FOUR HUNDRED’S WEST COAST HIT LIST
Contributor - Ximena Lascurain | Lifestyle Consultant • 10/23/25
Considering a visit to the West Coast?
If so, be sure to explore these exceptional restaurants—each offering not only world-class cuisine but also a dining experience that is truly memorable.
Six Test Kitchen I 3075 Blue Rock Rd., Paso Robles, CA
One Michelin Star
Hidden away in industrial Tin City, Chef Ricky Odbert has, for many years now, quietly and confidently cooked like a few others in the region. Dry-aged fish and meats, seasonal produce, and delicious sauces come together in a breezy space with soaring ceilings, charcoal-tinted walls, metal edges and a stunning wood counter that wraps around the kitchen. It’s a fitting stage for food that eats as beautifully as it looks. Recent highlights include dill meringue crowned with trout roe and aged pork loin paired with brown butter and a stunning burnt onion puree. Desserts, like barley koji ice cream with whipped miso, are particularly exceptional and balanced sweet and savory. A highly selective wine list brings small producers under the spotlight.
Quince I 470 Pacific Avenue, San Francisco, CA
Three Michelin Stars
To mark its 20th anniversary, Chef Michael and Lindsay Tusk have given their restaurant a luxe refresh that has reinvigorated the early 1900's Jackson Square setting. The commitment to seasonality and locality is striking, with much of the produce sourced from their partner's farm. Dinner here celebrates the season with an array of elegant presentations. A small bowlful of gently cooked first-of-the-season peas are served in a silky broth brimming with flavor from guanciale and Tomales Bay clam. Pasta has always been a highlight here, and the agnolotti filled with white asparagus is no exception. Local lamb cooked in the fireplace is arranged with a springtime melange of fava beans, green garlic, and edible blossoms, and accompanied by freshly baked bread tinted by vegetable ash.
Auberge du Soleil I 180 Rutherford Hill Road, Rutherford, CA
One Michelin Star
Auberge du Soleil is one of the first restaurants to elevate the Napa Valley to greatness, and Chef Robert Curry has been ensuring its legacy with cooking that is the very definition of Californian cuisine. As might be expected from this perch overlooking the mountains and vineyards, the wine list is notable and proudly showcases local growers.
The chef's tasting menu invites guests to control how their experience unfolds. Dishes may include Nantucket Bay scallops in a green garlic sauce or squid ink linguine topped with Mendocino uni and served over lobster claw meat. The lineup dazzles all the way through to dessert, with an orange zest and honey sponge cake accompanied by fromage blanc, cardamom cream, and a rhubarb sorbet.
Kann I 548 SE Ash Street Portland, OR
Decorated chef Gregory Gourdet's Haitian-meets-Pacific-Northwest cuisine shines at Kann, his debut restaurant. Highlights include warm sweet potato bread arriving at the table with berbere-infused butter; a half-chicken joins it with an emulsion made from epis, an herb and aromatic-laden Haitian green seasoning, cashew-crowned.
Lazy Bear I 3416 19th Street, San Francisco, CA
Based on lawyer-turned-chef David Barzelay's dinner party series in 2009, Lazy Bear's nostalgic modern American fare has gained a cult following. Iconic bites include whipped scrambled eggs with maple syrup and hot sauce in an eggshell, while seasonal thrills might feature caviar over white asparagus, sturgeon rillettes and spring alliums in caramelized asparagus cream and ramp oil.
Contributor — Ximena Lascurain | Lifestyle Consultant
From Mexico City, Ximena Lascurain brings to the Four Hundred Team a Latin flair. Growing up and attending Culinary School there, she has always been interested in the culture and gastronomy of her country. When she moved to NYC she attended the International Culinary Center where she certified as a Sommelier under the Court of Master Sommeliers. Prior to Four Hundred she worked in the kitchens of several Michelin star restaurants throughout Mexico, Spain and NY. What she enjoys the most when it comes to travel, is doing a lot of research. Specially when it comes to the "hidden gems" for local food and specialty coffee.