Gary Danko

San Francisco, CA

Gary Danko has always been synonymous with service. That's their reputation and people remember it. It was no different for us on our first trip there with Midas and Goldie on a windy and rainy San Francisco night. Upon sitting down, it was a whirlwind of attentiveness, from asking our drink orders, questions about the menu, an amuse bouche within minutes of sitting down, sparking or still water, it was almost overwhelming. But once things settled down, and we were able to look over the vast menu, the friendliness of the wait staff really stood out. They weren't stuffy either, given the expectation of "dressy" attire, the staff was pretty down to earth, snapping photos for groups, attempting to be helpful any way possible. On this evening, there was a special truffle tasting menu consisting of 5 courses for $175 per person, or selecting from the normal menu, 3, 4, or 5 courses, ranging from $68, $85 and $105 respectively. We hadn't had lunch and Midas and Goldie were up for the challenge, so we went all in with the 5 course option. The menu spans across a wide variety of proteins, preparations and flavor profiles, so it made the selection process time consuming because there were a lot of good options. 

Seared Sonoma Foie Gras with Caramelized Red Onions and Apples

I started with the foie, which was well prepared and delicious, rich and creamy. The caramelized red onions were also a nice touch.

French Red Pumpkin Soup with Dungeness Crab, Spiced Creme Fraiche,
Chive Biscuit and Bacon

Midas had the pumpkin soup, calling it the best one he had ever had! He did wish there was a bit more crab though, with only two small pieces. The best pumpkin soup we ever had was the pumpkin voulete at Maresa, but we didn't try Midas' so can't make a fair judgement. 

Dungeness Crab Salad with Avacado, and Yuzu

Chu-Toro went with the crab salad, simply prepared, beautifully presented and a good light starter. The yuzu dressing stood out.

Risotto with Lobster, Rock Shrimp, Shimeji Mushrooms and Butternut Squash

Goldie enjoyed the risotto with lobster, which was served in a surprisingly large portion. Anytime you have risotto, it's going to settle in your belly through a long meal. This was also Chu-Toro's second course, she she also liked. She described it as good, not great. Creamy, yet lacking the chunks of lobster that she was hoping for, and not in the same stratosphere of our favorite risotto at Redd. 

Glazed Oysters with Osetra Caviar, Salsify and Lettuce Cream

My second course was the glazed oysters, which reminded me of an item I'd had a Coi, but not nearly as good. The dish was okay, but the oysters were a little fishy, and the balance of the flavors wasn't quite there. I also later on learned that salsify is a root, when cooked tastes like an oyster. Subpar oyster, oyster root flavor and lettuce cream just didn't do it for me mixed with the salty caviar. 

Seared Sea Scallops with Butternut Squash Purée, Apples,
Caramelized Cauliflower and Tarragon

Midas had scallops for his second course which he loved. He took a bite, looked at me and was amazed by how good it was. 

Pan Seared Tuna with Chermoula, Fennel, Olives and Saffron-Orange Emulsion

Goldie went with the tuna next but she said it was fishy and notably the worst item of the evening.

Roast Maine Lobster with Potato Purée, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Edamame and Tarragon

Chu-Toro and I opted not to do a cheese course, which meant Goldie and Midas had the pleasure of watching us eat our next course. I went with the roast lobster with potato puree. This dish was again, well executed, but standard in flavor. The lobster was buttery and rich, the potatoes a little wetter than I usually like them, but all in all, a good dish. I started to uncover the theme of the food at Gary Danko at this point. Everything is classic flavors, good execution and predictable, but nothing really stood out to me. 

Branzini with Gnocchi, Roasted Butternut Squash, Capers,
Brussels Sprouts and Pumpkin Seeds

Chu-Toro went with the Branzini with gnocchi which was a well prepared, crispy skinned white fish. The gnocchi was okay, but overall she liked this dish too. 

Juniper Crusted Venison with Braised Red Cabbage, Cipollini Onions, Chestnut
Spaetzle, Tangerines and Cranberries

There were a lot of tempting choices for my entrée; lamb, quail, pork belly, but I ended up going with the venison, something I've tasted, but never had at a restaurant. I was impressed that there was no gamey taste to the medallion whatsoever, and it was extremely tender and medium rare inside. Later, I compared it to the seared filet of beef, which did not exemplify the same delicacy or consistency. The more I ate the venison, the more I liked it and it proved to be a successful selection.

Roasted Pork Belly and Tenderloin with Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, Parsnip
Purée and Maple-Cider Glaze

Midas at this point in time was already in love with Gary Danko's, from his pumpkin soup, to perfect scallops, so when he got to his pork belly, he just continue to enjoy his amazing meal. Above everyone else's dishes, his entrée was noticeably larger, with large slices of tenderloin and a nice chuck of pork belly. He did note that he would have preferred his pork belly to be crispier like he had at the Supper Club, but was really satisfied with this course.

Seared Filet of Beef with Leeks, Crimini Mushrooms, Braised Shallots and Potato Cake

Goldie and Chu Toro both had the seared filet of beef, in which they both were underwhelmed for different reasons. Goldie's was overcooked and Chu Toro's lacked flavor. They equally were disturbed by the potato cake which tasted like hash browns in a school cafeteria. Chu-Toro now knows if its not from Five Dot Ranch, she's probably going to be disappointed. She still thinks about those beef courses from Benu and Quince. 

Cheese Course

Thankfully, Chu-Toro and I had a break when Midas and Goldie enjoyed their cheese course. We really needed one too since we were already nearly bursting at the seams. The cheese cart was impressive, spanning a range of 20-25 options, allowing you to select four. Midas made a noticeable selection of all truffle incorporated cheeses and enjoyed them all. After a few bites of each, they packed them away to save space for our final course, the desserts.

Flambéed Bananas with Mascarpone Filled Crpes, Graham Cracker-Pecan
Streusel and Vanilla Ice Cream

I was torn between the trio of creme brulee and the flambee bananas, but went with the latter since it came with a live table side preparation. It was fun to watch the flair of the flame in the dining room, and the dessert itself was quite enjoyable. I particularly liked the pecan streusel which was sweet and crunchy. 

Baked Chocolate Soufflé with Two Sauces

Both Midas and Chu-Toro went with the baked souffle, in which the presentation and preparation was far more impressive than the actual flavor.  There was actually simply no flavor at all, like a hot chocolate that's too watery. They were both in agreement on the letdown of this one, in which their really high hopes were dashed, along with Midas' perfect meal.

Cornmeal-Apple Upside Down Cake with Calvados Cream, Maple-Walnut
Ice Cream and Apple-Ginger Sauce

Goldie went with the cornmeal upside down cake which she reported was yummy and photographed really well.

Mignardises

Most of the mignardies were taken home since we were stuffed to the brim by the end of the meal. We were all really happy with the evening since we were all full, were impressed with the service and had a great time chatting for hours. But the verdict is really on the food. I went back and thought about items that ranged from bad (tuna, beef, and souffle) to good (foie, lobster, venison) to great (?) and how it would affect my main question whenever I finish a meal: Do I want to come back? Unfortunately, I've fulfilled my curiosity on Gary Danko and probably won't be returning. It had great service, but for a restaurant relying on classic flavors based on consistent execution, the highest admiration I had for a dish was simply "good." I can see why people like it, since they're probably patrons who want predictability in their meal, but we'll be selecting somewhere else next time.

December 18, 2010

Rating 6.5/10