Last month, my wife Jun and I were in the Bay Area for a quick trip; the main purpose was my law school’s 15th (!) year reunion, but we also wanted to use the opportunity to visit some of our favorite wineries in Sonoma and check out a few restaurants out there. One restaurant I really wanted to visit was Enclos in Sonoma. The restaurant gained the coveted third Michelin Star earlier this year, a feat that was quite unprecedented for a restaurant that only opened in December 2024. I had also been following this restaurant on Instagram for a while and the dishes on the posts looked not only gorgeous but super delicious. After locking down the time to stay in the Sonoma area, I was able to secure a reservation for one of the nights we were staying in the area. I am happy to report that Jun and I had a fabulous time at Enclos, and it was one of the best dinner experiences we have had in 2026.
The tasting menu format at Enclos ($325 per person in October when we visited) is not much different from other fine dining restaurants, starting with a few amuse bouche bites. The bites at Enclos, however, were not just throwaway dishes. One of Jun’s favorite bites was a playful take on Maine lobster roll, shaped in a croustade ring filled with lobster; it certainly doesn’t look like a lobster roll but somehow tasted like one! I also loved the stunning presentation of venison tart with smoked egg yolk and onion sous vide placed on top of antlers. The duck liver pie was also very delicious, and the fermented zucchini bread pudding with miso butter, caviar and 100 years old balsamic from Italy’s Modena was another standout bite that was memorable. Following the bites came another beautifully plated dish named “Autumn in Sonoma.” Our server brought out a menu showing dozens of ingredients going into this dish like oyster, wasabi sorbet, cucumber, horseradish and nasturtium. The dish quite aptly reflected the taste of fall’s bounty.
Another favorite dish for me was a deconstructed assortment of seafood and berries called “Fruits de Mer.” I had not quite experienced the kind of combination from this artsy dish where mussels, spot prawn and berries were immersed in tomato water gelee. The fermented pepper sauce somehow brought all of these ingredients together in a profoundly wonderful way. The two halves of the savory course were roughly divided by brown butter salt bread with Petaluma butter that Jun couldn’t stop munching on even though she said she has to start controlling her portion. I would say we both liked the first half a bit more than the second as the former showed more ingenuity in presentation and flavor, while the second half was slightly more predictable based on what we had eaten at other restaurants. Not that any of the dishes were off. The chawanmushi with clam chowder inspiration with Velouté sauce made with white asparagus was certainly wonderful, as was the 60-day dry aged tuna belly with koshihikari rice and sabayon made from passion fruit and sea urchin.
The quail, which came with grilled leg and accompanied by grilled roses, was wonderfully cooked, and the tortellini in broth made of quail bone was a rich, aromatic side dish. The final savory course of lamb loin and tenderloin also showed superb texture, but it was the skewer of grilled lamb rib with squash blossom, mustard spice and pink peppercorn that stole the show. The desserts also showed a bit of whimsical side, like the “Harvest” palate cleanser with orbs of muscat grapes and rhubarbs, or the Canada-themed apple cider donut with maple cream ice cream and apple reduction. Even the petit fours, usually not the most important elements in a tasting menu, were delightful at Enclos, most notably the honey ice cream cornet placed on a honeycomb.
Needless to say, getting a reservation at Enclos is not the easiest mission; make sure to know when the reservation window opens on Tock by signing up on the restaurant’s mailing list and log into Tock as soon that the release is open. The service was top notch without feeling stuffy, and the minimalistic dining space with California vibe also enhanced our dining experience. We were initially torn between a wine pairing option ($250 per person) and getting a bottle or two (the wine list at Enclos was, not surprisingly, world class with top producers from all over the world) but then I found out the pairing starts with a Cristal or a Dom Pérignon so we immediately decided on the former. Indeed, the wine pairing (there is also one sake in the lineup) at Enclos was also very well thought out, featuring both familiar and under-the-radar producers. I wish the second half of the savory course had more statement dishes but there is no doubt that Enclos is a top-class restaurant in America at the moment. I highly recommend checking out for a splurge meal after a day exploring fantastic wineries in the area.
Address: 139 East Napa St, Sonoma, CA 95476
KenScale: 8.75/10 (Jun’s Score: 8.75/10)
Website: https://enclos-sonoma.com/
Reservation via Tock
