October 10, 2010

Asana – Style Over Substance

Asana is clad with the chic and modern décor associated with Mandarin Oriental Hotels (the one in Tokyo is spectacular!)…dark woods, cool grey tones, fine linens and tableware. However, the restaurant’s food lacked soul and depth. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by bounty of local produce in San Francisco, but I couldn’t taste the freshness of the ingredients the dishes here. They just didn’t sing.

Chilled Watermelon Soup with Maine Peekytoe Crab - light and refreshing with hints of apple, but wish it had a little more kick to it. I also would’ve liked more crab…those little bits were just a tease.


Braised Veal Cheek & Sweet Breads with Fava Beans & Shimeji Mushrooms – this appetizer had immediately caught my eye on the menu, but turned out to be ho-hum. The veal cheeks were moist and savory, but everything else was poorly executed. The sweet breads were mushy and bland (what a tragedy!), and the fava beans and mushrooms had no flavor.
Roasted Poussin with English Peas & Morels – the 28 day-old chicken was beautifully prepared, extremely tender and juicy. Unfortunately, I just can’t get over the sad state of these morels. Lacking that rich flavor of the beloved morels, these tasted like they’d been sitting around for too long and became stale…probably the only time I’ve ever been disappointed by morels (Side note: my most memorable morels experience was at Jean Georges a few years ago…to die for!)
Lamb Rack with Apricot Jam, Wheat, Chocolate-Chili Sauce – the only standout dish of the evening. The lamb was beautiful…nice charred crust while tender on inside, and I loved the sweetness of apricot jam with it. A touch more heat in the chocolate-chili sauce would have elevated the dish even further.
Cherry Parfait Glacé with Muscat Foam – a light and easy way to finish off the meal. The glacé was cross between a semifreddo and a mousse…cool, creamy, and smooth with a hint of cherry tartness.
Final verdict: Trendy hotel restaurant with an interesting menu, but lacked the substance to support it.

BITE METER: Asana – 2.5 bites (out of 5)

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