It’s been 2 years since we visited Chez Noir and husband and wife team Chef Jonny and Monique Black have changed the format slightly but the quality is just as high.   They have one Michelin Star and Chef Jonny was a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef California.   Chef Jonny has had extensive experience working fine dining places such as Per Se, Quince, Pineapple and Pears, Noma and Clove Club to name a few.  They were also a finalist for the Beard Foundation’s Best New Restaurant in 2024.  The small dining room is cozy and supplemented with seats on the courtyard and 8 at the attached bar.  They are only open for dinner, closed Sunday, and release reservations the first of the prior month.  They go fairly quickly for weekends but will try to work with walk-ins very early or later in the evening.  They serve only a 4 course tasting menu with choices for 3 of the courses and some optional supplemental courses.  There are also monetary supplements applied for some of the menu options.  Each tasting will also come with fabulous amuse bouche and some extra dessert treats.  While I loved the format we had with the “let us cook for you” option in 2023 (read about here),  this new one was fine and the food and service were fantastic so definitely put this on your list now.

Set-up

 

Food

The amuse bouche included grilled Monterey Bay abalone skewers on bay laurel branches seasoned with lemon.  They were tender and very flavorful – quite amazing.  Also some toast topped with sea beans, tahini and eggplant.  Again lots of exquisite flavor.

 

Grilled oysters were seasoned with green Chartreuse and fennel in a “Rockefeller” style.  The crisp crumb topping added some nice textural contrast.  These oysters from Tomales Bay came 2 to an order and we added them on to our menu.  While not as deeply flavored as the 2 previous amuse they were quite nice.

 

Washington King Salmon crudo was with nasturtium, Schoch Dairy yogurt and haricot vert.  My husband said it was delicious with great young beans and a delicate vinaigrette.

 

Porcini Mushroom “Carpaccio” also included Blue Herron fennel, Brokaw grapefruit, and Schoch Dairy Tomme.  The very thinly sliced mushrooms were matched with thinly sliced fennel and accented with chunks of grapefruit and toasted nuts.   The server said the mushrooms were harvested locally.   It was a great blending of flavors and textures.

 

Before the pasta course we received a large freshly made brioche and butter.  It was buttery delicious with a lovely crust and tender interior.  I was sad to have to split it but it turned out to be plenty for 2.

 

Swank Farms corn triangoli with Incontro Nduja, garlic scapes and scallion is the only course where you have no choice.  Who cares?  This was among the best of the evening.  The Nduja brought a spicy feature to the tasty sauce.  The perfectly cooked pastas were filled with a combination of corn and mascarpone that made them slightly sweet and a perfect fit for the stongly flavored sauce, with bits of corn and scallion.  It was a fabulous dish.

 

Superior Farms lamb “Paloise” came with Beauregard snow peas, yellow wax beans, gem lettuce and pistachio.  The lamb was cooked a nice medium rare with the fatty portion wrapped around the outside to keep it juicy and full of flavor.  The vegetables were hidden below a generous dollup of Paloise (velvety classic rich French sauce made with wine, butter, egg yolks and mint) sauce.  It was a rich, heavy plate.

 

Grilled Wolfe Ranch quail came with Minnazzoli Farm figs, Spanish peppers and Butter Bolete mushrooms.  The half bird was perfectly cooked with a nice crisp to the skin and a deeply flavored sauce.   The very ripe, sweet figs were equally delicious and paired well with the mushrooms and tangy peppers.  It was another great plate.

 

Schoch Dairy raw milk cheeses came with Borba Farms, Olallieberry jam, Salinas honeycomb and candied walnuts.  This was a supplementary course that they offered to serve as dessert to my husband, as he’s not as much into sweet endings as I am.  It was 3 cheeses, bleu, smoked cheddar and soft Brie.  They were all nice and came with a plate full of thin toast slices.  To accent the cheeses you could pair it with delicious honeycomb and candied walnuts or the berry jam.  All good.

 

Prevadelli Farms berry tart was topped with cognac and Tahtian vanilla ice cream.  The ice cream somehow had a bit of salt in the flavor that perfectly set off the berry custard filling and buttery crust.  Oh my this was yummy good.

 

Last treat was a canelé – a good crisp outside and soft inside with a rich sweet flavor.  I love these when they are done right and these fell into that group.

 

On the way out the door we were gifted 2 chocolate chip cookies for whenever.  They were good but not as spectacular as the rest of the meal.