AL's Place

A couple weeks back, AL's Place SF suddenly announced they were closing for good. Chef-owner Aaron London expressed to the San Francisco Chronicle that he wanted to focus more on family at this stage in his life. With one Michelin star and seven years of producing arguably one of the best examples of unique and vegetable-focused California cuisine, AL's Place will be missed.

As soon as I saw the news, I tried to look up reservations for their final week, grasping onto what minuscule hope I had. Of course, they were already booked out. But the universe does work in funny ways.

I've been going through some very difficult times this past month, and I was crying in bed one morning when a friend texted me about an extra spot for AL's place that night. This was during their final week of service. This, along with a few other events that day, felt quite serendipitous and got me out of bed.

Dinner that night was incredible - we definitely over ordered for two, but that meant leftover brine-pickled fries the next day. I will miss the freaking delicious food, the wacky ingredient combos, and the quirky names.

I had my expectations very high and left underwhelmed. I visited with a friend and we went for the "family style," which was a 10-course selected by the chef. Almost all the dishes were some form of a salad. The ingredients on their own were all exceptional, but the dishes left me disappointed.

Our course started with a couple snacks. One of them was their brine pickled fries paired with a smoked apple sauce. It was good taste-wise, but the fries had a strange almost chewy texture that I found to be off-putting. The spiced almonds were very addicting and had a flavor reminiscent of Indian cuisine.

The salad with herbed avocado and pistachio crumble tasted great. However, I think it was arranged terribly. The lettuce should have been chopped more. I had to either cut pieces of it myself or unhinge my jaw to eat it. Having the avocado sauce at the very bottom of the plate beneath everything made it annoying to use.

The dish with hamachi was interesting. I'm not sure if I like it or hate it. The spicy strawberry's in it were delicious though.

My favorite dish would be the one with tomatoes and burrata. I loved the contrasting textures and the variety of flavors. Great dish.

We were served an awful duck breast. It may have been undercooked as it was very chewy. Duck is one of my favorite proteins, and this may be one of the worse duck dishes I've had from any restaurant. The berry sauce it was paired with worked well with the duck at least.

For drinks, I ordered a cocktail. It was called "Puck," and was good but not great. I've had a better cocktail in a hipster hotel bar... I was hoping it would make better use of the natural ingredients they source, but it was underwhelming. I decided against ordering another cocktail as I did not want to be disappointed again.

The service was very good and I don't regret trying this place. However, it is my least favorite out of all the Michelin-starred restaurants I have tried. I honestly question if this place is deserving of one.

Very excited to try this place but left disappointed in the food. We did the prefix menu. Each dish doesn't really have a name so I'll name it by the most prominent ingredient.

Snackles
Pickle brine fries (not pictured): These we're interesting. I see what they're trying to do but the outcome is an extremely chewy french fries. The inside doesn't really resemble a potato anymore. The smoked apple sauce was good and resembled a smokier honey mustard sauce. 2.5/5

Vegan Cilantro Chicharron: This was... weird. It doesn't resemble the chicharron that well and calling it a vegan chicharron is a little insulting to a chicharron. It was more similar in flavor and texture to fried rice paper chips. The kimchi mayo sauce saved this one. 2/5

Nuts (not pictured): We got these nuts that resembled candied nuts. Very average; not good or bad. 3/5

Egg Custard (not pictured): This was the best out of the snackles. The egg custard was pretty savory and had a delicate texture. It wasn't airy and the tomatoes paired really well with each bite. 4.5/5

Cucumber: The peanut sauce wasn't bad but overall didn't enjoy the texture of the dish. It was reminiscent of a vietnamese spring roll but not in a good way. It didn't make me nostalgic of the spring roll but made me prefer the spring roll. 1/5

Appetizers
Salad with Herbed Avocado: This was beautiful to look at. Presentation was on point. However eating it was kind of a mess. The lettuce is broken into small heads so that you can eat with your hands but each head is quite big and it is a little difficult to consume. The dressing was very light and the herbed avocado sauce at the bottom was mildly aromatic, although I think more was needed considering the head of the lettuce. The pistachio crumble added texture and crunch to the salad which was great. 4/5

Hamachi: Was excited for this dish and disappointed after getting it. The hamachi itself is very fresh. However, the anchovy vinaigrette is overly salty and makes the hamachi saltier than it should be. I think this was done intentionally with the other ingredients but was way too salty. The potatoes were a little overkill considering the nature of the dish but the spicy strawberries were delightfully sweet, tart and had a kick. 3/5

Burrata and Eggplant/Tomatoes: This one wasn't bad but I think they were overkill with this dish again. I think the string beans were unnecessary bc they didn't really add anything to the dish. The tomatoes I think could have been roasted but there were too many raw veggies in this prefix. The eggplant was good and the crispy shallots on top added a nice crunch. 4/5

Entrees
Duck Breast: This could have been the saving dish but sadly also a disappointment. The duck was undercooked and way too chewy and tough. 3/5

Pasta w/ Lamb Bacon: This one was a nice refreshing pasta but it contrasted too much with the lamb bacon. Minty but salty from the bacon. The bacon also was more fatty bacon than bacon with actual meat on it. 2/5

Dessert
Brownie: Standard brownie and tasted like a reese's puff. 3/5

Overall disappointed. Wouldn't come back but would recommend if you're interested in veggies as they are veggie forward with their dishes.

Overall was solid, although I do question a bit Michelin star status for some of the one stars I've had of late! I feel like there's two camps for 1 star contenders - the solid staples, and places with creative flair. I'd definitely put this in the later category - if you arrive expecting to eat "normal" things, then you might be disappointed. But if you're looking for something a little unconventional, then this is fun.

I honestly didn't enjoy every dish, which was a bit of what I expected going in. Highlights were probably the chawanmushi, amberjack, salad, and green curry. The amberjack and salad were in the more conventional camp, but well done nonetheless (although I really didn't love that for the salad we were told to use our hands - we were dining outdoors so had to venture in to wash our hands again...otherwise it strikes me as pretty unsanitary.)

The chawanmushi was strangely delicious - it was made with fava beans so quite different from the traditional egg- based prep, but nailed the umami and custard texture. The strawberries in the green curry were a great touch of lightness and acidity, and the curry itself was resoundingly good.The French fries and dessert were a bit lackluster and I could have done without.

Unsuspecting. But this place was amazing. I will strongly suggest anyone visiting come here.

Service was great! Everyone was so nice and they gave us amazing tips on what to order (all the recs were spot on).

We sat outside and it was a little chilly so bundle up. The music inside was too loud, I'm not sure if I would have been able to hear my guest if we sat inside.

All of the food was presented with ingredients that I wouldn't suspect would work well together or were prepared in a way I've never had. They were thoughtfully created and you can tell a lot of work went into every dish. Everything had something that surprised me and that, to me, is what makes a place fantastic, make something uniquely yours, and make usual things stand out! This place does that in spades.

The mushroom custard snackle was amazing. Warm, with good texture on top and sweetness. My friend didn't think she was going to like it and it was her favorite.

The hiramasa was paired with strawberries (never would have thought this would work but it did!!!!!, so well) which was a nice touch. The crispy potatoes were done perfectly. Loved everything on this dish.

The asparagus was also very well done. Different tastes in every bite and each bite was amazing!

The cod sunchoke curry dish, also amazing. Like a warm hug. The cod melted in our mouths.

Grits are never my favorite so I'm the last person to be able to comment positively on any grit dish, but I will say the mandarin orange bites that added a nice sweetness were my favorite.

The brisket side we ordered, the brisket on its own was amazing, the dish however, seemed out of place to us. I would pass on it in the future, though the meat was cooked perfectly.

Extruded Zucca pasta was also good. It was sort of like a pasta salad combo. The shape was super cool, and loved the addition of the nuts for the crunch.

The chocolate dessert was also really good.

Every single item was memorable, which almost never happens.

This is a must go/must try for me. So glad my friend suggested we come here, and I'll send anyone looking for restaurant recommendations here, which is the greatest compliment I can give a restaurant!!!

Came here on a Sunday night and got the tasting menu - was seated when everyone was mostly there for our reservation.

Good:
So much variety in the food - all of the plates were really beautifully crafted, and I definitely was pleasantly surprised by all of the variety and options.

My favorites were the duck, hamachi, and the grits dish - they had a ton of flavor and were very unique dishes and looked extremely beautiful. I liked how the hamachi came with fried potatoes- those had excellent texture and felt really bougie.

It was fun to be here with friends - it's definitely a full tasting experience.

Bad:
Definitely overpriced, and a costly dinner if you aren't looking to spend a lot of money. The service is pretty good - definitely feels upscale, so be prepared to spend the money for it!

I thought the dessert they had was okay as well - it was like a toasted marshmallow.

Overall there was a ton of variety and a lot of options with the tasting menu - I liked it as a one-off experience but I'm not sure if I'd come back just because it is definitely for a special meal!

Such a fun experience sitting at the Chef's bar. Lots of loud energy from expeditor/chef so be mindful if you're looking for a more quiet dinner.

I loved the creativity and plating throughout our experience. Its hard to tag the genre of food here, consider it a fusion between American and various international flavor profiles.

The cracked cucumbers was one of the most simple yet delicious dishes we had that night. The duck parts were also delicious but difficult to consume without using your hands (beware of bones). Wild a$$ tuna had a wonderful citrus umami with the strawberries. The burrata had room for quality improvement, and was overpowered a bit by the abundance of cauliflower which I felt could have also used a little more complex flavor. The lemon tagliatelle was delicious but felt a little one noted texturally. The chocolate cake was so decadent and to die for, unfortunately the lemon cake tasted a little dry; was curious if it was made that day or not.

Service was great, timing of dishes was on point. I noted in our reservation we were celebrating a birthday but it was never addressed throughout the service which was a bit odd.

Overall definitely recommend!

So fun. So, so fun!

Al's Place is the most affordably priced Starred establishment I've been to. My partner and I opted for the evening's tasting menu.

They did a great job in accommodating pescatarian options. The standout items for us were the fries (who knew vinegar fries could be so good?), the salad, and the caramel brownie dessert!

I think the biggest takeaway about Al's Place is the ambiance. We came in on a Wednesday evening and the place was packed and popping. The servers were so helpful in drink + food recommendations, and the playlist was killer. I still bump it from time to time because it's an awesome playlist in general.

One minor issue we had - I think either our table or one of our chairs was uneven, which was a little annoying to work with for our dinner.

Honestly, this place is great if you just wanna have a great time with some amazing food and enthusiastic energy. IMO that's a HUGE part of what gives Al's its edge!!

If I have one major tip, do not hesitate to order the "popular" dishes of this restaurant (french fries, chawanmushi, sunchoke curry, the brownie, etc). Unlike many other establishments, these items truly highlight their awesome preparation, technique, flavors and textures.

Though good and prepped well, the dishes we enjoyed the least were the hiramasa and the tagliatelle. They did not feel innovative enough compared to the other dishes we had.

The absolute surprise of the meal was the brisket! We ordered it on a whim and *my god* it was prepared mindblowingly well. It was accompanied by some pickled vegetables to cut through the heavy flavor. I am legitimately thinking about coming back and just ordering a big plate of this and nothing else.

And after all this food, be sure to spoil yourself with AL's brownie. It is the type of brownie an adult would enjoy; as in, it's not sickly sweet.

As long as you order well, the hype is REAL with this place. Forget everything you've read about the chef's counter being too noisy. Take in the culinary experience first hand. They're the best seats in the house.

Tldr: I'm sour because the food was sour :(
I thought a lot about this rating. I really appreciate the attentive service and the creativity of Aaron but tonight's dinner is a big let down.
I had Al's Place dinner in the past and loved it so much.
The menu tonight has a "vinegar/ sour" theme. It's the most horrible dinner that I've had from a one Michelin star restaurant (I've been to several). Or I may say it's just the worst dining experience ever.

Snackles:
- Asian pear with peanut sauce: pickled pear did not go well with the peanut sauce.
- Brine french fries with apple sauce. The fries are coated with sour brine. It was awful.
- Mushroom chawanmushi: one of the better ones since it's not sour.

Cold:
Artichoke dip brussel sprouts: the dip was sour. It was mediocre.

Mains:
- Pear curry, black lime cod: the curry was sour, it made me think of Thai's tom kha kai. The fish was fishy for me. A big disappointment...
- Extruded zucca: the pasta was well cooked but it's sour again.... Why???
- Duck confit with stonefruit chili: one of the better ones but it didn't blow me away.
- Fish mullet: probably the best dish. It's simple but delicious. It didn't blow me away but it was way better than other dishes.
- Red bow trout, spiced yogurt broth: pretty good but for some reasons I tasted fish sauce in it. I've gone crazy after all the sour dishes.

Given how disappointed we were, we skipped the desserts.

I'm sorry but I didn't get why most dishes were sour :( I will not come back.