I’d made a reservation at that fabulous BYOB just about 30 min south for 3 friends who’d joined us before as well as three n00bz — bc I always try to include folks who’ve not been able to get in (it’s t-t-t-t-tricky!).
As ever, the welcome bites were a wonderful way to settle in, with a rhubarb & rose agua fresca, lemon rose foam, and rose sugar, a smoked butter dipped radish with morel salt, and a tapioca chip with white bean and charred spring onion hummus, and curry leaf dukka.
The first course, billi bi soup (potato, wild leek, super tender and lightly smoked P.E.I. Mussels, dashi, saffron cream, nori, sake, oyster crackers, fermented ramp salt) was fantastic, if not my favorite bowl of the evening.
The second course, local spring greens salad with shaved spring vegetables, sherry dijon vinaigrette and fine herbs was refreshing and light.
I was suspicious of the third course — carrot cavatelli with ricotta, nettle pesto, carrot butter, hazelnut, crispy garlic & shallot, micro-greens, carrot dust, bc I only like carrots in pacific dishes and preps (like my legendary carrot soup with chicken and noodz 
), but this was quite nice, and not overwhelmed by carroticity.
The intermezzo was a lovely cucumber lime mezcál sorbet with cucumber relish.
The main, Binchotan roasted prime NY strip with beef tallow hash brown, grilled bitter greens with truffle shoyu vinaigrette, miso creamed morel, bordelaise, and ramp butter was all that and then some.
In fact, I didn’t even get close to finishing as the portions are generous for a fancy place, and we’ve left uncomfortably full on previous visits. Looks like I have a nice dinner for after my show tonight 
Saving about 2/3 of that plate left space for dessert: a gorgeous rhubarb ice cream with pizelle cookie crumble, fennel olive oil granita, lemon gel, pickled rhubarb. Stunning presentation, and a true symphony of flavors.
We brought a cheap-ass bubbly rosé, a fruit-forward Riesling & a Primitivo, all of which were good companions for the food.
Chef Quintin came out after the meal to chat with our table, and we noticed a hand brace. He’s been struggling with terrible arthritis pain and may not be able to open next week 
We wished him the best should he opt for (another) surgery, but recovery for these things (as @Desert-Dan knows) is lengthy.
The nicest surprise of the evening came when the friend who offered to drive us also covered my PIC’s and my bill 
We had him over for a nightcap of bubbly water & kitty entertainment.
