RAVE - State Bird Provisions

I guess there's little point in singing the praises of this white hot restaurant in one of San Francisco's less desirable neighborhood's - steps from the Boom Boom Room - when so many people have already done so, but our visit there last evening at least showed why this place has such a following.

First, getting a reservation requires dedication, perseverance, and - in our case - someone else to get that reservation and then be unable to make it due to lack of a babysitter. And then it was 6pm on a Monday evening, a time when we'd normally be traveling home from work and looking forward to a completely blank agenda.

On this Monday however, the agenda was decidedly un-blanked at the last minute and 8 lucky souls swept into a frenetic State Bird dining room.

Small parties can choose from the restaurant's roving carts of Dim Sum-style selections. Groups of our size are required to have the tasting menu, which last night was seventeen courses, comprising:

• Hog Island oyster, spicy kohlrabi kraut and sesame
• Fuyu persimmon with kinako
• Tuna conserve 'chip and dip'
• Hedgehog mushroom toast
• Sourdough, sauerkraut, pecorino and ricotta pancake
• Duck liver mousse with almond biscuit

• Garlic bread with burrata
• Fresh Hawaiian heart of palm salad with tahini-chili oil
• Pork belly citrus salad
• Cast iron quail eggs, farro, green olive salsa verde and apple
• Huckleberry beet and goat cheese

• California State bird (quail) with provisons
• Maitake and duck fried rice a la plancha
• Dungeness crab kimchi yuba with smoked egg bottarga
• Grilled beef with king trumpets, brussels sprouts and umeboshi-rosemary vinaigrette

• Cheesecake japonaise, guava cream, kiwi, pomelo
• Szechuan pepper ice cream sandwich, chocolate beer coulis, cashews

There was nothing overly fancy, fussy, or frou-frou about the food. It was all brilliantly-prepared, with everything tasting just right. There wasn't a moment when we weren't getting served the next course, getting our wine glasses topped up, or asked if everything was to our liking.

And it most definitely was.