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The Chef's Table - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Mediterranean Mediterranean [Edit]
731 W San JoseFresno, CA 93704
(559) 227-3200
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
12 reviews for The Chef's Table
Review Highlights
"Mixed Baby Green Salad with grapes and Manchego Cheese."
(in 3 reviews)
"Butternut squash ravioli in brown butter."
(in 3 reviews)
"Pheasant and wild mushroom canneloni appetizer."
(in 3 reviews)
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12 reviews in English
-
Review from Lauren R.
Long Beach, CA
5/6/2008 1 photo
In all my life I have never had a better Dining experience.
For an early Mother's Day getaway to Yosemite, we started Friday evening off with Dinner at the Chef's Table. The hotel we were staying at (The San Joaquin All Suites Hotel) called the restaurant ahead of time to let them know that we would be joining them for dinner. I guess they have a deal to scratch each other's backs er.. something.
ANYWAY... The service was incredible! Our server made my Mom feel on top of the world. He would come over to chat, picked out a bottle of wine for us that would go as a nice starter, gave us a taste of their signature appetizer dish, and checked on us throughout the night. At one point we asked for pointers on Yosemite (what time should we leave, what do we HAVE to see, what can we skip, etc) and he mentioned that a few of his co-workers were pretty savvy when it comes to the national park - so he would see what he could find out. Six mins later the Chef from the kitchen came out to tell us exactly what we should do. Since we are going for the day and we want to hike and get in a good view = Chilnualna Falls. No doubt in his mind, the Dr. prescribed this 'falls hike' because it is not only Spectacular this time of year, it is also a beginner level and takes the perfect amount of time that we had to offer: all day Saturday.
After that, I felt like family and my Mother was glowing. At this point, the service level did not go down. Our server (can I say names? I don't want to give too much away... Starts with an L.. ends with superstar) Our server then took time to get to know us a little better an insisted that we have the dessert plate that he already put an order in for. We were so surprised! The dish was a Tri-combo: Mini New York Cheesecake (Cinnamon Almond Crust White Wine & Apricot Sauce), a fruit display with Heart-Shaped Strawberries, and Cinnamon Creme Brulee. On the long edge of the plate the pastry chef wrote out in dark chocolate "Happy Mother's Day" - and hand delivered it to our table! To top off the dining experience our server "L" then gave us a dessert wine to pair with our tasty morsels. Delish!
. Asparagus Soup (Roasted Tomato Brown Butter / Drunken Goat Cheese) - To Die for!!
. Mixed Baby Lettuces (Shaved Radishes / Carrots / Maytag Blue Cheese / Muscat Vinaigrette) - Amazingly Scrumcious!
. Crispy Potato Gnocchi (Marinated Asparagus & Roasted Tomato Salad / Olive Vinaigrette / Parmesan Cheese) - Yum yum yum
Amazing Price. I would have paid double for the experience.
Thank you Chef's Table. You made our holiday getaway! -
Review from kim n.
1/28/2008
When I was growing up, Harlan's was pretty much the only example of fine dining you could find in Fresno. It was a place of special anniversaries, dinner before prom, birthdays and pretty much any other special occasion. Harlan's is now closed but the family has given way to a new chef, their son, Malachi. It's not often that you get a chef of this caliber in Fresno. A student of the CIA in Hyde Park, NY; stints at Aqua, Oliveto, Charles Nob Hill; a fairly impressive resume.
The weird think about The Chef's Table is that it's carved out of some of the space of the Elbow Room, which is a joint that's been around since the 50's and represents a much more casual dining experience. They've taken one of the larger rooms and appropriated the patio and turned it into a space that is reminiscent of an old wine cellar. We were seated in the main room near a wall that was embedded with oak wine casks. As we were seated and perused the menu, we were met by an array of friendly servers, bringing bread, water and an amuse bouche.
The first notable thing about the Chef's Table, is their extensive wine list. They've been recognized by Wine Spectator for a few years now and upon inspection, I saw that they carried Swanson Vineyard's (one of my all time faves) Alexis and Merlot, in which we got a bottle of the latter. Finishing up looking over the dinner menu (there's both an a la carte and prix fixe selection) we went with the following:
- Pheasant and Wild Mushroom Cannelloni, Leeks / Black Truffle Jus
- Mixed Baby Green Salad with grapes and Manchego Cheese
- Winter Root Vegetable Soup
- Butternut Squash Ravioli Sage Brown Butter / Sauteed Vegetables / Parmigiano Reggiano
- Mary's Free Range Half Chicken Cooked Under a Brick /Oyster Mushroom Risotto / 20 year Aged Balsamic Vinegar
- Prime Harris Ranch Black Angus NY Steakv/vCrispy Shallots / Bernaise Sauce / Fingerling Potatoes
- Orange Cheesecake FLan
- Cinnamon Creme Brulee
Everything was excellent. SF caliber cuisine in Fresno? It's finally arrived. The service was equally excellent. We were well taken care of the whole night and some of the staff treated us like we were regulars. You have no idea how big a deal this is for the place that is my hometown. When I turned 18 I told myself I was leaving this place and not returning, except for family-friend visits. Well I guess it was good that Malachi Harlan decided he would be the one to return instead. I hope his efforts bring a renaissance to the restaurant scene here because he's easily got the best place in town. -
Review from Jen C.
Palo Alto, CA
4/26/2009
Let's do a breakdown:
Ambiance: 3 stars
-Kinda dark, so it would be romantic except they are blasting 80s rock music in the background. How about some Jazz people?
-This is not a casual dining place. We came in jeans and rainbows, oops.
-There is a really cool banquet room with wine racks lining the walls. i wish i could have gone in there.
Service: 3.5 stars
-Lots of gay men working there named Landon, Anthony, Brice, etc. Okay I made up the Brice name. I love gay men, except for the fact that we were pretty much ignored for most of our dining experience. They were quick with the alcohol, but slow with everything else. It might have something to do with us being so dressed down, young, Asian, and goofy looking.
Food: 5 stars
-we ordered one "April Dinner", which came with an appetizer, entree, and dessert and one beef risotto. the butter lettuce salad with fruit was EXCELLENT. the beef risotto had a lot of great flavors. The lamb was not what we expected, came out like a patty but was shredded. pretty good, not too game-y. and then we shared a panecotta dessert which hit the spot. portions were just right.
-i also ordered a glass of the Poppy Pinot from Monterey. Excellent choice at $8 a glass. i need to find this in a store somewhere.
average of 4 stars. the price for two of us came out to about $65, w/ tip! not too shabby for fine dining. but....it is fresno. :-) -
Review from Matt P.
Fresno, CA
10/19/2009
Wish there was a 4.5 star rating on Yelp.
This place is great, don't get me wrong, but not QUITE '5 star.'
(for example, the best restaurant i've been to so far, 'Providence' (LA) is easily 5 stars -- but that is not by any means saying Chef's Table is on par with Providence)
Chef's Table is definitely better than 4 stars though....so, I'm kinda stuck in between wishing there was a half point rating.
Anyways,
Must try is the wild mushroom w/ truffle canneloni app (something like that). I get it every time and am amazed at how delicious it is.
I'm not going to go into a super detailed break down, but just have to say that every time me and my gf go here, we leave feeling very satisfied.
Also, the ambiance is great for couples -- nice, dark, romantic. They even had a live jazz player one time we went, which was great. Another compliment is to the great service from the wait staff. Knowledgeable and very accommodating.
It is definitely pricey, but i HIGHLY recommend this place for a special occasion with a significant other. I can tell you with 98% confidence that you will have a great meal (just not 100%, hence my preference of a 4.5 star rating for this restaurant).
Again, the only reason why I am not saying 100% is because, i reserve 5 star, or '100%' for blowing me out of the water time after time.
Chef's table doesn't blow me away every time, but it definitely impresses me every time.
Clearly one of the better, quality fine dining establishments in this conundrum known as 'Fresno.'
Go spend your money here, and keep it alive. -
Review from Jerry M.
Fresno, CA
1/15/2008
Have to say, I was blown away. The quality of the food and selection of wine was unlike any I've had in Fresno. We ate in the a la carte section of the restaurant, not the tasting table. Fireplace created crazy ambience.
Highlights of the evening were...
Pheasant and wild mushroom canneloni appetizer...
Salad with orange viniagrette, grapes and monchego cheese...
Butternut squash ravioli in brown butter...
Root vegetable soup...
Mushroom risotto...
Angus New York Strip...
Orange glazed cheesecake...
The cheesecake was among the best I have ever had...light, sweet and a perfect compliment to a fine meal. It reminds me of a goat-cheese cheesecake they serve at Alexander's Steakhouse in San Jose. Just wonderful.
Hands down my new favorite restaurant in Central California.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Dave G.
Concord, CA
12/1/2008
I would say the food deserved maybe as high as 4 stars but the price is quite high. Since I don't review prices...the restaurant gets four stars. Don't get me wrong, living in San Francisco, we pay that much for dinner all the time but for the ambiance, food quality, decor, and attentiveness of the staff, we typically pay maybe half. In the higher rent city of San Francisco no less. In my opinion, people who complain about not being able to afford this restaurant have reason to complain.
We shared the Toscano Salami which wasn't bad. The bread was actually very tasty but the salami was sitting in olive oil which became a bit too much as we neared the bottom of the dish.
I then had the Jambalaya which was actually quite good but really lacked spice...I knew it would going in. My Fiance got the Caesar Salad which she really enjoyed.
She then ordered the Mary's Free Range Half Chicken Cooked Under a Brick which she thought was "very good". and I had the Maple Leaf Duck Breast which was nicely done. The wine reduction had excellent flavor as did the vegetable risotto.
For dessert we shared the chocolate molten cake which was also good. The $6.50 double shot of espresso was pretty gnarley though. As we were going to the freeway after, there was a Starbucks and I had caffeine remorse.
So, our take-away is that the reservation system is a put off, the price is about 50% too high, but the food is pretty good. Unfortunately, it sounds like there is not much competition in Fresno so they will charge what the traffic will bare. -
Review from Darin C.
Clovis, CA
1/12/2009
My first visit here was a disappointment. Steve, the cellar director, was cold and made us feel like we were a burden from the moment we made the reservations to my girlfriend's request for some vegetarian options. He managed to check on every table, some several times, but completely avoided us. The rest of the staff were all great, however. The food was mixed. I found the shrimp fritters to be under-seasoned and saturated with oil. The filet was prepared as requested (med-rare) but the dish itself being only accompanied by some diced potatoes was uninspiring. For $38, I was expecting another side or maybe a great sauce to this dish. The crispy gnocchi was wonderful and definitely worth ordering again. Landon, the sommelier, made some excellent wine-pairing choices for us while keeping it within our budget.
My girlfriend was so bothered by Steve's inhospitality that she called the following day to speak with the GM (Liz). Liz was genuinely apologetic and suggested we ask for her on our next visit.
Several weeks later and after reading the positive reviews, we decided to give it another shot. The service and food this time were fantastic! Honestly, there was not one thing about our experience that was less than outstanding. The maple-leaf duck-breast on top of diced yams, beans, and sausage with a rich sauce was superb...probably the best I've ever had. The soup, calamari, salad, vegetarian risotto, and chocolate banana bread pudding were also excellent. Along with Trelio in Clovis, they have the best selection in the area of unique, quality wines available by the glass to pair with your food. Landon is extremely adept in helping you chose the right wine for your taste and course-selection. They have a Drew, 2006 Pinot Noir "fog eater" that's outstanding. The wine here can be overly expensive, but Landon will work within your budget. Liz was extremely friendly and had no problem accommodating a vegetarian. She has a warm, outgoing personality, really knows how to treat patrons, and was a pleasure to talk with. Although we were not expecting it, we received a generous reduction on our bill due to our previous experience.
It should be noted that the ambiance is charming, rustic, and reminiscent of a countryside patio. Mike, the musician, also adds to the cozy atmosphere.
If my future experiences are comparable to this last Chef's Table visit, then I will definitely change my rating to 5 stars. I'll have to post an update after a few more trips. -
Review from Holly R.
Fresno, CA
6/25/2008
We sat in the wine room where they have an open kitchen at the far end. They prepared the food there and we felt as though we were part of it. The ambiance is classy and they keep your wine full. There's a sommelier, but he is in no way pretentious. The mushroom pheasant cannelloni was one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. If you eat here dessert is an absolute must. I had an apricot cheesecake, I don't even like apricot and it was beyond anything I expected. Delicious. Alex, the guest services manager, is friendly and can set you up with a great evening.
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Review from Laura H.
Fresno, CA
12/14/2007
This is by far the best meal I have had in a long time. I had filet mignon with fingerling potatoes, bruschetta with duck confit, mixed baby green salad and lava cake. Incredible service!
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Review from Braden M.
Hanford, CA
7/25/2008
I have to say that this place surprised me only because I wasn't aware of restaraunts of this quality in the area. The quality of food was outstanding and the service was profesional and interested. Most of the wait staff will come over one time to offer their services. It isn't somthing I am used to experiencing. I have been there a couple of times and each plate I ordered was delicious and well presented. They also have a list of wine that will make you order more than one bottle. Overall a great place to eat!
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Review from C P.
Paso Robles, CA
7/1/2009
Hell Yes. Maybe because I was hungry, maybe because it was beautiful outside, who knows. Everything came together in perfect order. I enjoyed a lovely evening here with my mom. We ordered a wonderful spanish wine at the suggestion of the waiter. We only had a few appetizers and a salad, but I feel like I cleaned each and every plate (but it was worth it). We tried a burrata mozzarella with fresh bread and some other fresh goodies, which was simply wonderful, ad well as a fresh salad, and a soup.
I can't wait to go back for a whole dinner meal.
Great ambiance. Casual and quaint at the same time without being stuffy. I loved it. -
Review from Debbie S.
Fresno, CA
1/29/2010
It started off so well...
My husband and I took 3 close family members to this restaurant for a nice dinner. We were seated before our guests arrived which is fine. We sat on the covered patio. It was dusk and a little cool out but it all seemed so nice and we heard such wonderful things.
Our guests arrived and then it all went downhill. When we were first seated the waiter introduced himself as our server for the evening. Since we have a food allergy problem (apparently the gen mgr has the same issue) we like to be on the same page with our server so there isn't a problem. We never saw that waiter again.
It's not that we were void of service... there were people swarming around us. I couldn't tell who the main server was so our guest with the allergy was definitely on alert. Two different people took our orders for appetizers and entrees. When we ordered appetizers the waiter kept telling us how much everything cost. This made us feel uncomfortable as we wanted our guests to not worry about cost. My husband ordered the abalone appetizer and we got a stern warning that it was VERY expensive. My canneloni was excellent but the other appetizers were unremarkable. Our entrees took nearly an hour... a waitress kept apologizing. My steak was well done (asked for rare) and one of us received the wrong item and had to wait additional time. Do we go ahead and start to eat after such a long wait or do we wait for the other plate to arrive? We ended up sharing... We had to ask for wine more than once; I never received mine. I shared with my husband. They were NOT short-handed, in fact there seemed to be too many people around our table. At the end of the meal, after a different waiter took our credit card, a person walked over to our table and said "I'm sorry, there's a problem". I was horrified... was our card declined? No.... he then whispered that because we had 6 people in our group there was an extra charge.
This was supposed to be a nice, high-end restaurant. It received several awards for it's wine collection and for it's chef. The service was awful, I had to ask for wine, and the food left a lot to be desired. I wrote them a letter but no one ever responded. I wasn't looking for a free meal, just an acknowledgment of our poor evening. I see that other folks had a good time here. If our problem was singular I would never give such a harsh review, but they had big problems at all levels.
If they had responded to my letter in any way, I would have given them another chance (but I wouldn't take guests). Since they didn't... I'll go to The Ripe Tomato.
