to Dijon).

Let me just pre-empt the food pics with an overall comment that all the food was phenomenal, and we tasted quite a few things.
Will and I shared the Hamachi Sashimi, with Hawaiian hearts of palm, asian pear, toasted pine nuts and shiso. Katharine started with the same dish.

Wendy (for her second helping of pork belly in one day) had the sauteed pork belly with manila clams, spring onions, smoked paprika and parsley.

Gail had the roasted beets salad with salt-baked shallots, snow peas, marcona almond, yuzu honey and mizuna.

The server recommended the Maitake mushroom tempura with yuzu salt, and green onion mousseline. This did go well with all the appetizers, so we attacked this side with the appropriate amount of zest.

Key and I had the Grilled Prime Beef with red wine-braised short rib, brussel sprouts, salsify, bacon and chestnuts.

Will and Wendy had the Grilled Loup de Mer with mussels, artichokes, chorizo, confit potatoes and Sicilian lemon oil.

Gail had the herb-roasted sturgeon, with french green lentils, celery root, broccolini and pistachio. I didn't get a pic of Kat's entree, which was the bacon-wrapped pork loin with buckwheat financier, cipollini onions, spinach, kumquats, and green peppercorn.

Some desserts to share across the table....
White sesame pot de creme with chocolate glaze, cherries, and Bugnes Lyonnais pastry.

Persimmon bread pudding with pomegranate, pistachio and yogurt sherbet.

Creme fraiche panna cotta with candied apples, graham cracker, and cinnamon ice cream.

Warm beignets with nutmeg, whipped creme anglaise, and brandy caramel.

Thanks to my buds for an amazing early birthday meal, it was a fantastic meal! RN74 is pretty amazing, go check it out!