text: We had been looking forward to Posh for quite some time.  The idea of the chef creating a meal based on our preferences seemed innovative and refreshing.  Looking at the reviews, I expected a high degree of creativity and an elevated level of quality food with exotic ingredients.  The reality is that the restaurant did not live up to the hype associated with it. \n\nTo start with, the ambiance for a fine dining restaurant was lacking. It was like a concrete bunker, which made the noise level unbearable.  I left there with my ears literally ringing as though I had been at a rock concert.  My dinner mate and I grew hoarse trying to have a conversation.  \n\nThe tables were plain black with no linen.  A pet peeve of mine is when a restaurant places the silverware directly on the table top.  My issue with this is that after each turn of the table, it is wiped with a cleaning rag that I am sure has been used to mop several previous tables, leaving a germy film on the surface.  Placing the silver on a napkin would be preferential.  A petty issue perhaps but one worth bringing up.\n\nThe service was like the food, basic and nothing to rave about.  While our server(s) were attentive, not once during the entire visit were we asked how the food or experience was, not even when we left.  Maybe the servers get tired of hearing people complain...\n\nThe food was the biggest disappointment. We opted for the 5 course meal.  An amuse bouche of daikon radish in a dashi based sauce with scallion was brought out.  Flavorful but not especially creative in its presentation.\n\nMy first course was essentially potato salad with some micro greens and half a boiled egg on top.  When I say potato salad, that is exactly what I mean.  Plain old boring, bland potato salad with a mayo base.  It was something I could have picked up at my local Safeway.  Nothing exceptional about it.\n\nMy second course was an uni \"cheesecake\".  I love uni, but I'll be dipped in sea foam if I could detect even the slightest trace of it in this dish.  It was a round piece of cream cheese, at least that's what it tasted like.  Seriously, it tasted like they had softened some Philadelphia cream cheese, made a circle out of it and placed it in some sort of soy based sauce that only succeeded in making the dish overly salty, an issue which we had with many of our courses. Salt is an essential seasoning but please use it sparingly!  I shouldn't leave a dining experience feeling dehydrated.\n\nThird course was a take on Vietnamese Pho with frog legs as the protein.  The server said \"it's made with Thai basil!\" like that was some kind of rare exotic ingredient.  The broth was decent, though many valley Pho restaurants would put it to shame. One issue was they loaded it with the basil, so that became the dominant taste and aroma.  The pieces of frog legs were unseasoned and overcooked, making them tough. The accompanying noodles, I believe they were rice noodles, were cooked correctly, however.\n\nMy fourth course was quail.  Once again, overly salty and a bit on the dry side.  It was overcooked to the point that the legs and wings were crunchy.  Nothing to write home about.\n\nThe final course was dessert.  And it was plain everyday flan.  Though they try to fancy it up by calling it \"creme caramel\". That's right, a caramel custard that would have been at home in any average Mexican restaurant. Absolutely nothing creative here and I think that's my main issue with Posh.  I expected to be wowed by the presentation and the combining of ingredients that you don't see every day.  Instead, I got a pedestrian tour of average valley restaurants and for that, I had the privilege of paying $88.00 (one $14.00 drink,tax and tip included).  The flavors and presentation are something you would see at any average restaurant.\n\nI wanted to have a magical, show-stopping, special effects driven dining experience and that is what I had been lead to believe would happen at Posh.  Instead, I got a few cheap street show cards tricks and my pockets picked.  I will not be back.