Fueled by the success of the first true Michelin experience at Bouchon (faux first is Yauatcha-the Houston one I ate at is not starred, only the London branch is), I instantly booked my night for the The Progress. I soon realized the truth in what some chefs have been claiming about these stars…it is extremely subjective.

This is located in downtown SF and for some reason, no valet. It was our lucky night because somehow, we found a spot within the block. My Manolos breathed a sigh of relief. The restaurant is pretty. The design was clever to make what a typical SF dig would be, cramped, seem spacious.

The ordering style is unique, and if you have an open mind, could be interesting. For a fixed price, you get to choose 4 entrees. Each would be shared family-style. The way the waitress explained it was the first 2 should be chosen on the “light” section (veggies) and the next 2 from the “heavy” section (meats).

Prior to serving the entrees, there were a few things “for the table” aka appetizers. We were given three of these appetizers, which I thought was fairly generous.

Then we were on to the entree. The timing of these dishes being served were impeccable. Not a lot of wait time.

This chose a great avocado for this dish. It reminds of the avocado we have in the Philippines, more sweet than savory but still very firm.

I cannot imagine putting the marrow into the dumpling wrap, but somehow that feat was achieved in this dish.

Now this is where the “star” was achieved. Morel mushrooms are a gourmet’s delight. There are apparently people who have to  “hunt” for it and takes a lot of skill because it is elusive. It tastes very meaty and earthy and most importantly, for something so packed with flavor, has only 20 calories per cup. This dish probably has 1/4 cup,  so….5 calories for the win!!!

Overall, this was not a bad dining experience. Although it is a far cry from Bouchon, if you have to compare. The dishes were really creative and the ingredients, superb. The presentation is a bit dated, for lack of a better word. I love Japanese clay ware but the same kind of plate was used throughout the courses, a variety of shapes/colors would have been better. The thing I disliked most was the way the tables were so close to each other. See how the next diner was so close to me. I overheard her entire tale of Match.com misadventures…

The Progress, 1525 Fillmore Street
San Francisco CA 94115

Madera is a Michelin star restaurant in Sand Hill Road (Menlo Park)—a venture-capital office park—near Woodside, home to many tech billionaires. Surrounded by three of the wealthiest zip codes in the country, this is where techies toast as they successfully convinced us that our life would not be complete if we don’t have the latest iPhones in our hands.

You can tell from their wine book (not list), that they do take their celebrations seriously. Because you know…poverty is loss of options…so they say.

This was a lot of food. I’ve never been in a restaurant where I felt I had to order so much. But everything was exceptional so it was hard to resist. Presentation, as you can tell from the pictures, definitely above par. Great service in these kind of establishments, are a given. From the valet, to the sommelier, waitstaff and the incessant rounding of the manager, everyone worked to get us a great dining experience. This restaurant definitely deserves its star.

2825 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025