Could it be that two friends who met working in a restaurant in Rimini, Italy would one day own and operate an Italian restaurant in downtown Larkspur? That day has arrived. In partnership with Davide Solmaz who operates the Roma Antica Restaurant Group in San Francisco, co-owner Andi Tari, Tari’s brother Silvio, and chef Simone Fazzolari (L’oro di Napoli) have turned The Rustic space into an Italian trattoria.
Fazzolari, who grew up in a family of Calabrian fishermen, has turned the kitchen into a pasta laboratory, working on techniques to shift flavors and presentation to feature California’s best ingredients in Italian style. All Italian ingredients on Neapolitan style pizza Roman style pinsa will be baked at 550F in the Cuppone oven. (Margherita is the classic.)
Risotto is always made with carnaroli aquarello, a rice varietal renowned for texture. House made pappardelle with six-hour braised Oxtail Ragù, Tonnarelli alle Vongole, and Mediterranean sea bass served simply dressed to experience the freshness of the fish, are just a few of the dishes that are resonating with customers. “We don’t cover the fish with sauce, but feature it,” Fazzolari says. “The less you touch, the better.”
While Fazzolari continues to develop new menu items, brunch will continue to feature Avocado Toast and a Fried Chicken Sandwich. A Breakfast Pizza comes with speck and mushrooms, “our way to be Italian” says Tari, who recommends trying the pizza with a Sbagliato Negroni or an Italian espresso. His favorite brunch drink? A Venetian Spritz with Aperol and Ribolla Gialla. There’s a few vermouths and sherries available by the glass. Tari assures all who ask that the Wine Spectator-recognized wine list will remain.
Tari is working on a permit for a sidewalk seating. Until then, the back patio with redwoods views seats 25 and the front, covered patio can seat 32 with an additional 34 inside.
Owners and life partners Peter Wang and Jessica Li (Oyama Sushi) have opened their first dumpling restaurant in the former Patxi’s space in Bon Air Shopping Center. The cool, dark room features a wide bar and seats with proper backs, the ideal perch to chat with lead bartender Bella Alexander (Corner Bar) about the Asian-themed drinks. The Lychee Martini and Scarlet Fire Margarita are already a hit for their not-too-sweet, hint of spicy flavors. Alexander confirms the Moon Gate, a whiskey and ginger-forward cocktail, is great with chile-forward dishes like Beef with Jalapeños or General Tso’s Chicken. A beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks menu includes the popular Porcelain Peach Spritz and a Yin & Peel No-groni.
If you are seated in one of the 100 dark green chairs around tables in the main dining room, you are in prime position to watch through a glass “fourth” wall as chefs prepare Kurobuta Pork XLB, steamed Beef & Onion Dumplings, and Pork, Chive & Shrimp Boiled Dumplings, part of an extensive bao, dumpling and appetizer menu that includes Chilled Wood Ear Mushroom Salad and Crispy Chicken Wings. Bigger appetites will favor Hot & Sour Soup, Chow Mein, and entrees like Mapo Tofu, Chongqing Spicy Crispy Chicken, and Mongolian Beef. “It’s a perfect blend of traditional Chinese with American Chinese,” says manager Darren Banks (Marché). There are options for gluten-free diners, too.
A happy hour menu featuring discounted cocktails and a selection of bao, dumplings, and appetizers, perfect for those days when hunger strikes mid-afternoon. The newly fenced outdoor area centers around a firepit with room for 45 guests.
Inspired by a burger at a Mexican restaurant in San Francisco, chef and co-owner Matt D’ambrosi (Blue Ridge Kitchen) paired up with co-owner Nicholas Bonney (Alexander’s Steakhouse, Kaiyo) to bring the joy of smashed, grilled beef topped with smoked Gouda and charred onion sauce to Marin. “I was enamored by this burger,” says Bonney, who opened in downtown Sausalito in July.
The beef, from Nino’s Fine Foods, is a 75/25 mix of brisket and short rib, which D’ambrosi grills until charred and juicy. Onto a potato bun it goes. From there, you have options: A traditional set-up (All American) with tomato, lettuce, American cheese and Tasty’s special sauce; Tasty Royal with pickles; or marinated and grilled Portobello mushroom with burrata.
There’s a classic Sausalito Dog with kraut and, in a nod to D’ambrosi’s mom, a British Banger Dog. Look for daily specials on the door-hung chalkboard, then order at the counter. Today’s softshell crab BLT, lobster roll, or oyster po-boy may give way to a shrimp salad roll. No matter what, “we’re doing Fried Chicken Fridays,” Bonney says.
To drink, there’s the usual colas and house made lemonade, but why not lean into the retro-fabulous vibes and order an Orange Cream Float? Its color nicely matches the bright orange chairs and vivid yellow accents that frame a room filled with old car posters, 1950’s-style neon signs, a Wimpy statue (IYKYK), and a golden oldie diner tabletop jukebox player, complete with flip cards with song titles. Strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate shakes, hand-scooped ice cream and locally made pies, as well as not-to-be missed sides of tallow-cooked skin-on potato fries and carrot fries round out the menu. “We’re kid-friendly and nostalgic,” Bonney says. Once football season starts, fans of the outdoor patio may be tempted to move inside to watch games on one of the big TVs.
Long before Covid kicked everyone’s life into a different gear, Jeff Fox was noodling with sourdough. “It wasn’t long before he got into pizza-making and we got an Ooni pizza oven in the backyard,” jokes wife and co-owner Anna. Yes, they were the couple always hosting pizza night. That idea expanded first to pizza pop-ups all over the Bay Area and recently landed the couple a corner restaurant space in the Del Prado Center.
Jeff describes the pizza as “in-between New York and Neapolitan.” He works with American-sourced “00” flour from Central Milling, his seven-year-old starter, and an ambient ferment of 28 to 30 hours. He adds a mix of low- and high-moisture mozzarella for spreadability and flavor, then cranks the Italian Polin oven to 820F in search of “an eggshell texture with a bit of fluff and some caramelization on the bottom.”
To best experience the thoughtful flavors of the crust, we suggest starting with the Classic Cheese or Classic Pepperoni. Expert pizza eaters may want to try a Tie-Dye with a swirl of pistachio pesto or a seasonal Elote-ish with roasted corn and pickled jalapeños. “Jeff is always R&D-ing new recipes and flavor combinations,” says Annna, who notes the menu changes with the seasons. There’s fresh focaccia and a house Caesar salad. Desserts, from Novato’s Fire Swamp Provisions, include a gooey Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie and Olive Oil Cake topped with fruit. Low intervention, local wine, cider, beer and soda list rounds out the offerings. You can enjoy a glass while seated in a robin’s egg blue chair at one of the marbled tables. From there, you can query Jeff about his up-coming collabs.
The grand piano and cocktail bar, couches and fireplace are intact, as is the more traditional front dining room as a new, late night “divino” slips into the former Osteria Divino space in downtown Sausalito. Curated by partners Johnny “Love” Metheny and Jaxton Funk, the new/old space is envisioned as a nightlife experience with live jazz, an extensive Italian wine list, and elevated cocktails such as a Lambrusco-topped Italian Sour, gin and chartreuse Serpente & Fiore, or a non-alcoholic Rosso & Tonic with house made hibiscus tea syrup and lemon.
The osteria’s long-running (12 years!) chef, Yovani Castillo, is bringing back the not-to-be-missed meat lasagna, full complement of house made pastas, and roasted Cornish game hen, as well as newer dishes like Tuscan-style seafood soup and curried shrimp scampi. A menu of late-night bar snacks, such as a charcuterie and cheese boards and house made focaccia, will be available after the kitchen closes.
And, to the delight of those in the know, head bartender Stephan Kaplan and head server Zenon Alvarez have returned. Weekend brunch with live music is in the works.
An old-fashioned milk shake machine and Straus Soft Serve are at the heart of a “store in store” ice cream shoppe concept at San Rafael’s Belly Deli. Owners Kelly Foo and Mike Heffernan wanted to create a kid-forward, family-friendly community space. They ripped out two large deli cases, replacing them with a black and white checkered counter with stools, a few tables and chairs, and pink and green décor.
Yes, you can still order sandwiches, beer and wine from the deli side of the business. And now, you can order affogato, root beer floats, and house made ice cream sandwiches. Soft serve is available in organic vanilla and organic Dutch chocolate. Foo has as many toppings as you can think of – everything from olive oil and sea salt to brownies and marshmallows.
“It’s a love letter to my community,” says Foo, who grew up in Gerstle Park and is raising her daughter there. “I have never seen more joy than handing a toddler an ice cream cone.”
