SF Restaurant Review - Michael Mina : Underwhelming

[Ulysses]

Super-hyped new SF restaurant. If you do the full tasting menu ($120) and have a middle-of-the-road wine ($100ish - they don't have much below $75 on the list), you'll end up paying about $200 per person.

Nothing was bad (though a couple of items were decidedly mediocre) and some stuff was great, but I've had many better meals for less than $100 per person. Very underwhelming.

I would recommend many SF restaurants over this one for a special occasion.

[Zeno]

The wine is a rip-off. Can you order by the glass, or a good house wine? $50 is all you really need to pay for just about any wine at a restaurant in my opinion. The majority of ‘people’s palates’ is not that particular anyway and couldn’t tell the difference. I know I could not. Once wines reach a certain quality or level you pay exponentially more for much less.

I had an excellent meal in Reno recently (at the Chop house, I think it was called) and I paid a staggering $5 for a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon that was excellent. It was all I needed for the meal also. The wine was from my home state of Oregon, producers of quality wine and, by mistake usually, quality people like myself.


You could bring your own bottle also; I suggest the brand reviewed at this link: An excellent wine (http://www.river-bottom.com/Reviews/cellar2.html)

Hope you had a good time with fine company.


-Zeno

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
The wine is a rip-off. Can you order by the glass, or a good house wine?

[/ QUOTE ]

No. Their wine list is way overpriced, especially for California, where we have all sorts of great local wine that's not very expensive. Their by the glass list is not that great and also overpriced.

It's very easy to frequent great restaurants here that have excellent wine lists full of great stuff for under $50.

Of course, restaurants w/ overpriced wines and huge markups typically charge ridiculous corkage fees as well.

You sort of struck a nerve, as recently I've been very annoyed at some of the newer restaurants around here regarding this very issue.

[ QUOTE ]
Hope you had a good time with fine company.


[/ QUOTE ]

I did indeed. Thanks!

[M2d]

I think, for that kind of money, I'll stick with Danko or French Laundry. I was wondering about Michael Mina, so now I know.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
I think, for that kind of money, I'll stick with Danko or French Laundry. I was wondering about Michael Mina, so now I know.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I wish you would have gone first.

[turnipmonster]

isn't french laundry way more than $200/person?

--turnipmonster

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
isn't french laundry way more than $200/person?


[/ QUOTE ]

Tasting menu at French Laundry is $135/$150 (5+ course, 9+ course).

Tasting menu at Michael Mina is $80/$120 (3 course, 7 course).

[sfer]

FL is worth it.