Food: AQ, San Francisco
Ryan took me to AQ to celebrate the end of 1L year and our first wedding anniversary. We had a reservation for 8:15, and when we arrived our table was not yet ready. Since the bar faced the entrance to the restaurant, we wandered over to wait. I ordered a Verdant Fields cocktail, a deceivingly smooth cocktail with white oat whiskey (the first white whiskey I’d tried), with muddled strawberries, seltzer, and lemon verbena syrup. The strawberry flavor was upfront, but the finish lingered on. Overall, the sweetness and citrus balanced out nicely. The cocktail was extremely well made, and when I finished it I had a treat — the strawberries at the bottom!
We chatted with one of the bartenders, Christian, while he made our drinks. A gin fan, Ryan ordered the Springback, with St. George terroir gin, fresh sorrel, green chartreuse, lime, and ginger. It had a distinct herby taste from the gin and sorrel.
By this time, our table was ready, but we were having a great time surveying the myriad of drinks coming through and chatting with the bartenders, so we decided to have our meal at the bar.
I liked the lay-out of the menu very much; instead of listing all the courses as appetizers, entrees, and dessert, the menu was arranged such that we could order whatever courses we wanted in whatever order.
I started the first course with a slow-cooked farm egg served with sweet peas, wild mushrooms, a sprinkling of chives on top, and cinnamon dust. The egg had a runny yolk, which I love, but the white was solid, yet soft. The peas were flavorful and had a nice crunch, and the mushrooms added a slight meaty flavor to round out the dish. The pea sauce was also delicious, and I unabashedly mopped up every last bit with crusty bread.
Ryan’s first course was sous vide asparagus with roe and white chocolate. The asparagus was first sous vide and then finished in the pan. The asparagus was perfectly cooked as it was not too tough nor too soft, and had just enough crunch and flavor.
My second course was a deep fried soft shell crab served with bonito butter, bonito flakes, and marinated seaweed, on a bed of sweet onion and rhubarb. The crab was a delight to eat! The legs had crisp, but were soft and tender inside, and were perfect finger-food. The body was also tasty and had its own crunch, mixed with the taste of the ocean from the seaweed. The sweet onion and rhubarb rounded out the flavors.
Ryan’s second course was the pork trotter with spring garlic, snails, and avocado. The trotter was soft and tender, but had the distinct chewiness only trotter could have. It was reminiscent of our days in Beijing when we sampled pork cooked in so many ways. The snails were a good complement to the dish, but the trotter was by far and away the centerpiece.
Ryan had been eyeing my crab as I was eating, and he couldn’t resist ordering his own. As I’d shared mine, I joked that he owed me 2 legs, and he graciously obliged! His crab was slightly smaller than mine, but was a bit meatier, so the flavors were a little different. I think we had half a mind to take some crabs to go!
I then ordered the arctic char with fig wood veil, artichokes, red wine, and tarragon. I’d never had arctic char, and this was slightly smoked and had the look and texture of smoked salmon, although it was much more tender than the smoked salmon I’ve had. The fig wood veil added a bit of smokiness, and the red wine sauce was a great addition, and finished off well with some more crusty bread. The fish skin chicharon was delicious and added crunch to a dish that was otherwise filled with soft textures. The portion was very generous, as I couldn’t finish it, but Ryan also fell in love with the char and gladly polished it off. I loved the chicaron too much to share, though!
Ryan had the aged strip loin with ramps, wheat, ale, and fresh morels, presumably sauteed in butter. The steak was awesome! It had been seared so it had a nice crisp exterior, but the inside was tender and meaty. The chefs at AQ sure know how to make a steak :) The morels, a pleasant surprise, were incredibly tasty, with a meaty flavor that was complemented with butter. The flavors were strong, but paired well with the heavier dish. I’d been eyeing Ryan’s morels the entire time, and he was very sweet to offer me some.
Earlier in the night, the other bartender, Ethan, fixed Ryan what now is his favorite drink, the Lambo, which he made at the last bar he worked at.
After relaxing and digesting a bit, we rounded off the night with some dessert. On recommendation, we ordered the field rhubarb with toasted buckwheat, chamomile ice cream, and anise with panna cotta. I’d only had rhubarb in pie before, and it was always the companion in a strawberry rhubarb pie, so it was great having the rhubarb as the main feature. The ice cream was the perfect texture — cold but not hard, and its light flavor contrasted well with the buckwheat bed on which it was placed. The panna cotta was also a great contrast with the rhubarb and ice cream.
By now, we were very full and happy, but before we left, Christian presented us with apricot pate de fruit, presented on a small slab of marble. They were just the perfect size to pop in your mouth, and were just sweet enough to clear the palate and ready us for the long drive home. Wonderful!
I highly recommend AQ. The restaurant was nicely decorated, with herbs and flowers accenting the wooden bar counter, with contrasting brickwork and exposed I-beams for an industrial feel. The entryway had a small archway made of branches with tea lights hanging from them, which opened up into the bar area and tables beyond. The restaurant atmosphere had a good balance of a well-polished restaurant with a casual feel, so I felt comfortable and just had a good time.
The food was excellent, and extremely well-priced. The portions were generous for a high-end restaurant, especially given the price point, and the dishes were thought-out and creative, with extremely fresh ingredients. I found a delightful blend of Eastern and Western flavors which was unexpected, but which came together well.
The cocktails were also amazing. We usually order wine with our meal, but the cocktails were refreshing and cleaned the palate well. It was also fun trying out new drinks and sharing with the bartenders our likes/dislikes. They were extremely professional yet personable and friendly, and made some of the best cocktails I’ve had yet, even making several tailored for our preferences.
The service was also impeccable. We sat at the bar, so I can’t vouch for the wait staff, but the bartenders and hostesses were always prompt, polite and very accommodating with recommendations. The courses were also well spaced out, so we had time to relax and digest before ordering the next course. We didn’t feel rushed at all, and we ended up being the last customers to leave before closing, having spent a good deal of time chatting with Christian and Ethan, and taking a few photos.
For more photos from that night, click here.
