Viognier - A warm rustic Cal-Provençal experience [San Mateo / Downtown]
(December 21, 2006) One of the advantages of doing restaurant reviews within an on-line magazine context is that there is always the opportunity to revisit and expand previous reviews, even recent ones. Professional reviewers rarely do that as their employers, newspapers or magazines, need fresh content. This visit was sparked by my prior review of Viognier restaurant in San Mateo, where I expressed disappointment in all aspects of the experience. Because the chef and general manager were gracious in their responses to the review, I felt it would be worthwhile to take them up on their suggestion to come back and see if my earlier experience was caused by an off night.While I was certain that the general manager would recognize me eventually – after all the whole purpose of the notebook and camera is to be noticed – I was hoping that Misti and I could sneak in and be anonymous for a little while. I did not even contemplate disguises because, as NY Times critic Frank Bruni said to Michael Ruhlman, if a critic is recognized he or she might get a little better service, but the food is the food and there is little a chef can do on the spot to dramatically change the dishes. As it was, Misti and I were the first patrons in the door for dinner so there was no sliding in under the radar. GM Mark Enders immediately saw me and warmly welcomed us. While our service was outstanding, by observing how other diners were treated and the dishes they were served, I did not think that we received extraordinary attention.
The photos in this review are larger than normal to show off the dishes, which were presented very well. However, even the larger size does not get all the detail so I suggest that you click here to visit the Snapfish by HP photo gallery for additional, larger and higher resolution pictures of Chef Greuel’s dishes. Requires free registration with minimal personal information. You can view individual photos or play a slideshow. I think that a quick viewing before returning to the review will be helpful.
Viognier’s bill of fare is restrained, easily fitting onto two pieces of paper. However, this did not make the decision making any easier because there were so many interesting looking dishes. The California-influenced rustic Provençal / French cuisine is rich and hearty, so there is a danger that one can get full before dessert so be careful. We sampled eight dishes and not one failed to produce “ooh”s and “aah”s.The wine list is way more extensive than the menu, so chatting with Wine Director Christopher Templin can be very helpful. Chris is not a snob, nor just there to push the wines with the highest prices/margins. He appears to be genuinely interested in ensuring the perfect pairing with the meal or individual dishes. For us, the pairings were dead on and complemented the dishes.
The service by Carlos was flawless, attentive without being smothering. As the evening went on and every table filled up, we never felt neglected.
After a couple of dishes, Chef Greuel dropped by the table to chat, which I observed he did several times with other tables during the evening. Very nice and articulate about what he is trying to achieve at Viognier. After he went back to the kitchen, Misti leaned over and whispered “Oh, he’s cute, we’re coming back.” Hmm, he does have smoldering movie star good looks. If the producer of KRON’s Bay Cafe is smart, she will get Chef Greuel on as guest.
The first taste was an amuse bouche of carrot soup. It was silky smooth, rich and intensively carroty. There was an underlying hint of a flavor, maybe sherry or cognac that took the taste to another level. Very good.
Our appetizer was the Blini Trio (pictured above), which has American caviar, smoked salmon, mimosa, crème frâiche and Meyer Lemon ($15). The blinis were soft pillows for the other ingredients. The Meyer Lemon and capers gave the dish a surprise texture and flavor pop with each mouthful. This is definitely something that should be shared between two or three people. I could see getting this dish, a salad and a glass of wine at the bar for a relaxing after-work meal. Oh, and that would leave plenty of room for a dessert as well.
For my main course I decided to go with the Chef’s “Truffle” Menu, three courses ($65) with wine pairing ($25). There is also a five courses version ($95) with wine pairing ($45). Misti picked a steak entrée. Because I was having multiple courses, the chef sent out a couple little treats for Misti to keep her amused.
Misti’s Garlic Marinated Rib-eye Steak had bacon, cabbage & chanterelles and a potato “Volcano” with Blue Cheese “Lava” (Petite-Cut, $30). This was definitely a “wow” dish. The potato was hollowed out and filled with a blue cheese sauce. The top was hidden by the cabbage. When Misti cut into the potato, the sauce erupted, oozing onto the plate. It was sinfully rich and complemented the steak perfectly. The chanterelles had been roasted and had a deep woodsy taste. The presentation was artful, but not busy. This was an excellent dish that Misti savored with a Bordeaux that Chris suggested.
My first course was the Mushroom Risotto with sautéed mushrooms, poached quail egg and shaved black truffles, paired with “V-3”, Viognier, Sonoma, 2003. My first impression was that this was going to be a winner because of the gossamer butterfly-like wings of black truffle on top of the quail egg on top of the chanterelles on top of the risotto. I was not disappointed. Once the quail egg was opened and the yoke mixed with the risotto and mushrooms, the taste and mouth feel was intensely sumptuous.
The second course was Seared Scallop with sautéed cabbage, borscht, black truffle, American caviar and grilled baguette with whipped ricotta cheese and truffle, paired with Höpler, Grüner Veltliner, Burgenland, Austria, 2004. The visual impact was immediate, again because the black truffle shavings were so generous. The deep red sauce added real flair against the white plate. The scallop was impeccably seared, soft in texture which contrasted well with the pop, pop, pop of the caviar. The ricotta with truffle made what is usually a forgettable piece of bread into something unusual and special. 
The final course was Braised Osso Buco Rossini with seared foie, orange potato purée, cocoa nibs, gremolata and Bordelaise Sauce, paired with Piazzano, “Ventoso”, Colli della Toscano Centrale, Italy, 2004. Ok, this was over the top in terms of intensity of flavor. Each component has its own powerful personality, but Chef Greuel got them to work together as a combo. The osso buco had been braised until it was fork tender so that it did not overwhelm the foie texture-wise. I was a little doubtful about the orange potato purée, but it was the ideal complement to the rest of the ingredients. My only regret of the evening was that by the end of the night, both Misti and I were simply too full from all the wonderful dishes to even contemplate a dessert and tawny port. Next time.
Bottom Line: I am certainly pleased that my previous experience at Viognier was a case of an off night at the establishment. The meal that Misti and I had was one of the top meals ever in terms of quality of taste and presentation, wine pairing and service. The ambiance is warm with energy, but not too loud. Overall our evening was flawless. Viognier is highly recommended for a special occasion or a weekday lunch or dinner. Chef Greuel and General Manager Enders are committed to quality which shows in the experience.
Hours: Monday –Thursday and Sunday 11:30 am to 9:00 pm. Friday - Saturday 11:30 am to 10:00 pm.
Pricing: Starter platters $15 to $35. Pizzettas $12 to $14. Soups/Salads $9 to $17. Entrées $15 to $40. Dessert $8 to $10.
Contact: 222 East 4th Ave., San Mateo, CA * 650-685-3727 * www.viognierrestaurant.com * viognierrc@draegers.com
Food Notebook post by Carter Lusher. Photos by Carter using a HP R967 Photosmart camera.
