Compare and Contrast

It's a tale of two restaurants, both visited by the wife and I over the Labor Day Weekend, and two entirely different experiences...but both amazing in their own way.

Let's get this started:

Taylor's Refresher vs. Restaurant Michael Mina

(Taylors will always be first)
Location:
Sf Ferry Building vs. the Westin St. Francis Hotel.

Service:
Order at the counter, pick up at a different counter vs. personal waiter, sommelier, floor manager, multiple food presenters, coat-check person, dessert chef.


Table:
Wooden picnic tables located outside vs. white tablecloths, floor-to-ceiling columns, light (and live!) piano music wafting throughout, understated lighting.

Free food items:
None vs. Amuse-bouche of Lobster, 3-ways. Lobster Corn Dog, Lobster Parfait (with tempura sticky rice!) and Lobster Salad. After dessert-- 4 Ice Cream Lollipops. Chocolate covered, with Mint Chocolate Ice Cream in one, Caramel Crunch Ice Cream in the other.


Appetizers:
None vs. Butter Poached Lobster and Ahi Tartare (mixed tableside)

Entrees:
Bacon, Blue Cheese, Onion Rings, and Bbq Sauce all on a Hamburger vs. Miso-Glazed Sea Bass and Kobe Beef prepared 3 ways. (the 3-way preparation is a Michael Mina trademark.)

Dessert
None vs. The "Chocolate" and the "Strawberry." Chocolate consisted of--Peanut Butter Pudding Cake, a Peanut Butter Shake, Banana Bread Pudding with Chocolate Sauce and a Banana/Mocha Pot de Cream, Devil's Food Cake, AND a Caramel Sundae!! (whew!)
Strawberry consisted of-- Rhubarb/Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry Sorbet with homemade Marshmallows, Oatmeal Strawberry Butter Crisp, Strawberry "Soup", Chocolate and Strawberry Bread Pudding, AND Chocolate Mousse with fresh Strawberries.


Price
Taylors--$25 vs. Michael Mina $250++

Method Home After Meal
Walk home from SF Ferry Building (3.3 miles) vs. Concierge had a Cab waiting when we left.

So, there you have it. Remember, this is not a competition, but a comparison. It's not every night that we can afford to live the high-life, but oh what a couple of hundred dollars can get you when you want a night on the town.