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My husband and I came to AC to celebrate our marriage.
The service is of course excellent since it's Michelin . Every one was very knowledgeable about the history of the chef, restaurant and they take pride. We enjoyed every dish and the taste exceeded our expectations. It's a extravagant experience for our taste bugs. After the main courses, they gave us a tour of their 3 kitchens, lead to another beautiful lounge area for our deserts. I would highly recommend this place to my friends.
.. what expectations should you have of a truly lux 3-star Michelin chef's grand tasting menu? Whatever they are, Atelier Crenn blew us away with an endless stream of delicious and thoughtful bites. We left fully satisfied and really well "served" after 3-hours of wonderfulness.Really enjoyed the new interior - we were there right after the reopen - and about 2/3 of the way through the meal, the staff took us on a tour of the kitchens and we finished our meal at the amazing new "Bar Crenn" next door.Our favorite dishes were the acorn, crab broth, sourdough, abalone and cod. Also amazing tastes for a no-dairy menu... So thankful for the attention to detail, the delightful tastes and a true service experience.
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I dreamed about dining at Dominique crenn's restaurant for
I dreamed about dining at Dominique crenn's restaurant for a long time and I finally made it! The dinner was so special that it's hard to describe in words, you really need to try it and see yourself!
Among the 3 stars, it may not be my favorite food, but it's certainly the most beautiful and artistic. I will note the service was disappointing, not much attention given to us.
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Dined at the end of 2022 before the closure for renovations.
4/5 by
C W. on 01/26/2023
I liken this restaurant to theater. You will be presented with text that give you a heads up on what's to come rather than a menu. Center stage is your exquisitely designed plate. Some are truly breathtaking to look at. Some appealed to my tastebuds more than others. The restaurant decor is simple and does not distract from your plate. The service was attentive. We ordered a bottle of wine and had a good discussion with the young sommelier. It is a very small dining area so I would encourage the staff to be more discrete in their interactions with each other regarding tables. The hand gestures and eye glances can take a guest away from the well thought out food journey.
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Everything was very pretty and delicious.
It's a pescatarian menu and the seafood did not disappoint. Great ambience and cozy atmosphere. Love all the personal artwork by her late father. We shared a wine pairing and it was plenty for my husband and I. The best part was when they gave us a tour of the kitchen and moved us over to Bar Crenn for desserts. Nice progression on the meal from start to finish. Overall experience is worth the hype and everything was well thought out and beautifully executed. A must if you're up for great food, ambience, friendly and knowledgeable staff. A true 3 Michelin star experience.
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Value: 1/5, food: 3/5, service: 4/5We have been wanting to
Value: 1/5, food: 3/5, service: 4/5We have been wanting to go to Atelier Crenn for years ever since we watched chef Crenn's documentary on Netflix. We were touched by her life story, dedication and inspiration.However, the visit to Atelier Crenn turned out to be a huge disappointment.We were there in Oct 2022 and did their tasting menu.The food: From the presentation perspective, all courses before dessert were beautifully decorated. However, when you start biting into them, that's when the music becomes out of tune. The size of each course was terribly small even based on 3 Michelin star standards. Many courses only served 1 piece of the ingredients, such as oyster. Ingredients became repetitive after 2-3 courses, probably because they limited to fish and vegetables only. But one may argue there are a lot of fish and vegetables out there. Three vegetable dishes were extremely sour and salty to a level that's not edible. They were the beets and tomato based dishes. Dessert on the other hand was underwhelming from the look perspective but really tasty. I'd give all dessert courses 4 stars. 5 for the taste and 3 for the presentation. Three of us took a lot photos during the dinner but left the restaurant still hungry.The Service:We really didn't feel the atmosphere as what chef Crenn mentioned in the Netflix episode - when you come to my restaurant, it's like coming to my home and I want to welcome you that way. The servers were polite but robotic and apathetic.The Value:From the cost perspective, we really didn't feel like we got the money worth at this price. We've had great experience at many 1-3 Michelin star restaurants in the Bay Area. This is the worst we've felt so far!
More veg forward than anything else. Had one fish dish which was the worst dish of the night. Had the December menu and had beets prepared two ways with a glass beet artwork placed on our table.Some combos were amazingly delicious and it was an experience but definitely not worth the price, how hard it is to get a spot, or worth returning. We have been to a handful of other Michelin star places (e.g., Masa, Alinea, Plumed Horse, Benu) around the US and this is low on our list.Servers were friendly but hard to hear with their low voices and the loud casual atmosphere. Also, bad breath which wasn't great.Honestly we also had dinner at fog harbor and it was much better!So although it was an experience, there is much better food to be had in the bay area.
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We made reservations for four of us and we went there in
We made reservations for four of us and we went there in the end of the August this year. There is a paid indoor parking nearby, take less than 10 min to walk to the restaurant. We had trouble finding the restaurant while we were actually standing in front of the restaurant, so, if you think you are at the right location and wondering where is the restaurant then yes, you are at the right place. Restaurant offer several courses, most of them are vegetarian and some are seafood dishes. We ordered mixed beverages that goes with food, most of the drink were on sour side, not really my favorite. Overall, we love the food and experience. We enjoy the poems that get you to think what will be on the plate, and we get to tour the kitchen before they brought us to their lounge where the desert was served. The only thing I wish is different is the time, our reservations is 8:30pm but the whole dinning experience didn't end until passed midnight which made it the longest dining experience I ever had. My suggestion is to make reservations for earliest time in the day as possible so you don't end up very tired and sleepy like us.
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Experience here was superb! We were here for our
Experience here was superb! We were here for our anniversary and it didn't disappoint. From the food to the wine pairings! The dinning room was a little bit noisy though because the staff tend to speak loud as they are explaining about each dish that they bring out.
An absolutely amazing meal. Both the presentation and the food were exceptional and the service was wonderful - so beautifully choreographed. It's a tasting menu and yes, the bite sizes are small, but we did not leave hungry - nor were we stuffed - it really was the right amount of food spread out over 2 hours. It's a very small space with just eight tables, which explains why it's so hard to get a reservation. We didn't do the wine pairings instead opting to have full bottles of wine. The wine prices however, we more than a little exhobanant but the wines were delicious. An incredible experience and would recommend for anyone who appreciates food as an art.
Creative, elaborately presented courses. Some tasty, some muted. But at the end of the meal we were still hungry. Portions ridiculously small. Needed extra bread after bread course. Dinner is an elaborate show with a bevy of servers, somewhat disorienting. One server per table preferable. Coordinated wine flights excellent. But amazingly, we were charged for coffee. I wanted to support Chef Crenn, and glad to have had the experience but will not repeat. And, such a hassle to get bookings.
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A Poem Transformed into Dining excellence!
Poetic menu created to inspire your senses. The pre fix menu is built as a poem by Chef Crenn and her team to create an experience worthy of a trip to San Francisco. An extensive wine list will complement any pallet. Your night will conclude at Bar Crenn were Chef Juan will captivate you with a creative series of desserts which you can pair with your choice of tea or dessert wines. The kitchen tour is a nice way to end your dinner.
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Atelier Crenn is definitely one of the most memorable
Atelier Crenn is definitely one of the most memorable restaurants I've been to, and going into it, I had huge expectations due to the reputation of the restaurant. The menu is largely pescatarian, and features some really unique ingredients and plating technique. All in all, the food was beautiful. Every bite was unique in itself. The Apple cider one biter was something I've never tasted, the oyster had layers of flavor, and the bread AC served was some of the best brioche I've ever had. The dining experience took a bit over three hours, so there was quite a bit of waiting. It was definitely super interesting to hear the backstory behind every dish and the attention to detail for every aspect though. The night was definitely a storytelling experience of Chef Crenn's life. While I did enjoy the food and dining atmosphere, there were a few reasons I thought MY OWN PERSONAL experience could've been better. The food was fantastic, but the bites I enjoyed the most were the first few, and every following dish felt a little bit more 'boring' than the last. So, as the night went on, each dish was less and less exciting. Additionally, there really is not a lot of food. All the portions are pretty small, so I ended up grabbing Jack in the Box on the way home so I could fill up. The price is definitely up there too considering it is a 3 star restaurant, but restaurants like Benu provide a bit more food. The dining experience was fine too. Waiters give you a good amount of space, and do a good job describing the dishes. Also wanted to mention parking is very hard...Overall, Atelier Crenn is an extremely sophisticated restaurant. The food looks and tastes like some of the best culinary masterpieces the kitchen has to offer. Hats off the the chef and crew. It may have been because I had a HUGE expectation of AC due to its reputation and fame, but there were just some small things I wished were adjusted. Especially at its price point. If you want a memorable and special night out though, definitely check out AC for a unforgettable experience.
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I've been to a handful of 1,2,3 stars restaurants in the
I've been to a handful of 1,2,3 stars restaurants in the Bay Area and I had very high hope for Atelier Crenn but I have to say I was very underwhelmed. The SERVICE was AWKWARD and GLACIAL, they didn't make any small gestures even when we called out that someone at the table is having their birthday. There were big gaps of time in between courses and at the end of 4 hrs we just wanted to leave (the reservation says it should only be 3 hrs). And they "accidentally" put on the supposedly complimentary sparkling wine (they gave us complimentary wine because they couldn't seat us by reservation time, never ever had this situation in any other Michelin star restaurants before, so it was off putting right off the bat) on our bill at the end of it, and we spotted it cuz we were worried that might happen, and guess what, it did.One thing I would say that's redeeming about this place is the plating and the ceramics, they are definitely eye candies. The food is creative while some of them are just way too sour. Overall it's a very underwhelming experience for a 3 star restaurant and we would not go back to the Crenn again.
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I wish I could give 10 stars! This special place is a
I wish I could give 10 stars! This special place is a favorite of ours. I have, and continue to rave about the chefs creations. They continue to surprise us with their amazing cuisine. Chef Crenn is an artist. She puts so much to effort into each and every course. They have mastered the key ingredients to a successful restaurant. I can't tell you how many people we've referred. Please support them, and try if you haven't. You'll bd happy you did.
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Overall experience was wonderful.
I think like others have said, its hard to come here without having insane expectations and wanting every single mouthful to be a hit. It wasn't that, and i do feel like it was a slow start (it wasnt until a few bites in that we were wowed). But it was unique to other places we have been. A lot more of molecular gastronomy than we've experienced before, and I'm a seafood lover so was happy to see that be the highlight of the meal. Their take on French onion soup was out of this world! We also enjoyed the "moveable feast" aspect and being taken through the kitchens to Bar Crenn for the dessert courses. The desserts were incredible and very asian inspired so that hit home for me. Yes its very expensive but i think the overall experience, service, ambiance was worth doing once for sure.
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It's not in my budget to do this regularly, but I think
It's not in my budget to do this regularly, but I think once every year or two, treating yourself to a place like this is a delight if that's an option. Every dish is exquisite and beautifully presented. To be savored. It's like an indulgent meditation with friends.
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Hard to reserve, wonderful service, beautiful food, loud.
Atelier Crenn After trying at least 3 different times, including a wait list, wife and I obtained a reservation for a midweek evening. The restaurant accepts only pre-paid ($410 per person with add-ons for chef’s tasting menu, no other choice. Service included.) reservations with wine, supplements, etc. paid at end of meal. From the outset, the staff (perhaps as many as patrons) were welcoming, warm, and always attentive. The layout is supposed to resemble at atelier with a central open space, some paintings, and a number of nooks, with framed poems on walls. There was also a sheet of poem on each table, a pretty long poem that took a while to read if you were so inclined. The atmosphere was somewhat dignified and conducive until more patrons arrived and all talked and laughed loudly – then it became quite loud which was annoying for us sedate diners. The 14+ course dinner (without wine pairing, but with a glass of champagne each, a half bottle of white wine, and a supplemental caviar course) was overall delicious including some unexpected delights, like the first course – an icy cold ball that burst in the mouth. For a Pescatarian restaurant, however, we were much of the time unable to taste the pesces in the food. Each dish was visually attractive, artfully prepared, intricately constructed (or deconstructed), many to be eaten in one bite. The teeny bites, however, were largely, very tasty. There were several dishes, e.g. the deconstructed onion soup, black cod, that were identifiable, not teeny, and excellent. The “moving feast” involved our moving, after the main course, to the Bar Crenn next door for the dessert and after dinner drinks following a brief tour through the kitchens. Bar Crenn had the look of a 1920’s comfortable bar. Overall, this atelier presents visually beautiful petite dishes, with very good to excellent taste and outstanding attentive service. The final bill came to $1,200 of which $820 was prepaid at reservation. Dining in this exclusive 3 starred Michelin restaurant, with its memorable service, savoring the artful yet uneven palate pleasers, was an experience!
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Atelier CrennHard to reserve, wonderful service, beautiful
Atelier CrennHard to reserve, wonderful service, beautiful food, loud. After trying at least 3 different times, including a wait list, wife and I obtained a reservation for a midweek evening. The restaurant accepts only pre-paid ($410 per person with add-ons for chef's tasting menu, no other choice. Service included.) reservations with wine, supplements, etc. paid at end of meal. From the outset, the staff (perhaps as many as patrons) were welcoming, warm, and always attentive. The layout is supposed to resemble at atelier with a central open space, some paintings, and a number of nooks, with framed poems on walls. There was also a sheet of poem on each table, a pretty long poem that took a while to read if you were so inclined. The atmosphere was somewhat dignified and conducive until more patrons arrived and all talked and laughed loudly - then it became quite loud which was annoying for us sedate diners. The 14+ course dinner (without wine pairing, but with a glass of champagne each, a half bottle of white wine, and a supplemental caviar course) was overall delicious including some unexpected delights, like the first course - an icy cold ball that burst in the mouth. For a Pescatarian restaurant, however, we were much of the time unable to taste the pesces in the food. Each dish was visually attractive, artfully prepared, intricately constructed (or deconstructed), many to be eaten in one bite. The teeny bites, however, were largely, very tasty. There were several dishes, e.g. the deconstructed onion soup, black cod, that were identifiable, not teeny, and excellent. The "moving feast" involved our moving, after the main course, to the Bar Crenn next door for the dessert and after dinner drinks following a brief tour through the kitchens. Bar Crenn had the look of a 1920's comfortable bar. Overall, this atelier presents visually beautiful petite dishes, with very good to excellent taste and outstanding attentive service. The final bill came to $1,200 of which $820 was prepaid at reservation. Dining in this exclusive 3 starred Michelin restaurant, with its memorable service, savoring the artful yet uneven palate pleasers, was an experience!
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Got to cook with Dominique years ago.
Visited various times and felt like home. She is kind, empowering, and unique.The meal was extremely unique each time and was one experience that was hard to beat. Don't want to ruin the surprise.
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Perhaps the expectation was too much, but everything from
Perhaps the expectation was too much, but everything from service to food was just a little lacking. What is five stars is the presentation of the food and the surrounding. Came here for my birthday and they all greeted me with happy birthday. Ambience 5/5:The restaurant itself is very pretty and elegant, I love the paintings around. Anyways, so I came here with my friend to celebrate my birthday. Checked in and we were escorted to our table right away. The tables are really nice here, my table had some privacy, it was all the way at the end. You can definitely feel the fanciness of the restaurant, and please dress formally, you really don't want the server to look fancier than you LOL. Food 4/5: Honestly taste wise is a 3, some just tasted too sour and weird. Like you would put in your mouth and say omg this is so good, it's just like a " huh, this is weird...." It wasn't bad but it was just weird. I'm pretty sad there's no meat lol. I mean if it's pescatarian at least give us some lobster and crab something fancy. ( they had a king crab dish but you can't even tell it's crab). What was good was that shiso leaf, its crispy interesting but at the same time it's yummy. Bread service was great they had yummy butter. Anyways not much standouts I remember most of the dishes tasting weird. I'm only giving 4 stars because they put a lot of effort for presentation of the food, to the point where it tells a story about Chef Crenn. I don't think she was here at the restaurant which is disappointing, but she prob busy starring in the upcoming movie "The Menu" *shrugs* regardless I really think they should do something about the taste of the food. Honestly the cooking and technique is great but you're not really elevating the taste of the element. Also it took really long for the food to come, literally stayed there four hours, when it's only suppose to be three, at the most three and a half hours. We were waiting for the courses so long that we were getting full from waiting or getting full from the wine pairing5/5 for the dessert portion. Finished everything, and not because I was hungry. I was so full but the dessert was spectacular, my favorite part. Service 4/5: The server was nice, but it was hard to get a hold of them, unless they're bringing something out. They're not that engaging either, scurries around. It's busy so I understand. It was nice when they led us into the kitchen and the chefs there were all really nice and greeted us they deserve 5/5. Anyways there's not much to say it was good though when they did come to the table . Loved having my utensils changed. Drinks 5/5: Wine pairing there is good paired well with the food, despite the weird dishes it actually made the wine better. I splitted my wine pairing with my friend and even though it's split, it was very generous. So definitely worth. I don't know how much they pour if I didn't split with them, I prob be too drunk or too full from alcohol. Had like eight tastings of wine for two, that's like 16 glass together. Definitely worth.Recommendation 3/5:I mean you have money you want to celebrate something special and you want to take nice picture of fancy food COME. If you are cautious about spending and expect really tasty food do not come. Overall it was a nice experience, even though the food didn't turn out as good as I expected, but sitting there and being served felt nice and accomplishing. Just like people said crossing off a wish from the bucket list :)Oh I forgot to mention something important. In the beginning they offer you two champagnes to choose from, me and my friend thought it was complimentary since they ran up to us with two bottles laid out, thought it's because it's my birthday, but turns out we got charged two glasses of champagne 40$ 20x2. I mean they should had asked if we wanted to "ORDER" some champagne instead of just coming up with two different bottles to our table making it seem like it's complimentary. I'm only letting it slide because regardless me and my friend was probably going to order some sparkling. Anyways did any of you guys go through this? Also, they printed out my happy birthday menu and gave me a golden chocolate. just in case anyone wondering what specials I got.
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Food was great but the service is bad.
I thought to celebrate a career milestone here because of Dominique Crenn, a legendary/empowering female chef. Her background and creativity is what brought me to this place, and it's really sad that it started out as a disappointment.I received a text 5hrs before the reservation asking if we could show up 15mins later (8:30 instead of 8:15) for a glass of champagne. Kind of unprofessional but we thought why not. We showed up 30mins early because they only have street parking and we wanted a good spot. We checked in and they didn't offer champagne. We came back at 8:27p, and they said it'll be another 10-15mins. We were upset because it is one thing to extend it once but it's another to keep us waiting. They offered a glass of rosé at the table but nothing extra for going over the 15min extension. I've been in multiple 3michelins/world's best 50 restaurants, and I've never had to deal with bad service before. If you are charging over $400 for dinner, there is no room for mistakes esp when the restaurant/chef has accolades. The dinner lasted almost 4hrs instead of 3. So we didnt leave the restaurant until closer to 1am. We were so tired after the 7th course. We even contemplated of skipping the rest of the courses. It is the most exhausting fine dining experience ever. It almost felt like torture. It sucks bc Chef Crenn prides herself with the experience of her tasting, but we didnt even get to appreciate that because it was bad from the start. Chef Crenn wasn't even there which is disappointing as well. I've never been to a 3michelin where the chef is not present.3 stars for the food, having POC staff, and the decor. It's probably the most inclusive 3michelin place I've been to. Decor tells a story about her father and recognizing Asian refugees. Other cons: street parking/one stall bathroomThis was a miss esp since we were celebrating something big. Maybe for a casual dinner it's okay? Def the worse service for any Michelin star restaurant I've been to.
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Phenomenal date night experience.
Literally felt like you were transported somewhere else outside of SF. The storytelling with each dish was amazing, the caviar add-on is a must, and the service was superb. I swear I must have counted 19 small dishes at the end of the night. Highly recommend for a fine dining, 3 Michelin Star experience. They were also able to accommodate a dairy-free menu.
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Really amazing and unusual experience!
Not that Atelier Crenn needs any more reviews, but this is a very unique dining experience. We booked months in advance, and we weren't disappointed. The entire evening was a story told in 18 chapters of awe-inspiring dishes. We celebrated out daughter's 21st birthday there, and they made it fun. It is an incredibly sensory experience while you are waited on lavishly by the entire team. Some of the reviews here say it's expensive. Yes, it is. It's a Michelin 3-star restaurant. Don't go if it doesn't fit your budget. But you will never have a dining experience like this. Watch the Netflix Chef's Table episode on Dominique Crenn before you go. If you can get in here, you won't be disappointed.
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So disappointing and WE found a hair in our food!
I was visiting friends for a week of gastronomy delights and we were told to try this restaurant, but we were so disappointed! Although the food was presented beautifully, there was nothing extraordinary or memorable about and not one of us enjoyed any dish on the tasting menu. We also upgraded and added truffles to some of our dishes and even that didn't uplift the flavour. In addition, we added the wine pairing for an extra $250 per person and only 1 of the wines they paired, were enjoyable for us. What was worse was my friend found a hair on her plate with the second dish and while they did apologise, no compensation of a glass of wine was offered. They didn't even appear embarrassed! If you are paying $395 per person and in a 3 Michelin star restaurant, you do not expect to find a hair in your food! Yes, mistakes happen but the restaurant did not even care or make up for it with a proper apology or a gesture of compensation, by a drink or something! Although the staff were friendly, service was also slow. The atmosphere was also lacking and very pretentious. I can no stand places that give the feeling that their establishment is better than their patrons and their reaction to the hair on the plate compounded it! We were so disappointed. Two days later, we found ourselves in Napa and at the French Laundry, which was absolutely amazing and restored my faith in what a real, 3 Michelin star restaurant is all about! Skip it and save your money.
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So this has been on my restaurant bucket list for a while
So this has been on my restaurant bucket list for a while now and I was super excited to finally get a chance to try it out. To start, this was easily one of the most visually stunning dining experiences I have had in my life. The presentation of each dish was so thoughtful and beautifully done. That said, a lot of the dishes just didn't do it for me, personally. The better dishes were: the Shiso Tempura, the Rocky Point Oyster and Rosé, and the French Onion Soup. Of course we don't expect to like every dish when doing tasting menus but I wish we had enjoyed at least half of the courses! Plus, it's worth noting that the portion sizes here are especially small. Like you might need to get a second dinner afterwards... so for the price point, I can't say it was worth it for us. Similar to other reviewers, I did notice it was quite loud in the restaurant but I didn't mind that at all! I actually prefer that because it feels more casual and not as stuffy as other restaurants. But something to keep in mind, depending on the party you're dining with.
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A Gastronomic Delight – Enlightened French Cuisine Worth Every Penny
I’ve dined all over the world and at dozens of Michelin-starred restaurants and Atelier Crenn is easily one of my top 5 dining-foodie experiences ever! The chefs’ and staff’s passion for excellence is abundantly obvious from the amuse bouche through the last bite of chocolate. I was a bit leery of on a non-meat dinner service but was blown away by the creative, innovative, fresh and extremely tasty fish and vegetable dishes. I highly recommend you request the wine pairing with the dinner since the synergy between them elevated both. The dishes were artfully presented by a courteous and professional staff who took pride in their work and the food prepared for us. It was a pleasure to meet the executive chef, sous chefs, and pastry chef when we transitioned from the dinner service at Atelier Crenn to the dessert service at Bar Crenn. It is easy to see why Dominique Crenn’s restaurant in the Cow Hollow district of San Francisco is a 3* Michelin Restaurant and consistently rated in the top 50 restaurants of the world…PERFECTION!!!! If you’re a foodie this restaurant should be at the top of your must do bucket list!
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Last Reply by CelebratedStreet63 (03/15/2023 4:29 pm)
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Your bid has been “matched” with a reservation. From the time a reservation has been located, the seller of the reservation must connect with moderator to give transfer information for reservation. If the seller;however, does NOT respond to reservation transfer, then your bid is reprocessed and returns to the first step, which is connecting your request to a reservation.
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