SF | 🌟🌟 Acquerello: Unlimited Desserts with a Short Menu

My second big meal in the Bay Area, and it was such a steal to enjoy Michelin-starred dining for just over a hundred dollars! I highly recommend it and am definitely planning to come back. I wish Chicago’s Michelin restaurants would also offer more affordable short menus. The menu includes four courses, which is quite reasonable, and my partner and I, with our small appetites, were absolutely stuffed by the end. In the evening, parking nearby is even free—every little saving helps! 🚗 The atmosphere of the restaurant was really pleasant from the moment we walked in. The large vase in the center of the restaurant and the small flowers on each table were lovely touches. Even the restrooms had beautiful floral arrangements! Although the overall layout of the place looks a bit like a large barn... the dim lighting, decor, and bouquets really set the mood. 🌹 We were given three complimentary appetizer bites, which were pretty standard—truffle puff pastry, scallion bread, and a caviar cigar. We were told to eat them in order, but I couldn’t really tell the difference. 🥪 For the appetizers, I ordered the beef tartare, which was said to have three different seasonings. The combination of tuna sauce and cheese was quite nice, but overall, it was pretty average. The other dish was smoked salmon with salmon roe and a fennel sauce. This dish looked very elegant and tasted amazing—rich fish flavors with a refreshing touch from the green apple and other vegetables. 🍣 For the main course, I had the duck liver and truffle pasta, which has been on the menu for 30 years. Low-key opinion: Maybe they’re not very innovative, but it’s really delicious. The sauce is rich without being greasy, and the foie gras paste has a creamy texture, while the pasta is perfectly al dente! (Just had to call out Chicago’s two-star Oriole for their truffle pasta, which was really not good!) 🍝 The other main course was oxtail pasta, which was also delicious but a bit lighter. It included beef thymus, which might not be for everyone who avoids offal, but I loved it! 🥩 For the entrée, I had duck, which was perfectly cooked with crispy skin. The duck sausage with red wine sauce was quite unique, and the fried greens were nice, though a bit heavy after a while. The other dish was bluefin tuna, which was incredibly tender and flavorful with a perfect sear and a peppery crust. I highly recommend this dish! 🦆 The dessert mascarpone pudding wasn’t anything special, but the panna cotta was amazing. It was shaped like an egg, and they even made a show of cutting it open to reveal the creamy center. The base was made of creamy chocolate, and the sauce in the middle was a great palate cleanser. For the anniversary, they also gave us a mini coffee cake, which was thoughtful but not as good as Whole Foods’. 🍰 Finally, the highlight—the dessert cart with unlimited desserts! I basically took a bit of everything and added a pina colada sorbet. Most of them were really good, with my favorites being the pistachio tart and black sesame chocolate. If I had been more shameless, I probably could have kept taking until I was full! 🍭 To finish, they gave us a homemade cookie, which was perfect with its rich nutty aroma. I loved it! 🍪 #SanFrancisco #BayArea #MichelinExperience #FoodieHeaven