My client told me she was intrigued by the concept of molecular gastronomy and she pointed out that that there are several restaurants in San Francisco that cater to this cuisine style. She was drawn to Atelier Crenn because of its Michelin star rating and because a women, Dominique Crenn, is the chef/owner. I really didn’t know what to expect when I made reservations. The restaurant website is light on details and the Yelp reviews were slightly more helpful, but I was still in the dark. I suspected that we were in for a unique dining experience and I was right.
We were greeted warmly by the well mannered staff and, over champagne, we were introduced to our menu options. The waiter asked about any food restrictions and promised that they would be well accommodated. In the spirit of going all out, we chose the Chef’s Grand Tasting Menu with Wine Pairing. The menu consists of a nine line poem in which each line describes a different course. We were informed that our poem was written by the Chef Owner Dominique Crenn. This was our poem/menu:
Mellow serenades of colors licoresse and orange.
The glowing ocean and light ecume de mer
A gentle smell, oceanic of yummy feeling
The half moon, silky and smoky
Woody and stone,
Nature rejoice, chaising childhood memories
A subtle smokiness has arrived, and a new start.
Walking deep in the woods, as the snow might have something to spare
Birth which gives its morning mystery.
Winter…a cuddle with your Arctic flare
Winter has come with his cold breeze.
Each course was presented with a choreographed flourish accompanied by a succinct, helpful description of the artful designs on our plates. At some point during the meal we decided to add a cheese course with an additional wine pairing, so we sampled ten courses and consumed ten different wines in total.
During the meal, Chef Crenn came out to our table to chat. She was friendly, warm and unhurried. Such a gracious touch!
Maybe it was the wine that made me forget so many details about the fish, fowl, beast and veggies that we consumed. But the overall impression is one of supreme quality and serious thought. Four hours later and almost $1700 lighter (with tip, for a party of 4), I knew that I had experienced a rare meal.
Looking for a serious dining experience? Don’t mind being a little fussy? Look no further.
Attelier Crenn, 3127 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94123, (415) 440-0460
