Fabulous visit to Nine-Ten, which reminded me why it has been one of our favorites since it opened…read more It blows my mind also that Chef Jason Knibb has now been here for 23 years. It says something about the owners that there is been no turnover and he's been able to keep innovating with Chef Jose Alonzo now as the long-term pastry chef. All right - to our meal!
PATIO: remains great. It's covered, which is great on a rainy night, heaters work well. The wind from the ocean can still be a lot, so bring layers anyway.
SERVICE: We had Quinn this visit. He was terrific! Really great recommendations.
COCKTAIL: I have often found the cocktail menus here boring compared to other places in town. This month, there were so many choices that looked really innovative and up my alley. I was deciding between Lion's Tail (Bourbon, Allspice Dram, Lime, Angostura), Trinidad Sour (Angostura Bitters, Rye Whiskey, Orgeat, Lemon), and Crescent City (Smith + Cross Jamaican Rum, Sweet Vermouth, Lime, Angostura). Quinn suggested that the TRINIDAD SOUR was the most interesting given how I described my cocktail preferences - he explained that it was made with a full ounce of angostura bitters, whereas most cocktails have only a dash. It came in a super cute up glass, and was really delightful. Didn't know my socks off but it was fun & tasty and innovative. Yum! 9/10
BREAD: I'm trying to go lower carb, but their sourdough country bread was warm and hearty. I had a teeny piece and spouse enjoyed the rest.
APPETIZERS: Spouse got an off-menu item, the simple green salad with champagne vinaigrette you can always ask for her. I got the current incarnation of the TUNA CRUDO (Charred brassicas relish, currants, lime segments, aleppo, radish flowers, fresno chile, kombu oil). It was beautifully presented and fun to eat; healthy and light. The brassico relish and currants on the tuna were a really nice combination. I approve! 9/10
ENTREES: I got the current halibut preparation (they always have halibut on the menu but they mix up how they do it): Yu choy, black trumpet mushroom, spring onions, date puree, buddhas hand marmalade, sumac, sunflower, green garlic dashi emulsion. Gorgeous, and who needs carbs! The fish was perfectly cooked and the other things worked really well with it: 9/10
WINE PAIRING: I decided to get a glass to drink with the halibut. Quinn suggested pairing it with a gruner veltliner - he said they had been playing around with pairings and this was a surprising match. It was a super fun food wine (also one of the cheaper wines by the glass, $15) and worked really well. I sipped it without the halibut, meh, not my kind of wine - but as soon as I was drinking it with the halibut (and then with my dessert), it was super delish and paired well. 10/10 here on the pairing.
DESSERT: I love Chef Jose Alonzo's more fanciful creations, but we went old school & got the half baked chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, which is a classic here for the reason. It's not like you never had this dessert before - but it is *perfection* here. The chocolate was really rich - and the ice cream is just the ideal texture and flavor. The vanilla bean comes through strongly and it's perfectly smooth. 10/10 to end the meal.
Valets and hostess were nice too. We'll be back again, of course, even if it takes us a few months to put it back in the rotation!