We are excitedly looking forward to our anniversary celebration. The day has certainly started off well with a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses!
We head up to Healdsburg for an overnight and dinner at SingleThread, a restaurant which has recently received 3 Michelin stars. We have eaten at Michelin starred places before and had some incredible meals so we are looking forward to a gastronomic extravaganza.
A pictorial rendition of our dinner –
This is the most expensive meal we have ever eaten. The blandness of the first five or so dishes is overwhelming. Along with the repetitive tastes and textures we have ordered the incredibly expensive wine pairing. The first five are all mineral forward white wines from France, Germany, and Austria. The pours are tiny. We figure they are charging about $100 a 6 oz. pour. We ask the sommelier to check back with us after we try the wine so we can discuss it or maybe even ask for something different. He ignores us completely.
At one point the serving person asks me how I liked the sake. I say that sake is not my favorite due to its floral taste. She haughtily asks me where else have I eaten? Like I am some sort of rube that just came in off the potato truck. I am taken aback.
In addition to being ignored and insulted the waitstaff also speaks in hushed whispers. We cannot hear half of what they are saying. Three times we ask them to speak more loudly. They ignore our requests.
There are some really tasty vegetables and bites that stand out in this meal. I give their kitchen staff 3 stars for tweezer use. I also enjoyed their bathroom with the Japanese toilet that opens up as you walk in and shines a purple light on the bowl. The padded seat is warm and inviting.
So next year on our anniversary we will dine at a favorite restaurant which will treat us with respect, have tasty, varied dishes, more and better wine, and not cost an embarrassing amount of money.