Sons & Daughters

Offering an abundance of poise, polish and charm, this cozy Nob Hill jewel box remains quietly impressive while entering a new era under the leadership of Chef Harrison Cheney. A cleanly minimalist new Nordic style is clearer than ever in an elegant tasting menu that deftly weaves together a variety of preserved fruits and vegetables, flawless seafood and aged meats. Flavors display a sharp focus, whether the briny sweetness of a lightly seared Maine scallop or the assertive funk of dry aged beef, but a sense of restraint and balance pervades. When the courses draw to a close with a perfectly silky ice cream spun from jasmine rice koji matched with tiny strawberries and poached rhubarb, consider partaking in what surely ranks among the best coffee services of any restaurant in the Bay Area (and perhaps beyond).