My husband and I celebrated our 14th anniversary at Citron, and what started as a regular dinner…read morereservation turned into a really memorable evening.
This was our first visit, so I had simply made a standard dinner reservation and wasn't expecting anything beyond a nice anniversary dinner. We were warmly greeted by the hostess and seated promptly. Our server welcomed us and told us about one special for the evening.
As we looked around, however, we noticed several other tables seemed to be having a completely different experience with multiple courses and numerous wine glasses. When our server returned, I asked what they were having.
That was when we learned that we had happened to dine at Citron on the night of its Meet Clay Mauritson event featuring Clay Mauritson, owner of Mauritson Winery in Sonoma, California. The evening included Mauritson Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon paired with the chef's tasting menu, while guests could also order from Citron's regular à la carte dinner menu. None of this had been mentioned to us when we were seated.
After our server explained the tasting menu and its price, I asked to see the menu. I also specifically asked whether there were any other special menus, experiences, or dining options available that evening that we had not been told about. She said there were not, so we decided to do the five-course tasting menu and wine pairing.
I do have to mention that this initial interaction left me uncomfortable. I cannot know why the special wine dinner and tasting menu were not presented to us when we were seated, particularly when other guests were clearly participating in it. As a younger-looking Black couple, and with me having visible tattoos, it did cross my mind that assumptions may have been made about whether we would be interested in--or able to afford--the experience.
I hope that was not the case. However, being in a fine-dining restaurant and having to notice what other guests were receiving and then ask whether that experience was available to us did not sit well with me. Every guest should be informed of the dining experiences available that evening and allowed to decide for themselves whether they are interested.
Thankfully, from that point forward, the evening was exceptional. Once we chose the tasting menu, the sommelier came to our table with the wine glasses and began explaining the wines and pairings. Throughout the evening, several people stopped by our table, and those interactions ended up being one of the highlights of the night.
We had a lengthy conversation with Charles Levine, who was quite the animated character--in the best possible way. He was incredibly personable, engaging, and genuinely fun to talk with. Clay Mauritson also sat with us for a while, talked with us about the wines and winery, and even gave us his card. Those personal touches made the evening feel much more intimate than we ever expected when we originally made the reservation.
And the food was outstanding.The five-course tasting menu and wine pairings were easily among the best food-and-wine pairings we have experienced. Each course was beautifully prepared, and the wines complemented the food exceptionally well. What we thought would simply be a nice anniversary dinner unexpectedly became a full culinary and wine experience.
Afterward, I looked at reviews across several sites because I was curious to see whether our experience was typical. The recent feedback seems somewhat mixed, with some guests describing excellent experiences and others reporting that the food or service could be inconsistent. That made me realize that we may have caught Citron on an especially strong night. With Mr. Mauritson there personally, the wine dinner taking place, and the level of attention from Mr. Levine, the sommelier, and the staff, this may have been an extra-special evening rather than a typical night at the restaurant.
That doesn't take anything away from our experience--it was genuinely excellent--but it does make me interested in returning on a regular evening to see how the experience compares.
We were especially appreciative that Citron was able to accommodate us even though we had not originally reserved the tasting experience. Outside of my concern about how the evening began, the staff was professional, attentive, and gracious, and the remainder of our experience was wonderful. The restaurant itself also has a beautiful setting overlooking Quarry Lake. I only wish we had arrived a little earlier because I imagine watching the sunset over the water would have made the evening even more beautiful. The parking situation could be a little better, but that was relatively minor compared with the overall experience.
We will absolutely return. We happened to stumble into a very special evening at Citron, and despite an awkward beginning, it turned into a truly memorable way to celebrate our 14th anniversary.