Caviar & Champagne!

Sausalito's California Caviar Company will host a caviar and champagne tasting as part of the Sausalito Woman's Club Preservation Society (SWCPS) Harvest Festival from 3 to 7 p.m., Saturday September 27, 2014.  Guests will mingle around the communal table while SWCPS is pouring the champagne to complement the Caviar tasting at the same time as experts talk about the nuances and contrasting flavors of caviar. Among the caviars California Caviar Company offers is the highly coveted Premium Black Caviar, and their signature caviars include those that are infused with bacon, Bourbon, truffle and saffron.  

There is a choice of tastings:

$25 – Silver Tasting – One glass of MUMM Sparkling Wine and 3 tastes of caviar with the works (2 Signature caviars and 1 Premium Black Caviar)

$35 – Gold Tasting - One glass of MUMM Sparkling Wine and 3 tastes of caviar with the works (1 Signature caviars and 2 Premium Black Caviars)

There are limited seatings at different times to ensure the best experience for all.  For more information and to purchase tasting tickets, click this link:

 http://swcpsharvestfestival.weebly.com/tickets.html.

You can also purchase caviar for delivery at the event at the date you choose (think holiday parties).

The event is a fundraiser and general admission is $40.  Other local artisan food, beverage and wine purveyors will also be there. Enjoy meeting them while enjoying works of local artists and live music with jazz artist, Francesca Lee.

The event will be held at 120 Central Avenue in Sausalito.  Go to hswcpsharvestfestival.weebly.com for more information about the SWCPS Harvest Festival.

Find out more about California Caviar at www.californiacaviar.com.

Bio- a little French twist in Sausalito

Bio started in San Francisco, and now its Sausalito location is not only open, but beckons with French hospitality.  The window denotes that its menu has an emphasis on crepes, and it is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Enjoy watching a French television channel while waiting for your order.  Bio is owned and run by Sylvie Krawec, who will greet you, seat you and do all the tasks, including cooking to bring you a meal which is local, organic, and with many gluten free options.

Sylvie is originally from Madagascar, although it's been 25 years since she's been there.  There has been a chalkboard sign outside touting the "Best Coffee from Madagascar" (usually $2, special price $1).  And it is really smooth, rich and delicious.

I think this is the only place in Marin to serve galettes, a buckwheat crepe that is gluten-free. The restaurant is also potato-free according to Sylvie.  The Galette with vegetable of the day ($14) has a choice of filling featuring chicken, jambon de Paris, duck confit or smoked salmon.  I chose the jambon de Paris.

I cut open the galette to find the filling also included a white cheese. The dish was accompanied by the vegetable of the day, a mix of finely sliced summer squash and red peppers which was sauteed in a little olive oil and herbs.

I also tried the "Natural Organic Berry Purée" ($4) which was made of organic strawberries the morning I visited.

I enjoyed the food, beautiful decor, and not to mention the French TV so much I had to return for a second visit the next day.  I changed it up by ordering a Bio  Croque-Monsieur ($8) with vegetable of the day. That day's vegetable was a ratatouille freaturing very finely sliced vegetables. Summer squash, zucchini, onions and I think eggplant that made a nice addition to the sandwich.  The surprise was that the sandwich base is a gluten-free thick slice of brioche, topped with ham, cheese and Béchamel sauce.

Bio is relaxing, inviting and the food is good too.

Bio

2633 Bridgeway

Sausalito, CA 94965

(415) 324-7080

www.biologiquesf.com

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

BBQ n Curry House

Sausalito has its own Halal Indian & Pakistani restaurant in Marin City, the BBQ N Curry House.   Shahid and Sana Saracha have poured their hearts into making their offerings with care and giving friendly service.  Besides being Halal, where the animals are killed humanely, the dishes are prepared with whole herbs and spices for the most part, which means you get all the flavor, without stomach upset.  

The yogurt used in the mango lassi ($1.99), and other dishes, is house made and it tastes exceptionally fresh. 

The samosa ($3.99) was served piping hot and was crisp on the outside, tender on the inside.

This special dish - Aloo Keema ($12.99), roasted potatoes simmered with ground beef, onions, tomatoes, garlic, green peppers, ginger and special spices will get you hooked.  It is a very simple dish but elevated by the ginger and 'special spices'.  Half of this came home with me and shared with a friend that had dropped by, who kept making 'mmm.. mmm' noises as he polished it off.

This garlic cheese naan ($1.99) was addictive, and garlic was very much in evidence.

This plain naan ($1.50) was hot, buttery and had a delicious blistery quality.

Another tasty special is the Chicken Jalfarzi ($12.99)- tender morsels of  boneless white chicken pieces in a thick stew with red peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic and special spices.  I've ordered this dish several times and it it consistently flavorful.

My friend enjoyed the fish biryani ($12.99), which he kept praising for several days after the meal.   

 The fragrant basmati rice ($2)  was the perfect foil for the other dishes as well.

The service was great and the owners were friendly.  If you want to catch a plate here soon, you'll need to show up before Shahid and Sana take a vacation from September 25 to October 13, reopening October 14, 2014.

BBQ n Curry House
160H Donahue St.
Sausalito, CA 94965

(415)289-0786
www.bbqncurryhouse.com

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

Off the path for breakfast

Anchorage 5 Restaurant is a favorite locals hang out in Sausalito. Located a few blocks off Bridgeway across from the Heath Ceramics outlet, it is not far from the harbor and quite a few boaters and live-aboards enjoy breakfast or lunch here. I'm posting from a couple of recent trips here.

The French Toast Sandwich ($10.95), is really a deconstructed one with the ingredients (French toast, one egg and three pieces of bacon) plated attractively. There is cinnamon added to the batter which gives it interest, as well as the maple syrup served on the side.

The "Sailor" ($11.95) has a hamburger patty, two eggs, grilled mushrooms and onions piled on rye toast with a topping of cheddar cheese.  This is definitely filling and indicated for those who need the calories to row the boat.

Service is efficient and cheerful, and if you want to catch the more laid-back local vibe, you won't go wrong with a breakfast or lunch at Anchorage 5 Restaurant.

Anchorage 5 Restaurant

475 Gate 5 Road

Sausalito, CA 94965

(415) 331-8329

Previously reviewed:

February 3, 2009

March 2, 2008

October 17, 2007

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

LittleCo To Go

Sausalito's Friday night Jazz & Blues by the Bay is back and we have all summer to enjoy it.  Getting to Friday is an achievement, and getting out to a Friday night activity is some more effort. Sausalito's Copita Tequileria y Comida is making the effort way less stressful with its "LittleCo To Go" offerings that are just perfect for enjoying while kicking back and listening to the band.

For this summer, Copita has added some small plates and Mocktails for two to its already popular taco take out choices. From $5-10, the small plates include things such as salads, ceviches, and antojitos. The Cherry Margarita cocktail looks refreshing, and the El Diablo with cassis, ginger beer, fresh lime juice and ice look like an eye-opener.

Copita Tequileria y Comida

739 Bridgeway

Sausalito, CA 94965

(415) 331-7400

www.copitarestaurant.com

Barrel House Tavern

I've been looking forward to trying the new Barrel House Tavern in Sausalito since I first heard about the care being put into the remodeling.  Owner Chris Henry spent about two years carefully restoring and enhancing its original architectural features and made it warm and inviting.

There are many opportunities for a great view of the bay and San Francisco in the distance from an inside window or the spacious and comfortable deck.

Tonight I went with friends and two were out of town visitors from Nebraska.  We were given a treat of an apricot based dip and crisp rosemary flatbread shortly after we were seated.  Three of us tried the Pioneer cocktail, a whiskey-based drink that included Whipper Snapper Whiskey, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Peach Liqueur, Canton Ginger Liqueur, lemon, soda and orange bitters.  The consensus was wow on the drink.

 

The Flat Bread with Serrano ham, burrata, spring onions and nectarines was also a riot of pleasing tastes and textures.

 

We also enjoyed the Crab Sliders with avocado, cilantro and watermelon radish-jicama slaw on brioche.  We requested that the chef split the two sliders for four to enjoy before bringing it to the table, so the photo shows the split sliders rather than the usual appearance.  I loved the mix of tastes and textures and would come back some time just for these.

We shared a bite of each others dishes so all could appreciate the variety.  This Pan Roasted Cod with yellow corn, summer squash, shitake mushrooms, baby carrots and port reduction was burst with fresh, moist light cod flavor and the accompanying vegetables were well paired with it and the port reduction.

My dining companion was particularly taken with the well-paired flavor of bacon in this Wood Fired Chicken with red bliss mashed potatoes, bacon, carrots and lemon thyme jus.  I was impressed with the crispness of the skin while the meat under it was moist and tender.

I had this Grass-Fed Niman Ranch Ribeye with red wine butter, fries and housemade aioli.  The portion was actually  more generous than it appears in this photo.  I smeared the red wine butter over the entire steak and let in melt and ooze into the tender medium-cooked ribeye steak.  I loved the rich flavors and the crisp exterior, moist interior fries dipped into the garlic infused aioli.

Wanting to linger and enjoy the lovely view with our Nebraskan friends, we ordered two desserts to sample between the four of us.  First up was an apricot crisp topped with a vanilla bean ice cream.  We loved the contrast of the warm seasonal apricots with the crisp granola crisp and cool rich ice cream.

 

The creme brulee was also smooth, delicious with a delicate crisp caramel topping, and was accompanied by  crunchy 'cat's tongue' long rectangular cookies.

The creator of the tastes this evening is chef Matthew Bousquet.  Previously he was the executive chef at Bistro Jeanty in Yountville. He also co-owned Windsor's Mirepoix that received a Michelin star, and also its sister spot Bistro M in Windsor as well. The Windsor restaurants closed in 2011.

Barrel House Tavern is so new that the food inspectors have not visited, however, its inspection report will be posted here once complete.

Barrel House Tavern
660 Bridgeway
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 729-9593
For directions, try Anna's Map.

Beautiful Sausalito Sunday

I was following up on a story for this week's Bread and Butter, and had to shoot this beautiful glimpse of Sausalito from Main Street yesterday.  I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend, where ever you may be!

Taste is finally here!

Taste of the Himalayas in Sausalito opened just last Friday for dinner after much anticipation. I've been watching the build out closely and looking forward to having food from the Himalayas so close and available!  I had some correspondence with one of the owners, Pemba, wanting to know the moment the new place would be open!  Some of the correspondence happened on their convenient Facebook page where they showed the progress towards completing the build out and opening.  I've also been following the progress on Twitter. And I wrote about the opening in last week's Bread and Butter.

I was happy to finally meet Pemba and his sister Dawa in person this evening when I stopped by for my first dinner at Taste of the Himalayas.

And how is the food?  Well see what I had!

This appetizer is called Pani Puri ($6). I was so excited to find a new taste treat!  I had never heard of this Nepali street food which is described as semolina puffs stuffed with fork crushed spiced chick peas and potatoes, and chilled masala infused pani.  The small white decanter in the photo above holds what looks like water, but it is a watery topping which contains black salt, which I was told is very good for your body.  All this and a delicious light bite too.

For my main course I tried the Alu Bhanta ($10), which is potato and eggplant curry which comes with a side of the lightest saffron basmati rice.  I had it spiced medium and the spicing was just perfect for my taste. Usually I eat the items in the curry with the sauce on the items, but do not eat much of the curry sauce itself with these type of curry dishes.  I scraped every drop of this curry sauce out of the bowl, it was just too luscious to leave any.

I asked which of the desserts was the most Himalayan as the restaurant draws its offerings from Nepali, Tibetian and Indian foods, and I was told the Ju ju Dabi ($5) would be it.  Pemba sent me out one as a treat, and it wowed me.  It is described on the menu as saffron infused sweet creamy yogurt in a raw clay pot.  Dawa told me that she had brought back the authentic clay pots from Nepal.  The pot was so cute!  She said that the raw clay pot was used because it is absorbent and that it drew out the watery liquid of the yogurt, making the texture creamier and thicker.  There were pistachios scattered on the top, and the wax paper covering was artfully scrolled part way back.  It has a satisfying sweet yet tart taste, and reminded me of a bit thicker Greek yogurt.

The space is also simple yet elegant and I understand that they are starting with a simple menu and will be expanding and exploring new menu items as they ramp up over the next few weeks, including adding a vegetarian Momo (dumpling) next week. Other Himalayan genre restaurants I have been to tend to be a little more family style with less emphasis on presentation.  Sausalito's new Taste of the Himalayas chef shows much more attention to beautiful presentation which only enhances the experience.

Restaurant Inspection Results

The Taste of the Himalayas is too new to be listed and inspected at the time of post publication.

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

An opening in Sausalito

I've been watching this place being constructed for months. Finally this afternoon I saw an 'open' sign as I drove by. La Hacienda Bar & Grill in Sausalito opened officially Thursday night, and tonight Dad and I had our first meal there.

We were given the freshest, crispest chips and salsa that was fresh and had a little bit of a kick without being overwhelming. It was refreshing to enjoy them in a new, very colorful decor.

I decided to try one of the house specialties, Arroz con Cameron. It was so hot and fresh, with plump shrimp and grilled onions and peppers over rice, smothered in cheese. Not pictured are the flour tortillas that came on the side. It was so good. The onions were crisper than I like, but that's a personal preference. The onions were still pretty sweet. The guacamole was also fresh, cool and went wonderfully with the dish.

Dad didn't feel hungry until he got a bite of his chicken tamale 'small plate', which wasn't small at all. He soon was scraping the plate for every morsel he liked it so well.

Dad asked for dessert, so I ordered one too. I went for the Mexican Flan, which was a great choice. It was one of the best I've ever tried. It was dense and rich and reminded me a little of ricotta pie.

Dad asked for strawberry ice cream and he said it was creamy and sweet and he polished it off too. Considering this was only the second night of operation this one has a bright future if the level of service and excellent execution stays in place.

Restaurant Inspection Results

This restaurant has not been inspected yet.

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

Japanese Fast Food

Earlier this year I spied a new sidewalk sign outside Amy's Cafe in Sausalito noting that it has Japanese cuisine. It took me awhile to check this out, but I did get there. I found that Amy's had been transformed again with a new concept. Japanese food was indeed the main feature, with udon, yakisoba and donburi dishes galore. A couple favorite Korean dishes sneaked on to the menu somehow as well such as bibimbop,

I tried the Seafood Yakisoba. Wow! It is SO colorful. Purple cabbage, red and yellow bell peppers, green broccoli and light white mung bean shoots, and cocoa colored shiitake mushrooms. All sauteed with scallops, shrimp and mussels. It was a fresh palate pleasing dish, and generous portion for less than $11. The other half of the colorful menu above the counter lists Smoothies with such names as Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and Sausalito. I had the Golden Gate Bridge which was made of strawberries and banana with a soy base. It was quite cold, thick, and tasty. Quick, tasty and inexpensive, it is a cool find for a casual lunch. Amy's Cafe no longer serves breakfast.

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 3
Noncritical: 4
Last inspected: March 22, 2o1o

Previously reviewed:
April 29, 2009

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

Definite fusion

Craving one of those amazing Rose Lassi's, and having Avatar's within walking distance from my office, I found myself seated at Avatar's in Sausalito before evening thinking about it.

And here is my favorite Rose Lassi.

As soon as I placed my order, a fresh and crisp Pappadum showed up.

Then the pickles came with a bonus Chappati. The fragrance was amazing! It reminded me of the whole wheat bread my mother made with freshly ground flour (she loved grinding her own just before baking). My mother never made Chappati's but beyond the smell, the wholesome grain taste of the Chappti is something special.

I decided to go with an interesting fusion dish, the Punjabi Enchilada stuffed with curried sweet potato. It was an interesting medley which tantalized and pleased the taste buds. Be sure to tell your server what level of spicy hot you would like, foods here tend to be a little spicy. And Ashok, the owner, is very good about adjusting foods to your dietary requirements, such as gluten free, vegan, dairy free etc. Avatar's has good service and a unique fusion menu with many tasty things to try!

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 1
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 7/29/2009

Previously reviewed:
September 21, 2007
April 6, 2007
January 20, 2007

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

A top ten

A few weeks (months?) ago, a comment was left encouraging me to make a top 10 list for Marin restaurants. She said she was moving to our fair county, and this would help her in transitioning. I mulled it over a lot (obviously). I find it problematic, since there are a lot of good restaurants in Marin, and the 'best' can depend on your mood, formal or casual, etc. However, I can say that when someone asks me about the 'best' restaurant in Marin, I know I do not steer them wrong when I send them to Sushi Ran in Sausalito.

One sunny day, I decided it would be my lunch destination. Pretty much whatever your lunch choice, a delicious bowl of miso soup precedes it.

When I saw that there was a Vegetarian Bento Box Lunch on the menu, I couldn't pass it up. From the left it includes, snap pea, fermented black bean & basil, grilled tofu (seemed to be a miso/sesame sauce on it), and a salad including cucumber, takuan (yellow radish pickle) and gobo (burdock root). It was accompanied by some rice I didn't get in the photo. It was all tasty and inventive as I'd expected. It was light, more like a model's lunch than a working woman's.

So I overdid it a bit and ordered two more add-ons. The first was a squash tempura. It was made with kabocha I believe and it was great. And filling. This would be lovely to share as an appetizer or accompaniment to a dinner.

I finished with some tamago (egg) nigiri sushi. It tasted great, and there was something just a little different about their rendition of the egg. I asked and was told that chicken stock is used rather than dashi in the ingredients. Ah ha! It was tasty! There are cheaper places to eat good Japanese food in Marin, however, if you want a real treat or don't want to chance it, you can't miss with Sushi Ran.

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 3

Noncritical: 1

Last inspected: 2/25/2009

Previously reviewed:
April 12, 2008
July 2, 2007
May 10, 2007

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.