Happy 25th

Orchid Thai in San Anselmo celebrates its 25th anniversary today. I wrote about the conversation I had with one if its owners, Peggy Thongnopneua in this past week's Bread and Butter. Now for the dish on the tasty lunch we shared.

One of the rotating specials is asparagus salad. The ends had been carefully shaved so all the bites were tender and it had a very tasty creamy dressing with it as well. This dish definitely had a French flair and showed off Chef Tom Thongnopneua's experience at Le Central prior to opening Orchid Thai.

The spring rolls named propia tod came out next. These hot and crisp vegetarian bites were filled with silver noodles and vegetables.

The pièce de résistance was the salmon baked in a banana leaf with a chili green sauce and freshly steamed vegetables. The salmon was ultra fresh and the chili green sauce with hints of cilantro and lime did amazing things to the flavor. If this is on the specials menu, by all means order it, you won't be disappointed.

These Vegi Noodles consisting of pan fried rice noodles with mixed vegetable, ground peanut, tofu, scallion and bean sprouts, made a perfect foil for the rest of the meal.

If you have a chance to go by, be sure to wish the Thongnopneuas a happy anniversary, and I hope many happy returns.

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Last Inspected: February 26, 2010

Previously reviewed:
June 21, 2007

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High standards still prevail

I dropped in after a long absence at Sushi 69 in San Anselmo. Hiro (Hiroyuki Makino), the Executive Chef and owner was smiling behind the sushi bar as always. He informed me that the other long time Chef at Sushi 69, Takeshi, is returning to Japan today, his last day behind the sushi bar being last Thursday, so I just missed him. And miss him I will. Takeshi, like Hiro, has a fine hand at slicing up the sushi so that it melts on your tongue and he sometimes made little variations that he thought would suit my taste.

I ordered one old favorite straight away, the Tuna Lily. The combination of the crisp shrimp chip shell filled with soft pieces of tuna mixed with onions and caviar and a tart sauce just dances on your palate in a pleasing way.

In honor of Takeshi, I ordered the Takeshi roll which I had not tried before. A wonderful pairing of tastes, expertly executed by Hiro, included tempura shrimp, spicy scallops and cool, crisp cucumber on the inside, topped with maguro tuna and slices of shiso leaf on the outside. This is worthy of a repeat in the future.

I finished with another favorite, tamago nigiri, noticing that Hiro's fine sense of style has been refined since my last visit to include a decorative brand on the ends of the egg. It is served on a fresh leaf on the granite counter in front of you (if at the sushi bar). Sitting at the counter, watching the careful preparation and plating of food I noticed the care and attention that Hiro puts into the beautiful food that comes to his customers has been maintained at the high standard that he has kept from the beginning .

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: February 26, 2010

Previously reviewed:

February 7, 2008
January 18, 2007


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Awwwh say it isn't so!

I was walking past Debbie Does Dessert in San Anselmo and was so disappointed to see the shop closed and a "For Sale by Owner" sign in the front door. Debbie's has deck on the back that was in a joyful French country style. The deck overlooks a lovely creek with lots of green surrounding it; trees and moisture-loving plants are near the creek. Birds and butterflies frolic about nearby and I've seen butterflies sometimes land on the deck rail. The brunch menu was good and the food delightful! It was one of my favorite Marin brunch places. It looks empty inside and just waiting for the right person to birth its next incarnation.

Now this is good!

Jo-Ann and I finally managed to get together for breakfast, choosing to try a new place to us, Easy Street Cafe in San Anselmo.This location is easy to find in the Red Hill Shopping Center. We chose it in part because Jo-Ann was in the mood for sweet crepes.

Jo-Ann's Fruit Crepe was HUGE. It occurred as a gigantic fruit burrito, although clearly it was a crepe. The interesting thing about it is that the fruit crepe is not listed under 'crepes' on the menu, but its with the pancake and waffle section. Go figure. Although absolutely delicious, it was impossible to finish, so Jo-Ann took half home.

I had to try the Ahi Tuna Benedict. The large, thick pieces of thoroughly cooked ahi tuna was placed on top of caramelized onions, which were on top of the traditional English Muffin half. This was unlike any other benedict I've ever tried, and was a lovely medley of savory flavors. I would go back just for this dish. The service was friendly and prompt.

Here's a close up of my dish. The ahi was thickly sliced and well done. I have to say, if you are watching fat calories, this meal was pretty over the top with not only the hollandaise sauce over the benedict, but full-bodied sour cream adorning the potatoes. I skipped lunch and had a light dinner after eating this for breakfast. I hear that Kids Eat Free on Mondays here.

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 0

Noncritical: 1

Last inspected: 5/6/2008

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Elegant Comfort Food

I found a good opportunity to try the new Dream Farm in San Anselmo and took it! Earlier this year I visited its predecessor, Fork, and less than a month later it closed and reopened with the same owner, reinvented, as Dream Farm. Dream Farm highlights local ingredients in its 'comfort' food in classic American style.

I started with Brentwood Sweet Corn Soup. It was SO creamy! And it had the wonderful flavor of freshly picked sweet corn. This is not your typical comfort food, it's comfort food elevated.

The main dish I chose was Vegetarian Lasagna with Bellwether Farms Ricotta, Zucchini and Mushrooms. I took my first bite, and just had to ask the waiter as he was walking away 'Are these house made lasagne noodles?'. He affirmed that they were. What a heavenly dish. And filling. This is not ordinary comfort food, the kitchen takes that form and perfects it, all at a reasonable price. Don't miss Dream Farm!

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 1
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 6/24/2009

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A tasty reunion

My friend Paul dropped in for a quick visit from Portland, so we had to enjoy one of his favorite places for brunch on Sunday last. And that was Comforts in San Anselmo. Paul was generally dismayed at the lack of Sunday crowds everywhere we went in Marin, however Comforts was bustling. We didn't have to wait for a seat luckily.

I had to try the Gulf Shrimp Foo Young over Jasmine rice with a scone. The Gulf Shrimp Foo Young sounded so exotic! It is served frittata-style with shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, celery and a light soy-oyster sauce. It was tender and lovely taste-bud stirrer to open the day to adventure. It also had some fresh pineapple and honeydew on the side.

Paul felt like something simpler - Applewood Smoked Bacon and Eggs. He was drawn to the bacon immediately when reading the menu. He had his eggs cooked hard and also had the jasmine rice and some sourdough toast. He enjoyed his dish as well. The service was friendly and prompt and we were made to feel right at home, comfortably!

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 4
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 10/6/2008

Previously reviewed:
November 29, 2007
October 21, 2006

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De-fuzed and Con-fuzed

A reader let me know that San Anselmo's May Lee's Asian Bistro was no longer, so I had to immediately investigate. No wonder I hadn't noticed as "May Lee's" is still the header on the sign. However, it is no longer May Lee's but simply "Chinese Kitchen" (Home Cooking). The waiter confirmed that it is not "May Lee's", and hasn't been for some time now. It is no longer billed as 'fusion' and it is rather confusing with stray ladders outside and a rather neglected interior.

That being said we had an interesting meal, mostly good there. First off since Dad had a craving for soup, we tried the Egg Flower Soup. This was a stand out! I've never had egg flower soup with so many fresh vegetables and GINGER inside. It was really tasty. The Japanese bowl was a bit confusing though.

Next up were Vegetable Potstickers. I'll let you know straight away that the bottoms were VERY tough and hard to cut. That being said, I was delighted with the interior. Instead of the standard cabbage inside, it had some chard-like green that was quite tasty mixed with marinated bits of tofu. If only they'd cooked it a bit more gently...

Next was the best dish of the evening, Walnut Prawns. At other Chinese restaurants, sometimes this dish is a bit too sweet and cloying. These were perfect. The prawns were lightly crisp with a very nice citrus glaze that tasted a bit of oranges. It was a lovely pairing with the crisp honey glazed walnuts. I'd go back just for this dish.

Here is a close up of these beauties.

Last up were the Marco Polo noodles. Ooh Whee! Perhaps Marco, being Italian, was in love with garlic as these were some of the most garlicky noodles I have ever tasted. It also made them rather 'hot'. This dish had what the menu called 'buckwheat' noodles sauteed with prawns, scallops and an assortment of fresh vegetables. And GARLIC.

I have to admit a bit of puzzlement over the 'buckwheat' noodles. I asked the waiter whether these were the dark noodles made of buckwheat called 'soba' in Japan. The waiter nodded yes. And he barely seemed to speak English. I moved the noodles to be more visible for this shot. These aren't what you think of as 'buckwheat' noodles. Japanese do sometimes use 'soba' as a more generic term for noodles, as in 'yakisoba' which uses noodles like the above. But that is a Japanese term, not Chinese to my knowledge. No matter what you called them, the noodles themselves were delicious. These had a nice 'bite', reminiscent of well crafted and cooked Italian noodles. Maybe Marco Polo brought back the cooking method too!

Although the surroundings were rather run-down, the service was fast and friendly. If you know that you are going into confusion, and are willing to risk some unevenness in the food this is a fine place to go. The county has this place still listed under 'May Lee's', another confusing item.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 1
Last inspected: 2/24/2009

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Elegant Tea Room

Dad and I stopped by Teapod in San Anselmo yesterday morning for some tea and breakfast. The man behind the counter was so pleasant that it brightened the already pleasant morning considerably. Teapod doesn't have a large selection of breakfast items, but enough.

We ordered a small pot of "Golden Monkey", a black tea with the fragrance of cocoa and a sweet savory finish. It was luscious, and we could detect the cocoa finish. We enjoyed sipping it in the clean and lean surroundings with jazz playing in the background.

I enjoyed a mushroom quiche, warmed for 25 seconds in the microwave. The hot items are self-service with a microwave opposite the counter.

Dad chose the spinach and feta quiche. We both thoroughly enjoyed our quiche and the pleasant experience. It was a relaxing way to start the day.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Not yet rated.

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Tine for another morph

Missing Fork already. I heard that it has morphed into Dream Farm, with a comfort menu which is showcasing fresh local ingredients. And the price point is much lower than Fork, yet with the same care and attention of the original owners and chef of Fork. Considering how wonderful I found Fork, Dream Farm is definitely on my short list of places to visit soon!

The hot spot

It's not been open long, but already there's a wait even early on a week night! Marinitas in San Anselmo already has a following it seems. The greeters were sparkly and got us seated quickly despite the crowd.

The waiter immediately brought over some light and luscious crunchy chips with salsa. I hear these are baked, probably why these are not greasy.

Everything on the menu is made for sharing, so Dad and I shared everything starting with this inventive and stylish Mexicana salad. The salad consisted of chopped romaine lettuce and cabbage with radish, jicama, green onions, queso fresco, fresh oregano, crispy tortilla ribbons and cumin citrus vinaigrette.

Next up was the Pescado Yucateco which came highly recommended by the waiter. This roast cod with Sikil Pak, corn cakes with epazote, cherry tomato-pumpkin seed vinaigrette was heavenly!

And how could a mostly veggie person pass up an amazing sounding Plato Vegetariano? The plate included achile relleno stuffed with grilled corn and queso oaxaca, quinoa pilaf, chard with raja crema and chipotle glazed butternut squash. As complex and flavorful as colorful!

And I was just so curious about the Arroz Verde, that we had to try some of this green rice. And the kitchen let me in on the mix - half parsley and half cilantro - that gives this dish its distinctive flavor.

Dad and I decided to make it a celebration and ordered desserts.

These light as a feather churros with chocolate dipping sauce had me thinking about churros in a whole new way. Previously, I never sought out churros, but am rethinking that stance.

And noting a famous Mexican dessert, Tres Leche Cake on the menu, we had to try Marinta's version. This one was a delicious rendition with strawberry garnish. We had a totally enjoyable experience here with good service and delicious unique dishes. This is definitely a keeper. However, expect to pay more than at a more pedestrian Mexican restaurant. It was worth it.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 1
Last inspected: 6/2/2008

Value lunch for carnivores

My mother taught me that the centerpiece of the meal is the MEAT, which you then plan side dishes around. I think that this was not only about the protein content, but also the fact that the meat was usually the most expensive dish on the table. Dad and I stopped in to Hot Wok in San Anselmo the other day, and found that considering the quality and amount of meat in the dishes, and the price, this is a great value place. However, I don't eat meat.

There are no labels on the dishes in the glass case, but a paper sign does say that vegetarian egg rolls are available. Of course I chose those, and the proprietor was so friendly and helpful that he took just the green beans from one dish, and some mixed vegetables from another to give me a veggie entree. I had to pick around the delectable looking chicken in the chow mein, and the pork cubes in the fried rice. This wouldn't work for a strict vegetarian, but I enjoyed my meal and kept the feeling of being mostly vegetarian this way. And the vegetables that he picked were great! I didn't see any seafood options.

Dad was in heaven with what looked like a General Tsao's chicken in a mildly sweet sauce, and he had no issues with any of the meat. He loved his lunch, and at the same time, the portions were so generous that we both took a good portion of ours home and enjoyed it once again, reheated. It won't be my hang out simply because of the meat-laden entrees, however the meat looked good, all white meat chicken and the beef had a nice appearance as well.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 6/10/2008

Romantic!

The photo of the front doesn't do justice to Fork in San Anselmo. It was dark and rainy, and I wanted to post this soon, rather than wait for a sunny day to go back. The forecast calls for rain for several days. I had a most exquisite dinner here last night. If you're undecided about where to go with your honey for Valentine's Day -- GO HERE! They have a special His/Her Valentine's Menu as well. And I'm getting ahead of myself.

I was greeted warmly upon arrival, and since I was the first guest, offered my choice of seats. I chose a charming window seat in the side room. I was also in time for the prix fixe menu (Tues-Fri 5:30-6:15). Both menus had tempting items, however the prix fixe had original items at a very reasonable price ($29), so that's the one I chose from. Soon this little amuse bouche of fennel soup with lobster salad arrived. It was small and complex and a great start.

This Heirloom Chickory Salad was unbelievable. The ingredients were proportioned so that every bite was a wonderful mix of flavors with no one flavor dominating. This salad was a mixture of Fuji Apples, Hazelnuts, Balsamic, and Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese.

The Papparadelle that I chose as the main dish was over the top. It had Dungeness crab, fennel and frutti de mare gently tossed with house made wide noodles. The mussels were without the shell, and shrimp without its tail, taking away any object that could possibly be in between your lips and the fork. Every bite was tender and flavorful. The small rings of calamari were blissfully tender as well.

I finished with the Pecan Crostata which was served warm with a topping of Hychia Persimmon Cream surrounded by Bulleit Burbon Caramel. Beautiful and delicious, it was the perfect end. There was not even a hint of a misstep in this meal. The service, surroundings and food was perfect. The interior was zen perfect, the floor shone, and the chairs were all aligned perfectly, merely awaiting people to bring the scene alive. It appeared as though the room was freshly painted, although the server assured me it was last painted 4.5 years ago. The space is well cared for and you will be too at Fork.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 1
Noncritical: 2
Last inspected: 6/10/2008

Eat no more

Although not new news, it was new to me to find out that Eat in San Anselmo has closed. The good news is that a new restaurant with a Latin/Mexican theme, Marinitas, will be opening in February 2009 in the same space.