An Evening at Manresa

The exterior of Manresa

Before opening Manresa in Northern California, chef David Kinch worked in restaurants all around the world, from San Francisco and New York City to France, Germany, Spain and Japan.

Chef David Kinch of Manresa

Manresa is located in a 1940s ranch-style building at the base of the Santa Cruz foothills in the quaint town of Los Gatos. Here, chef-proprietor David Kinch offers a complex farm-to-table dining experience that highlights local ingredients sourced from Cynthia Sandberg's biodynamic Love Apple Farms in nearby Ben Lomond. Read on for a taste of what makes Manresa one of Gayot's Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S.


Amuse bouche of uni	Farm-fresh egg

Our evening began with an amuse bouche of oyster, uni (sea urchin), sea water gelée and candied seaweed served in a half shell. This dish was followed by another course presented in a shell—the signature farm-fresh Arpège egg with maple syrup.


Amberjack crudo	Monterey bay spot prawns

Amberjack crudo was flavored with olive oil and chives, and topped with Osetra caviar, while Monterey bay spot prawns and satin carrot were accented with citrus and exotic spices.


"In the vegetable garden"	Black cod

The bounty of produce available from Love Apple Farms was showcased in another signature dish entitled "In the vegetable garden." Edible flower petals gave pops of color to the plate's presentation. The dish was followed by a seafood course of black cod on the plancha with calamari in sofregit and caramelized salsify.


Duck	The dining room of Manresa

Slices of duck accompanied by potato and porcini were then presented to our table in the warm, relaxed dining room.


Nasturtium flower ice cream	Spiced ginger cake

The meal concluded with a bowl of brightly colored pumpkin foam and nasturtium flower ice cream, and a spiced ginger cake complemented by Normandy cow milk-cubed pepper ice cream and delicate tendrils of an apple fritter.

PBLS100509