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Rebecca's father was in town this week. Last night we found our way to Paul K, a much-discussed new restaurant in the Hayes Valley area.

Passable. A bit sparse. The crab cake was a bit small to be a centerpiece, and the accoutrements, while pungent, lacked volume. I was hoping for something a bit more luxurious and substantial.

I found the ragu and the mushrooms to be rather bland. The potatoes were fine, but unremarkable. I want to get that out of the way, because I will spend most of the rest of this section lauding the duck.

This is the best duck I've had in recent memory. Quite possibly in contention for the best duck breast I've ever had. Supple, tender, and flavorful -- this is what duck should be like. The last few duck breast entrees I've had just haven't been up to this standard. Preparing a duck breast is ostensibly simple, but can easily go awry. It can be too chewy, too cold, too cooked, too bland. What I had last night was none of these. This, my friend, was one kick-ass duck.

The sauce was admirable, if not stellar; it provided a fruity acidic bite and sweetness that complemented the duck nicely.

The Heron Lake was recommended to us by our server, and it proved to be quite up to snuff. A bright, vibrant Pinot Noir, but instead of the tartness and astringency that often accompanies such a wine in this price range, the Heron Lane was soft and approachable. Make no mistake, this is not the most subtle or complicated wine. But it is food friendly and drank very well with our duck as well as Rebecca's father's roast chicken.

Sumptuous.

The service was friendly and prompt and the ambience enjoyable. I felt that the food was uneven. Even so, the peaks manage to justify the plateaus. There's a lot of promise in Paul K.

Rating: 4 of 5

March 6, 2003 in old_site, restaurants | Permalink

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