SUNDAY MAY 15 two seatings

Purchase your tickets here and read more about the restaurant here

I am writing for the first time to announce an event that we are not hosting ourselves. Excitement, gratitude, and collegiality prompt me.

The Commonwealth restaurant in San Francisco invited us to do a dinner with them. Months ago, soon after they opened. And WITH them. I was flattered but without understanding. And then I dined there. And dined again, with more leisure. I sent photos to friends in distant cities urging the necessity of plane tickets. Their manager interned with us, and did real work. Not just tourism. I invited the kitchen out to the winery to taste. And now not only the front of the house, who would serve the wine if I were lucky, but the engine and foundation of the restaurant. I was honored by their presence and their attention when both showed up. And then our determination to do a dinner together became firm. I do not have enough chefs visit the winery, and never had one with whom I would or might be doing a dinner. It was so good to talk with with Jason about his food, about wine in general, about the specific wines in front of us —and their histories, and destinations. That visit was in January; we have been planning this dinner since then.

It is nearby, and cool, and has good principles, and enthusiastic people who work there.

And, as I have promised my wondering friends, I have never had better food anywhere in the world.

I worry about over-enthusiastic exaggeration, and perhaps fondness for the people pushes me, but I can tell you with certainty that I have to strain my memory to recall a dish more striking, more balanced, and more richly delicious than the uni that I tasted there in January. I read the enthusiastic reviews and I think: "you do not get it. this is not simply as good or even better than other restaurants. It is different. it is one step outside of the local paradigm, and several steps up from the highest points of that paradigm. Enough. The food and wine will also go well together. Months of attention and admiration will guarantee that. So how can I not invite you to join me there?

PS: I have tried to send this invitation only to members of the mailing iist who reside in california, even if I know that you live in LA