Kat's 9 Lives

I am so lucky and fortunate to be friends with Chef Crenn who was able to get me in short notice. Luce is pretty booked these days so if you would like to go, be sure to book ahead of time. They are currently offering a 4-course Michelin Menu for only $60. Congratulations to Luce and Chef Crenn for obtaining 1 Michelin Star! *even though she deserves more ^_-* It is an awesome deal for the wonderful food you get. Where else can you get a lobster course for that price? Especially in SF! lol As I have mentioned in my previous post that I love the fact that she is so personable. She always takes the time to come out and greet her guests to make sure everyone is enjoying the food. I always get a nice cozy feeling when I am here. It makes the meal that much better when you know the Chef is actually there and cares so much about the people dining.To start off the night we had an amouse bouche of Fromage Blanc, Hazelnut Puree, and Roasted Beets. The thing that looked like a macaron was very delicate and melted/crumbled in my mouth. I loved the texture. It reminded me of a delectable breakfast cereal. The beets were really exemplified on the palate. All the components came together in harmony.Due to my “vegetable” allergies… **achoo** lol O=9 We didn’t get the salad course and got a special treat from Chef Crenn. She delighted us with a hollowed egg shell filled with Dungeness Crab, Pickled Apple Ginger, Crème Fraîche, Uni, American Sturgeon Caviar, and a toasted Brioche. The uni is blended with the ginger and apple. It was a beautiful, rich, and velvety texture. Normally I hate ginger but this was very smooth and flavored well. The apple adds a delectable crisp texture and the ginger complimented the crab well. I really enjoyed the crab that was super fresh and extremely flavorful by itself. This was such a delight and a special treat! ^_^On the menu they list that Sweetbread & Tongue, Egg Pancetta Jus, and Potato “Espuma”. A quick search on the web said that “Espuma” was foam. I am not sure if I heard wrong or maybe we had a slightly different dish, but my notes are a little different. It was Sweetbread, Beef Tongue, Sweet Onion, a Slow-cooked Egg, and Potato Touille. The flavors were superb. I loved the sweetbread’s flavor and texture. The deep smoky flavor sang in my mouth. I thought the beef tongue was super tender and flavored to perfection. It just melted in my mouth. The egg was beautifully done. It almost felt like air. If you weren’t told that this was a cooked egg that it was so tender that you’d swear it was raw! Lol My friend was so funny. He loved all the thin crispy veggies and was asking if there was any way he could purchase a bag of them to eat at home! LolFor the palate cleanser we had a Coconut Mint Snow. I thought the flavor was superb. The airy snow had such a finely grated coconut texture that melted and ruminated inside the mouth. It was a great compliment to the previous course. Everything was so light and delectable that you could eat this for non-stop and still feel whimsical.I called/texted ahead for this course. What meal would complete without my beloved Foie Gras!?! The next course was a Seared Foie Gras served with a Persimmon Truffled Couscous and Micro Greens mixed in. Let’s just say that I LOVE Dominique even more now!!!! If possible! O=9 The foie gras was seared to perfection. Before, during, and after the dish I was still trying to convince my friend that he shouldn’t have the foie gras since he is not a big fan and that I would “gladly” help him eat the dish. O=) The salt crystals at the edge were heavenly to bring out the flavor. I almost had to defend my succulent piece! It’s that I’m a slow eater and try to savor my favorite part, the foie gras, as those who have finished around me start eyeing my treasure! Lol The persimmons were a nice light touch to compliment the foie gras and enhance the salty flavor. How can you every go wrong with adding truffle oil to the couscous? The couscous was nicely cooked. They were al dente on the outside but cooked thoroughly inside.When you think the evening can’t get any better… next came the Lobster course!!! Mmmmmmmm! This is on the tasting menu and what a great deal! It’s Lobster, Potato Gnocchi, and a Bone Marrow Bubble. Delish! The lobster was tender and flavorful. As many of you know, I am a huge fan of lobster. I kept trying to stick my fork onto Ms. Lin’s plate to usurp her dish… not the first time I did it that night. O=9 The gnocchi were done wonderfully. It was chewy and so fragrant. Everything had a delectable fragrance and the sauce delightful & creamy… then I discovered the salt crystals… Wham! A surge of flavor that was simply superb!As a special treat, we were given an extra course of Suckling Pig with Eggplant Caviar and Pickled Apples. The suckling pig was tender and wonderfully cooked. All the meat fell off easily by the simple touch of the fork. Underneath the juicy cut was a wonderful surprise of pork belly! ^_^ It’s one of the best parts because it absorbs the most flavor.This might be a shock to all, but my favorite dish of the night was probably the Squab “In the Forest”. Even though the foie gras and lobster are super close, but the squab just stunned us all. Included is a Leg Confit, Pomegranate, not sure if the center was a type of “confit”, and a vanilla brioche *not sure if I heard right*. Lol OMG it doesn’t matter, this dish was simply D-I-V-I-N-E! I swear that I didn’t want to hear the sound of my silverware hit the bottom! >_< OMG, the rolled squab was mind numbingly good. I’m salivating at the mere thought of its astounding flavor and texture! You get the slight hint of liver flavor ruminating around. The meat was so tender that I thought I had died and gone to heaven! Lol Ms. Lin didn’t say anything about the centerpiece after taking the first bite, she just kept telling us to start eating it so that she would not build up our expectations… we both took a bite and our jaws dropped! Lol Later, we were let in on a secret of where the meat comes from. The squab comes from a Buddhist & Zen farm where they whisper to the squab. Whatever they did, it sure is working! I might have to ask for the name of the farm so I can order some delicious meat! As it turns out the, the centerpiece was breast & skin wrapped in prosciutto circumference with a port wine reduction. Ms. Lin was coming back the week after for her birthday and I was so jealous. I really wished I could be there or if Ms. Lin could bring me a delicious gift of squab for Thanksgiving! LolRounding out the night was a duo delight. That night we had a Huckleberry Financier and a Coconut-Lime Sorbet. The crumb under the sorbet was delightful. It added a great crunch to the soft texture of the sorbet. I couldn’t get enough of the crumbs. The huckleberry was fresh and plentiful in the financier. I thoroughly enjoyed the financier. Everything just came together greatly.To top the evening off we were given a Chocolate Mignardises. It was a wonderful evening of food and fun. We had a great time chatting and were very fortunate to get in last minute. The food was amazing and left me wanting more! I was up in SF for the Foodbuzz Festival and we had a great evening at the food fair but this topped the evening off! On the same trip, Ms. Lin and I went to Ad Hoc and we both agree that Luce was much better! I love Chef Dominique Crenn! Be sure to check out this wonderful menu. They are only offering this menu from November 1-21^st. I am giving this post priority for great reason! ^_^ I hope all you foodies out there get a chance to taste the wonders of Chef Crenn and at a wonderful price! If I lived up in SF, I’d come back once or twice a week! She’d be so sick of me by the end of the month! Lol Hurry and book a reservation now! Bon Appétit!Luce
888 Howard St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 616-6566