Seared Foie Gras
Pan Seared Tuna
Roasted Pork Belly & Loin
Seared Filet of Beef
Baked Chocolate SoufflÈ
Gary Danko Restaurant – OMG it was impeccable!
One of the most incredible food experiences I had while visiting San Francisco, was a chef tasting with one of the best chefs in the country…Gary Danko. OMG – the service and the food were absolutely impeccable!
The award-winning restaurant GARY DANKO has received its sixth Five Star rating from Mobil as well as a Relais & Chateau designation, and reviews continue to describe its delights.
At this point, most chefs would relax and count their blessings, but not the unstinting Danko. ”We may be three thousand miles and twelve blocks off Broadway, but what we do here is definitely theatre,” explains Danko. “We work hard to ensure that each evening’s ‘performance’ is seamless and magical.”
The well-trained staff was so attentive and made you feel like the most important person in the restaurant. Their elegant suits complement the restaurant’s décor, a mélange of relaxed California modern and Upper East Side chic. This mix is also reflected in the restaurant’s style of service, a graceful blend of polished professionalism and straightforward friendliness.
Danko has created an enveloping, intimate space. The two adjoining rooms are elegant without being stiff, and the banquette seating provides both luxury and comfort. Taupe-toned walls are the perfect backdrops for museum-quality modern paintings from artists Hunt Slonem, Erin Parish, and Angelina Nasso.
Some of Danko’s signature dishes of roast lobster, foie gras, and lamb loin are served year round, and accompaniments reflect the changes in season. The prix-fixe menu offers three, four, or five-course meals, and wines can also be paired with each course for a set price. Yes, I could not resist, and I did the five-course menu.
The restaurant’s wine cellar holds over 1,500 wines and includes an exceptional selection of grand vintages as well as coveted wines from small producers. I had a wonderful wine pairing and experienced some wines I probably would never experience otherwise. It really expanded my wine pallet.
The GARY DANKO experience now reaches beyond the confines of San Francisco. Danko recently acquired property in the Napa Valley town of Yountville. This property will be developed as a small farm to grow produce and herbs for the restaurant. “We’re constantly burnishing and upgrading here. This will ensure us greater control over the ingredients we use,” allows Danko. “We’re organic in the true sense of the word,” he laughs. “This restaurant is a living, growing thing.”
So here are the five courses that gave me the most decadent dining experience. You know the expression you have when the food was exquisite and it leaves you speechless…that was me the entire
Course 1 – Seared Sonoma Foie Gras with Caramelized Red Onions, Roasted Grapes and Apples. This was paired with Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos Chateau Pajzos 1999 – Hungary
Course 2 – Pan Seared Tuna with Couscous, Chermoula, Fennel, Olives and Saffron-Orange Emulsion. This was paired with Viognier Cold Heaven Le Bon Climat, 2007 – Santa Barbara, CA
Course 3 – Roasted Pork Belly and Loin with Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, Parsnip PurÈe and Maple Cider Glaze. This was paired with Pinot Noir August West Rosella”s Vineyard, 2007 – Santa Lucia Highlands, CA
Course 4 – Seared Filet of Beef with Spaetzle, Butternut Squash, Crimini Mushrooms, Bone Marrow Butter and Shallot Marmalade. This was paired with a Barolo Massoleno Serralunga D’Alba, 2004 – Piedmont, Italy.
Course 5 – Baked Chocolate SoufflÈ with Two Sauces. This was paired with Banyuls Chapoutier Ven Doux Naturel, 2007 – Langutrdoc-Roussellon, France.
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