4 posts tagged “marin county dining”

http://aswelikeit.vox.com/
Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    San Francisco Bay Area, CA

    San Francisco

     Acquerello *(18.5) !(4) $(60-82) Tel.= 415-567-5432,  Fax=415-567-6432, www.acquerello.com, 1722 Sacramento Street between Polk Street and Van Ness Avenue, Open Tuesday-Saturday from 5:30-10:30 PM.
    An elegant setting with high quality Italian cuisine makes this our favorite destination for such fare in San Francisco. There is always a lovely central floral arrangement with romantic lighting and exceptional wine service and selection. Start with a delightfully refreshing salad of crisp greens and sweet Chioggia beets with warm, crusted Barilot cheese and toasted hazelnuts. We have difficulty choosing among the exquisite pasta preparations, which vary with the season. Perfect balances were present in the asparagus tortelloni scented with black truffles in an asparagus sauce. A fabulous rabbit-filled agnolotti was served with Taggiasca olives and prosciutto. Another favorite was the Sardinian saffron malloreddus (like a tiny pasta gnocchi) tossed with rich duck ragu. Ridged pasta with foie gras, scented with black truffles and Marsala is rich but delicious. We loved the Prosecco risotto with prawns, caviar and Venetian style (carpaccio) bay scallops on top with micro greens. The selection of Italian artisanal cheeses looked terrific, but we were too full to do anything but skip to  desserts of: a toothsome huckleberry and pear tart with Italian triple creme as well as outstanding sorbets of roasted strawberry, raspberry and lemon & lime followed by addicting biscotti. Park on the street at a meter or at the reasonably priced Bank Of America parking lot across the street.

     Petaluma

     Cucina Paradiso *(17.5) !(3.5) $(22-55) Tel.=707-782-1130, cucinaparadisopetaluma.com, 114 Petaluma Blvd. N., Monday-Saturday: lunch=11:30-2:30, dinner= 5:00-9:00 PM, till 10=Friday & Saturday.
     Our favorite local North bay Italian restaurant has moved, with its loyal clientele, from a simple store front in a shopping center to an elegant new venue in the center of town. With an attractive bar area against one wall and an open kitchen in the back, it has more than doubled its space and included a separate dining area with room for 35 people. Lots of wood and attractive wall art enhance the atmosphere. Start with a salad of organic spring mixed greens, red pears, endives, pecans and Point Reyes blue cheese. Pastas and risottos are always top notch. We loved the pappardelle con salsiccia (homemade noodles with fresh porcini mushrooms, Molinari sausage and light tomato sauce. The fine homemade ravioli was filled with fresh porcini mushrooms, parmigiano, butter, sage and light tomato sauce; though we would have preferred more substance in the filling. Risotto con granchio was fabulous: imported arborio rice with fresh crab, champagne and a touch of cream. The wine list and service are terrific, and corkage is $15 if you bring your own bottle. Free street parking is usually readily available.

    Novato

    Boca *(15.5) !(3)$(30-70) Tel=415-883-0901, www.bocasteak.com, 340 Ignacio Blvd. Monday-Friday lunch=11:30-2:30, Nightly dinner= 5:00-10:00 PM.
    Stick to the flavorful, simply grilled steaks and you'll do just fine. Our favorites are the 8 ounce filet mignon and the ribeye. Add a simple baked potato, and you're in meat eaters' heaven. Sauteed prawns and salads are also enjoyable. Service is pleasant but inefficient.

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    Tiburon, Marin County, CA

    Cottage Eatery *(14.5) !(2) $(19-54) Tel.=415-596-3895.  114 Main Street.  Dinner Tuesday-Saturday 5:30-10:00 PM.
    Simple decor with tan butcher block paper and low ceilings mark this venue, which has had several make overs since Servino left for a larger space with a view many years ago.  California cuisine with Mediterranean influences and local produce are their hallmark. Pleasant appetizers included: artichoke and fennel gratin, soft cooked farm egg,Fiore Sardo and Nociarra olive oil, as well as prosciutto wrapped Zuckerman Farm asparagus, salsa verde and 7 year balsamic. We split a lasagna Bolognese as an intermezzo course; though it was tasty, it needed to be cooked through better. The center was just lukewarm. Braised Anderson Farm lamb breast was enjoyable, but very rich and fatty and didn’t need the fresh horse radish. Chicken cacciatore was over sauced, and the accompanying delicious smashed potatoes didn’t need the richness of extra oil on their surface. Toothsome desserts included a chocolate custard tart and a peach cobbler, each accompanied by vanilla ice cream. An appropriate international wine selection was reasonably priced, except for the Nuits St-Georges; corkage is $20.00 if you bring your own.

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    Mill Valley, Marin County

    Harmony *(14.5) !(3) $(15-40) 415-381-5300  www.harmonyrestaurantgroup.com.  800 Redwood Highway Suite 401 in the Strawberry Town and Country Shopping Center.  Daily= 11:00 AM-2:30 PM, 5:00-9:30 PM
    Clean swept contemporary lines with shellacked wooden tables and substantial wooden chairs make for a comfortable venue to bring the whole family for a fine Chinese meal, and they serve dim-sum all day long in addition to their regular menu. We found the pot stickers to be superb and the harvest spring rolls to have a nice, crispy crust. The glazed lotus pork spare ribs were a bit bland, and the shrimp gow dumplings were tasty, but the outer wrappers were overly thick. We highly recommend the crisp living-butter-lettuce-cups with minced chicken, as well as the Harmony signature beef made with certified Angus reserve meat. Order some broccolini Cantonese and plain jasmine rice to cut the richness of the beef. Desserts include a toothsome banana sesame ball and an underwhelming coconut cream roll. An appropriate though simple wine selection is available, and corkage is $15.00 if you bring your own. Our bottle of 1995 Pol Roger Brut Champagne complemented the dinner quite well. Service is professional, efficient and caring.

    Corte Madera, Marin County

    Benissimo *(14.5) !(3) $(20-45) Tel.=415-927-2316 Fax=415-927-3965.  18 Tamalpais Drive.  Dinner nightly from 4:30 PM.
    Comfortable booths and table placements afford privacy. They have a wide selection of pastas (we favor the fettuccini and penne with bolognese or carbonara sauce) as well as a delightful, thin-crusted pizza Margherita; this combination makes it a winner for our children and grandchildren. In addition, they make a decent osso bucco and a fine fettuccini with prawns in a cream sauce. They also prepare one of the best minestrone soups around, and their green salad is truly fresh. An appropriate domestic-imported wine selection is available, and corkage is $15.00 if you bring your own. Our bottle of 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Frescobaldi Castel Giacondo complemented the dinner quite well. Service is professional, efficient and caring.
 

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    Larkspur, Marin County

    Yankee Pier *(14.5) !(2) $(20-60) 415-924-7676  www.yankeepier.com.  286 Magnolia Ave.  M-F= 11:30 AM-2:30 PM, 5:00-8:30 PM Sat.-Sun=11:30 AM-8:30 PM
    One of 4 locations serving simple preparations of fresh fish, sourced in accord with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program, this street front venue is decorated with fisherman memorabilia and seafood wall sculptures. There is a covered patio, heated in winter, with a sand pile for young children to play. An open kitchen is visible in the front of a long, narrow dining room filled with closely placed formica topped tables covered with butcher block paper. We began with a delicious bowl of New England clam chowder and a simple wedge of iceberg lettuce salad with lemon and oil dressing. Main courses include 2 side dishes of which we tasted admirable, hand cut Kennebec fries, greasy but tasty corn-polenta cakes and just okay cole slaw. Pacific snapper, beer-battered fish and chips were tasty, and the 1.5 pound boiled lobster was delightful in its simplicity. Overly rich desserts of butterscotch pudding and banana cream pie completed the dinner. An appropriate wine selection is available, and corkage is $15.00 if you bring your own. Our bottle of 2001 Grivault Meursault Perrieres 1er cru complemented the dinner quite well. Service is professional and caring. We can also recommend their SF Airport location, United Airlines terminal beyond security, as being significantly better than the usual airport terminal food.