There's a large barroom on the left, with plenty of little tables as well as bar seating, and two dining rooms on the right, separated by a cleverly angled wooden partition that makes the high-ceilinged space seem more intimate. But even that strikingly fleshy display is discreetly tucked away. The meat dishes come on big plates adorned with really excellent peppery watercress, in sufficient quantity to count as salad rather than garnish. Nor am I in love with our two sauces, which we pretty well ignore. We take home some of our meat but scrape the vegetable pans clean.
Desserts deviate from the even-dozen standard.
We go for the most intriguing options, lemon meringue pie, and coconut cream pie with vanilla bean sauce. They're both very pretty but not compelling enough to finish. The oysters, lamb, and vegetables were faultless, and the service cosseting. Lisa's impressed that the place is nearly full on a Monday night. Lisa, my specialist in California wineries, takes charge of the wine list.