Aqua

You can call me AQUAwhore.
I loved this place. Absolutely loved this place and now it’s no more.

Well, you were my first fine dining experience, and I’m sad to see you closed.
This was years ago so I can’t really write a detailed review…
I came on valentine’s day and the highlight of the meal was the chocolate heart dessert that was heaven in my mouth.
wagyu beef left me wanting more and more!
and the plastic fish (because it was oh-​so-​entertaining!)

This was the most memorable meal of my life. I was sad when I heard this restaurant was closed. I was just on Unilocal planning my restaurants for my upcoming trip to SF and I was planning on going to Aqua.
We started with a bottle of Frank Family Vineyard Cabernet. Perfect. I had the 3 course tasting — starting with the tuna Tartar — prepared table side — the entrée was a Hawaiian fish I have never heard of but was the best fish I have ever had, dessert was perfect.
So sorry to see them close but I will always remember that meal.

I was here recently with some colleagues, and had their standard fixed price meal of three courses. My compadres had petrale sole, and carpaccio, whereas I had the foie gras terrine and the black cod. I enjoyed my foie gras, though the portions were large. I love the richness — but I can only eat so much foie gras before I feel like tapping out. It was enough to get me to think about giving up… :)
The cod was excellent, wrapped in a banana leaf with chillis and seasoning. Succulant and flavourful, I devoured it with aplomb.
My dessert was also tasty; a vanilla panna cotta.
Décor recalls roman stonework, although they’re clearly not roman.

This place lives up to their reputations; «You go hungry, and you leave hungry». Yup, their food portions are probably smaller scale if you’re used to the ordinary American style.
Seriously though, both the service and the food were superb. I am not sure how much the tab was, but I’d imagine it was quite expensive.

Aqua… there’s a soft spot in my heart for you… for many reasons. I will TRY to be as objective as possible…
I had lunch here today with my sister and my mom. Made a reservation in advance, and I recommend that you do the same… especially if you are limited on time. We were greeted and seated immediately… though I never doubted their professional service.
I think I already praised a lot about the overall experience in my first review, so I’ll focus more on the food this time.
1. Tartare of Ahi Tuna — one of Aqua’s most famous dishes, and it is with good reason. The presentation was gorgeous, and our waiter tested my patience as he skillfully mixed the tartare for me. I bit into the tartare + toast and found a combination of fresh tuna, egg yolk, pine nuts, sesame oil, spices or herbs I cannot name but can taste, and crispy bread.
2. Asparagus salad — my mom had this and she shared some with me; marinated white and green asparagus with shaved cheese and asparagus skins, alfalfa sprouts… there was a mustard-​y sauce. Fresh and light, very pleasant. Loved how it looked so effortless and simple but was packed with flavor.
3. Complimentary soup and a fried seafood ball … I have a tendency to forget names of free things.
4. Salmon with Cardoon And White Bean Terrine, House Made Prosciutto, Meyer Lemon Barigoule — let me tell you why this was fabulous… you could taste the distinctive flavor of each of the elements and then when you come them together, it’s so delicious. The salmon was *just* borderline cooked, which yielded to a very moist texture. The sauces were all really good. The saltiness from the prosciutto brought a nice balance.
Sister had the Petrale Sole and mom got the Business Lunch. I had a tiny bit of their dishes, but I found mine to be the most memorable out of all.
Does Aqua bake their own bread? That’s a question I’ve been wanting to know for the longest time. I have to control myself from overdosing on the yummy, warm, bottomless bread. They had put what appeared like pink sea salt on top of their butter. Oh man.
I had to rush back to the office and could not stay for dessert (and the petit fours!) I must admit, I felt pretty incomplete for the rest of the day.
Aqua, we just renewed our love.

When I last ate here as Aqua proper (not a special event) Michael Mina was the rising star with George Morrone bringing the accolades.
I luckily sat next to a vintner who supplied Aqua with wine and Chef Mina sat between us for a extended period of time.
Ahh how the times have changed…
I recently had a fabulous dinner with Laurent Manrique stepping aside for Eric Ripert to spin his Le Bernadin magic. Now Chef Manrique is no longer there, they’ve lost both their Michelin Stars and the Bacchus group has taken control of the restaurant.
With the takeover what will be the fate? If Bacchus can execute like they have with Spruce I have faith that the 5 stars I’ve given it from the old days will stand. Fingers crossed.

My visit to Aqua neatly finished my collection of the 2 star establishments in my Michelin guide to San Francisco 2007 edition. Yes, I know that Coi was promoted to 2 stars in this year’s edition. Coi, you’re in my sights for my next trip!
I booked for a Sunday evening and despite the surrounding FiDi streets being ghostly empty, there was a good number of diners in with a nice buzz about the place.
I like that Aqua’s nautical theme extended to fish shaped door handles. The restaurant has a nice open feel with a lovely flower arrangement in the centre of the room
I was touched to be welcomed as a visitor from London with a complimentary glass of champagne! In fact, I was so touched that I didn’t have the heart to tell them I don’t drink but sipped at it throughout my dinner, eventually finishing it by dessert!
Adrienne, my server, was very attentive throughout the service. I was offered a warm baguette with nice home-​made butter
I have been well served by my policy of eating tasting menus in fine dining restaurants as I get to sample more dishes and the chef gets to showcase his or her best work. However, I think I made the wrong choice in Aqua in going for the Shellfish Tasting Menu over the a la carte and I’ll explain why at the end of this review
Shellfish tasting menu
1. Baked Kumamoto oyster, thyme, sweet garlic butter
This came as 3 small oysters in their shell with minimal flashy accompaniments to detract from their sweet briny taste
2. Geoduck clam, radish, jalapeño, red onion, caviar
This was like a ceviche but I felt it needed a bit more lime to get the balance right
3. Sauté of abalone, crushed potato, fleur de sel
Being Chinese, I adore abalone and this was probably my favourite dish though the portion was small
4. Dungeness crab & cauliflower soufflé, sea urchin chive butter
Technically good soufflé but no sea urchin flavour in the butter.
5. Substitution. The kitchen had run out of the diver scallop & veal breast on the menu, so I got saffron risotto instead. This came with super sweet Nantucket scallop, prawns, mussels and clams
6. Grilled Maine lobster, sea been, sunchoke, red wine Bearnaise
Lovely dish. I hadn’t expected Bearnaise to go so well with seafood
7. Extra intermezzo of apricot tart with honey granite
Good combination
8. Hazelnut sponge cake, poached rhubarb, crème fraîche sorbet
The sponge was light and was enhanced by its partners on the plate
Mignardines were served despite me not having coffee
So why only 4 stars? Firstly, the food came out slowly. Despite the restaurant only being half full, there was often a 15 minute gap between courses. Very unusual that I was having to eat bread as I was hungry — normally I deliberately don’t eat bread as there’s so much food in a tasting menu
That brings me onto why I wouldn’t recommend the shellfish tasting menu. I adore shellfish but the portions here were small, emphasised by being served in small plates and bowls. I’ve never come out of eating a tasting menu feeling hungry
In contrast, looking at fellow diners’ tables, there were some lovely looking a la carte dishes served in big portions — the cod and sturgeon both looked yummy. I also felt a little aggrieved that my more expensive tasting menu didn’t come with an amuse bouche whereas the a la carte did. I spied a croquette and watermelon consommé — double disappointment as I love watermelon!
As for the food, I suppose that it’s hard to fully judge as shellfish is best when not messed about with too much. There was good food but not enough wow moments to merit the 5 stars.
Which makes me a little guilty as they did give me free champagne

Review for 7 course tasting menu ONLY. The 3 course is just a terrible value.
Oyster: Baked Kumamoto Oyster, Thyme, Sweet Garlic Butter. It’s like your regular raw oyster married a millionaire. Just slightly baked so the oyster still has the nice soft texture, not cooked and tough.
Geoduck Clam: Ceviche of Geoduck Clam, Red Onion, Mint, caviar. The most plain dish of all. I’m not a fan of caviar, no matter how expensive they are.
Abalone: Sauté of Abalone, Crushed Potato, Fleur De Sel. It is excellent, exceeding my expectation by far. When I was growing up, we had abalone all the time since it’s considered one of the best foods in chinese culture. But here, you get the real taste of abalone, and the potato (which I hate) is amazing!
Tartare of Ahi Tuna: Moroccan Spice, Lemon Confit, Fresh Herbs. It’s a little bit on the greasy side and needs a little more tartness. Still a great plate though.
Maine Lobster: Grilled Maine Lobster, Cronses, Sunchoke, Red Wine Béarnaise. Excellent. It’s lobster, babe. The Bearnaise is just the right amount of flavor that accompanies the lobster yet not overpowering.
Diver Scallop: Seared Diver Scallop & Braised Veal Breast, Green Garlic, Artichoke, Veal Jus. EXCELLENT! The scallops are SO SWEET!
Atlantic Cod: Baby Octopus, Red Pearl Onion, Pickled Bell Pepper, Garlic Jus. Great combination with the slightly salty octopus.
Hawaiian Walu: was pretty gross with a strong fishy taste and soggy texture so we sent it back.
White Sturgeon: White Grits, Pancetta, Mustard Green. Really nice texture overall, the fish is great.
Rose-​Raspberry Almond Tart Shell filled with Rose Cream, Raspberries, Lychee Granité, and Pistachio Crème Anglaise. OMG!!! It’s gotta be the best dessert I’ve had. It’s just a great ending to a seafood meal. It’s light and flavorful, creamy and crunchy, with familiar flavors yet exotic combination.
Strawberry and Rhubarb Soufflé is light and refreshing which makes another great ending of the dinner.
The vanilla bean icecream/​raspberry sorbet/​cake thing was yet another wow dessert.
After Gary Danko the previous night, Aqua deserves 5 stars. The entire experience was marvelous, service was personal and friendly. House car provided instead of taxi at around midnight when we left was superb.

See profile site for full review with formatted pics.
With one night left in San Francisco our dinner plans were originally to experience the Dining Room at the Ritz-​Carlton; these plans fell through when their daily menu changed and left nothing desirable to the tongue of my traveling companions. Scrambling for another option around noon the day of dinner, a longtime fan of Michael Mina’s cooking with reservations already secured for Arcadia the following night, I opted to look in on his previous home, Aqua — now under the guidance of Mr. Laurent Manrique. Seeing about 20 menu options that appealed to me and many that were okayed by my mother and aunt we called and easily made reservations for 7:30pm at a table near the window — excellent.
Arriving at Aqua I honestly couldn’t believe this was a Michelin 2 Star establishment — located in the heart of the financial district, mostly unadorned aside from a valet stand, and literally next-​door to Tadich Grill I didn’t even realize it was there when we went to Tadich (only to find it closed) two days prior. Arriving early we parked the car with the valet and got out to stroll around, take pictures by the cable cars, and look at other touristy stuff. At 7:15 we returned, checked in with the three lovely young ladies at the hostess stand, and were seated immediately at the front window as promised.
All told, Aqua is an excellent deal for the quality and presentation of the food. The service and the room is a little stuffy and they certainly do not go «out of their way» like Gary Danko, The French Laundry, Alex, Eleven Madison Park, or Charlie Trotter’s to be accommodating. Given my preference for seafood I will admit I found the food amongst the very best of my trip and can’t wait to someday compare Manrique’s creations to those at Providence, La Bernadin, or L20, but for now I can happily say that Aqua is the best «seafood restaurant» I’ve ever experienced.

Aqua only really had me doing flips off the diving board during dessert, the rest of the meal I was more or less just treading water.
The appetizers (tartare of ahi tuna and langoustine sashimi) and the entrees (roasted Atlantic cod with pork confit and Hawaiian walu) were quite good, but not great. I suppose I had expected a little more from a restaurant that has maintained its two star rating from the Michelin Guide for three years running now. Aqua’s signature appetizer is the tartare of ahi tuna. Again, it was quite tasty and unique, but nothing to get your palate really excited about and in my opinion should not have been touted as highly as it is.
The desserts (quince soufflé and Tahitian vanilla bar glacé) on the other hand were absolutely amazing and delectable. These saved the meal for me and they obviously saved the best for last — my hat goes off to the chef for these as these were quite simply some of the best desserts I’ve ever had. The soufflé accompanied by the fruit compote was absolute perfection and practically melted in my mouth after every bite.
Service throughout the evening was impeccable, friendly and knowledgeable. The service staff also does a lot of the work here in terms of the preparation of your meal as they often put the final finishing touches into the presentation of your appetizer or entrée right in front of you.

The 5 stars go to Marco, the incredible Bartender and Bar Manager at Aqua. A friend recommended that we go over to Aqua for drinks after work on Friday. Since this is an up scale restaurant, we didn’t know what to expect.
Marco made some incredible drinks that night; he’s a mix-​master of cocktails. We exchanged drinks for tastes, each time one of us ordered something new. I had a French Martini with vodka, pineapple juice and Chambord. Delish. Then I asked him to make me something good, he came back with a Martini style cocktail with Patron Silver and fresh grated thyme. Fresh Grated Thyme! I mean who does that? Marco is beyond genius. I also had sips of my friend’s Cucumber Martini (which she calls the «Cynthia», which is perfect because it’s not too sweet and damn good — just like her).
He also brought us some Olive Bread with two kinds of butter, salted goats milk and a cow milk richer butter. They were about 10 kinds of awesome as well and a perfect addition to our cocktails.
I HIGHLY recommend this place for a nice well made cocktail. I can’t wait to go back to try the food!

Look, I get it. This is a fancy restaurant so I’m going to get some fancy food. But the fancy food should be supremely delicious if you’re gonna get hyped up as much as Aqua. They probably reached their peak a few years ago, and now it’s just ok food given the cost.
For our muse bouche, I had a trio composed of sardine, smelt soup, and a plum tomato salad. I probably shouldn’t have tried the sardine because I don’t really like sardines. But I figured, «Hey, fancy restaurant. Maybe they can make it yummy. Like how brussel sprouts are actually yummy.» Yeah, turns out I was wrong. It tasted just like sardine. Blech. Next was the smelt. Yeah, just not delicious for the mouth. Since I don’t eat tuna (allergy), I had the tomato salad which was rather delicious given that it’s another item that I don’t ever seek out.
I had two appetizers. The first was Day Boat Scallops off the 7-​course tasting menu. It was seasoned fine but wasn’t seared well enough. It was still on the too-​gooey side. The sauces that accompanied the scallops were kind of bland. There were some blood orange slices on the plate that overpowers everything around it. Our second appetizer was seared froie gras. I’m happy to report that it was spectacular. I love me some seared duck liver.
My entrée was a piece of filet mignon. Yes, it’s a seafood restaurant. Dunno why I didn’t realize that before I got there. Anyhoo, I got me my steak. It was an unlisted special for the evening. The meat was of excellent quality. Incredibly tender. While I don’t mind my meats being a bit raw, I can see how some people might be squeamish at what the kitchen claimed as medium rare. It was more like really rare. I wish there were more of the accompanying sides. Whatever came with disappeared fast. While I love my meat, I would’ve like some starches for balance.
BTW, the service was EXCELLENT. Our waiter was great at recommending wine. He was also very proactive in keeping our glasses full and our table full of silverware that we didn’t use.
Overall, the experience was great. The food was just so-​so. It wasn’t nearly as exciting and as mind-​blowing as many of the other top tier restaurants in San Francisco.

*** Newsflash ***
Lunch service will be discontinued during the month of January 2009. Dinner service will continue as usual. Lunch service will be back in February 2009.
***************************************
It’s been more than 2 years since I last dined at Aqua. In the past, I was lucky enough to work in an office near this restaurant, so we occasionally had business lunch or dinner meetings at this place. The food and service were wonderful during those visits. I specially enjoyed the chef’s tasting menu. I’ll have to come back one day.

I just don’t get it.
Big, grand entrance. Impeccable service. Listed as $$$$. Mediocre food. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?!
How can we not pay Aqua a visit since Aqua is one of the most talk about restaurant in town… So we decided to go and try out the business lunch deal.
For that day’s meal, we have:
— free chef special on the house: Salmon tartare (yum), almond soup (double yum), salmon croquette (delish.)
The chef special did not disappoint.
— 1^st course — Scallop with some Chinese greens and fennel.
The scallop was undercooked for my taste. But very sweet scallop. The Chinese green soaked up a lot of oils. The dish was heavy (surprisingly.) I did not enjoy it too much.
— 2^nd course /​entrée — Sea Bream with Spring Onion, Artichoke Barigoule, Fennel.
Tasted like pan-​fried fish that the bf’s mom can make. Overly greasy. Again, heavy for my taste.
— 3^rd course /​dessert — tapioca with pineapple sorbet. This is actually the highlight of the meal. Very lightly sweetened tapioca with pineapple sorbet on top of it. Yum.
— bonus — cookies tray — delish.
We ended up paying about $ 80-​ish per person with wine. The wine was goooood. Specticular service. Just oily food. Not impress.

Presentation, presentation, presentation. From the elegant ambiance to the wonderful food. The room is simple and sexy without a lot of the faux hipness many restaurants feel they need to foist upon us.
We went with the 3-​course pre-​fixe menu for $ 75.
Dinner started with an impressive 3-​piece amuse bouch.
Appetizers:
Kabocha Squash Soup — Incredibly rich and intensely flavored with some nice chunks of Maine Lobster placed in a center ‘tower.’ The dish is completed at the table when the soup is poured carefully around the tower.
Monterey Anchovy with Lucques Olive, Baby Fennel, Roasted Tomato Jus. A beautiful plate with three large anchovies rolled-​up and stuffed. The jus is poured over the anchovies at the table.
Entrees:
Alaskan Halibut with Buttermilk Ricotta, Bocorones, Romaine Salad, Potato Fondant & Caviar. I liked this a lot, especially the fish which was perfect. I would say the brown-​butter sauce ladled over the fish at the table was too rich and actually made the potato fondant soggy… I’d skip it or use less.
Monkfish «Osso Bucco» with King Crab, Kabocha Squash and Black Tea. The ‘Osso Bucco’ part comes from the rolled fish with a marrow-​like center of King Crab. Taste wise I liked this dish more than the halibut, but the presentation was less dramatic. I still preferred it though.
We ordered a bottle of Pinot Grigio with dinner and it was crisp and light and a perfect compliment to the rich entrees.
Dessert:
Tahitian Vanilla Bar Glacé with Walnut Cake, Pear & Lime Sorbet and Roasted Pear. The true Superstar part of the meal. One of the best desserts I’ve ever had.
Madagascar Chocolates — Flourless Chocolate Cake, Milk Crémeux, Dark Mousse. If you like chocolate — REALLY LIKE CHOCOLATE — this is your dessert. The presentation was altered a bit to make a Happy Birthday dessert and they did a great job.
I’d like to thank Aqua for delivering a great birthday dinner that did not disappoint.
Wheelchair Access: As usual in California — great. The four-​top table was a bit low for my knees at first, but flipping up the extension fixed that.

Last night, I sat at a lovely corner table for dinner at Aqua, appalled at my own nonchalance, as I tucked into my first course — pan seared foie gras. It was absolutely perfect… meltingly meaty, unctuous and delicate; the toasted brioche with lavender (?) infused cippolini onions was actually an epiphany, and not too precious, if you can believe that.
Nearly a decade has passed since I first had dinner at Aqua… and despite the fact that my very first serious Chef-​crush (who used to reign at Campton Place Restaurant) is now the Corporate Executive Chef, I just wasn’t feeling the love. Our server was attentive, without «hovering» or getting in the way… and might have been slightly put off by the casual manner in which I consumed the delicacy before me.
My entrée of White Sturgeon (dry and uninspired) with Veal Cheek Bourguigion (damned sexy and spoon-​tender delicious!) with potato mousseline, bacon and truffle jus arrived, just as two dashing gentlemen were seated next to us.
The unrepentant voyeur in me overheard the first making the wine selection for their dinner, «We’re celebrating; we just got married this afternoon!»
We chatted with them — they were visiting from Chicago, and had a lovely ceremony in the Rotunda at City Hall. I congratulated them heartily, and after a few moments, resumed eating. I skipped the second bland piece of White Sturgeon on my plate, and simply savored the Veal Cheek — which I would have loved in a full entrée portion.
By the time the Milk Chantilly + Strawberry and Rhubarb Compote was being spooned over my Strawberry Liegeois, I was actually giddy — bolstered (vicariously, perhaps) by the joy radiating from the Newlyweds at the adjacent table.
Maybe I allowed myself to simply enjoy the flavors and textures of the meal, and to partake with gratitude and joy. The summery tones of my dessert were did a bright, happy dance across my palate, and I found myself suddenly more engaged and happy, overall.
I want to thank the Beautiful Newlyweds who illuminated my dinner last night and were generous enough to share the bounty of their happiness with a fellow diner.
My 3 Course dinner at Aqua ensured that I was not hungry; the delightful chat with a happy couple ensured that I was FULL.

2 michelin stars.
Wow, by far the most expensive restaurant i’ve eaten at. But it was definately a memorable experience. The service was excellent, as it should be. We ordered the infamous ahi tuna tartare, dungeness crab salad, and a tuna and lobster wrap for appetizers. (yes, i know that sounds like a lot). For entrée i had the yellowfin tuna with duck confit, and he had the white sturgeon. For drinks, our waiter recommended the cabinet riesling from germany, and it was one of the best wines i’ve ever tasted. It had a great hint of sweetness (which is what i enjoy, and it was very smooth).
And as if that didnt sound like enough food they even provided us with a mini 3-​dish item (each) compliments of the chef… before our appetizers arrived. And lets not forget desert. We had the almond soufflé and the chocolate & rasberry cake. I’m not much of a sweets kind of gal, but the soufflé was one of the best deserts i have ever tasted in my life!!! it was so fluffy and light, and it went really well with the toasted sweetened almonds. Hmmmmm my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Overall, great experience… my favorite dishes would have to be the yellowfin tuna with duck confit and the ahi tuna tartare. It was a lovely experience… but it may leave a slight dent in your wallet. Let’s just say the dinner cost nearly as much as how much we spent that night for a stay at the fairmont hotel!

We wanted to check out a good seafood place last night and tihs was recommended to us by the concierge. It was definitely fancier than we had anticipated, but nonetheless still enjoyed the meal thoroughly!
First of all, the wait staff with tremendous. This is probably tops next to Alexander’s Steakhouse in Cupertino in regards to service. Compliments from the chef was a small three course appetizer that included a cucumber anchovy caviar salad, a creamy lobster bisque topped with some crème freshe, and a ahi tuna croquette.
A three course dinner will run you $ 75 or so– however, there was not a single dish in our party of six that was not thoroughly enjoyed. Some of the dishes that particularly stood out:
–The Parmesan-​black pepper souffl with maine lobster topped with a uni cream sauce.
–the sea bass over paella was masterfully prepared
–ahi tuna tartare with quail egg.
But really, please feel free to try any of the dishes as they were all prepared with the utmost care.
I’m not going to go too much further, but the desserts were followed up equally well. I will admit that this is a very fancy restaurant– the type of place to take an anniversary date or take clients out for some big business. However, the food and service was definitely top notch.

Known as one of the premier restaurants in San Francisco, I had high expectations, but I left there a bit disappointed. Sure, Aqua had all what you would expect at an upscale restaurant — sleek interior, pretty presentation, unique ingredients, creative dishes — but when I compare them to similarly priced competitors, like The Dining Room at Ritz or Michael Minna, Aqua could quickly evaporate.
First of all, since the place is not very big, spacing between the tables is not what you would expect at an expensive restaurant. Due to the tight situation, service also suffers. Often times, they need to reach over your table to service your needs, instead of approaching from your left side.
As for their food, they try to be «too creative» in their seasoning, using unique spices that dominate the plate. I am more impressed with places that use traditional spices and yet create something that is out of this world.
All in all, I would leave this place for those out of town business people an expense budget. For the rest of us, especially Unilocalers, who know about other delicious restaurants around the town, save your money by avoiding Aqua.