Valle — Restaurant in Oceanside

Just returned from our first experience here and in no way will this be our last. It was an absolutely amazing experience that brought back so many memories of my father’s cooking in new and interesting ways throughout the dinner. I can not say enough about our experience and we hope to be regulars for years to come.

As a quick note: For some of the negative reviews you will read here, just note: this is a fine dinning restaurant and a strict cancellation policy is standard. A quick look at Addison and you will see the same policy as the amount of time, attention, and quality that is brought into every diners experience is evident the moment you walk into Valle. I hate starting with such a negative tone but reading through some of the negative reviews just blows my mind.

First of all, the service was absolutely impeccable. From the moment we walked in until the moment we left, it felt like we were guests in this family’s home. Every person knew our names, that we were celebrating our 15th anniversary, and took more that a passing moment to make us feel truly at home. And during our dinner, it truly was a ballet that every member was a part of in how the food was presented to us, the clearing and laying of new place settings, and anticipating our every move throughout the service. We never felt rushed, we never felt a nuisance, and they answered any question we had about the food as each plate came across. A quick tour of the kitchen and you can tell the level of care and creation that go into each dish. We also had a chance to meet and talk with the chef and look forward to seeing them all again soon.

And that brings us to the food, and it brought smiles across our faces throughout the evening. This is using Mexican ingredients and using them in various unexpected ways to create tastes and flavor profiles that can hit on memories or create new ones after each plate. This also means if you don’t like corn, might not be a spot for you. If you are unwilling to try mole, might not be the right fit. But if you are willing to trust the chef here and try every dish as intended, you will not be disappointed. From the fish taco amuse bouche to the mole onion tart, to the black cod, and finishing with the corn ash macaron, every dish was excellent and left us wanting to try the next dish. I loved every bite and felt very sad that I could not finish our lamb barbacoa as we were too full and still had 3 desert dishes left to go!

Thank you again to Nick who was our master of ceremonies for the evening, but also to everyone of you who joined us tonight. We will be back many times and look forward to trying the...

Let me commence by commending the staff for their exceptional service. Their attentiveness, kindness, and assistance were indeed noteworthy. Despite our anticipation for a delightful Michelin Star dining experience, our expectations were sadly unmet. Not to worry though , they add an automatic 20% service charge to your bill so the staff is taken care of .

Our reservation, made over a month in advance, led us to an outdoor seating on the patio. Contrary to the fine dining ambiance we anticipated, we were greeted by metal tables and patio chairs, hardly reflective of a Michelin Star restaurant setting. The overwhelming noise from a nearby surf competition concert, compounded by traffic noise, significantly marred our dining experience, making it challenging to engage in any conversation about the delightful dishes we hoped to enjoy.

The absence of the promised valet parking, owing to a beach event, added to the inconvenience, compelling my husband to park a considerable distance away. While the external noise was beyond the restaurant's control, a thoughtful seating arrangement indoors could have salvaged our evening, offering us the enjoyable dining experience we eagerly anticipated.

Amidst the cacophony, the patio seating felt akin to a casual backyard gathering, overshadowed by a blaring concert, hardly justifying the substantial expenditure of over $500 for a meal for two.

As for the culinary experience, it unfortunately did not compensate for the unfavorable ambiance. The dishes, characterized by an overpowering acidity and saltiness, lacked the harmonious balance of flavors we sought. The Lamb Birria, chosen by my husband, was disappointingly gamey, accompanied by dry and acidic tortillas. By the fourth course, our eagerness had dwindled, replaced by a longing for the meal to conclude.

In reflection, our experiences at other Michelin Star restaurants starkly contrast with this visit, leaving us perplexed at this establishment's inclusion in the esteemed Michelin list. Despite the commendable staff, the overall experience fell significantly short of our expectations, leaving us with a lingering disappointment and an unfulfilled desire for a truly exquisite dining experience.

$545...

I was excited to try this new restaurant due to its beautiful location and incredible reviews about the chef. My family and I came here in May and were thrilled with the ambience and décor. The service was overall very good. Quan took great care of us - he is obviously highly experienced and understood the food and wine options available.

The amuse bouche was absolutely to die for. The first course was also very good. We noticed that after the first course, the quality and excitement of the dishes declined. The wow factor definitely disappeared after the first course for the majority of items. The uni that my fiancé added onto one dish was slightly too fishy for our taste (could have been fresher). Many of the options were forgettable.

The dessert was almost inedible. Three of us at the table tried it and hated it. Now, I usually can find a way to enjoy sweets after a meal, but not this one. No one came by the table to ask how the desserts were - they simply came and removed our plates with no mention that half the desserts were hardly touched. Throughout the meal, they were boxing up our leftovers in the back. I have no problem doing it at my table, but the servers insisted they hold it in the back for us. Now the problem with that was we realized once we got home that they had forgotten to return them to us.

For a $700+ meal, we were left feeling very "meh" about it. I think there is a lot of potential, but you could tell many of the staff were very green and there were a lot of kinks to still be worked out. The food was hit and miss. Although they are all very thought out dishes, I say skip the prix fixe and create a menu where you aren't forced to choose 1 of 4 options for 4 courses if they all aren't up to par in quality.

If you're looking for a spectacular experience with top tier food, go to Jeune and Jolie. Or for something that doesn't cost almost $200pp (with drinks), there are many great options in Oceanside that have exceptionally delicious and consistent menus. Overall it was a fine experience, but I won't be returning...