Foliage

I came here with a group for a birthday and it was a delight! The interior is minimalistic, modern, and sleek. It's great for date night as well. The SF restaurant week set menu was perfect. We enjoyed Quail + Veal Sweetbreads, Don Juan manchego (and delicious bread), Wild Boar Tenderloin Polenta +Natural Blonde Morel + Wild Ramps+ Cherry Jus, Olive Oil Cake Yuzu + Strawberry Compote (very unique dessert), a banger of a starter with Yellowfin Crudo Jeow Som, seaweed and rice crisp, Mt. Lassen Trout Radish +White Asparagus+Trout Roe, and Braised eggplant. Everything was delicious, their taste complex. Service was wonderful.

Since we really loved Marlena, we've been excited to try Foliage since it opened and had high hopes. Finally made it there on Mother's Day for their Sunday Family Dinner. It's a family style pre fixe menu. The only thing you choose is your the protein/main course for the entire table and everything else just comes out. There's also the option to add on servings of the other main course option, as well as bread and butter.We went with the trout for the table with a brisket add-on single serving for all of us to taste. The trout was solid but the brisket was very under seasoned, although after adding some salt, it was more enjoyable. The sides are where the dinner fell short. We didn't enjoy the odd egg and potatoes frittata and side of baked beans -- both dishes were bland and underwhelming. We liked the other side of potatoes cooked with onions and peppers, as well as the biscuit. But something about having sides consist mostly of beans, eggs and potatoes, more potatoes, and a biscuit left a lot to be desired. The salad they served was excellent though - it was the best dish of the meal - and I'd recommend the bread and butter add-on. Dessert of lemon cake with meringue was good but not memorable.Not much has visibly changed about the ambiance since Marlena -- it's still casual, modern and inviting. The service was also excellent.Overall our experience was fine, but underwhelming and not memorable. While trying it out on a regular night might be better since you'd have more options, we're not in a hurry to return.

Came here on a quiet Thursday night for an anniversary dinner. Immediately greeted with a warm welcome and complimentary champagne. We booked a table near opening so we were the first to come in. A few tables trickled in after us. Towards the end of the night, there was a large holiday party. Dimly lit, next to the window & on a misty evening = great vibes!We ordered the scallop crudo, which was delicious. The added hibiscus flavor really made it sweet. We also ordered the pumpkin seed milk, bread and trout mousse toast with caviar. Both appetizers were amazing. I loved the curry flavoring in the butter. The trout mousse toast was definitely a 10 out of 10. We also ordered the mushroom soup which I found to be a bit too heavy and salty, but you can use the milk bread to dip. I enjoyed the black cod and my partner loved his beef cheek. I found the cod to be a bit underwhelming but it was cooked perfectly. My partner's beef cheek was delicate and rich. For desserts, had the devil's food cake which was a nice topping to end the night.I loved the appetizers but felt that the main and soup was so polar to one another (in terms of seasonings), so I would give the food an over score of 7/10. On the other hand, my partner loved the soup (and finished mine) and his main. I understand that this is a rotating menu, so I will definitely be back to give it another try.

I was really excited to try this place. They offer an affordable four course menu in a really gorgeous space (formerly occupied by Marlena). My friend and I came here for Saturday dinner. They had options for appetizers, entrees and desserts. The two of us decided to pick different dishes and shared so we can sample most of the menu. There were some hits and misses.The appetizers included sashimi-grade amberjack with flax seed crumble and rutabaga with Asian pear. These were really good dishes. We also ordered the pumpkin seed milk bread with espelette cultured butter. I liked the bread a lot but not sure about the butter. The next course was their ricotta gnocchi with foraged fungi, chicory, green apple and allium jus. This dish did not work for me - the individual components were good but the whole dish felt disjointed (gnocchi with the mushrooms and some great sauce would have been perfect). For the entrees, the steak was great and the highlight of the meal. The cod was good with crispy skin but it was a bit too salty for me. The desserts were mixed as well - the sticky toffee was way too sweet but the pavlova with chamomile cream was great. My friend had green tea with her dessert but the tea wasn't good. Service was OK - I got the feeling that they were missing a server that night and there was a bit of a wait between the entrees and the desserts. I really loved the space. With tax and tip, this ended up being about $115 per person - a really good value for the meal. I think they are still figuring things out and I'll probably try them again in a few months.

My husband and I recently enjoyed dining at Foliage and trying their prix fixe menu for the first time. When I entered the restaurant, I was impressed by the beautiful decor and the welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant gives diners a clear view into the kitchen, which adds excitement and transparency to the dining experience. The staff at Foliage provided exceptional service all through the evening, attending to our needs with warmth.I would like to address some negative reviews I have come across regarding the "quality" of ingredients at Foliage. I must say that I find such claims to be baseless. Our meal was a testament to the kitchen's dedication to using top-notch ingredients that made me want more. The milk bread was heavenly, with a perfect balance of softness and flavor. The cabbage with mushrooms was a delightful combination, showcasing the chef's expertise in creating harmonious and satisfying dishes. (I've never had a unique combination of flavors like that dish.) The cod, cooked to perfection, was the highlight of the evening, with its delicate texture and delectable taste. And let me not forget to mention the banana pudding, which was hands down one of the best I've ever had.Foliage left me tinkled-pink. The restaurant's decor, open kitchen view, and great service (especially the great wine pours) set the stage for a memorable winter evening. Give it a try; I'm confident you won't be disappointed.

I had to call the restaurant the next day to ask for a refund for the erroneous charge on the bill, and they refunded me.

We had an early dinner so the restaurant wasn't crowded, and the service was pleasant and attentive. The food was good but not great. The portion size is surprisingly small, even for the mains. My husband asked for more of the complimentary bread, and was surprised to see an added charge of $7 on the bill. Another thing that surprised us was the duck breast had a $20 extra charge. We both didn't notice it on the menu since the charge is located on the right side of the menu. I'm glad we tried this restaurant but we probably will not come back since we paid $267.88 for 2 people, got so little food and went home hungry. It was not a satisfying experience.The items we ordered:- Amberjack Crudo was very tasty, the mac nut adds a nice crunch (5/5).- Shrimp Toast was crispy on the outside and had great flavor (5/5).- Ricotta Gnocchi was fine but underwhelming (3/5).- Local Black Cod was perfectly cooked, favorite dish for the evening (5/5).- Muscovy Duck Breast - the meat wasn't tough but there were a lot of veins within the meat that made it tough and chewy, and I didn't like the sauce (2/5).- White Chocolate Budino - absolutely delicious, a great dessert (5/5). I wish they offered more than one option for dessert though.

I think one strange takeaway for me here is that we reserved for a near Christmas dinner at 5pm because I hate going to the city late and finding parking etc., and for the entire two hours (5-7pm) on a Friday night, there were no other diners in the whole place. The server was really nice, but felt like because we were the only diners, either she felt compelled to keep talking to us, or she was just super nice, either way it was a little different that we had like a whole 10 min discussion not about the food and just about life, while we were waiting to eat one of our courses. I think while it was pretty affordable, I felt like the flavors were just all over the place. There was an amazing truffle mushroom soup, but it was literally ruined by diced raw apples or some sort in there. The flavor clash was really unnecessary and took away from the umami of the well made soup.There were also other instances where they used high end ingredients, but in contest with each other, so that it didn't turn out as well. I guess they had a Michelin star at some point (perhaps still does?) but it doesn't quite feel that way. They had gotten on a best restaurants in the US list for 2023, but I think perhaps they need a bit more time to curate their menu a little better.

Quick SummaryExcellent dinner, service and ambiance. The add ons were worth trying and were perfect to split for a party of 4 (milk bread, the spaghettoni and roasted lamb loin). I would say the hokkaido scallop, nettle ravioli, seared black cod, and glenn cherry were my favorite of the options of the prix-fixe meal. Pretty fair pricing at $75 per person for their 4 course menuFood- 5 starsMilk bread- it was a good starter for the meal and you can get refills if you'd like. Really nice to dip in on their butter or the many sauces of the prix fixe mealHokkaido scallop- sweet and light. Beautifully present and very goodSpaghettoni- this was the perfect portion for the 4 of us. Heavy and savory and loved the crispy of the noodles complementing with the caviarSeared black cod- this was very good. Great flavor and perfectly seasonedSakura pork collar- this was good and incredibly soft. I would still opt for the black cod over the pork thoughRoasted lamb loin- this was incredibly good and worth the add on. Incredibly juicy, tender and flavorfulGlenn Cherry or Chocolate rye- pretty solid desserts to end the nightServiceExcellent service throughout. Kudos to the great servers for the night!Bottom LinePretty solid tasting menu that doesn't break the bank. Highly recommend Marlena for any occasion!

Absolutely deserving of their Michelin Star. From the attention of detail to the food, to the friendly staff, it was a great experience. Each item was cooked amazingly and the was very unique and tasty. I did not think the wine was anything special, but I did find the food to be very stellar. Additionally, the pricing is very reasonable given the location and Michelin reputation.What I disliked in most of SF area was how crowded all the seating was; however, Marlena is spaced out enough to feel like you have your own space. It is not the biggest restaurant, but enough to feel separated from others. I also liked the that the kitchen was open so you could watch them cook and interact with the chefs who were very willing to tell you what they were doing. The place was kept clean and my napkin was folded when I left, with constant refilling of my water. Would definitely recommend and come back. Easy 5/5.Ambience: 5/5Service: 5/5Food: 5/5