COMMIS, Oakland – Commis is Oakland’s shining star of culinary excellence and experimentation since James Syhabout put it on the map with multiple awards as Best New Chef in Food & Wine magazine, among countless other accolades since it opened in Summer 2009. There isn’t much new I could add to the din, other than to share dinner highlights on my last visit.

The three course prix fixe, at $59 per person, seems like a good deal for fine dining-quality food, with a very reasonable wine pairing of four wines for $29, but the bill adds up quickly. The understated, compact dining room runs like a tight ship in the hands of skilled staff. Certainly food is the star, as it should be, but I sometimes wish higher prices secured a memorable or at least spacious, comfortable surroundings (Commis is tiny, packed, minimalist) alongside excellent food.

All that aside, the pinnacle of the meal was actually the amuse bouche: a delicate Farm Egg over Medjool dates with malt and onion cream. This malty, creamy mini-dish (more than just a bite) was savory with a whisper of sweet. Downright perfection. Paired with a Brut French Sidre, it’s enough to convert one to Syhabout’s cooking immediately.

First course included New Alliums (in the onion family). This dish highlighted the succulence of onions, both melt-in-your-mouth fried and fresh onions, with slices of albacore tuna. The dish reached perfection with warm white bean mousse and seawater with espelette pepper. Zucchini Tartare was artistically rolled up with Shasta porcinis, sweet basil puree and smoked country ham emulsion. Paired with a stand-out 2009 Slovenian Verus Furmint Stajerska, the wine’s floral, crisp notes brought out the Summer freshness in both dishes.

Mains consisted of Roasted Sonoma County Duck accented by caramelized fennel bulghur, peach, green peppercorn, and Slow-cooked Heritage Duroc Pork melded with cauliflower, toasted cranberry beans, sea lettuce and lemon pork jus. Though both dishes were expertly executed and in every respect very good, neither held the excitement or promise of the first two and the amuse.

A welcome palate cleanser of Blueberry Soda with rose geranium was tart and refreshing… another highlight in a meal that seemed perfected in its accents and surprises more so than in the main dishes.

Dessert unexpectedly raised the bar again, first with a rose-hued, nearly violet Patrick Bottex NV Vin de Bugey-Cerdon sparkling rose. It’s lightly sweet, tart, gentle effervescence shone alongside “Things We Lost In the Fire” Chocolate Brioche. Though the combo of strawberries and chocolate is ho-hum, these strawberries are roasted in rescoldo/mesquite embers. It’s accented by mint, salt, chartreuse chantilly and burnt vanilla ice cream. A dream dessert for me of salt, earth and sweetness. How could the bright, fresh but comparatively bland Chilled Cream of White Peach with caneberries, sorbet and lemon verbena snow keep up? The brioche stole the final scene.

SWEET FINGERS, San Leandro – I’ve been attempting a trek out to San Leandro for a couple years to try Sweet Fingers, a Jamaican restaurant with the spirit of a Caribbean dive bar.

Without much in the way of authentic Jamaican food around, it’s exciting to find a place run by Jamaicans, especially one that serves what are rarities here but national dishes in Jamaica, like Saltfish and Ackee (also at Hibiscus in Oakland), and excellent drinks like tart Sorrel Juice ($5) or an intense House Ginger Beer ($4)… next time I want to order “Ja Clive” ($10) a cocktail of overproof rum, sorrel juice, ginger beer, lime.

Chef Clive himself is a friendly, engaging guy with a history in NY and the West Coast, and passion for cooking his native country’s foods. Jamaican flags, bright reds, yellows and greens, and plenty of Bob Marley imagery and music, make the otherwise dingy place festive.

No particular dish stood out in a culinary sense but it all made for an engaging Jamaican feast as a whole, with ideal sizing options so you can try more. They weren’t making Saltfish & Ackee this visit, but next time I’ll call ahead and order. I sopped up everything with bland Cornbread ($2) and a plain but  surprisingly tasty Fried Dumpling ($2), just right dipped in Curry Goat sauce ($10 half order, $16 full order). The goat was fatty and messy, but rich with flavor. Jerk Chicken ($6/$10/$16) is a signature dish and a fine version. Spanish Town Scotch Bonnet Shrimp ($10/$16) exhibit heat from Scotch Bonnet peppers, smoothed out with coconut milk and veggies.

“Every little thing is gonna be alright,” or at least so it feels here as you settle into the chilled out, Jamaican vibe, sipping soothing Sorrel Juice to cool of the hot sauce heat.

WINE COUNTRY

View from a Spoonbar table

HEALDSBURG

SPOONBAR – I could write a piece on the cocktails alone at brand new Spoonbar in the h2hotel off of Healdsburg’s town square. You’ve already heard me mention Scott Beattie many times over the years.

He truly is one of our country’s great bartenders and his cocktail menu at Spoonbar is a revelation. Yes, you’ll get waylaid by the initial menu, but don’t let that stop you from asking for the additional one. It’s a glory of new creations, featuring edible flowers and the herbal, produce-driven beauties Beattie has perfected since his Cyrus days. But there’s the added bonus of classics done with a Beattie sensibility. I get giddy at the site of three versions each of Old-Fashioneds, Negronis, Manhattans and Sazeracs, the holy foursome of cocktails. I sampled five, each exquisite. Stay tuned for next issue’s Imbiber for details on these cocktails – it feels right seeing Beattie behind the bar again.

But the joys at Spoonbar are many as the food and wine list are likewise robust, the space open and airy (playful with hints of mid-century modern), the price point a nice mid-range. In early opening weeks, this has automatically become my # 1 Healdsburg spot for drink or food (since I can only afford Cyrus for a special occasion), and one of my tops in all of Wine Country.

Where to start? There’s wines on tap, a trend I am happy to see growing from an environmental and casual accessibility standpoint. Let Wine Director, Ross Hallett, choose and you’ll likely get a nice range of local and international wines. With dinner, he paired a dry 2000 Villa Claudia Gattinara and a full  ‘05 Savuto Odoardi that yielded spice notes when paired with the Spoonbar Burger. For dessert, he poured thoughtful choices like Rare Wine Co.’s New York Malmsey Special Reserve Madeira, rich with earthy, coffee notes, and Ratafia de Bourgogne, a sweet but balanced liqueur.

The food? With Moroccan and Mediterranean influences, Chef Rudy Mihal’s menu shines as fine bar food with cocktails or as multi-course dinner. Appetizers offer all kinds of goodness, like addictive little Fried Smelt Fish ($8) dipped in a caper aioli. Or how about skewers of plump, grilled Calamari ($12) in a preserved lemon vinaigrette? You’ll find me equally hyped over imported Burrata ($13), creamy heaven in a pool of fine olive oil with melting, soft brioche and finely diced beet tartare.

On the entree front, the lamb/beef mix is right in the Spoonbar Burger ($15), albeit small, on a house-sesame bun with a mini-bucket of fries. Kudos for a restrained but permeating burger topping of sweet tomato confit, cucumber chutney and spiced yogurt.

Though I am easily bored with chicken, their signature Moorish-style Brick Chicken ($24) is rife with flavor from herbs and spices, tender over grilled lemon couscous. Definitely a highlight.

Restaurant Manager, Darren Abel, runs a relaxed, festive restaurant that truly is the whole package. I’ll be plotting my next chance to get to Spoonbar when up that way – at the very least for cocktails and apps. If only this place was in the city…

SIMI WINERY – Simi is one of those venerable wineries rich with colorful history.

Founded by Italian brothers, Giuseppe and Pietro Simi, in 1876, their cellars date from 1890 on one half to 1904 once they doubled in size. When both brothers died within four months of each other, Giuseppe’s daughter, Isabelle, a savvy eighteen year old, took over the winery, making and storing wine even during Prohibition.

I’m fascinated by this young girl’s ingenuity, which eventually led to a successful winery she first popularized by giving away free samples on the side of the road pre-tasting room days. Isabelle planted a grove of redwood trees around the grounds and a tribute rose garden with bushes for each president during the days she ran the winery (except for one… take their interesting tour to hear the whole story. I’ll give you a hint: he was the one who helped usher in Prohibition).

Their pizza cafe is a lovely idea: held on Friday (2-6pm) and Saturday (11am-4pm) afternoons, it’s a welcome Summer respite on their shaded back patio under giant umbrellas where wood-fired oven shells out satisfying pizzas (wine is included). While I loved the concept, presentation and taste of their special Red, White & Blue Pizza (red – bacon, lettuce, tomato; blue – purple yam, blue cheese, red onion; white – corn, zucchini, onions, ricotta), my heart belonged first to their House Sausage Pizza with baked fennel bulbs.

They have a balanced (read: not jammy, punch-you-in-the-face) Zinfandel available only at the winery, a Landslide Cabernet and the mineral citrus of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, creamy with hints of hazelnut, lemon and oak.

On August 28 (12-3pm), they’re having a party to celebrate the latest 2007 Landslide Cabernet release with dancing to New Orleans jazz  on the Terrace ($20 per person, or $10 for wine club members). You know I’d be there if I could.

NAPA

MORIMOTO NAPA - Despite the celebrity chef status of the one and only Masaharu Morimoto (yes, I love the original Iron Chef), and the high price tag, his brand new Morimoto Napa restaurant is an experience and a welcome addition to Wine Country.

The space is huge, with a sea of greys enlivened by bright, yellow chairs. There’s patio waterfront seating and an ultra-cool touch of grape vines dramatically running the wall over the bar and in the lobby, as if to say, “Morimoto is now in Wine Country.”

As for the food, it adds up fast, but thankfully there’s beyond-the-norm presentations lending excitement to the expensive meal. Like me, you may have eaten a thousand tartares, but you haven’t had one quite like this: Toro Tartare ($25) comes on a little wood tray you scrape with a mini paddle, then dip in nori paste, wasabi, sour cream, chives, or a house dashi soy, smoky with a hint of bonito. Finish with a bright palate cleanser of Japanese plum.

Green Fig Tempura ($16) is a playful change of pace on the tempura front, but the real clincher is a creamy peanut butter foie gras sauce underneath, dotted with pomegranate reduction. Again, as a big beef tartare fan, I’ve had many a version. This one stands out. Beef Tartare ($18) Morimoto-style comes with asparagus flan hiding an egg in the center. As you slice through it, it oozes over the beef, asparagus slivers, lotus chips and teriyaki sauce. Morimoto Bone Marrow ($16) is an intriguing version: one giant bone loaded with gloppy, warm marrow, perked up with caramelized onions, teriyaki and spices on top.

Entrees continued in this creative vein, though Whole Roasted Lobster “Espice” ($35) had its flaws. It’s a generous portion but the lobster meat is lost in too much garam masala spice, coriander, peppercorn, and cayenne, even though that was what sold me on the dish initially. It was over-spiced but the saving grace was a divine, whipped lemon creme fraiche, contrasting the blackened spice aspect with airy tart.

Duck Duck Goose ($36) was my preferred entree – essentially duck in four parts, from a bowl of duck confit fried rice with frozen foie gras shavings topped with duck egg, to duck soup, duck confit leg, and slices of duck meat with gooseberries. Tofu Cheesecake ($12) in coffee maple syrup with maple ice cream is a signature dish for Morimoto, but though I liked the light texture of the tofu cheesecake, it was overwhelmed by thick maple syrup. A Raspberry Wasabi Sorbet was a better finish for me, hitting strong on both key ingredients.

Morimoto sat at the table next to us with friends, surveying the expansion of his growing restaurant empire. The GM stopped by our table to see how things were going and mentioned that Morimoto loved it so much here he was staying for a couple months. Even when the novelty of his first West Coast venture wears off (he’s opening in LA next), my initial visit, merely a week after opening, suggests that this restaurant will long remain one of downtown Napa’s destinations.

SONOMA

EL MOLINO CENTRAL – In a sea of taquerias lining Sonoma’s Highway 12, there’s a new addition I’ve been excited to tell you about that opened early Summer: El Molino Central. I pulled over after doing a double take: it looks like a charming taqueria, but reads hand-painted “tortillas… tamales… blue bottle coffee” on the side of the building. “Wait… what?”

With no dining space inside, there’s a leisurely patio out back. Inside, it’s an open kitchen where you survey self-proclaimed “Mexican street food” prepared with a high level of care and quality ingredients. They hand-grind corn masa and press tortillas in wood presses. There’s even fresh tortillas and pre-prepared dishes to heat up at home. The menu offers merely a handful of items: chilaquiles, tostadas, enchiladas and delightful tamales (I like the white corn and cheese version).

What surprises is the Blue Bottle Coffee menu straight down to New Orleans’ Iced Coffee (perfect on a hot Wine Country Summer day). You can get your individual drip or a cappuccino, happily savored with a tamale made from local ingredients.

The place looks plucked out of LA with palm trees and all, but exemplifying Slow Food sensibilities. The shock is the quality level (which costs a little more than an average taqueria, though still under $10)… and the Blue Bottle. You, too, can have your Blue Bottle and homemade tamales in a Mexican food joint. Sonoma is lucky to get this lovably quirky new addition.

LOKAL – Just off the Sonoma square, Lokal has been getting some love lately from SF folk like Michael Bauer. I’m in when you say Eastern European/Hungarian food, difficult to find done well anywhere, much less in Wine Country.

They won me over with shelves full of records/LPs in the dining room, then with sunny, back patio picnic tables. There’s a fine selection of beers making the patio beer garden-reminiscent. Service has it’s kinks, including a pricing discrepancy on their menu it took awhile to work out on my bill, but the food is a pleasure and is now a favored stop in downtown Sonoma.

They make a mean German Potato Salad ($5), sweetened by grilled red onions, punchy with mustard, maintaining a fresh profile despite starchiness. A Summer special of White Corn Puree Soup ($3.50 a cup) is sweet and bright. Count me in on the Eva Gabor’s Pork Schnitzel Sandwich/”Rueben” ($12). You almost forget there’s no pastrami in there with a breaded pork cutlet layered with mustard and sauerkraut. There’s a satisfying savoriness here reminiscent of a great Rueben. Lightly crunchy brown bread and house pickles seal the deal.

MONDO – Mondo, a short drive from downtown Sonoma, has the largest beer selection in the area: 23 on tap and more by the bottle, with a little beer garden courtyard through the restaurant. A couple years ago, this was a sausage and burger joint.

The burgers remain but there’s also the kind of bar food that puts a grin on my face: plump Jalapeno Poppers ($7.50) oozing with cheese and shreds of carnitas (pork). There’s fatty Braised Beef Brisket Sandwich ($9.50) piled with crumbly blue cheese and shaved red onion. For a little healthy balance, try specials like Sweet White Corn Salad ($5) tossed in lime, cilantro, red peppers and red onion.

This is a welcome Wine Country respite where you can break from excess wine for beer and cheap, gourmet bar fare. 

GEYSERVILLE

DIAVOLA PIZZERIA – Though these gourmet charcuterie/pizza/rustic Italian spots are a ‘dime a dozen’ in SF, it still helps that in a town as tiny as Geyserville there’s one dining destination like Diavola. In a high-ceilinged, century-old storefront, brick walls, wood-burning oven and wood floors lend it a country kitchen feel by way of Italy.

Kudos for being open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. There’s nothing that I haven’t seen here before but it’s all done well. Grilled Asparagus Salad ($13.75) is a Cali-farm type dish we often see done superbly in the Bay Area. Here it’s asparagus and arugula topped with pancetta, truffled Pecorino cheese and a fried egg. It’s a fine Salami & Cheese Platter ($13.75), reflecting meats they’ve been making in-house with select cheeses.

Pizzas shine, and while the Sonja ($16) isn’t the best version of a fresh prosciutto, mascarpone and arugula pizza I’ve had, the Inferno ($15), on the other hand, is one of the best spicy pizzas ever, balanced with the sweet of roasted red peppers and tomato against hot Italian peppers.

Don’t go out of your way if you live in SF near many similar restaurants, but on your way up in this northernmost stretch of Sonoma County, it’s a worthy stop.

MARIN COUNTY

BRICK & BOTTLE
55 Tamal Vista Boulevard
Corte Madera, CA 94925
415-924-3366
www.brickandbottle.com

I’ve followed chef Scott Howard’s various restaurants over the years, from his stint in San Francisco at self-named Scott Howard restaurant, to Five in Berkeley. He recently returned to his home county where he started it all (at Fork) with Brick & Bottle.

It’s essentially in a shopping mall in Corte Madera (in the former Izzy’s space), and, yes, it has that suburban- chain feel about the long, spacious, though muted, restaurant.

You could get side-tracked in the bar on the way to a table, and that wouldn’t be a bad thing. Ron Harmer, with a background in spirits and wine, has created a menu of 20 plus cocktail classics ($9 each) with a couple new creations thrown in. I haven’t seen a classic cocktail list this extensive in Marin until now. There’s a number of my favorites present, like a Ward Eight, Vieux Carre and Sazerac, but there’s also a Tequila Sour with egg white, a smooth La Selle (rum, Benedictine, cane syrup and bitters), and a lovely Bourbon Old-Fashioned with bitters, cane syrup, orange and a cherry cured in sugar and Kirsch.

My top two: Amelia, their take on a classic Aviation, with gin, lemon, cointreau, maraschino and a dash of absinthe. Spirituous and strong, this could be a classic. The other is Halekulani, a frothy bright rum drink with lime, grapefruit, maraschino. Tastes like the islands without being faultily sweet. Harmer is schooling Marin on classic cocktails… and they’d do well to drink up.

The wine list is extensive and California-focused, covering a broad range of smaller wineries across the state, with a few wines on tap. There’s a handful of beers on tap as well and a sizable spirits collection.

Ok, you say… but what about the food? My initial visit opening month yielded the salty/sweet comfort of Duck Confit Pizza ($12) with caramelized onions and fontina cheese. Have seen it before, but can’t go wrong with that combo. Frog Hollow Organic Yellow Peaches Salad ($8) is simple, letting the peaches take center stage over arugula with a bit of avocado and light rice wine vinaigrette.

I’ve long been a fan of La Quercia ham, which you can eat at places from Contigo in Noe Valley to Roberta’s in Brooklyn. Brick & Bottle serves it with organic nectarines ($12), wild arugula and Parmesan. Summer bounty such as this shows up all over the menu.

Honestly, my two top dishes were mains ($10-27), both of the hearty, fatty kind. They won on all points, turning what was a good meal up until that point into a crave-worthy one.

Though eager to try the Pimento Cheeseburger ($10), I’m glad I chose Grilled Gruyere & Braised Short Ribs Sandwich ($11). A melting, oozing grilled cheese sandwich it was, loaded with beefy short ribs, elevated when dipped in a tiny bowl of tomato soup or lush horseradish cream sauce.

But the crowned ‘dish of the night’ wasn’t even on the menu.  One of the daily specials which should be a permanent fixture, was BBQ Pork Ribs with jalapeno slaw, pimento cheese spread and flaky Cheddar Chive Biscuits.

House BBQ sauce hit the right notes of heat and subtle smoke, pork was tender and hearty, while biscuits melded with the cheese spread into something like your Southern Grandma’s cooking (you know, the one you wish you had?) That same spirit lives on in a family recipe of Rum Cake with rum raisin ice cream, pecans and caramel drizzle.

I envisioned a decent meal from Howard, but I didn’t expect the level of Southern-tinged comfort that came through in the entrees, taking me on a momentary jaunt back to the South. It’s American cooking, certainly with California freshness, not limited to any one region, but it has a surprising bit of Southern soul.

For Marin, this is an elevated comfort food and drink destination and one locals would do well to put on their regular rotation.

SAN MATEO – Acqua Pazza Ristorante

Despite the suburban setting, the spirit of servers and food is authentically Italian at San Mateo’s Acqua Pazza. Owned by three Rosano brothers (out of nine children!) from Naples, they brought their Mama’s own recipes from Italia, as well as technique learned at Naples’ Scuola Albergheria and Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Vong in London.

Amalfi Coast photography lines the hallway and the dining room surroundings are clean and crisp in shades of deep blue.

The red sauce in a Zucchini Parmigiana starter ($10.95) is textbook delicious from their Mamma Carmela’s recipe. Half Moon Bay zucchini keeps it local, with plenty of meltingly good Buffalo Mozzarella.

Gnocchi Gorgonzola ($14.95) is also their Mamma’s recipe, a fine rendition of what is one of my most beloved Italian dishes. Cherry tomatoes cut the rich, heavy cream sauce, the overall effect happily fattening.

Vitello Milanese ($18.95) is a classic rendition of veal scallopini pounded flat, breaded and in a lemon dressing. A heap of arugula salad atop it added a healthy aspect. Even if it wasn’t the best rendition of the dish I’ve ever had, it worked.

A Bellini ($8.50) was a refreshing sparkling wine starter, though I can’t help but lament the common use of peach nectar instead of fresh peaches, which is less common but tastes significantly better. House wines are affordable ($6.50) and generous, served in a little carafe – easily two glasses worth. Whether Chardonnay, Chianti or Cabernet, they did the trick, as did a straightforward Affogato for dessert.

Hints of Italy live in the streets of San Mateo…

OAKLAND

Encuentro – One of three owners behind this new-ish Oakland vegetarian is Millennium exec chef, Eric Tucker, long a standard-maker in vegetarian cuisine. The food here is inventive, even if portions are tiny.

Just a few blocks off Jack London Square, the high-ceilinged space is modern and airy, though a little stiff (as is service, in some ways), but the setting highlights bright dishes like Panzanella Salad ($9) with roasted celery root, beets, Gorgonzola, pine nuts, winter greens and crispy bread cubes.

A mere whiff of a bite, there’s two pieces of Bruschetta ($5) available with different toppings. I was won over by Avocado, Cilantro, Black Salt & Olive Oil Bruschetta with an addictive chili jam.

Just added to the menu that day, I found  Maple Mustard-glazed Tempeh “Bacon” Sandwich ($9) surprisingly comforting: warm, on the softest of wheat rolls. For one skeptical of fake “meat” substitutions (there just is no substitution for the real thing), this didn’t taste anything like bacon but was a worthy sandwich nonetheless. Stuffed Prunes ($4), with either goat cheese or macadamia nut pate, were good but didn’t stand out as much as other dishes.

A highlight was a  Rich Truffled Mushroom Pecan Pate ($11). The portion is delicate (read: small), but mini crostinis, grain mustard, sweet prune jam, and caper berries accented a lush pate that was almost smoother and more crowd-pleasing than some meat pates I’ve tasted. This dish showcases what is special about Encuentro that you can’t find elsewhere.

An interesting wine pairing came in the form of a toasty, crisp Irish Monkey Chardonnay ($7 a glass), made in Davis, CA, of all places, with tasting room/offices in Oakland.

SOUTH BAY

Cafe Gibraltar – After a day of poetry and walks on the beach in Pescadero and Half Moon Bay, dinner at Gibraltar is a relaxing finish, idyllically perched with ocean view and breezy, Mediterranean menu. Service is effusive, even if there was an awfully complex pile-up and wait getting a number of tables seated at the front door.

The space and crowd feel a tad suburban, but Moroccan tables on the far wall with pillows, floor seating and separate curtains, add a little intrigue to the dining room. The fresh, pleasing food is served in larger portions than expected, so order accordingly. Even with “light” crudo and seafood dishes, I was stuffed and would have ordered less if I’d known.

Bisque de Crevettes ($9) is a creamy, rich shrimp bisque seasoned with apples, sweet onions, dill and white wine. The shrimp nearly melt with tenderness and dill plays a dominant role. Ahi Tuna Crudo ($15) was generously portioned: a row of delicate, flash-seared ahi with an avocado salad that was too heavily drenched in a lime/ginger/habanero dressing.

Fairing better is Ahtapot Salata ($16), a Turkish beauty of a dish with plump octopus and calamari, grilled, then sautéed with chile, garlic, herbs and lemon, mixed with red onion, tomatoes, watercress. I tasted harissa-like spices and marveled at the meaty heft of the seafood. On the Moroccan front, they cook a lovely Tajin B’il Hut ($24), served in a proper tajine, with large cuts of Hawaiian blue snapper baked in a wood oven with olives, potatoes, baby onions, preserved lemons and tomatoes (I didn’t taste the lemons). Atop couscous and in a chermoula broth, it’s one of the great tajine dishes in the Bay Area.

With a nice wine list offering a number of zippy Portuguese or Alsace whites to accompany all that seafood, I left satisfied, though maybe not as impressed as years of raves about this place led me to believe… at least until I ate warm house bread dipped in sweet, aged basalmic and olive oil.

“I imagine heaven to be a lot like spring in Sonoma.” – Herb Caen

SANTA ROSA

• Rosso Pizzeria – Let’s just get right to it: this is some of the best pizza in the Bay Area, and certainly my favorite north of the city. And we are blessed with an array of incredible pizza. From the moment you sit down in Santa Rosa’s cheerful pizzeria tucked away in a non-descript strip mall, you sense it’s going to be quite a meal. Fresh Blood Orange Lemonade ($4) with mint and spritzer is a refreshing lunch drink, while the wine selection works any time of day.

House Buratta ($9.75) with prosciutto, olive oil, salt and pepper is pretty much divine. Silky and delicate. It was fun to add a side of Calabrian chile paste for a heat kick and palate cleanser.

Going for salad-like pizza may sound decidedly non-Italian, but quality ingredients make it as delectable as any of the more classic Italian-style pizzas, especially when including a mountain of fresh crab meat. The Crab Louie Piadini ($17) combines two of my loves: Crab Louie and pizza. Sigh.

More traditional pizzas are equally dreamy. On this visit, I ordered the house special pizza of the day ($15): Wild Boar Salami, house tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella. Wow.

All I can say is “go”. Go and enjoy.

GUERNEVILLE

• Applewood Inn – Tucked away in thick redwood groves as you head down winding roads towards the sea in Sonoma county, Guerneville’s signature restaurant is located in an inn where a family of deer welcomed us as we walked from our car into the restaurant. Though the restaurant looks a touch 1980’s, the glow from fireplaces at either end of the dining room and the restaurant’s upstairs perch overlooking the inn’s courtyard make it feel like a mountain vacation in Italy. It helps that service and food flow graciously in and out (though the kitchen did get way backed up on our Saturday night visit as the evening progressed).

Though a Black Trumpet Mushroom ($12) and Octopus special appetizer did not leave much of an impression, a simple Butterleaf Salad ($9) was pleasantly loaded with Bosc pears, chunks of fresh, soft goat cheese, pistachios and honey-chive vinaigrette. Best of the four appetizers was a Beef Tartare ($11), always a favorite of mine, scooped up with house potato chips, accented by house-cured anchovies, pickled mustard seeds and a quail egg on top.

A memorable entree is Cacao Nib-crusted Rack of California Lamb ($34) with sherry-braised chorizo, stacked onion rings and mint chimichurri to liven things up. American Red Snapper ($28) came in two hefty pieces, one oddly tasting fresher (less fishy) than the other – an uneven dish despite the lovely sunchoke pave it rested atop. More satisfying was a giant, casserole-like disc of Milk-braised Pork ($26) with pancetta potatoes, pea shoots and an aged balsamic drizzle.

Out in this far stretch of woods, this is not only one of the only restaurants around, but surely about the best. I wouldn’t choose it above all others in the county but out West, it’s a warm, gracious meal with friends after a day of wine tasting.

BERKELEY

• Gather – Yes, it’s local, sustainable, organic (even the spirits, wine and beer). Though that’s happily typical in the Bay Area, I venture to say that Gather, open only since December, already operates like a hardly “typical”, fully-realized restaurant. In a large, rounded corner room, the bustling, open space is in full view of the kitchen, a muted showpiece in the center of activity. It’s casual, holistic and chic, all at the same time.

Cocktails stand out with organic spirits (like Papagayo rum), without sacrificing craftsmanship and taste. Portions are small but classically so, in the proper sizes cocktails once were served. Greg’s Pisco Sour ($10) is served in a champagne flute with Square One cucumber vodka, Marian Farms pisco, lemon, lime, with shaved hibiscus over the top of egg white foam.

Humo Dulce ($12), 4 Copas tequila, Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal, lime, pineapple gum syrup, captures the proper smokiness of the mezcal and doesn’t play it sweet. Wines and beers are local and organic, from Bay Area south to Santa Cruz, north to Wine Country and Mendocino.

Not your typical grilled squid dish, Monterey Bay Squid ($12), on Forbidden black rice, with aioli, mint, chili, bacon, is a sumptuous small plate with layers and warmth. All I can say is “wow” for 28-month House-Cured Ham ($13) with grilled Castelfranco, marinated crescenza, cardoon-walnut salsa. The crescenza cheese is warm and melting over a delightful, thinly sliced ham, prosciutto-like, ribboned with fat. One of the best dishes here.

The piece de resistance is Vegan “Charcuterie” ($14)… and this comes from a decidedly non-vegetarian. As soon as this artwork array of vegetables come out on a wood slab, you know you’re about to experience something unique. If only veggies were always this flavor-packed, we’d eat them without complaint. Completely worth the price for a vegetable extravaganza. On the platter was:
- Heirloom carrots, green garlic confit, mint, English pea-tarragon puree
- Grilled asparagus, almond-pepper puree, Spanish red spring garlic, “aioli”
- Roasted sunchokes, Rub Red crescent potatoes, fried onion cabernet vinaigrette, oyster mushrooms
- Roasted baby beets, shaved fennel, dill, blood orange, horseradish almond puree, pistachio
- Fried tofu skin bruschetta, avocado, spicy baby fennel escabeche.

Those of us who eat for a living can get burnt out on the pizza insanity of recent years… that is, until we have another great one. I did not come here for pizza but as soon as I saw one, I had to order it. Puffy crust bubbles up in charred mounds filled with doughy bread and the house Sausage Pizza ($17) did not disappoint, laden with spring onion salsa, oregano, corno di capra (sweet peppers). A Petrale Sole special ($22) was a flaky, grilled fish with greens and lemon, rustically presented. It’s always work picking out little bones but the dish recalled whole fish I’ve had in Switzerland, fresh from the lakes.

With little room left for dessert, I still managed to bask in the light cream of Citrus Rice Pudding ($7.50) with uber-tart Meyer lemon frozen yogurt and cinnamon-dusted graham shortbread. This early on, I project that Gather is not only one of the East Bay’s best new openings but already one of its best restaurants.

OAKLAND

• Hibiscus is one of those chic Uptown newcomers with rustic walls and homey notes mixed with modern sensibilities serving “upscale” Caribbean/African food. I absolutely love the space, especially the charming bar area, which looks pretty different from the spacious dining room. It’s inviting, as is the sweet staff. I want to be crazy about the food, too, and I think it shows great promise. The restaurant is still in its early weeks of opening and should become more even over time. For now, ingredients are of high quality, even as some dishes stand out more than others. Exec Chef Sarah Kirnon plays with a range of culinary influences from Trinidad to the Congo. Jerk Cornish Hen ($10.25) is prepared Maroon-style (Jamaican), with luscious coconut-braised Sea Island peas and Red Fresno salsa. This was my favorite dish.

Super spicy Crab & Grits ($9) turns the traditional Southern dish on its head with Caribbean spices, peppers and plenty of heat. Saltfish & Ackee ($8.75), the national dish of Jamaica, comes with sweet plantains, contrasting with salty cod and heat intensity of garlic oil. Split-Pea Fritters ($7.50) with tamarind sauce weren’t as flavorful or texturally interesting as I’d hoped.

A simple Parish Punch ($7) is a mix of El Dorado Rum and house Ginger Limeade, initially a bit sweet, but once the salty heat of the meal kicks in, a refreshing soother. With ingredients and animals sourced locally and sustainably, not to mention the welcome pleasure of something different, this place has the potential of becoming another downtown Oakland gem.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO

• South San Francisco’s Xiao Long Bao Kitchen makes some mean xiao long bao (Shanghai soup dumplings). They’re downright addictive and among the better I’ve had locally, warm broth oozing over ground pork and chewy dumpling wrapper. $6.95 for eight good-sized dumplings is a deal. If you order one giant one, good luck trying to eat it.