 The wide, elegant dining room lofted above the lobby of the historic St. Francis hotel is dressed in a nearly opalescent palette of rich ivories and pale taupes, and features dramatic, soaring, 20-foot Ionic columns. An army of black-clad servers cruises the room, deftly explaining Mina's stylized "trio" concept---one luxe ingredient (Wolfe Ranch quail, Japanese fish, Brandt beef) prepared three different ways, presented in concert on a specially designed plate. A $105 prix-fixe option includes three such fanciful adventures, including dessert; seasonal tasting menus, a tasting of vegetables menu, pricey supplements and one-dish "classics" are also available, but the trio here is the Mina grail, like his caviar parfait or lobster potpie. Though colorful, the three resulting little stories of cuisine can be overly decorated and precious---a plate of three good cheeses, for example, may be bedecked in twirls and dots of various syrups and sauces, and the simple foundation of flavor is almost rudely upstaged. The oyster trio includes Shigoku oysters, salsify and sorrel; Island Creek oysters, spinach and apple wood-smoked bacon; and Kumamoto oysters, pomegranate and grains of paradise. Desserts from pastry chef Catherine Schimenti may include kuri squash pie, pickled cranberry sorbet, marshmallow cream and juniper balsamic. Rajat Parr's wine list hefts like a wonderful encyclopedia. A lounge offers a chance to taste Mina’s signature dishes in a more casual setting. |
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