Middle East/Mediterranean

Moroccan Market (credit: iStockphoto)

The number of restaurants in a single definition "Persian" seem to be dwindling in Marin County, so rethinking the category, it seemed time to update the name to be more inclusive. Pondering the name, I did a little research and found there are a number of overlays that would be more inclusive of restaurants with a Near/Middle/Greater Middle East, North African or Mediterranean flavor. The term Mediterranean seems to have some popularity as a self-appellation in the Marin food scene as well as Middle East, so I go with those as the new title.

I don't have all the distinctions between the cuisines, but if I know that there is a particular area that the restaurant is emphasizing, I'll put that in parenthesis beside it. If you have information about a restaurant I've left off or mislabeled, please write a comment. Happy eating!

Those I have tried

Fairfax
Fair Fix Cafe (Middle Eastern selections)

Mill Valley
Asqew (Fusion)
Cafe del Soul (Fusion)
Dipsea (Falafel Burger, Greek Salad, Gyros)
Rain Tree Cafe (Mediterranean Menu)
Shelter Bay Cafe (Lunch selections)
Strawberry Gourmet Delicatessen (Mediterranean selections)

Novato
Sam's Place (Falafel available)
The Garden (Mediterranean)

San Anselmo
Bubba's Diner (Gyros)
Insalata's (Mediterranean/Middle East)

San Rafael
Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers (Falafel available)
Cafe Gratitude (Raw Mediterranean selections)
Crepevine (Mediterranean selections)
Falafel Hut (Middle Eastern)
Hanna's (Italian/Mediterranean)
Hatam Perisan Kabab House (Persian)
Rumi (Persian)
West End Cafe (Middle Eastern selections)

Sausalito
Bridgeway Cafe (American with Persian options)
Louie's Deli Cafe (Mediterranean selections)

Those yet to discover

Fairfax
Chad's Grill & Garden Cafe (Falafel Pita available at lunch)

Markets/Grocerers

Hatam (Persian & Mediterranean)
Jasmine Market (Mediterranean & Persian)

Greater Bay Area

La Mediterranee (Berkeley)
Tajine (San Francisco)

Halvadeh

I was out in San Rafael with friends Linda, Yalda & Olivia at Rumi today, and once again it was a winner. I have to say, I've never liked 'dough' the salty yogurt drink but their house made version with fresh herbs has completely changed my mind. After a sumptuous lunch we walked across the courtyard to Jasmine Market, a Mediterranean and Persian grocery and deli. We were all remembering how much we like halva, and there was some freshly made halva shaped like a cake at the counter. We each brought home a slice.

I thought I'd do a little research and post about it. I always associated it with Israel, simply because my college roommate who introduced me to it in college had learned about it while spending time on a kibbutz. A little digging brought up that Shah Abbass Safavid of Persia was concerned about having a nutritious, healthy and non-bulky food for his army. He asked Sheikh Bahaei to consider this problem, and came up with halvadeh. Brilliant! Wouldn't you rather eat a steady diet of halva than hard tack? I also found out from Wikipedia that there are many variations of halva, and the Persian one containing sesame seed is called halvadeh. It not only has a smooth and slightly sweet taste, it has a fine grained texture that has a pleasurable mouth feel. My Dad likes it too.

Multi-generational hang out

Yes, Pinky's Pizza in San Rafael could be considered a bit of a dive, however, it also has the earmarks of a place well loved by generations of kids growing up in the area. There are eight televisions above and to the sides of the bar broadcasting various sporting events, and mostly men from suited to baseball capped sitting and enjoying a beer there. There were a couple of families with elementary aged kids with high energy stirring around while waiting for their pizza, and three teenage boys having a ball in the video arcade section in the back. There were a group of four retirees sitting in the plastic deck chairs to my right. I was sitting on a well padded bench next to one of the long wooden tables. Yes, this would be a great place to take the team for some celebratory pizza!

I ordered a 'mini-pizza', "The Parisien". It had capers, roasted garlic cloves, goat cheese and 'caramelized' onions. The onions weren't caramelized, but roasted red, and still tasted good. The garlic had a lovely well-roasted flavor as well, however, there were a bit too many of them. The capers made a nice salty contrast to it all. The service was friendly and prompt, and this pizza parlor definitely has a place in one's repertoire of places to visit. (I'm sure my nephew would love a visit here next time.)

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 1
Noncritical: 1
Last inspected: 3/4/2009

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Sicilian Restaurant closes

I drove by Mezzo Mezzo in San Rafael today, and noticed that it was not open at 6:30 p.m., and all the glass had paper completely covering it. I had a lovely birthday meal there a couple years ago, so sorry we've lost our only Sicilian restaurant. Chow also lists it as closed.

Very unique food from the Yucatecan

I finally caught Yucachubis when it was open! It is the restaurant that opens in the evenings at what is Theresa and Johnny's during the day.

Feather light and crisp tortillas with salsa appear nearly immediately as Dad and I are deciding among the intriguing choices. We are informed the fish dish is not available, so start narrowing in on the vegetarian choices.

Dad is really taken by the description of Kibis: Hand rolled cracked wheat stuffed with seasoned ground beef, tomato and onion, served with sour cream and red onion sauce. So we order one non-vegetarian dish. He enjoyed these and said they had an interesting texture.

I was intrigued by a dish called Brazo de Reyna: Corn maza with pumpkin seeds, swiss chard, eggs served with red onion and tomato sauce. I shared with Dad as these were filling.

Here's an inside view of the way those fillings are layered. Although listed as an appetizer, these are really hearty so make a filling main order. I liked the taste too.

I ended up making a return visit by myself a few nights later where I chose another appetizer as a main dish. These Polcanes were tasty indeed, not to mention filling.

I cut these in two so the interior is visible as well. These deep fried polcanes are stuffed with pumpkin seeds and white beans served topped with tomato sauce and cheese and sitting on a bed of lettuce. The service was prompt and kind. I had a throbbing headache when I arrived, and the owner kept coming by to check on me an refill my cup of strong coffee. Between the food and coffee my headache was gone and I just have a lingering memory of good food and great service. If you like unique things, you'll likely enjoy this casual dining place.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Yet to be inspected

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A Persian Garden in every bite!

Rumi by Famous Kabob seemly popped up out of nowhere on Sunday in San Rafael's Montecito Plaza with an opening celebration that served about 1,000 people! No wonder I couldn't get any parking to shop at Trader Joe's! The waiter said that today was their 2nd day of opening, and the ink was barely dry on the menus.

I was brought the most wonderful, warm, freshly baked "Taftoon" bread while I was musing over the extensive and tempting menu. It was nicely scored so it was easy to break off and wrap around the butter, and later the herbs that came on the main dish. I passed by the traditional oven when I headed towards the restroom just before leaving, and saw with my own eyes the dough being hand rolled and scored before placing in the oven. A real 'wow' factor here.

And one thing I've discovered is that if you hear of authentic Persian soup being served anywhere, run, don't walk to get there. Persian soup is incomparable. The menu is very veggie-friendly with stars next to vegetarian dishes. However, the menu missed this one, which when I inquired, found it is actually vegetarian, although not so marked. The description my Aush Reshleh is that it is made with a variety of herbs such as parsley, cilantro, spinach and chives and a variety of beans like lentils, garbanzo and kidney beans as well as flour noodles. The soup is topped with kashk (similar to sour cream) and sauteed mint. This complex and delicious soup was very hearty and served in very large portion, such that you could definitely make a light meal out of this with the Taftoon.

For my entree I ordered the Prawns Kabob (Kabob Maygou) which was served with some herbs, a broiled tomato and a large fluffy pile of Perisan basmati rice. The jumbo prawns are butterflied, marinated and then roasted over an open flame. These were moist and succulent. I also liberally sprinkled some fresh sumac that was on the table over them.

Persian Gardens are famous for their beauty, and intended to be a 'paradise on earth'. Well, the flavors of this meal evoked that image for me, it was beyond delicious! The service and ambiance was stellar as well, and one of the staff (perhaps one of the owners) took my hand in both of his as I was leaving, sincerely asked how I liked the food, and if I'd come again. What an exquisite old world gesture. I was touched and said of course, and I'd bring some friends!

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Yet to be inspected

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Some beautiful food images

Expanded menu

Dad and I made a couple visits to Rain Tree Cafe in Mill Valley recently, one time for breakfast, and another for dinner.

My breakfast dish was the Tofu & Veggie Scrambled Eggs. It was full of fresh vegetables such as bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes teamed up with some soft tofu cubes. I liked their version of this a lot.

Dad wanted a simple Ham & Cheese omelet. He said it was great, and the potatoes were good too. I certainly looked appetizing.

For dinner, I had a lovely shrimp pasta. I could hardly finish the half of it though because it has a very rich cream sauce with mushrooms. It did taste good though!

We were quite attracted to the new Mediterranean menu. Dad tried the chicken kebab which came with grilled tomato, rice and pita bread. The kebab was bright with red sumac, and the chicken looked moist and plump. It was interesting to note that this delicious traditional Mediterranean meal has a more generous portion of meat than the Asqew skewers just across the street. The Rain Tree Cafe is a great choice for a simple, yet well made meal.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 4/30/2008

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Previously reviewed:
September 7, 2007
March 7, 2007

Quoi?!

Apadana Restaurant has closed. After experiencing some closing surprises last week, I took a detour on the way home from Petaluma a week ago Friday to be sure it was open before recommending it to a friend. He had a friend arriving from the Mid-West who is Persian and he wanted to treat her to a nice Persian dinner in Marin. It was open, candles burning on the tables, and we took a peek at the menu before we left, feeling happy that it was open and looked good. Alas, I get a call from a friend who accompanied them to the restaurant tonight, just week later, and he left a message that it was 'closed up as tight as a drum', and that the phone had been disconnected! At 7 p.m. on a Saturday, the week before Persian New Year it could only mean it had really closed.

When I received this message I was at a Global Partners for Development event honoring Alias and Mary Morindat of Arkaria Village, Tanzania. Elias and Mary are pictured above, along with friends from left, Sue Oaks and Linda Lea. We all were together on a trip that visited that village some years ago, so it was a happy reunion. Global Partners has done a number of water projects in the village that has greatly increased the health and safety of the villagers. Alias spoke to us about a situation that is directly affecting the Maasai people negatively, threatening their very existence. The government has been selling off their traditional lands in parcels, so that the nomadic people are cut off from the lands that they depend on for their livelihood. Not only the land, but the water rights. For example, one tract was sold to a hotel which now has the water rights for a spring that supported an entire region, but as precious as water is in East Africa, the use astounds the frugal water-using Maasai. The Maasai ladies would walk as far as 80 kilometers to pick up a 3 - day supply of water for a family of 5, 25 liters. The hotel that now owns the spring, has 120 rooms, with toilets that use 10 liters per flush. So you can see the negative environmental impact that happens. The existing people are displaced of land and resources, and the resources are squandered. It was quite an informative evening, and I'm glad that there is a way to effectively assist community leaders in Africa make it a better and self-sustaining place.

I had to take a photo of the back of Mary's kanga, which reads in translation "Congratulations Barak Obama"!

One of those drive by and recircles

As I was looking for a dinner place in Novato, I passed Tuscany Country Grill, and my head twisted itself backwards as I caught the sign. A surprise place! I had to turn around and make it my evening's dining destination.

I started with their soup of the day, Potato Leek. It was a tad salty, but still good and with a nice base of flavor.

The menu is quite eclectic with pizza, pasta, sandwiches, salads, and burgers in addition to their specialties. I finally settled on Sole A la Lemone. What a full plate, and festive! I was impressed with the attention to detail with fresh chopped herbs scattered on the plate. The fish was very fresh, the sauce had a perfectly balanced smooth taste. The angel hair pasta had a "white sauce alfredo" on it that was a little bland for my taste, but then I've never been an alfredo fan. The vegetables were a nicely sauteed so that they still had some bite and a hint of garlic.

I was very curious about the desserts, so I indulged in a tiramisu. It was not only pretty, but absolutely a luscious light and creamy delight. I couldn't finish this portion, it is a good size for sharing, especially after a full meal. The bottom line is that Tuscany Country Grill is a bright and cheery addition to Novato's choices, with friendly prompt service and solidly good food offerings.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 2/13/2009

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Cheerful breakfast

Dad and I stopped by Toast in Mill Valley for a quick and cheerful breakfast.

I had a delicious Bolinas omelet, which had spinach and wild mushrooms inside. The potatoes were interestingly like hashbrowns, but not grated. The texture was of soft smushed potatoes fried on each side like hashbrowns. Different and good. The toast slice was quite thick and it had a nice 'bite' to it.

Dad wanted to try the special "Eggs 'N' a Nest", where the eggs were cooked inside pieces of toast. He kept forgetting that the egg was inside and picking the toast up in his hand. Luckily, as it cooked, the egg stuck to the round edges of the hole in the bread, so although you could see it jiggle, it stayed intact. Whew. Each time I pointed out the egg inside, he would exclaim "Hey! That's neat!"

I hear their second location just opened up in Novato, in Hamilton Square. If it's anything like this cozy and friendly spot, they'll have a winner!

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 4/22/2008

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Previously reviewed:
March 26, 2008
March 4, 2007

Generous portions

Dad and I were near San Rafael's Northgate Mall the other day, and decided to stop in and have a Japanese lunch at Mikado Sushi. We were greeted warmly and immediately shown to a comfortable spot to sit.

Rather than go with the bento option, we decided to try other lunch menu options. These came with a hot and tasty miso soup and fresh green salad.

I decided to try the Seafood Tempura. I was totally bowled over! This is definitely a dish meant to split with another person. Multiple pieces of salmon, a calamari ring, crab, shrimp and a generous amount of vegetables made this $10.95 lunch an incredible value. Definitely share this, I just couldn't eat even half.

Dad had the oyako donburi, which was also a large serving. He was able to eat more of it than I my tempura, but he left a lot of the bed of rice behind. He said he liked the flavors. Oyako don is an egg and simmered chicken and onion dish served over steamed rice.

The only misstep in this lunch was that our California Roll ordered as an appetizer, came after the hot dishes. It still tasted good. My recommendation is bring a friend and share here!

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 12/16/2008

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Previously reviewed:
April 16, 2008
January 5, 2008

Oh no!

Maybe I should just stay in the house and cook here for awhile. It's downright depressing to leave the house for a nice meal, and find yet ANOTHER solid restaurant is CLOSED. Yes, Cinecitta in San Rafael has closed. I drove all the way back to San Rafael in the evening, just to be sure I could believe my eyes. The windows have brown kraft paper taped half way up. A call to the old phone number revealed conclusively that it is closed.

There is a silver lining in this, the message on the machine also said that another restaurant will open up there in May, and it will include a reunion of staff from the old Giorgio's and Salute restaurants. It also revealed the name, however, I won't massacre it by guessing how to spell it here. It will have to remain a mystery, or you can call the voicemail and see if you can decipher it.

and another goodbye

Yikes! Every time I turn around we're losing a restaurant! Noonoan's in Larkspur is now closed. The Marin IJ cued me in that Saturday was it's last night open. Apparently this closure was due to not being able to agree on a new lease rate. Larkspur Landing has a new owner, who intends to redevelop the mall into a 'country mart' style. Interestingly, there are public gardens planned where tenant restaurants will be able to grow their own fruits and vegetables. I hope that security is planned, as I was talking with a local restaurant owner who does this next to his restaurant, and has found large pots of herbs and ripe produce disappearing overnight.

Say goodbye

I was sad to and rather surprised to hear that Willie's Cafe has closed. It is right next to Woodlands Market in Kentfield, and across the street from the College of Marin. With a 5% increase in enrollment reported, I thought there would even be more mouths watering for some of the cafe's delicious offerings. Thanks for the good food and memories Willie's Cafe!

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!

Everyone wants a piece

I stopped by to try the new Sonoma Latina Grill in Novato, but when I counted the people in front of me and looked at the tables which were already full, I knew the seats would run out before I placed my order. In that minute that it took me to decide that, there were already another six or so people behind me. This was at 5:30 on a weekday afternoon! So I left before ordering, and I'll be back to give you a full review later.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Yet to be inspected

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If you don't think about it...

My friend Karen suggested we catch up over dinner at a uniquely named restaurant in Crockett, CA - "The Dead Fish". The restaurant's site explains:

"Chef Andrea Froncillo's beloved Nonna cooked for a big family and didn't have time to track all of the different recipes she prepared, so when her grandson asked what kind of fish she cooked, she replied, "It's a dead fish!""

The restaurant is located just off the last exit before crossing the Carquinez Bridge heading towards Sacramento on I-80. It's quite easy to get to, and has lots of parking.

So quick as to be nearly simultaneous with your sitting down, some fresh and delicious French Bread is served.

Karen and I had a lot to catch up on, and it was yet early (5 p.m) so we decided to enjoy before dinner drinks - me a lemon drop, and Karen an appletini. These were mixed nicely and well chilled.

We enjoyed watching the bridge scene as the light slowly faded out, and our drinks slowly drained.

We also enjoyed an appetizer, the Fried Castroville Artichokes, as we sipped.

We ate "Lotsa" Nona's World Famous Killer Crab roasted in a secret garlic sauce. Oh this was SO good we wanted Lotsa more, but restrained ourselves.

We finished the savory menu with a cup of Crab Chowder. It was good, but perhaps a tad salty.

As we continued talking, we decided to share a Fresh Fruit Compote, with the whipped cream on the side. It was a very generous serving of various well-mixed fruits, a the peak of their ripeness. It was a good finish to a rather rich meal. Karen heard that this is a great "2nd Date" place, and I'd have to agree. The good service, great food, and nice ambiance would be a great thing to share.