The Dining Room

I was crushed to hear that this restaurant had closed. My one visit here was one of the highlights of my culinary history. The service was beyond that of possibly any I’ve experienced, and the food? My palate weeps at the loss.
A few make some sort of corollary to the location being at the Ritz. I think this actually does them a disservice. Yes Ritz Carlton facilities are among the upper echelons… but this? This restaurant was a world unto its own. I don’t know if it was all due to Ron Siegel, but it was a gem indeed.
I look forward to his next endeavour, whatever it may be.
Kudos.

Let me start off by saying that I am such a huge fan of Iron Chef and when i heard Ron Siegel was the chef here I knew I had to eat here. I took the hubby here for his 29^th birthday. Sadly it didnt live up to its reputation at all. We both did the tasting menu and the wine pairing. For me & hubby the meal came out to be nearly $ 550 including tip $ 600+! It was an experience but I wont be returning and I wouldnt recommend anyone to dine here. For this money I’ve eaten better food & recieved better service!
Chefs Tasting Menu
Live prawn sashimi — it was good really that they grated fresh horseradish in front of us for the sashimi and i love the green tea gelee!
Albalone — it was so yummy but too bad the thing was micro.
Ayu — it was okay not too memorable, just that it was okay but for this price and ron siegels rep i expect better much better.
Lobster — it was good but the sauce did not work! plus i literally ate this in one bite. i know its a tasting but for 135 a person at least gimme one more bite!
Hot foie gras — i heard usually they try to do one hot and cold if your both doing the tasting but guess ron got lazy that night but it was foie gras cant say it was amazing just that it was foie gras
Cornish hen — ummmm… i remember liking the veggies that came with the protein but i cant really remember the protein except it was salty!
beef ribeye — it was okay ive had better beef for less! =\
dessert wasnt anything special either but i did enjoy the dessert cart but i was disappointed the server didnt let us pick and he just randomly brought over a tray at the end of our meal. its the ritz carlton i expect much better service.
The wine pairing — most of the wines were okay but so many whites i think there was only one or two glass of red the entire meal and i would have loved to see more of a balance.
The hubby and I had so much wine in one meal we decided it was best to have some coffee before heading home. We got the french pressed coffee and it was good =D

This place is over rated; I would say it can only gets to 3 stars max.
I gave 1 star for their decoration, very classy and romantic feel — very good for valentine’s dinner for anniversary celebration.
I gave a 2^nd star for their foie gras, freshly made but way too small for the price. I get a better size and freshness from another restaurant in down town SF.
Why 3 stars off? Because their servers system was too confusing! Everyone came to serve us at the same time, we had like 4 different servers came to us asking what we would like to order, they didn’t even know if other server has already took our order.
Over priced as well, $ 48 for a tiny lamb and not too tasty. Not going back for any occasion.

Best french food in Town!!!
It is a very nice, elegant and memorable dinner experience. Although the decoration is rather old and not as elegant as the name of Ritz-​carlton sounds, the choice of art pictures displaying in the dining room is indicating that who ever chose it does not have a good sense of art. Since the hotel is located within the centre of SF city, do not expect a good view like the half-​moon bay ritz carlton.
I had my new year sunday brunch at the Half-​moon bay location– Ritz Carlton and it was superrrr!!! the VIEWWW, the food, especially the desserts were soooo delicious!!!
*just that you know Ritz-​Carlton makes their own chocolate and those taste like chocolate fallen from the HEAVEN!!! They are especially delicious because they were served at the end of your dinner for FREE*
******************
The food: we had the 9-​courses tasting menu! there were lobster, foie gras, prawn, fish, abalone, beef filet e.t.c. they were all so tasty on its own, but having all these 9+ different creatures where they had never met each other when they were alive– and finally meeting in my one little stomach, THAT DOES NOT FEEL TOO GOOD! it is way too filling up due to the high level of cholesterol and fat (for one meal) and this is way too much work for my digestive system.
However, the food were so delicious with no doubt, next time for people who have a little stomach like me, can still go and pick their 3 courses menu instead.
and yes, Ritz-​carlton is still my favourite and I am gonna head to Four seasons– seasons this upcoming xmas to see whom is the heart-​winner!!!
(check out the photos!!!)

I had the best meal of my life here two years ago. Since then I’ve been back twice. I was really sad when I heard they were closing, so I had to make one last visit before they closed.
The meal was perfect and impeccable. We had the Salt and Pepper tasting menu (one of Ron Siegel’s greatest hits) it was fun and creative. Every bite was packed with flavor and every dish was cooked to perfection.
The service was also great. Our bread plates and glasses were always full. Every question we had was answered and every request we made was fulfilled.
This is one of those few places where I would drop a few hundred dollars on dinner and still walk out feeling like I got a good deal.
The Dining Room will be forever missed.

:(
How to Have An Extraordinary Date Night:
1) Tell your date to dress up but don’t provide any details.
2) Pick a Michelin starred San Francisco restaurant that neither of you have tried.
3) Bring flowers.
4) Drive up to The Dining Room at The Ritz-​Carlton where a man with a dapper top hat and tails helps your date out of the car.
5) Admire the juxtaposition of the elegant dining room with the more modern art elements.
6) Based on Unilocal research, recommend the Chef’s Tasting Menu ($ 135 per person).
7) Swoon over the gorgeous plates of Prawn Sashimi, Abalone, buttery Lobster, King Salmon, Fois Gras with Huckleberries, Cornish Game Hen, Mishima Beef Ribeye, and of course dessert.
8) Take food pictures of everything!
9) Be impressed that when you get up from the table during the 3 hour meal (that doesn’t feel like 3 hours) a brand new napkin magically appears.
And most importantly…
10) When your date selects items from the petits four cart, pick all the other ones so that you can try them all.
Thank you Chef Siegel, Mr. Wahba, Mr. Severino, and the rest of the fantastic Ritz-​Carlton Dining Room staff for an amazing night!

It’s a surprise that it took me this long to get up to this place. It’s out of the way and not in an area that I frequent. However with the times a changin’ and the fact that old school fine dining establishments like this are dying, the RItz is re-​concepting and the Dining Room as it now stands will no longer exist in a few weeks. However the chef and staff will mostly stay the same, making for a more accessible dining experience.
Of course many know of Ron Siegel’s accomplishments: the Line at Aqua, Daniel, opening sous of the French Laundry, Charles Nob Hill, Masa’s and of course now the Dining Room. Of course there’s that little victory as the first US Chef to win on the Japanese Iron Chef. Kind of a big deal no? I watched as he poked his head in and out of the back office as we were having drinks at the bar next door. He really does have one of the stronger mustaches in the biz.
We soon were transported from our lounging into the dining room. We were here on a mission and it was to have the famous Salt and Pepper tasting menu. We asked about the wine pairings and we were on our way. There were a few substitutions (ayu becoming salmon belly, Sauternes becoming Torcolato) as the night went on and it’s funny that the captain will announce that Chef Siegel reserves the right to change things as he pleases. Fascinating. And onto the menu:
QUAIL EGG SOUS VIDE, CAVIAR
atop trapped cedar smoke
SHISO SALT & PINK PEPPERCORN
live spot prawn sashimi, yuzu gelée, wasabi
KONBU SALT & LONG PEPPER
abalone, artichokes, capers, lemon, brown butter
BOLIVIAN ROCK SALT & MUNTOK WHITE PEPPER
salmon belly, ratatouille, basil oil
PHILIPPINE SEA SALT & CAYENNE PEPPER
maine lobster, foie gras, green beans, miso consommé
SMOKED SEA SALT & ESPELETTE PEPPER
poussin, apple butter, pancetta
UMAMI SALT & SANCHO PEPPER
mishima beef ribeye, sweet peppers, eggplant
MURRAY RIVER SALT & SZECHUAN PEPPERCORN
basil sorbet, tomato foam
MALDON SALT & CUBEB PEPPER
caramel pot de crème, caramel macadamia nut
popcorn, chocolate glazed hazelnut cake, popcorn ice cream
and the wine…
Friulano, Bastianich, Coli Orientali de Friuili, 2009
Pinot Gris, Domaine Marcel Deiss, 2003
Crozes-​Hermitage, Etinne Pochon, 2009
Chardonnay, Carpe Diem, Firepeak Vineyard, Edna Valley, 2007
Riesling, Auslese, Keller, Rheinessen, Germany, 2005
Beaune du Château, Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils, 2006
Pio Cesare, Barolo 2006
Breganze Torcolato, Veneto, Italy
needless to say the food was excellent. I guess if they’re going out. they’re going out big and it was nice to see that it was not what some where saying that they were just going through the motions. The salt and pepper theme can’t possibly be dated as they are the primal ingredients in all cooking. It’s amazing to see that everything else was the supporting cast. I hope some of these dishes will be held over or at least requestable in the new incarnation.
Now the service was also excellent. I was expecting something fairly stuffy and frankly that’s what the staff usually expect from their customers. It was good to see that they could read our table and have as much fun as we were. It all started with jokes about bonging the cedar smoke and how the Japanese shiso sea salt was like lines of coke. The the conversation degraded to being pimp smacked and then at one point, our captain Michael said, «the next course is going to be the Donkey Punch», loud enough that the nearby tables and his co-​workers heard it. HAHAHA. that is fucking awesome. Even the Ritz is not beyond my «ghettotization» of the ambiance! All jokes aside, the rest of the staff were just as relaxed, albeit a bit more careful.
I’m sad they couldn’t sustain the old school dining that they have. Something I thought might have been «high falutin» turned out to be quite an enjoyable meal. So I bid farewell to this institution and look forward to the new horizon that awaits.

I would say this was the best dinning experience of my life. We came here for the boyfriend’s big 3 – 0 and everything, from the food, to the service and ambiance, were pretty close to perfection. Such a memorable experience!
We arrived a bit early for our 7:30 reservation but the maître d’ seated us right away. It’s so rare to see white table clothes these days and it definitely lends a touch of elegance. The table was round so we got to sit next to each other, which I preferred.
The waiter brought us an amuse-​bouche of chicken stuffed empanada. The pastry was light and buttery without being oily; definitely wetted our appetite. A few minutes later, the kitchen presented us with the first of two hors d’oeuvres, a fried crab ball topping a mango and jalapeño sauce. They could have used less breading for because the crab was so delicate, but the flavors were en pointe. The second canapé was a boneless chicken wing with a light coriander and peach broth. The chicken skin was so crispy yet moist. It turned out to be Orin’s favorite of the night.
We decided on the tasting menu and share a wine pairing. The boy got himself a Makers on the rocks and our meal awaits. Even the butter was richer and creamier than the run of the mills stuff at grocery stores. The only draw back was that the bread was not freshly baked and a bit stale. It was probably for the best or else I would fill up on starch.
The first course opened with a bang. It was a sashimi dish with tuna, geoduck, crab, seaweed, caviar and some sort of gelée. The tuna melted in my mouth like butter and the seaweed added texture to the dish. There was no sauce on the plate so the natural sweetness and flavors of the fish could shine through.
The second course was the abalone. It was braised in a shiitake mushroom, misome and dashi broth. The broth was rich and complex, with a depth that really soaked into the mollusk.
Next on the docket was the salmon. It came with several types of mushrooms and tops a few stalks of Chinese greens. The salmon was probably my least favorite of the night. The fish was a bit more well done than I would have liked, but still moist and had a nice crispy crust. It was on the unimaginative side compared to the other courses though.
Following the lackluster salmon, we got another seafood dish, the lobster. It sat on a bed of green peas and corn. The lobster was perfectly cooked and had a nice bite. As with the abalone, I wished they gave us real steak knives instead. The protein was simply too difficult and awkward to cut with regular knives.
We each got a generous portion of the foie gras and it was scored and seared to perfection. A slice of peach and croûton accompanied the dish. I thought the peach was a tad too sour and detracted from the foie and a sweeter fruit would be better. The foie also could be cooked for maybe a minute longer. Having said that, it’s foie gras and its rich and decadent and danced on my tongue.
Our next dish was duck breast over a lemony ravioli. The skin of the duck isn’t as crispy as I would have liked, but all the fat under the skin were rendered out so it didn’t taste oily. The tang of the light and velvety lemon ravioli contrasted the sweetness of the duck very well.
Our final savory dish of the night was steak and potatoes. The dish came with a giant potato crisp, a fancier version of the potato chip. You can cut the steak with a fork and it melted in my mouth. The meat had so much flavor and the chef didn’t mess with it by adding too many accompaniments. The potatoes were creamy and waxy on the inside and crispy on the outside. If you go to the Ritz for their a la carte menu, this would be the must order.
For a little respite from our continuous gorging, we got a palate cleanser of sorbet. I think it was nectarines or some sort of stone fruit. Whatever it was, it was delicious!
For the finale, came our dessert. Orin’s plate had a little candle and «happy birthday» written on the plate with chocolate sauce. The course had two parts, a cardamom panna cotta and chocolate cake. The panna cotta was silky and very fine but the cake was a bit dry.
The candy cart came last. We were stuffed by that time and couldn’t enjoy the treats properly, unfortunately.
All in all, I loved the ambience of the Dinning Room at the Ritz. It’s quieter than other places that I’ve been to. The service was impeccable, I especially love that the waiters come in pairs with our plates. At first, the servers and sommelier were thorough with the explanation of the food and wine, but sensing our lack of questions, they backed off and left us alone to enjoy the food and each other’s company. The food was solid, although not as daring as some other places that I’ve tried. I wish they had more choices on the tasting menu as many restaurants that I’ve been to offer at least two options for each course. I would definitely recommend this place as the top choice for any special occasion.

This was probably the most amazing meal (overall) that I’ve ever had. I suppose this is to be expected from a Michelin star restaurant. I came here for a celebratory dinner, and we each got the tasting menu. The service was amazing. It’s almost as if you have 5 waiters per table. Everything was beautifully plated, and thankfully tasted as good as it looked. Can’t really go wrong with Foie Gras and Lobster. Oh and the dessert! The dessert was several courses in itself. We were given a small watermelon ice cream to refresh our palates, which was just delightful. I also loved the dessert candy carts, it just seem whimsical. Overall, dinning at the Ritz was a night to remember.

As we were promptly seated, we were greeted by the champagne cart, which we decided to all get a glass of rosette. A nice way to start the evening. The menu is offered A La Carte or as a tasting menu, which was great because my grandmother doesn’t eat that much in general.
++Ordered:
1. Hot Foie Gras– delicious combination with huckleberries, brioche, pineapple juice with longpepper
2. Pozzi Farms Lamb– DELICIOUS! I am glad I ordered this one versus the fish entrees. The marmalade was a must to eat with the lamb. polenta fries with cubeb pepper was an excellent addition to the lamb (I wish I got moreeeee). Side veggies included the squash and green beans.
3. Vanilla Bean Peach Compost– This is where they lost one star from me… With such great food, they can make more DELICIOUS desserts other than the selections that they had last night. It was good but nothing outstanding in the pastry department. It just tasted like a normal berry pie to me!
4. Potato wrapped shrimp– This was good but not delicious. It just felt like a dim sum item to me.
5. Soft Shell Crab– a bit too salty for me, but it eaten with the white corn and fava bean relish, pesto, frisée, it definitely helps balance out the taste.
5. Roasted strawberries– very very standard with stuffed granola strawberries and rhubarb sauce.
++Amuse Bouches:
1. Lobster roll with mango sauce– fresh lobster meat, which was delicious
2. Fried dumpling stuffed with chicken and pâté– interesting finger food selection
3. Dessert cart with various little goodies– wonderful with assorments of meringue, chocolates, lollipops, pistachio cake, macaroons
Overall, a great experience to celebrate a birthday dinner, with the complimentary birthday chocolate cake! Excellent service, who caters to you in every way possible. One of our servers happen to be vietnamese so it was a joy to have him talk to us throughout dinner and impressive since he has worked at the Ritz for over 20 years! Great Valet Parking, one of our cars received free valet parking and had the car parked right in the front of the hotel the whole time… While our other car was validated for $ 15 less…(Talk about car sexism: P) We were a tad late due to traffic but they were more than accomodating!
Must try if you are feeling a bit fancy and in the mood of money-​spending :) Next time, I should just screw it and try the chef’s tasting menu!

4.5 stars for the food, but extremely good and genuinely friendly service make the Dining Room at The Ritz-​Carlton a 5 star place.
Food: Tasting menu and wine pairing was worth every dollar. Everything was plated and presented very well. The wines are paired to perfection. The Foie Gras is awesome and the after dessert candy and pastry cart just makes the evening that much more special. The only thing that stopped me from giving the food a 5 star rating is I’m a big eater, it takes a lot to fill me up. With that said there are a lot of courses but the portion sizes are small, for most of the general population it is more then enough food, but for me I left wanting just a bit more.
Ambiance: Beautiful and elegant as you would expect.
Service: AMAZING! Changed our setting after every single dish, would get a new napkin and fluff the chair pillow whever anyone got up. Bread, water and wine were constantly refilled. The servers were nice and friendly but never overbearing.
Price: About $ 225 a person plus tax and tip but definitely worth it.
Overall: Everyone should have the opportunity to come here at least once in their life before they die.

5 stars for dessert.
10 stars for the seared foie gras.
I’ve been dying to go to the Ritz for about a year, and it was well worth the wait. They’ve done away with the prix fixe menu and now it’s either the chef’s tasting menu or dishes a la carte. We went with the a la carte option which turned out to be great since we were thoroughly stuffed by the end.
Firstly, the bread is amazing. Olive bread is my favorite and they served this along with the typical French. Plenty of olives and delicious! They were also always prompt to replenish our bread plates.
There were also two amuse bouches: Meyer lemon and chicken dumpling, and a Dungeness crab ball with mango sauce. Unfortunately, the dumpling reminded us of dim sum. A tasty dumpling, but a dim sum dumpling nonetheless. The crab was good though and very interesting. «This one doesn’t taste like dim sum,» my friend said.
We ordered:
–hot foie gras (huckleberries, brioche, pineapple juice with longpepper):
I always order foie gras wherever I go because foie gras is delicious, and because rumor is that the PETA is getting it banned – sad day!
Okay. Foie gras at the Ritz is a MUST. We asked our waiter to help us choose between the hot and cold versions and he went back and forth for literally 10 minutes before saying he couldn’t decide, until we said, please pick for us please, and he said fine, get the seared.
By the end of the meal we kind of wished we had just gotten 3 orders of the foie gras, perhaps 2 of the seared and 1 of the cold…
Warm soft incredible bursts of flavor complemented by the brioche soaked in pineapple, with the added twinge of huckleberries. Best foie gras I’ve ever had, and I love foie gras… it was a mindblowing moment.
–lobster knuckle risotto (english peas, white corn, lobster meyer lemon sauce): this was pretty good but nothing extraordinary. Risotto was well cooked and they weren’t stingy with the lobster although I can’t say it was a generous portion either. Definitely wish we had replaced this with another serving of foie gras.
–Sonoma duck breast (baby leeks, salsify battons, shiitake mushrooms, cherries with agrodolce): very well done duck. The cherries were a great addition and probably my favorite complement to the duck. However, the sweet and tangy flavor reminded us of the foie gras appetizer, which just made us long for it more…
–chocolate manjari cake (star anise foam, apple, honey pecan ice cream, cocoa nib dentelle): Another place the Ritz shone. My friend and I have huge sweet tooths and we were really looking forward to dessert, and the Ritz did not disappoint. Rich, complex flavors without being overly sweet or heavy.
–sweet corn pot de crème (ginger hazelnut financier, honey tuille praline cream): We couldn’t figure out what we wanted for our second dessert and this is what our waiter recommended. We had been kind of apprehensive because it was well, made of corn, but it turned out to be great. My friend liked the chocolate dish better because she loves chocolate, but I personally couldn’t decide between the two. The pot de crème might even win out because the flavor was just so unique. The taste of corn was distinct but very faint, so it didn’t conflict with the overall smooth creamy sweetness. There was an added kick from the very salty caramel sauce on top which was a perfect complement to the mixture of flavors.
Then the best (least kept?) secret of the Ritz came around: the post-​dessert dessert cart. It was gorgeous and the miniature desserts were adorable. The desserts we had ordered were better, but the experience of the dessert cart was just really cute and enjoyable. I liked their truffles and caramels. Nothing mind blowing, but solid. And it made us very happy!
However, I did encounter some snobbery. When my friend and I walked through the lobby into the restaurant, the staff member said, «Excuse me, do you have a reservation?» Um, excuse you, I totally do. There were a few young couples inside the restaurant so I’m not sure where their skepticism came from, but I didn’t appreciate it.
Overall, still a great experience. With the amount we ordered, it came to about $ 60 per person, which was much cheaper than what we were expecting, although I believe the chef’s menu is about $ 125 per person. I’m definitely glad I came, and would come back for the foie gras alone. A must if you’re in the Bay Area!

My boyfriend took me here for Valentine’s Day this year. (Yes, a few months back, but I decided to write a review.) I had been talking about this place non-​stop for months due to great reviews I’ve read, and was thrilled when he made reservations.
The interior of the restaurant was, well, nice. A little old fashioned for my taste. There was no music, whatsover, which made things a little awkward as it was SO quiet within the restaurant. We were one of about three tables there. It wasn’t too early in the evening, so I expected the place to be filled due to the busy holiday.
They had a special Valentine’s Day tasting menu, which consisted of 8 courses, plus a surprise Amuse Bouche. Although it’s 8 courses, it was techincally 16 different dishes (your date would receive one dish, i.e. hot foie gras, and you would receive a similar one during the same course, i.e. chilled foie gras). Definitely an interesting experience. However, not all the dishes completely blew me away. You would expect that out of a place so highly raved about. Now, don’t get me wrong, everything was delicious, but only some of the courses were memorable and made me go, «Wow.»
The chilled Salsify Soup with oyster and caviar was… to DIE for. Now and then I find myself thinking about and craving it. Just the combination of flavors was bursting in my mouth with every sip. As I said, there are two different dishes served per course, and trust me, I DID NOT want to share the soup. ;P Boyfriend had the some kind of carrot ravioli, which I have to admit was very memorable as well.
The other dish that stood out to me was the seared Foie Gras. Delicious. Absolutely delicious. It was a generous serving size compared to the rest of the courses. Perfectly executed. It was paired with a chilled foie gras dish, which wasn’t as good as the seared, but then again the texture and flavors were a little new to me.
The dessert courses were pretty remarkable as well. I wish I had the menu I had saved, as this was three months back and I don’t remember every dish, but what I do remember was the creativity of each dessert. They incorporated ingredients such as olive oil and Earl Grey in ways I wouldn’t have thought of, and they all tasted great!
Service was outstanding. I’d have to say that The Dining Room stands out as having the most accommodating service in my book. They definitely treat you like royalty, but then again, with a $ 600 bill, I’d hope so.
This is a restaurant that I would recommend trying on a special occasion. Like I said, not everything blew me away as other tasting menus have, but there were several dishes that stood out.

Hands down, 1 of the BEST dining experiences of my life thus far.
Last year, my fiancé and I spent our anniversary in New York City and he also proposed during this trip. That was certainly the most memorable anniversary and pretty much impossible to top. However, eating at The Dining Room came very close. We had a special anniversary dinner at The Dining Room on Saturday. We decided to celebrate over the weekend instead of Monday, our actual anniversary, and I’m glad we did. It was not your usual fancy schmancy dinner. It was an experience.
Our reservations were for 8:30pm and we arrived 20 mins early. To our surprise, the restaurant reserved 2 settings for us — booth or table — and gave us a choice. We went with a booth as it looked more cozy and intimate.
I was thoroughly impressed with the customer service. From the host, to the numerous waiters who tended to our needs, and even the chef, all were polite, friendly, and knowledgeable.
Before they brought out the menu, 1 of the waiters served a special appetizer from the chef. It resembled a mini baked empanada and it was filled with pork, veggies, & herbs. That small bite had me looking forward to the food even more.
Their wine list wasn’t a list at all, it’s more like a book. After much debate between a bottle of Pinot Noir or Champagne we decided to go w/​the bubbly.
The entire menu looked appetizing and we ordered the Chef’s Tasting Menu. It was 8 courses, including dessert, but in the end we counted up to 12. There were a few ‘surprises’ from the chef that was brought out in addition to what their menu listed.
1. Prawn wrapped in Potato served with raddish
2. Fresh oyster in a smoked dish
3. Sashimi of Kampachi in a ginger marinade
4. Abalone with shiitake mushrooms and dashi broth
5. Black Bass with japanese rice, curry, and carrots
6. Poached Lobster with osetra caviar and beet sauce
7. Hot Foie Gras served atop brioche and huckleberries
8. Breast of Game Hen (Quail) and brown rice infused with black truffles in madiera sauce
9. Beef Rib-​Eye with black trumpet mushrooms and sancho pepper reduction
10. Apple sorbet in sparkling soda
11. Dessert assortment
12. Candy cart selections
The portions appear small but they aren’t. After so many servings, we were super stuffed! Plus, the largest portion was the Beef Rib-​Eye so I was glad the first few courses weren’t too big as I would have been too full to enjoy the red meat.
My favorite courses were the wrapped prawn, poached lobster, sashimi, & beef rib-​eye, though I loved all of them. Well I probably only liked the foie gras, not love. haha It was a bit overwhelming, perhaps a smaller serving would have been better though the brioche and huckleberries complemented the foie gras well. In addition, the abalone was a little tough but the broth added a nice flavor to the entire course. The sashimi was mouthwatering. It melted like butter with every bite. I also enjoyed the poached lobster and the divine caviar.
I was pleased when they brought out 2 desserts. Usually, we share 1 and in this case, we each got our own assortment with a personalized message, «Happy Anniversary.» It was certainly a nice touch!
Throughout the evening, we saw the Candy Cart rolling from table to table so we were anxious for our stop. When it finally made its way to us, we were both so full. We only picked a few pieces and my favorite was the coated persimmon. It was a jelly candy w/​a tangy flavor and sweet ending.
Total damage was over $ 400, including tip, and worth every last cent.
I’m giving The Dining Room its well-​deserved 5 stars. It was one of the most romantic experiences paired with delicious delights. Definitely not your average dinner celebration. An extravagant evening from start to end. The chef also came out to greet us in the end. Our anniversary dinner was 3+ hours of pure indulgence. Absolutely perfect.

Like this place more than Gary Danko…
Its a big deal to win against japanese iron chef:)
I just wish I have a rich boy to take me here weekly!

Pros:
Excellent food and service, as you would expect nothing less from the Ritz Carlton.
Cons:
Parking is very difficult at this corner of Nob Hill.
Fun:
Last time was here with my family, Al Gore was eating brunch at the next table with his family. It’s an inconvenient truth (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

If you are what you eat, then when you eat at the Dining Room you are a beautiful piece of art.
The presentation of the Chef’s Tasting Menu reminds me of kaiseki ryori, an art meets nature approach that Chef Siegal executes very well in his Japanese-​French menu. Each dish was simple but complex in flavor, and captured the season almost perfectly.
The 64 degree quail egg definitely amused my bouche. A slow poached onsen tamago laid atop cedar smoke and topped with osetra caviar, this dish coupled taste and olfaction so lasciviously, I still dream about it.
Sashimi of live spot prawns with yuzu gelee and fresh wasabi grated tableside was ‘spot on’; anytime yuzu is paired with anything I am in valhalla.
To ensure that future generations don’t have any endangered fish to enjoy, the tasting menu continued with abalone, my favorite! I’ve had better abalone, but the delicate dashi broth and mushrooms was so umami, and the presentation also beautiful.
Fast forwarding a few courses, the hot foie gras fills any hunger that the light Japanese dishes had not filled. So winter perfect with spiced huckleberry compote and longpepper.
The perennial tasting menu meat, kobe beef, was the last savory course, but it lacked inspiration. Prepared well, and with morels it satisfies and tastes perfect, but was a bit out of place with the rest of the menu.
Chef’s dessert selection was preceded by an adorable teacart covered in petits fours, but they were lackluster, as were the desserts themselves. Someone needs to loosen the reins on the pastry chef and let them shine! Ho-​hum chocolate cake and ice cream.
The meal is long like an opera, and beautifully orchestrated. Especially as the night goes on, the diner to service ratio is almost 1:1, so you have very attentive and knowledgeable service, especially if you are going rogue on the wine pairings, as my friend and I did. Our sommelier was amazing at choosing pairings based on our preferences, and it was here that I was first introduced to Vouvray. Mmm.
The dénouement of this story: a very big bill, but worth every cent. I took pride that if I am indeed what I eat, I am not only endangered animals and a piece of art, but very expensive too!

Dinner at the Ritz was a poor value, an experience I do not care to relive anytime soon.
If you pay $ 125 for a tasting menu, one expects a modicum of cooking.
Our meal had high points, but execution fell flat in other areas.[1] Of the nine courses, the blue fin tuna sashimi was a promising starter, fresh and playful, while the abalone was okay, the baby leeks a nice touch. The turbot (black truffles in carrot ravioli) was sadly forgettable. Next, the lobster with asparagus. Decent, but nothing special. And the quail? Merely average.
The hot foie gras was a saving grace, and the finale, the kobe beef steak, was quite substantial by the time it made an appearance. When dessert came out, I opted out, choosing instead to let the few savory dregs sit.[2]
The nail in the coffin? The atrocious wine pairing ($ 44/​person): the sommelier must have had a bad night, for little went with anything, and many choices left us scratching our heads. Ultimately, the pairings only fueled our umbrage.[3]
Good service can’t save lackluster food (even at the Ritz), but it deserves recognition: thanks to David and his associates for providing our table with attention.
[1] I’ll admit I was amused by a dish where tapping it produced smoke rings.
[2] Not a dessert person. Why ruin the savory tastes?
[3] We were fairly vocal (read: loud) about our distaste. Apologies to the corner table that we most likely chased away, and to the Ritz for our lack of restraint.

I died a little inside this weekend.
My dear Dining Room did not live up to our last experience. Chef is a bit shorthanded before the holiday rush gets underway, so he did away with the duos, not forever, but I’ll call first to find out if the particular menu is in rotation. Sadly the comparison is so evident, I need to temporarily remove a star and take them off a few of my lists.
The highlights of the evening:
–Scored an L shaped booth, plus the same server we had almost a year ago and he remembered us!
–Poached quail egg & caviar, super smokey & wonderful just like before.
–Yummy cut of abalone with a wonderful dashi broth.
–Suckling pig, cooked to perfection, I can still taste the fat melting b/​t my molars.
The food seemed less decadent, less exotic and in the end less fanciful.

The Dining Room has a lot to offer and what really impressed me is that everyone will remember you by last name for the entire evening, from start to finish — from greeting to goodbye.
The menu was quite impressive and offered a wide array of choices for the mere 3 course price of $ 75, you could choose from foie grois to kobe beef to suckling pig.
I should have gone with my gut and not ordered the Kobe beef, on a 3 course 75 $ menu, I knew it wouldn’t be the best of the best. it was good, just not spectacular. I would recommend going with the suckling pig, it was DELICIOUS and very juicy!
For the second course I chose the lamb which was delicious, as well =)
Their dessert menu is not that extravagant. quite simple, but everything is very tasty
Finally, following the dessert, your waiter will surprise you with a cart full of candies and chocolates — this was probably one of the best finishes to a meal I ever got ! Go for all the chocolatey choices. so yummy, and also their lollipops were quite a catch!