Sent-Sovi

Tonight we are celebrating Hanh's birthday at Sent Sovi Restaurant. Sent Sovi is a little restaurant Located in charming downtown Saratoga. The restaurant is very cute and has a charming European cottage, small, unpretentious, intimate, cozy, warm, and very welcoming. The main dinning area can hold about 30 people at the most and as soon as you sit down the atmosphere is relaxing. Sent Sovi is under the direction of Chef Josiah Slone, who took over from David Kinch in 2003. Kinch who originally received the attention and adoration of food critics and diners here at Sent Sovi has since moved on to greener pasture and earned a 2 star Michelin guide at Manresa in Los Gatos. Comparison to Kinch are inevitable but from what I heard Slone hasn't followed in Kinch's footsteps. He has gone in his own direction and made Sent Sovi entirely his own by cooking with locally sourced and seasonal ingredients.

From the street, it remains an unassuming exterior that fits well with the other buildings along Big Basin Way. Once inside it tells an altogether different story. It is sleek and welcoming!

If you are heading toward the Sent Sovi sign than you will need to turn around because the entrance of the restaurant in on the side. Open the iron gate, walk in the court yard and you will see the entrance. While we were seating down we saw so many people missing the entrance!

Compliment of the chef we were serve an Amuse bouche: toasted brioche filled with mushroom stuffing and goat cheese.

Trio of Charcuterie: Country Style terrine, Chicken and Cranberry Roulade and Soprasetta with Quince mustard.

Torchon of foie gras, Kumquat, Pistachio, Buddha Hand Gelée and Picked Spanish radish.

This foie gras was smooth and creamy. Surprisingly, the pistachios eaten with the foie gras tasted very well together! Any thing with Foie gras is good for me.

This is a very good salad with the exception of the goat cheese which is a bit pungent for me.

Hoa and Tuan choose the Liberty Farms Duck Breast with French Green Lentils, Confit, Brittle, Bloomsdale Spinach and Harissa jus.

I selected the Lamb Rack with Root Vegetable-Pave cheese Gratin, Baby Carrots, Pistachio Dust and Roasted Shallot jus.

The lamb was cooked the way I liked "rare" but I complaint was that the sauce was too sour. When I told the waiter he said I should taste some sweetness but I definitely could not taste it.

Kevin ordered the Pan Roasted Hanger Steak with Braised Greens and Roquefort Yukon Gold Potato soufflé. Kevin thought the meat was submerge into the sauce which tasted like Ketchup to him.

The Roquefort Yukon potato soufflé was way too strong because we just do not appreciate Roquefort.

Ryan decided to go with the Pecan crusted Berkshire Pork Loin with Kuri Squash Puree, Brussels Sprouts in brown Butter, Bacon Sage jus.

Hanh ordered the "Stretched" Quail with XXL Couscous, lemon form Josiah's backyard and Cauliflower broccoli hash.

The quail was excellent! The XXL couscous was too doughy and I think we all agreed that regular couscous would be a lot tastier...

Overall, we had a very nice dinning experience. The waiter was very attentive to our need and I really like the atmosphere of the restaurant...

We did not have coffee or dessert at the restaurant because we are going to Dung's house to celebrate Hanh's birthday with more people..