To celebrate my 50th birthday, my family selected Lampreia. I had never been there, but had read some reviews. If the food had been exquisite, it wouldn't have mattered if I had to park 20 blocks away. It was a fabulous evening just being there with my family. Yet, all the ambiance and artistry cannot make up for tasteless or bad tasting food. Presentation should not take precedence over taste. We had the eight course tasting menu. The service was impeccable, and although it was stiff and snooty, it was fitting for the circumstance. The champagne had delicate fruit undertones that were light and crisp. The bread was fresh, yet uninteresting. The apple/dungeness dish was quite nice. The truffle cream on which the soup was poured was wonderful, yet the soup was disappointing -- lacking in flavor. Most of the other dishes were unremarkable and forgettable. The chicken liver pate was bitter and sour tasting. Awful! The tuna proscuitto with sea urchin had a nice intense ocean flavor, but the overall dish was just okay. The lamb dish was nice. The meal overall was lacking in VEGETABLES. The chocolate mousse and orange frise (sp?) were both very good, but there was no offer of coffee, espresso, tea... NOTHING! I find that coffee enhances chocolate and was VERY disappointed that it was not offered. The mini cookies would have been great with espresso. The cheese dish (baked with honey) was very nice. The cabernet (and all of the wines) were very nice.
Pros: Attentive service
Cons: Food is better looking than tasting, no coffee service?
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