On the road again: San Francisco, day 5

Today was the last day of the conference.  Per IDF tradition, Justin Rattner, Intel's CTO, gave the morning keynote.  His talk focused on multiple future technology projects that Intel has under development.  I enjoyed it and recommend it for those who are really interested in tech. 

Technical sessions and work filled the rest of the day until dinner. 

That meal was something special, a wonderful 18-course tasting menu at Benu.  Chef Corey Lee, who worked previously at French Laundry and other leading restaurants, started this restaurant a bit over two years ago.  His food reflects an emphasis on local ingredients, an Asian focus, and an extensive use of modernist cooking techniques.  The dishes are also inventive and playful. 

What matters more than any of that, of course, is how the food tastes.

It was simply delicious, easily the best high-end meal I've ever eaten in San Francisco and a truly top-drawer dinner.  I mentioned in Sunday night's blog entry that I'd eaten dinner at Boulevard, the restaurant that won this year's Beard Outstanding Restaurant award.  My meal tonight absolutely blew away that earlier dinner.

If you live here, you owe it to yourself to save up the cost of the tasting menu and go.  If you visit this area, make a Benu reservation a top priority. 

For my taste, Benu is simply the best restaurant in San Francisco.