Somehow managed to get into the Corson Building a few weeks ago and can't stop thinking about it... So here we are in the Oughts, and Matt Dillon's kitchen quietly pockets the Herbfarm torch. Honest and open to everyone, both humble and generous. To start, we wandered around the garden sipping sparkling rosé and snacking on end-of-season cherries. Eventually we sat down to dinner. Dining is communal and the courses are served family-style (thankfully our tablemates were all food enthusiasts so the conversation was lively and natural). Be aware - there is no menu. The five course meal is based on locavore love: whatever is fresh and in-season that day. We started with a pork head cheese / terrine served with gooseberries, radish and onion (brilliant). Next: a mussel and green bean salad with toasted walnuts. Calimari – both the body (tubes) and tentacles presented separately with bell pepper varietals and emmer in olive oil. An heirloom tomato salad with colossal grilled sardines. A rabbit course, served with peach leaves, almonds and fresh grilled zucchini. Followed by wagyu tritip and homemade yogurt (mind-blowing). Finally, a custard with loganberries(?) and apricots. The wine pairings were spot on, although it was hard to keep track of the names (one notable Burgundy, served chilled). We finished with a Soave. Dining was slow and lasted until midnight. Truly a remarkable experience. (Did I mention the rabbit?) Can't recommend it highly enough. Go now!

Ok - felt compelled to comment because I did have a great experience there as compared to the recent feature in the Stranger. I'm not going to bore anyone with details -but just wanted to say that the social experiment in group dining is really nothing new -- I met several people there at the Corson that evening that do "Communal Dining" as a regular thing and they were extremely friendly and engaging -- so, no - not awkward unless you have conflicted social issues and no conversation skills (translation: get over it, eat and enjoy the company)... The food was amazing and if anything, they gave considerable portions (*it was akin to having a Christmas Feast with various servings). By the time the evening was done, I seriously gained 2 pounds (really - I actually checked)... Also - the staff was more than interactive - they were very friendly and wanted to invite you into the details of the meal (you could walk back and talk to them while they were preparing various courses) and the building/atmosphere is already a gimme (that 1910 building is charming as all get-out and the renovations they did are a really great conversation starter if you're not sure how to talk to your neighbors...
So - to recap - save your paycheck and just go.