SingleThread Farm
Get. To. SingleThread.
I should probably just stop writing. It's all you need to know. This is not an experience that can be described properly on a blog. This is one of those restaurants that brings everything together for a clear and homogeneous message. Heavy Japanese influence in a warm environment invoking a feeling of eating in someone's home.
They nail it. Every bit of it.
Service is off the charts. I'm not sure I could find a flaw if I tried. Staff was warm and friendly and upbeat, with that perfect balance of being present and joyful to spend as much time with you as you would ever like, but not a second more. This includes the kitchen staff, who you get to observe from up close as you enter.
You move from there to an absolutely beautiful and warm dining room, and at your table awaits the most incredible centerpiece you have ever seen, which contains a myriad of your first bites. It's an indescribable excitement to be welcome in to this. They are not messing around. They want you happy. They want to serve you. They want to show you what they can do.
It's spectacular.
The food here is at such a high level, from sourcing to conception to execution. Each plate was a masterpiece and presented in a way that elevated it even higher. "Art" in true form, one after another. And diverse flavors which honored the ingredients and kept your palate wanting more.
A few dishes missed the mark. That gorgeous salad was overshadowed by the mousse within it, which dominated both texturally as well as in flavor. What should have been the celebration of a local apple varietal was instead a creamy, rich stew. I worked to avoid the mousse (which in and of itself was excellent) but could not.
The back to back tomato dishes were also a head scratcher. Both featured an identical flavor profile highlighting the acidic notes of late harvest tomatoes, rather than their sweet side which would have elevated the proteins they accompanied.
These were more than overshadowed by dishes like the incredible tilefish with sunchoke puree, the wagyu and of course, the myriad of opening bites.
Back to the impeccable service. We noticed a card on an adjacent table - clearly to celebrate an anniversary or similar event. I joked with our server that we felt left out because we didn't receive one. We got a good laugh about it. But when they brought our menus, one had a card wrapped in it. This was from a different server. "Cindy told me you felt left out because of the card, so we wanted to be sure to get you one." It is these small but perfect touches that demonstrate a restaurant singularly focused on hospitality. Brilliant.
If you want a quintessential 3-star experience, this is your place. It was my final 3-star in the United States, a goal I have worked towards for years now. And what a place to finish. I'd beg you to go at any cost. You'll thank me, and especially them, for providing such a luxurious and inspiring experience.