Coi

At the far end of the red light district in North Beach in San Francisco you will find Coi, which is a stone's throw and yet a far, far cry from the strip clubs which line a couple blocks of Broadway. Everything about this place is clean, simple and exquisite. I believe it's supposed to be a molecular gastronomy experience. There's a lot of emphasis on food textures, teasing the senses, tastes that don't feel like they usually do. Each dish was interesting and fresh without being overdone. Not pretentious, not strange just for the sake of being different. It's still good, solid food. No, wait. It's still great, solid food.

There was but one dish I was kind of disappointed with, which is a remarkable considering there were eleven or twelve courses. While there were not many items at which I exclaimed helplessly, "this is one of the greatest things I've ever eaten", overall I'd have to say it was one of the best meals I've had the pleasure of enjoying. Throughout the almost three hour meal I anxiously anticipated each next course, which is such a delightful thing. Their upgrade from single to two Michelin Stars was certainly well deserved. Also the bomb? Celebrity sighting! I was seated about four feet away from Michael J. Fox in Coi's very small dining room. Holler at your girl, Teen Wolf.

Classic

• Wine pairings - Not just great wines but a very nice sake, a great Belgian beer and some lovely Peach lambic as well. Very cool.
• Milk and honey - super intensely concentrated flavors of both of these ingredients in a small liquid-filled jelly capsule. Surprising and got us geared up for this meal.
• "Oysters Under Glass" - beautiful oysters flavored with a tangy yuzu sauce and rau raum, presented under a clear gelatinous sheet. Gorgeous.
• Squash soup  - like silk. Glorious, buttery smooth warm squashy silk. Poured at the table over pomegranate seeds and little pieces of super crisp asian pear. The juicy, sharp crunch of the pomegranate seeds in the rich fall flavor of the soup was remarkable.
• Matsutake mushrooms - So simple and so good. Grilled on the plancha and served with potato and pine needle puree. Okay, first of all, you can puree pine needles?? Whoever thought of this is a genius because the puree was divine, and the mushrooms golden and satisfying.
• Quince and huckleberry parfait - I'd punch your mama to get my hands on another serving of this. Delicately sweet huckleberry puree and lemon thyme granita topped with a wondrous foamy cream and generously studded with godlike almond brittle pieces. The combination of cold, creaminess, fruit, salty and sweet is just transcendent.
• Vanilla and olive-oil milkshake - served with a little chocolate chip cookie. A smooth and complex version of a classic comfort item.
• The maitre'd came and talked to us for a very long time at the end of our meal. He was very gracious and seemed genuinely interested in our thoughts on the restaurant.

Dud

• Earth and Sea - steamed tofu mousseline with fresh seaweed. The texture of the super fresh tofu was marvelous but this dish sure was lacking in the flavor department. It was strange, because it was the sole dish that seemed to have distinct asian flavors so I wanted it to really stand out. 
• Shiny beets - I'm sorry, but what is this? Three nickle-sized slices of beet on a plate with some vaguely citrusy oil?? Gah. Look, I love me some beets. I eat beets every week. A world class restaurant has got to do something with one of my favorite ingredients that is at least slightly more impressive than what I can buy on a regular basis for two dollars at Trader Joe's.
• Vegetables Late Fall - This was so close to being awesome. A beautiful and artistically arranged plate of teeny root vegetables, herbs and sauces with a crumbly cocoa powder. The cocoa was startling. So unexpected at first but quickly addicting. However, the vegetables themselves were lacking in flavor. They have absolutely nothing on the almost jewel-like deliciousness of what's coming out of the gardens at Manresa.
• Michel Cluizel chocolate ganache - with violet ice cream. I barely remember it. Not a good sign. Please someone make a tasting menu chocolate dessert that wows me!

The Check:

Food: A
Service: B+
Space: A
Value: A
Michael J. Fox: A
Return Possibility: Definite

Comments

[ChuckEats]

i just discovered your blog - lots of good places. coi is very good, possibly the best "fine dining" the city has to offer, but it's frustrating b/c the potential is there to be a national- or world-class restaurant. oh well, there's always manresa.

[holly]

I have been here with Casey, last time we were in SF, we didn't eat we just had two cocktails that were amazing. I would have never remembered (b/c later on that night we got really drunk in chinatown) until you mentioned the strip clubs on broadway which we passed on our way back to chinatown.
We felt a little tipsy, so we kind of drank our drinks and bolted because we felt like we should take ourselves to more suitable drinking spots that welcome being intoxicated.
But I would love to have dinner and drinks here someday!
I like your report card!

[bt]

Hey, Chuck - Thanks for stopping by! There is always Manresa, which reminds me that I'm due for another trip there soon. In the meantime, I'll be happy just to read the fantastic posts at your site. Your thoughts on The French Laundry (very well thought out) have already provoked much discussion in my camp :)

That is so cool, Holly! This must've been the same night Casey tried to nab some of the lanterns in Chinatown :P Coi did appear to have an amazing cocktails menu but yes, you must have dinner here sometime!