 Traditionally, oysters Rockefeller are baked on the half-shell with butter, greens and breadcrumbs. At Daniel Patterson's Coi, the dish is broken down into components: a jellied horseradish sheet wrapped around a naked raw oyster with a vegetable mignonette and puréed spinach. When the elements mingle, the tongue senses foam, salt and movement---truly an ocean, not a cliché. One can experience each dish as a whole, or chase clean flavors resonating from individual ingredients. Spinach, for example, is usually not known for its allure, but here, a bright quenelle-shaped morsel tastes as though acres of the loveliest leaves have been harvested for its creation. Coi lets diners chart their own course. Some will prefer the dining room's 11-course tasting menu and wine pairings (a $95 supplement to the $135 rate per person). Time-conscious groups will gravitate to the lounge for à la carte selections from both the tasting and lounge menus. Either way, dinner is intense and beautifully paced. The triumphs arrive one after another: a tart ("broken, inverted") with wafers of rye, juicy beet cubes, dill and goat cheese, crab soup with uni, and abalone with peppery puntarelle. Bill Corbett's desserts follow suit, with wonderfully composed plates simultaneously bold and restrained---caramelized olive oil cake with olive oil ice cream, tarragon, and scoops of quince. Without a whiff of gimmicky experimentation, Coi re-imagines California cuisine, acknowledging the sanctified emphasis on ingredients that many area chefs embrace, but also showing a willingness to challenge and invent---in an appropriately hushed atmosphere.
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Splurging at top-rated restaurants is fun for special events, but where can you go for a good quality meal that won't break the bank? Gather the change out of your piggy bank and sofa cushions and take it to one of our selections for the best cheap eats in your area. Also, check out our picks for the Top 40 Cheap Eats in the U.S.
