San Diego has waited a long time for a restaurant like this. I would ignore the few mediocre ratings posted by others. It's evident by their posts they aren't used to dining in a fine dining establishment. In some ways this restaurant is above and beyond what most individuals in San Diego are familiar with. I lived there from 1997-2004, and am very familiar with the options. This experience is very similar to dining at a restaurant in NYC, London, Vegas, or San Francisco. Fine dining is about impeccable service, quality over quantity, and expert wines. This restaurant has all of those. The food was presented beautifully and was delicious. The staff were friendly and professional. We travel to Napa every October and are very familiar with wines and were very impressed with the selection. They has several of our favorites. I'd actually say compared to the French Laundry which we ate at last year, this restaurant has better service, better quality food, and is less costly. We had the tasting menu with wine pairing which came to around $300, while our tasting menu at the French Laundry was $800! Definitely worth it if you have the income. If you are on a budget and looking for large portions, I agree, try Cheesecake factory. I would pay this price for ambiance and food any day over the mediocre restaurants in the Gaslamp.
Pros: ambiance, food, service, wine list
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