Acquerello

The enchanting atmosphere at Acquerello, coupled with exceptional service, made our dining experience memorable. Our waiter's passionate explanations of each dish, especially their signature ridged pasta, were a highlight. Our three-hour dinner allowed us to appreciate the frequented by locals, where customers and waitstaff share a familiar connection, adding to the charm of this beloved establishment.

The chef was sweet, humble, and incredibly talented. The waitstaff went above and beyond to answer all of our questions and make this the best experience possible. Each course’s plating was selected to enhance and complement the dish. The Sauvignon blanc was delightful. I hate duck and yet the duck was my favourite dish- phenomenal quality of ingredients. So much textural play, beautiful visuals, calming atmosphere. I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday experience for my mother.

Each course offers a unique experience with different layers of flavors that complement of each other. If you enjoy wine, the wine paring program is highly recommended. It definitely elevates the dining experience, sharpening your senses of the food you are tasting. On top that, the wine pairing takes you to a tour of Italy by the glass. All the staff are very hospitable and friendly, some have a sense of humor.

Did the vegetarian tasting menu, which was a pretty incredible experience. The corn custard was unbelievable, with chanterelle mushrooms that stole the show. Their "dry-aged" kohlrabi was inspired, what a brilliant way to prepare a vegetable. Ate every bite of all the ~10 courses. Plus two generous pieces of bread. And the desert bites. And the other little treats. Excellent.

Like many of the locals, Acquerello is a successful millennial, just a little over three decades old. It would have been cool to have seen this place before it was converted from a chapel. The history seems to linger with the look, feel, and smells of an older building with the dark wooden beams. We came to celebrate an anniversary with the $150 4-course prix fixe and the $95 wine pairing. We were seated in a cozy little corner and served fresh bread with salt flakes and perfectly wheel shaped pat of butter, which the server informed us is Clover butter. To start, we had a trio of amuse bouches - stuffed olives duck liver mousse, and what I believe were hamachi tarts and olive oil cakes. All were incredibly tasty, and the rest of the dishes were good, but actually did not have as much of an oomph. Carpaccio of Hiramasa, melon, tapioca, fermented pepper - Great! Never thought I'd be eating raw fish with tapioca, but the textures work, similar to that of a poke bowl. Rossotti Ranch vitelo tonnato, caper, Parmesan, olive - Great! Buttery raw slices of veal accompanied with a buttery parmesan cube, an olive and a caper spread. Ridged pasta with faux "foie gras," black truffle, and Marsala - Great! I was most looking forward to the pasta dishes, which were rich and delicious, though not altogether amazing. I would not mistake the creamy sauce for 'faux foie gras' and the 'ridged pasta' resembled rigatoni to me. The black truffle was the best part. On a side note, they kept upselling the truffle, which was kept in an enclosed case. Every time they opened it, the wonderful aroma wafted throughout the restaurant. Cocoa and oxtail ravioli, spiced peanut, crispy leeks - Good! The ravioli, shaped like ridged tartlets, were also rich and tasty, although it is rather on the sweet side. With each successive bite, the sweetness builds. Liberty duck, sour cherry, fennel, smoked honey, black cardamom - Good! Very tender duck with golden brown skin (which could have been crispier) topped with salt flakes, and with crunchy fennel on the side. Sour cherry sauce also added to the sweetness of the meal. Olive oil-poached black bass in saffron and shellfish broth, butter beans, prawn oil - Good! Tender, flaky bass and tasty broth. I actually could have done without the butter beans and the mussels, which were actually a tad overcooked. Affogato - vanilla gelato, Guanajo chocolate, hazelnut, espresso - Great! I didn't expect much from a dish that is typically ice cream and espresso, but this exceeded my expectations. The bittersweet notes from the espresso, chocolate, hazelnut, and gelato were delicious. What put it over the top was actually the dessert wine our sommelier paired it with. It all came together perfectly. Strawberry and pineapple pavlova, lime, mint - Good! This was beautifully plated and the custardy cream and strawberries were wonderful. I wasn't a fan of the candy-like tablets that topped the meringue structure. Petit Fours - Ok! Also beautifully plated, but it didn't do it for me. Madeleines were a bit dense, and the jellies were too sweet. Almond Biscotti - Great! Who doesn't love a take home treat, especially freshly baked almond biscotti? They went great with coffee the next morning. Wine Pairing - Excellent! I can't remember what the wines were, but I remember each glass complemented the dishes so well. The aperitif, which I initially didn't like because it was so exceedingly sweet, was actually delicious with the espresso in the affogato. Food was great, and service was even better, especially our charming sommelier. The wine pairing itself was actually what tied the entire meal together and made the experience worth it.

Fantastic meal and service from start to finish. The wine pairings were both thoughtful and exciting. The food was out of this world. Especially for someone like me, with a few very specific food allergies, everything felt extremely personalized with great attention to detail. The brand new dish with Liberty duck and cherries was to die for; I hope it remains a staple on the menu. The red wine that it was paired with was exquisite, as well. Thank you for a wonderful evening!

I had a wonderful night out with my boyfriend, the seasonal tasting menu made our day; it must be one of the best dining experience in SF. The abalone risotto is definitely my favorite, it tasted amazing!! The chef is awesome and the service is excellent. I would love to come back again when I visit SF.