5 New Restaurants Worth Visiting This Month Around the Bay Area
These five notable, mid-range newcomers cover the gamut, from sushi whiskey lounge to a Salvadoran family spot. Alongside this month’s full restaurant reviews — Sorella, Osito, Atelier Crenn, Pabu — these new restaurants are worth dining at now (as always, I’ve vetted, visited or ordered from every restaurant reviewed here):
Marin Dining/Drink Destination: The Bungalow Kitchen by Michael Mina, Tiburon
This is what Marin needed. The Bungalow Kitchen by Michael Mina opened November 2021 on the Tiburon waterfront with breathtaking Bay, Golden Gate Bridge and SF views. The completely reborn space — designed by AD100 designer Martin Brudnizki — is one breathtaking room after another, from Craftsman-style glass to cozy fireplace lounge to a billiards room. A music/rock ‘n roll theme permeates from album covered menus to musician photos lining the 12,000 square feet space, giving way to patios and a retractable rooftop lounge. It’s rare to have a late-night drink and bites spot in Marin, much less one this sexy.
Chef Joseph Offner (Presidio Social Club, Alexander’s Steakhouse) displays playful transcendence in brunch dishes like sweet potato pancakes and gravlax (also as an appetizer), or irresistible, juicy jalapeño shrimp toast that recalls Chinese dim sum. Mina classics like his legendary lobster pot pie are here alongside his delightful reserve Kaluga caviar parfait. An unexpected surprise was the pastas: thankfully, I visited when Mina Group’s corporate chef Sam Henzy was also cooking. As the former sous chef of three Michelin-starred Quince, Henzy’s pastas are Italy-worthy exceptional, like rare lorighittas pasta (“small rings” in Sardinian), vibrant in a killer sauce of tomato, anchovies, white wine, saffron and chiles. I’d love to see some of these off-menu rarities rotate on the menus.
Part of the “whole package” joys of the place include better-than-typical Marin drink menus and uber-knowledgeable staff, including lead sommelier Jerad Rhul and bar manager Christopher Penn. While the on-menu cocktails are basically variations on classics, The Trident stood out with its elegant flow of Svol, Aquavit, Cynar, sherry and orange peach bitters. Thoughtful wine offerings range from local favorites like Carboniste Brut, to plenty of white and red Burgundy. Surprises are found in rare beauties like a 2019 Caravaglio Occhio di Terra Malvasia from my Sicilian roots’ location of dreamy, remote Aeolian Islands, Italy.
From the range of quality food to those mind-blowing views, bars to billiards, downstairs to rooftop, The Bungalow Kitchen offers a little something for every time of day or mood, bite and a drink to full-on feast.
// 5 Main Street, Tiburon; https://bungalowkitchen.com/tiburon
Sushi and Cocktail Lounge Vibes: Sushi Sato, Lower Nob Hill
Open November 2021, the Mins Group (Michelin-starred Sushi Shio, Sushi Hon, BarnZu, Sushi Hakko, etc.) keeps growing with Sushi Sato. On a TenderNob corner, Sato leads the three-part space, with Bar Kuro and a more intimate omakase counter still to open. Chef Alex Kim offers a reasonable $40-$55 for 6–10 piece tasting or full $110 omakase, while the whiskey and cocktail-centric bar is helmed by beverage director Derek Li (previously at Cold Drinks).
What sets Sato apart from other Mins restaurants? It’s heavy on à la carte sushi and interesting “hot and cold” plates, centered around an elegant cocktail menu, with an upcoming on-site beer brewing program from Dave McLean (original founder of Magnolia Brewing, currently running Admiral Maltings). Yuzu miso-marinated black cod, an artful tomato “ceviche” touched with mango, green pea, avocado, corn, shiso oil, or a decadent toro/fatty tuna tartare on a cracker topped with Santa Barbara uni and caviar, all make ideal small plates with cocktails. Initial standout cocktails include a vegetal Shiso Snap Pea Highball featuring Botanist Gin, or the subtle, interesting Minsama: Maker’s 46 bourbon, Geijer Orange Liqueur, almond milk, wasabi, lemon, peppermint tea and shiso.
// 1122 Post Street, www.sushisatosf.com
Sleek New Roadhouse: Easy Rider, Petaluma
Petaluma continues to flourish with openings, the latest January 9th from the duo behind Marin’s Guesthouse: Easy Rider calls to me as a Southern-inspired restaurant. Owner/chef Jared Rogers grew up in the South near the Blue Ridge Mountains and is running the kitchen with executive chef Mario Chavarria (they both worked together at Picco in Larkspur). The space is transformed with a sleek Western roadhouse design, a couple enclosed tables and a welcome splashes of vibrant color amid blacks, whites and reclaimed wood. Sweet, friendly staff make the bustling room feel even warmer and the generously portioned entrees are filling after you share a few small plates.
You’ll find Low Country (coastal, island South Carolina) legends like shrimp & grits or Low Country-inspired crab cakes. Sunchoke and leeks are two of my vegetable faves, but sunchoke-leek bisque fell flat except for the few bites touched with salsa verde and fried capers (smart additions I could have used more of). Ubiquitous fried brussel sprouts are more interesting than expected with a tart kick of balsamic vinegar and the contrast of Carolina farro, toasted peanuts and truffle.
I’m so picky about my po’ boys (after 15 years of trying dozens of the best across my beloved New Orleans), I debated trying the shrimp po’ boy here, but was happy with our entree choices of Cajun-spiced catch of the day (salmon on my recent visit) over red rice jambalaya with that delicate stickiness jambalaya should have but often lacks, crayfish, asparagus and dill butter. The Southern fried chicken dinner is a great way to try the tangy beer-braised collards, Fiscalini cheddar bacon mac n’ cheese, and, of course, fried chicken, given ever-welcome savory-sweet contrast drizzled in Calabrian chili honey.
Though I’m always against TVs unless it’s a sports bar (a bummer addition here), the bar’s bright vintage billboard sports a blessedly female take on a John Wayne poster of “Ride Him, Cowboy,” putting co-star Ruth Hall in the saddle with “Ride ‘er, Cowgirl” instead. Cheeky fun. I miss the more interesting cocktails I had at Whisper Sisters in the space before — now it’s common classics, mostly solidly made (the spirituous American Graffiti runs a little too sweet). There aren’t many surprises on the heavily local wine list (like rare, uber-small production, natural wines, more unusual varieties) on the, but there are pours for a range of palates.
// 33 Washington Street, Petaluma; www.easyriderpetaluma.com
Hip Marin Beer & Pizza Outdoor Hangout: The Junction, Mill Valley
What a win for Marin! The Junction Beer Garden & Bottle Shop opened summer 2020 as pandemic was fully underway. Open daily with expansive beer garden, fire pits and indoor space, order from 30 craft beers on draft, local wines, house salads, PizzaHacker pizzas and a BagelMacher bagels source for Marin. In addition to hefty-fresh salads (I dig Intermezzo, a play off a classic chopped salad), pizzas are as fab as in SF at the original PizzaHacker. Yin-yang faves include the Ohio, laden with pepperoni, pepperoncinis, tomato sauce, provolone, mozzarella and Grana Padano cheese, or veggie-fresh Rocket Man, doused in arugula, lemon, garlic, chili paste, mozzarella, centered by a Vital Farms egg.
I got lucky on my January visit trying PizzaHacker’s collab special with SF’s Liholiho Yacht Club chef Ravi Kapur (currently closed; Liholiho’s new Good Good Culture Club opened Jan. 11th). Forbidden Fruit (aka “Hawaiian”) pizza showcased Ravi’s legendary house spam with jalapeno, pineapple, red onion, tomato sauce, mozzarella and cilantro. Hell, yes. Paired with biscuity-crisp Carboniste Sparkling Albarino (one of my local pét-nat faves) or Alvarado Street Brewery’s delightful Mai Tai IPA on draft, it was one deliciously chill meal — and outdoor spaces like this are a gift in times like these.
// 226 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley; www.thejunc.com
Friendly Salvadoran: Flori’s
Russian Hill’s Salvadoran newcomer, Flori’s, opened late October 2021 from first-time restaurant owners Jerson Dolan, Andrea Suarez and Floridalma Suarez. Consider this your new pupusas go-to (in classic cheese or revueltas/Salvadoran-style stuffed with pork, accompanied by a traditional cabbage salad called encurtido). Tostadas are layered with refried beans, lettuce, avocado and queso fresco but need accompanying salsa to perk them up. Likewise, classic salpicon, minced steak in spices and citrus is scooped up with spiced house tortillas chips that threaten to steal the show — but the dish also needs some salsa to amp up meat. Their made-from-scratch mole is mild but also lush and creamy from crushed nuts, with balanced chili peppers, served over shrimp or chicken and Spanish rice.
// 2360 Van Ness Avenue; www.florislatinkitchen.com