Early Valentine's dinner at Commis

Commis is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Oakland (with two). We rarely fine dine, so I thought I would share the menu and some photos (grabbed from Yelp).

The owner is a local kid with Thai and Chinese parents. He worked at El Bulli and several top restaurants in the Bay Area. His restaurant's interior was minimalist.

We got the 8-course menu with the wine pairing. The first half of the meal was exceptional. The second half was mediocre. The pairings were spot on.

I. Caramelized onion financier with bee pollen
Foie gras tartlet with dried pear and mulling spices
Celery root with lovage, apple and mustard

II. Fermented carrots with Pacific herring, yogurt and honey
Kiuchi Brewing Co. "Hitachino Nest", White Ale, Ibaraki, Japan

III. Scallops and geoduck, radish and avocado perfumed with kaffir lime leaves
Weingut Mathern, Niederhauser Hermannshohle Spatlese, Nahe, Germany 2000

IV. Jerusalem artichokes with sunflower, trout roe and warm sea lettuce butter
Domaine Roblin, Sancerre, Loire Valley, France 2013

V. Slow poached egg yolk with smoked dates, alliums, and malt
Francois Chidaine, Montlouis-Sur-Loire, Clos du Breuil, Loire Valley, France 2014

VI. True cod, roasted hen juices emulsified with young garlic, almond panade
Louis Lequin, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot, Burgundy, France 2007

VII. Root vegetable and black garlic boullion, olive oil and marjoram

VIII. Roast squab, ragout of the innards with cacao, dried sour cherry and filberts
Paolo-Scavino, Baralo, Bric del Fiasc, Piedmont, Italy 2006

IX. Jacobs and Brichford "Everton Comte" with pine bud molasses

X. Tapioca and hay namelaka with tart apple ice

XI. Pecan and candied ginger biscuit with yuzu curd, sweet potato ice cream
Het Anker, Gouden Carolus, Tripel, Mechelen, Belgium

XII. Cep-chocolate truffle
Salted sesame seed caramel
Campari and grapefruit pate de fruit