Tasting Counter

Tasting Counter really lives up to the hype. I was absolutely floored by the quality of food, the innovativeness of menu, and the service at this restaurant. First off, we took a friend here for her birthday, and she has a shellfish allergy and fish sensitivity. They communicated with me extensively the week before over text to develop a menu specifically for her, which was just so thoughtful and appreciated. Next, the wine, sake, and beer pairings are just brilliant. I don't usually get alcoholic pairings with my tasting menus but this time, I was so glad of the pairings. They were wonderfully curated, and in terms of the beers, oftentimes local—so I got to try an array of the new and the familiar. Finally, the food just blew me away. My wife said she liked it better than ABaC in Barcelona, it was that good. They make really great use of fresh, seafood ingredients, and the entrees were light enough that you didn't feel weighed down by the course after course after course delivery. As alluded to, service was excellent. Ambiance was also really nice, although part of me wished the seats weren't *quite* so far apart—sometimes, conversation across the bar layout was a little challenging. Overall, 13/10 recommend this truly lovely and highly fancy dining experience!

Went to Tasting Counter for their 3-course lunch menu with wine pairing, a great steal for $95 (now $110 as of July 1, still sensible regardless). All courses were delicately prepared, the sea bass was just steamed right and pairs well with the charred & fermented white asparagus. The dessert and petit fours left a great impression on me. Wines are largely led by natural wines.

I took my wife to lunch at Tasting Counter as a treat for her birthday. The whole experience was excellent! Truly an ideal way to celebrate a special occasion if you are looking to do something on the fancy side. They say it’s a three course lunch, but it’s really more like 6 courses if you count their “welcome bites”, palate cleanser, and “parting morsels” courses. Everything they put in front of us was delicious; the gremolata dumplings in the sea urchin foam soup was collectively our favorite. They were also so accommodating of my dietary restrictions from pregnancy (well done meats, no raw seafoods, non-alcoholic beverage pairings). The non-alcoholic beverages were especially creative and paired well with each course. Watching the staff cook and present the food was so impressive as well - they’re extremely synchronized and obviously skilled! Such a unique experience and one we’d definitely do again for another celebration! I appreciate that they take care with covid precautions too. It’s a challenge to find parking so plan ahead for that.

The space is Intimate, and interesting. One wall has micro greens and herbs, another has bottles with fermentation lids. The mask requirement made the wine and food explanations less engaging. However there was great content, especially around the wines. Each service was beautifully presented and delicious. Highly recommend the experience.

Gosh! Where to start. We celebrated my birthday, and I intentionally wanted the lunch, it was highly recommended. Wow! The experience was worth everything and more. Thank you Chef for the birthday wishes, and a lunch to remember. Between the food, the experience, and the wine pairings, everything was an exploration of the senses, and an explosion of happiness ensued. I will return for dinner, but I will for sure, return for lunch (If I can get another reservation, they sell out so quickly).