Benu

In San Francisco a restaurant can only survive if it is excellent or if it has owned the building since before Silicon Valley became a household word. Benu manages to do more than just survive. Chef Corey Lee and his team do a lot of magic in a quiet little pocket they have carved out right in the middle of one of SF's busiest neighborhoods.

This rundown is not complete, you'll just have to go yourself to see what you missed.

Small Delicacies

First up is a classic, a 1000 year old egg. This one is a quail egg and you just get a slice. Plenty if you ask me. The textures of the egg play a big role in this dish.

Benu has been serving a pork and oyster canape since the beginning and it's evolved into this highly optimized little firecracker. The tiny oyster makes it easy to make comparisons to other dishes at some other places but it's not necessary as this dish stands all on its own. The oyster and luscious, fatty pork meld wonderfully while the crispy kimchee flavored envelope gives just a touch of kick. I'm probably glossing over a whole days worth of cooking also lurking beneath the surface of this dish but ignorance is bliss.

The first course listed on the menu is "small delicacies." They don't specify how many you get, however. You're left wondering "when will the menu start?" Wondering in a good way, of course.

Chicken wings are gaining in popularity. Benu's is stuffed with soft and silky abalone.

One of Benu's signature dishes is the "shark fin" soup. The shark fin lid on the bowl is a whimsical detail and a reminder that they aren't messing around.

Mains

No picture of the lobster coral xiao long bao. You know what dumplings look like. You don't know what these dumplings taste like, however, which is absolutely divine. They explode in your mouth with savory lobster deliciousness. This may very well have been the best tasting dish of the evening. Benu has been featuring xiao long bao of various sorts for a long while, maybe since the beginning. In the past there have been foie gras versions. They have really hit a sweet spot with the lobster coral, however. They've taken something consumed by millions every day and elevated it to soaring heights.

Next up was steamed cod in a mustard bath, with a mustard seed and asparagus preparation on the side. The cod had a wonderful texture from being perfectly cooked and had the most delicate flavor, enhanced by the "bath" it was in.

Sea urchin marinated in fermented crab sauce and "new harvest caviar" with hand-pressed sesame oil, sesame leaf, and daikon. These two courses came at the same time. The urchin was delicious, fresh and perfectly seasoned. It was almost firm, not slimy and falling apart like you frequently encounter.

Last up was charcoal-grilled beef rib steak with braised riblet, scallion and perilla salad, pear kimchi, and meju condiment with assorted lettuces.

Final Stretch