madbaker | Wow. Just.... wow.

I got my year-end bonus on Friday (yes, that's a bit beyond year-end) and so we went out to spend some of it. We dressed up for dinner at Chez Spencer, a nice French restaurant not too far from us. It's a bit odd - you wouldn't necessarily expect a high-end place in this neck of the woods. (It's behind Rainbow Grocery, for those familiar with San Francisco geography.)

I almost walked right past it, because the entrance is gated and leads to a covered patio. The inside was small - I think it's a former warehouse - but not overly loud. Very dimly lit, although that sort of atmosphere was just fine for us.

It's on the pricey side. I wouldn't want to eat there very often. We enjoyed it immensely, though - we splurged and had the tasting menu. I had the wine pairings, which the wife sampled occaisonally. Bouillabaisse for starters (the wife had oysters), then foie gras with huckleberry sauce (and Sauternes is lovely with foie gras!), roast lamb, a cheese course, and a warm apple crepe to finish.

I had a mouthgasm with the lamb. It was that good.

What I'm reading: Jonathan Stroud, The Amulet of Samarkand