They can be fantastic when used correctly - e.g. at Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare. They spoil you with luxury ingredients but the cooking is damn good and very nuanced. Great cooking + great ingredients (luxury or not, but you can understand why some ingredients carry a premium other than for being rare) is a great meal.
But to your point, they often can be a crutch and more often then not, are used incorrectly and more for the name or idea of making a menu “high end.”
I agree on Benu’s technical brilliance. I haven’t been to Per Se, but I think two stars or less for TFL is quite harsh based on my lone experience there even though they’re not doing any ground breaking stuff. My only qualm at TFL was the over the top richness in many of their courses.
I guess I am pretty harsh 
I maintain that Manresa, after several visits even after obtaining 3*, has always been comfortably a 2*. Also, lots of the California 1* are very questionable. But then again, I’m not Michelin!
Thanks for the report and great pictures. They’ve come a long way since my last visit, I’ll need to get back there soon.
FWIW - I didn’t care all that much for my first visit to Benu, circa 2013. I thought it was good but I also felt pretty slothful after, and my palate was noticeably fatigued.
My subsequent visits were just better on the whole. In my opinion, they’re firing on all cylinders now though their food is still quite subtle. Not every ingredient pairing is a knockout, but the cuisson is always pretty damn perfect, and textures are on point. Their pastry has always been undeniably great, however.
This is off-topic and perhaps not something you want to discuss…but I’m curious what your professional background is. You’re an excellent writer as well as “eater.” Feel free to not reply.
Catholiver, you’re asking BradFord right?
Yes. Sorry. I thought I was replying to him/her. Thanks.
We shall see in a couple of weeks 
I think my gripe is also due to the frequent use of shitty quality “lazy fives”. Worst culprits are uni, wagyu and truffles.
Nice report @moonboy403. 
Looks like you were served ~80% of the same dishes we got earlier this year, which is still fine considering how great they were. 
I wonder how often Benu changes out its menu? For Saison or Californios they seemed to have a much higher turnover (trying out new dishes).
@Chowseeker1999. Actually, this was from my March trip so we were there around the same time! I’m looking to go back to SF next year to try Saison, Meadowood, and possibly Coi too. I’m also interested in going back to Quince where I had a really great meal last year.
I think I just need to start selling my organs to make more $$$$. 
I hope you were able to fit in la ciccia on your visit.
THE two 3-star places in the Bay Area, in my opinion. Benu, too probably, for its technical cooking, even though it left me with fewer “wow” moments in terms of flavors. Been everywhere else, fairly recently, I stand by that for now. (Imo, 60+% of the current SF Bay Area Michelin lineup is overrated, but I am harsh 
). With that said, you will probably love Saison.
Thank you. I prefer to keep my background private, for now. I can say that professionally I have nothing to do with the food industry or Eater!
There was a period where Saison didn’t change its menu much! But, I’m glad it seems they have switched things up a little bit in the past year or so. Anyway, their dishes are so good anyway it’s hard to fault, but I do miss the days of its longer menu!
I agree Californios does seem to keep innovating - dishes change every time I’m there. I’m due for a return.
Lucky you! Really, really enjoyed my meal there about 6 weeks ago. Funnily enough, the ~10 people next to me all owned restaurants (mostly internationally). They were stunned just like I was.
A must! If I were to recommend must-go places in SF to someone visiting, it’d include La Ciccia, Swan Oyster or Hog Island for some local flavor, and if one wants high end, Saison or Californios - I’m sure a few other local gems but can’t think of them off the top of my head.
A couple of months ago we had such a fun, good lunch at Hog Island at the Ferry Building. Oysters, bread and sparkling wing. And a beautiful day looking out at the water.
And you’re welcome
I’m too lazy to write about the entire dinner so I’m only going through some of my favorite bites of the night.
amberjack, pickled daikon, seaweed, avocado, cucumber
my favorite bite of the evening! it’s a play on kimbap where rice, vegetable, and fish are rolled in dried sheets of seaweed. with this particular take, the combination of crunch, chew, sweet, salty, acid, and creaminess are so carefully calibrated that my jaw just dropped. Incredible bite.
soy milk flower tofu, chicken consommé, chili oil
what can i say? flawless knife work on the tofu and pipin’ warm but crystal clear consommé. you wouldn’t think such a clear broth can carry such intense flavor and umami but it did! taking a slurp of consommé and tofu, the flavor complexity deepens with grassy notes of soy beans and a much needed accent of heat from the chili oil. it’s one delicious and comforting dish.
acorn pancake, black truffle, pesto, iberico ham
if you think this looks like a taco, you’re right. this is benu’s take on a taco. it’s a fun take given the relationship between iberico pigs, their diet of acorn, and truffle hunting pigs. how does it taste? brilliant. everything just works. the salty funk of the iberico just melds right into the pancake. and much like a well made fresh corn tortilla, this acorn pancake is pliant with a nice chewiness to it and perfumes each bite with its inherent nuttiness.
roast turbot, spicy fermented pepper sauce, braised chrysanthemum, radish, dried garlic flowers
another run-of-the-mill turbot course? not a chance at benu. this glazed piece of turbot is cut in such a way that includes the loin, belly, and engawa aka the fin muscle. from now on, i want all my fish to be sliced this way! along with its crispy skin, i had a chance to experience 3 different flavor, texture, and fattiness of turbot…all in one course. perfectly seasoned and cooked. very thought indeed.
barbecued quail, broccoli xo sauce, black truffle, truffle steamed bun
being a staple of benu, this quail is expertly cooked and finished with hot oil pouring over the bird continuously to achieve a perfect medium rare temperature along with semi-crispy skin. fans of quail wouldn’t wanna miss this hit.
impossibly delicate and moist. best bao in the world.
beef rib, baby anchovy, chilled lettuce and scallion sauce
another riff. this time, it’s korean bbq. the fatty beef rib is braised with pear before charcoal-grilling to get that lovely smokiness. when i take a bite of the beef rib with those umami-laden baby anchovy and the lettuce and scallion sauce, i’m instantly reminded of having a kalbi wrap…only on much more elevated fashion in both presentation and flavor!
milk pudding, salt, smoke, peat
the creamiest pudding i’ve ever had. the salty-smoky-sweet flavor combination is tried and true…a strangely addictive dessert.
@Bagel quail review forthcoming?
https://www.instagram.com/p/CjRFh2uPugL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
What can I say that has not already been said? Juicy, moist, tender, delicious. It is an astoundingly delicious bird. While the accoutrements were good, I was perhaps too distracted by that delicious quail to spend as much time with the sides. If/when I go again I might change some of the other sides but that quail is a must order. Truly wonderful. 
What do “must order” or “change some of the sides” mean in the context of a fixed menu?
There are 3 choices for each of the 3 larger format savory courses on the menu.
