I and my family had the privelege of dining at Coi this past Friday, November 6, 2009.
The menu was very focused on local available ingredients (as always). For this eleven- course menu, this meant no red meat, but six fruit and vegetable courses (mandarin orange, beets, sunchocke, carrots, chanterelles, greens) one chicken course, one geoduck clam course and one abalone course, and two desserts.
While we had a good experience with the restaurant and the food was excellent and inventive overall, there were a few issues with both the food and the service.I have numerous food sensitivities and those were ably addressed on my first visit to Coi last year.
This attention to detail was the primary reason I went back. That, and the two delicious gluten-, dairy- and egg-free desserts that were presented as the final two courses, a pair of truffles and a chocolate "souffle". (I called and thanked the restaurant at the time.)
This time out, the kitchen was out of synch. They brought me 2 versions of the geoduck dish, one was clam-free and only had leeks. I believe this was because I could not eat the sorbet dish presented as the first course, but it threw off the balance of the meal for the evening as I was served a dish first and then, for the next course, the same dish was presented to the rest of the table.
This also threw off the wine pairing.
And, my last three dishes were ALL sorbets. Now, they were tasty, but at every other restaurant in the city, the only dessert option I am EVER presented is sorbet. Since I had previosuly been served TWO chocloately, gooey, yummy desserts at Coi, the triple-sorbet menu was even more disappointing.
I just expected the high standards of my first experience to be equalled at this vist and, unfortunately, that was not the case. Chef Patterson and the Coi experience present a dining experience around $300 per person (including wine), and for that price, I hoped for better service, and, to be served something for the dessert courses that is not sorbet.
Thank you for listening.
Cheers,
ChristinaLabels: coi, geoduck, gluten-free