Tuesday, February 14, 2023
Medium bowl of oatmeal with milk, flax meal, roasted and unsalted slivered almonds, cacao nibs, toasted unsweetened coconut flakes, blueberries; water. Vacation day, but I'm meeting the team for a goodbye lunch for Deborah who is leaving us for an internal comms job at SFDPH/ZSFG. Rode Muni to UCSF Mission Bay. At Wooly Pig a pro video crew was set up for something. Lunch with Levi and Deborah at Mission Rock Resort; Eric couldn't come due to an unexpected, new meeting for Deborah and timing of one of Eric's meetings. It was particularly cold today. Deborah had fish and chips and a soda, Levi and I each had a bay shrimp salad and water. We talked about the (in)accuracy of weather forecasts, San Francisco's housing issues, Valentine's Day plans, the cost of an evening out, John Mulaney, and, of course, Deborah's new position. Rode Muni home. Relaxed. Rode UberX with Patrick to dinner at 54 Mint. San Valentino: Martedi, 14 Febbraio 2023: il Menu (with wine pairings in parentheses and the restaurant's stylized mixed casing, with some of the accents not transcribed properly): ASSAGGiO (for everyone): SUPPLI: black truffle risotto croquette, molten smoked mozzarella (N.V. Franciacorta Brut, Le Marchesine). ANTiPASTi (choice of one of these three): SPINACi: baby spinach, pickled hedgehog mushrooms, anjou pears toasted farro, blue cheese, aged balsamic (2020 Schiava, St. Magdalener). CAPESANTE: scallops carpaccio, sicilian olives, horseradish satsuma oranges, sesame vinaigrette, agrumato oil (2021 Aleatico "Alea Rosa" Andrea Occhipinti). SALSICCiA: grilled house lamb sausage: saffron cous cous, raisins, pine nuts, yogurt (2018 Rosso di Montefalco, Antonelli). SECONDi (choice of one of these three): TORTELLi: (cow-based) ricotta shiitake and leeks filled pasta, sautéed black trumpet mushroom (2016 Rosso di Montalcino, Tiezzi). SPiGOLA: seared local white sea bass filet, sea urchin salsa verde, beluga lentils, citrus and radish salad (2020 Grillo "Sciare di Est" Antichi Vinai). MANZO: roasted filet mignon, chocolate bordelaise, squash polenta, mustard greens, mascarpone and hazelnuts (2017 Barolo, Villa Balestra). DOLCi (choice of one of these two): PANNACOTTA: lavender pannacotta, olio nuovo: (NV Malvasia "Cantina E Laboratorio" Meigamma). CiOCCOLATO: spiced dark chocolate mousse tart (NV Vermouth Chinato, Mancino). Patrick's choices: capesante, spigola, cioccolato. My choices: spinaci, tortelli, pannacotta. We both included the wine pairing. All food and drink was excellent. Like on Christmas Eve, there were noticeable delays between courses, but unlike on Christmas Eve this began at the very start of our meal, but like on Christmas Eve we were in a festive mood and did not mind even if we noticed it. I think part of why this happens is that upon arrival we are very genuinely made to feel welcome and loved. My spinach salad was an unusually large portion for a four-course meal, so I simply ate a small amount and requested the rest to go. On our way out our server from Christmas Eve joyfully recognized us from that night and another host also remembered us and said "Welcome back" or something similar. These meals are unquestionably a splurge, but we feel nothing but love from everyone on the staff, and that is part of what makes it so special. At the end of the meal we received a laignappe for the special menu: a single red rose—be careful of the thorns. We rode UberX home and pretty quickly went to bed.