we flew up to san francisco to dine at acquerello in their private dining room with our besties in december of 2021. the same besties that flew down to go to morihiro with us a few months earlier! it’s one of their favorite restaurants in the city and we were so honored that they’d share the experience with us.

it was such a weird time. the pandemic felt like it was easing. enough that we all felt we could travel to see each other in person after so much time, but i distinctly recall feeling weirdly nervous about everything. probably because this particular meal was also just a few weeks after omicron was called out. other than these planned “destination” meals, we mostly still stuck to outdoor dining or takeout. we still wore masks when we walked into restaurants and kept them on until we were seated! but i also remember the joy of finally hugging our friends and being able to share this type of meal with them and just how happy i was.

but let’s get back to this particular dining experience -

*0: royal kaluga caviar*, avocado, dill, horseradish cream; *salt & vinegar beef tendon chip*.

it was a pre-fixe menu, which is usually four courses (including dessert), with about four options for each course. there were also supplements, and because our friends have been so many times, we were also able to add an off-menu course. james and i ordered something different for each course so we could try as much as possible! all the things, please!

*1.5: lobster panzerotti*, spicy lobster brodo, diavolicchio.

the food was amazing, but the pasta dishes were truly standout. the lobster panzerotti is our friend jon’s favorite and the off-menu item he made sure we’d be able to get while we were there. a lusciously, spectacular taste of the sea. i was blown away.

*3: liberty duck*, sour cherry, fennel, smoked honey, black cardamom.

*3: kampot peppercorn-crusted A5 wagyu beef*, buckwheat, butternut squash and comtè tart, bone marrow jus.

the cheese course was technically a supplement, but since i don’t have a sweet tooth and “an unusual selection of italian cheeses” was too intriguing (plus james and i both really love cheese), they let me swap my dessert option for the cheese!

*4: an unusual selection of italian cheeses and condiments.*

and of course the service was impeccable. warm and knowledgeable, without being stuffy or fussy. everything you’d expect from a michelin two star restaurant. all in all, we had a lovely experience, but being with our friends was definitely the best part.