REVIEW - Prospect

We ate here last night, to celebrate our 7th Wedding Anniversary.

(I was going to post a loving message to Mrs. Page here, but she told me over dinner that I only did that last year because I was "in trouble for doing something wrong". She couldn't exactly remember what it was, but felt certain I had deserved whatever it was I was in trouble for, and that a repeat posting would not in any way absolve me of whatever I had done wrong last year, nor would it in insure me against repeating whatever it was I did last time. Phew, glad we cleared that up, because I wouldn't want to be in trouble for something I hadn't done).

Anyhow, back to Prospect.

Aside from the deep love emanating across our particular table, the restaurant was too reminiscent of a busy hotel dining room. Yes, it was elegantly decorated, but so are many hotel restaurants. The staff was good-ish, but had to work to overcome the negatives of not having our table ready until 15 minutes after our reservation, and then taking far too long to serve us at the bar while we waited.

It was ironic that Prospect advertises itself has having "serious food that doesn't take itself too seriously". Ironic because the food was overly complicated, in a way that better restaurants, like RN 74, achieve seemingly effortlessly.

It was also a meal of mixed success:

My potato dumplings were wonderful, with arugala pistoy, crushed hazelnut, maitakes (Japanese mushrooms), and garroxta (a goat's milk cheese from Spain).

My Pork Belly and Cheek entree was similarly excellent, accompanied by ancient grains, confit fennel, jonathan apple, preserved orange, and scarlet turnips. Probably the only time I've given the thumbs up to a turnip, scarlet or otherwise.

Pavey's meal disappointed, however.

Her Yellowtail Crudo, with seaweed rice cracker, pickled cucumber, and white miso has been better prepared at several other San Francisco restaurants, and her Lamb Loin, with purple artichokes, marcona almond romesco, green olive, mint and tongue relish was mostly tasteless. 

I was hoping to catch a wink, wink, nudge, nudge compliment of the order "your tongue relish is MUCH better darling", but it probably isn't, and I was already under a cloud (see intro).

Prospect is the "casual concept from the team behind San Francisco's acclaimed Boulevard". Well, I don't "acclaim" Boulevard, having been deeply underwhelmed the couple of times I've eaten there, and Prospect isn't THAT casual.

We'll probably see if it's still open for an Anniversary in a few years' time. Until then, we'll stick with RN 74.