Dined at Bonsoiree for the first time last night with my wife for her birthday. We opted for the seven course menu, which corresponded exactly to the one currently listed on their website. Simply put, it was the best meal I've had thus far in 2009, and may also surpass any meal I had in 2008. The most recent truly comparable meal that I've had was a visit to L2O at the end of December; last evening was a superior meal in all aspects other than atmosphere.
Unfortunately, my wife is too self-conscious to enjoy allowing me to take pictures in any sort of high-end restaurant. I don't believe I have regretted that more on any occasion than last night's dinner. The presentations/plating far surpassed my expectations based on the pictures I had seen in this thread.
Things kicked off with a kona kampachi sashimi amuse that had some wasabi, pomegranate, and a gelee that escapes me dotted on top, served on a shark skin paddle. The sashimi itself was excellent, and the toppings made for a wonderfully complex mouthful. That was followed by a salad of shaved cucumber, pickled eggplant, Shimeji mushrooms, bacon cubes, and crispy garlic. Very refreshing, though I must admit that while the bacon cubes were enjoyed, they didn't seem to quite fit with the other ingredients.
On to an off-menu scallop preparation served in a sea shell. I cannot recall the description nearly well enough (all descriptions, by the way, were well beyond adequate - from the simple listing of the ingredients themselves, to any sort of interesting additional information on them, to the suggested method of consumption), but I do know it involved ponzu sauce and Japanese radish. And that it was utterly delicious. My wife and I were both barely able to refrain from licking the shell for any last little tastes.
This was followed by the tea smoked baby octopus with their take on gravlax made with rhubarb and something else as opposed to salmon. When the chef opened the boxes that were placed before us there was an immediate rush of tea smoke that set the tone beautifully for this dish. The smoky flavor was clear, but delicate, and the unorthodox gravlax accompaniment went very well with the octopus.
Next was a cup of Japanese broth, miso, stinging nettles, with a few Prince Edward Island mussels accompanied by the soba dauphine with a sauce made from ramps, and a bit of bruleed kumquat. All aspects of this dish were wonderful, and the broth achieved a perfect level of saltiness that was quite appreciated at this point in the meal.
The yellow edge grouper with artichokes, farro, and tomato in place of the asparagus listed on the website was good, but the relative low point of the meal for both of us. Nothing about this dish particularly stood out, or sang to us. Not that either of us refrained from finishing every last morsel on the plate.
The final main course was spring lamb in 2 preparations - two slices of beautifully rare loin, and a lamb sausage of sorts. Accompanied by the house made "death" mustard, which had a delightful kick to it, fiddleheads, and cauliflower and saffron mousse. I must admit that I am not very fond of saffron, yet I found the mousse to work quite well as a periodic addition to a bite of lamb with the death mustard.
Our cheese course was actually a bit of fondue served in an espresso cup, made from an Australian Roaring 40's blue cheese. There was a stick protruding from the cup made from the same cheese, and a bit of house-made cotton candy with a dusting of huckleberry. I don't even like blue cheese normally, but I'm fairly certain I got every last drop of the fondue out of that cup.
Dessert consisted of a small but delicious brownie with a frozen topping that consisted of a number of ingredients that all escape me aside from coconut, unfortunately. Great brownie though
Also their take on a Tahitian Treat accompanied by a thin strip of dried pineapple, and a few spoonfuls of what was described as "house made Pop Rocks." An appreciated bit of whimsy, and a nice light dessert overall after the preceding courses.