Flexible, friendly Bistro Vis à vis adds charm to Bon Air Center

This is the unedited version of the review that was posted to the IJ earlier this week:http://www.marinij.com/lifestyles/ci_19803737

Greenbrae

It is not every day that you enter a restaurant where the host is also the chef and sommelier.  At Bistro Vis à vis, you will find Soo Young Kim bustling about this 30-seat restaurant and wine bar, a whirl of activity and seemingly endless energy. Co-owner with her partner Erich Lichtblau, Kim, who previously wore the chef, owner and sommelier hats at Sooze Wine Bar in Petaluma, took over as chef in September to bring the food more in line with her vision of light, fresh and seasonal cuisine in a casual, neighborhood spot.

Renamed Bistro Vis à vis about 15 months ago after six months as NewZ, Kim, with executive sous chef Cory Rapp (recently of Spruce in San Francisco and Waterboy in Sacramento) on hand since November, cooks in a style that more closely resembles California cuisine with a healthy helping of Asian flavors. A trained biochemist, Kim pairs a scientist’s mind with a chef’s hands to create elegant simplicity on the plate.

Shrimp bisque ($6.50/cup), aromatic and delicate with a light hand on the cream jug, finished on the back of the palate with a kick of Piment d'Espelette and a hint of chives. A gently wilted spinach ($11) salad with cherries, caramelized onions and bacon, was surprisingly light and sweet-tart from the interplay of the sharp vinaigrette against the cherries.

Kaffir lime-infused scallop cakes ($12), served with a spot-on lime-inflected Thai papaya salad and coconut curry sauce, danced with the intermingled flavors of the bright citrus, warm spices and mouth-tingling red chilies.  A happy accident, according to Kim, who came up with the recipe after a day with too many left-over sand dabs and a Kaffir lime tree at home bursting with ripe fruit and fragrant leaves; it is now a best seller.

Yes, the mildly seasoned fish tacos are back by customer demand and are available at lunch ($11 for two) and dinner ($17 for three). The cornmeal-crusted basa was that ideal combo of crunchy outside, flaky and tender inside. More inspired were the halibut cheeks ($26). Panko-crusted and meltingly tender, a yuzu aioli gave the meaty fish pop while the truffled shallot vinaigrette added dimensionality to the dish.

Duck Breast ($25), dressed for the season with almond-farro pilaf, roasted pears, and a pear-red wine gastrique, arrived with a crisp skin, medium-rare center and tender, toothsome appeal.  So, too, the Cornish game hen ($19), with blue lake beans and the creamiest celery root puree I have ever eaten.

The American Kobe flat iron steak ($27) with blue cheese butter arrived medium rare (though the server forgot to ask how we liked our meat prepared), and the accompanying Brussels sprouts and a portobello and shiitake bread pudding, perfect wintery partners, overshadowed the beefy star on the plate due to the sheer size of the side portions.

The dessert list is short and changes regularly but a seasonal fruit plate ($7) with pistachios, Mandarin orange and kiwi among others, is always in style, though I wished for a drizzle of honey alongside the fresh cream.

The room is fairly casual with darkly colored, burnt sienna walls, high white wainscoting, pendant lights and an open kitchen with a 5-seat wine bar.  One wall is lined with dark banquettes while diners seated opposite on mahogany-colored chairs will appreciate the coat- or purse-hooks behind each table. Napkins are cloth and care is taken to replace your modish long-stemmed silverware after each course.

Don’t be surprised, too, if the chef walks over to meet you or to discuss wine or food or any other topic of interest that day. Kim and Lichtblau, who live within walking distance of the restaurant, are part of the charm of this friendly neighborhood restaurant and make it a point to know their customer’s and their special quirks and requests. Can’t eat cow’s milk? No problem, they will make the al dente risotto - Dungeness crab and Royal Trumpet mushroom on the day we visited ($22) – dairy-free. No gluten?  Let’s swap the almond-farro pilaf for risotto or add some extra sautéed chard. Visit often enough and they will have prepared the service team in advance of your arrival.

Her flair for creative, accessible bistro cooking is clear once you start eating yet Kim carries her passion for wine on her sleeve.  Sure, you can order any wine on the extensive menu you like – there are 46 options not including dessert selections, mostly from the USA and Europe, all available by the glass, carafe or bottle – but why not have Kim pair your wine with your food? 

She may nudge you down this path anyway; should you inquire about the wine menu, tastes of whites and reds that work with your selected dishes might start flowing your way, simplifying a sometimes fraught decision. (That bio-chemistry background is a perfect match for the challenge of pairing wine flavors with food flavors.)

This is a real bistro, serving simple, delightful dishes with a well-built, interesting wine list and a hands-on owner in a modest space. The high quality ingredients and attention to flavor almost act as a foil for the large portions. Bistro vis à vis is full of little touches, bonuses that add an oft-forgotten old-school charm. It is how a bistro should be.

Marin cheeses - from unknown to globally recognized

There comes a time in every girl’s life when she must eat some cheese.  Lucky for me, that time came over Thanksgiving weekend. True, I cooked a lighter Thanksgiving meal this year (no butter-soaked sweet potatoes, no green bean casserole with Campbell’s mushroom soup), which left ample room for dairy-based treats.

With a stash of pinot noir, pinot bianco and chardonnay from Marin and Mendocino wineries (read more on pairing Marin wines with holiday foods here), I traversed the great expanse of taste between the blue-funk grunge of Point Reyes famous Original Blue and mild, shy Txiki, a sheep’s milk cheese made by the folks at Barinaga Ranch.

Txiki most closely resembles a young Manchego and the association is, perhaps, intentional – the Barinaga family background is Basque and yes, they were shepherds.  Aged for 60 days, there is not a hint of sharpness or sourness, just an easy-going, mild cheese.

The Barinagas, who sell Txiki at just a handful of retail outlets, also offer this extremely limited production product to their mailing list.  Positioned at #25 on Sunset magazine’s Hot 100 for 2011, the word is out on this mild, tender cheese with a firm bite. 

Cow milk cheese is perhaps best known in Marin – Cowgirl Creamery distributes their cheeses nationally and works only with cow’s milk – and the girls at Cowgirl recently undertook an effort to increase the number of seasonal cheeses they produce.  Welcome Devil’s Gulch!  Yes, the Devil’s Gulch of Nicasio – practically a bridge between bucolic west and bustling east Marin.

A mild cheese in a comely round, it is creamy but not “wet” like a brie, with a tangy, white-wrapped exterior, and glitters with brilliant red sweet and hot chile bits, courtesy of All Star Organics.  I have never tasted anything quite like it, alternately sharp then sweet, backed by a full-cream mouthfeel. Stefan declared it his new favorite cheese.  Get it while you can – this cheese disappears when the winter rains come to an end.

Loma Alta, a cow’s milk cheese from the Nicasio Cheese Company, is young and straight-up buttery.  Rich, rich rich.  I would use this cheese in a pie crust if I could.

And finally, the classic that got Marin cheese off the ground, Point Reyes Original Blue.  From the Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, this is the one, the only cheese they make and it is bold and sassy with a fairly smooth texture…until it warms and then it crumbles like only the best can. 

I don’t eat blue cheese straight, so I paired it with a salad of frisée and Asian pears with a dijonaise dressing whisked with a hint of maple syrup.  Need I say more? ...

...Yes, THANK YOU Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) for sending me the lovely cheeses and please enjoy the best of Marin during the holiday season and beyond.

Gluten-free stuffing with herbs, fruit and chestnuts

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, egg-free and can be made vegan

Don't tell your wheat-eating friends that you made it gluten-free - they will never know the difference.

My Mom takes out the mushrooms and adds in the equivalent amount of prunes or apricots.  My Dad likes diced pancetta or pork sausage* instead of the mushrooms.  You decide.

1 – 1 lb. loaf gluten-free millet bread, cut into 1” cubes
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp olive oil

¼ cup Ghee or olive oil

6 stalks celery, diced

2 large onions, diced

Salt and pepper

½ lb. chanterelles mushrooms, tough ends trimmed and coarsely chopped

2-3 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

1-2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves, chopped

2-3 Tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped

½ teaspoon marjoram

4 firm Anjou pears

½ lb. roasted chestnuts, chopped

2-3 cups vegetarian or chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Toss bread cubes with dried parsley and basil and the 1 Tablespoon of olive oil.  Bread cubes should be lightly coated with herbs and oil. Use a bit more oil to lightly coat, if needed. Spread bread cubes in a single layer on jelly roll pans and bake or toast until golden, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, heat ghee or oil in a large sauté pan until shimmering.  Add celery and onions; salt and pepper to taste, and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, thyme, sage, parsley, marjoram, pears, and chestnuts.  Sauté 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat.
4. Stir in toasted bread cubes.
5. Add stock, ¼ cup at a time, tossing thoroughly after each addition, until bread is evenly moistened but not soggy.
6. Cover stuffing with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake an additional 10 minutes until lightly brown and crispy. Serve.

*If using pancetta or pork sausage, sauté just before the celery and onions. Set aside, then add back in at step 4.

Reflections on Fancy Food/NASFT Show, San Francisco - January 2011

Organized by color because, well, why not?

Pink

Pink is the new white. For salt, that is.  Peruvian and Himalayan salt is moving in on fleur de sel, sel gris and any other trendy-yet-ancient salts. Witness Moonstruck Chocolates and CC Made Caramels, among others.    

Red

Red velvet: Stonewall Kitchen, which produces the Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten) product line, is betting heavily with new mixes of this traditional Southern cake. Pelican Bay, too, with their newest cupcake mix.  The Republic of Tea released a red velvet chocolate tea.  Really, it tastes like the cake, has a beautiful red hue from the rooibos tea leaves, and, according to their show floor rep, built to drink with dessert.

Merlot

While not technically a color, at least for those of us not surrounded by Martha Stewart paint swatches, red-hues from wine and its by-products was to be found in resveratrol-fortified nutrition bars (ResVez) cookies (Skipping Stone), tea (Tea Forté – referred to as “natural flavors” in ingredient list), mustard (AJ’s Edible Arts), frosting (cabernet sauvignon in The Frosting Queens King Cabernet frosting), wine and fruit preserves (Tishbi Winery cherry shiraz and fig cabernet) and chocolate (Bissinger’s merlot salt). To be paired with wine, Brix Chocolates is making unique chocolates and the Napa Cookie Co is making “wine snap” shortbread biscuits.  It’s about time!

Purple

A gorgeous ube (purple yam) ice cream from Magnolia and Royal Blue Tea from Japan, meant to be savored like wine.

Gold/Brown

Chocolate tea, the Republic of Tea is going after it hard, check out the new line: http://www.republicoftea.com/chocolate-teas/c/56/.

Fortified or naturally fortified foods move along:

Manuka honey has come over from Natural Products to Fancy Food (HNZ and Airborne, both of New Zealand), but witness CocoXan by Xan Confections fortified chocolates, peanut flour from Montebello Kitchens, the Omega 3 and 6-fortified Slims Collection from Trumps Food and Peque Oliva EV olive oil by M5 Corporation.

Umami Paste from Piccadilly Imports is sure to bring new awareness to “the fifth taste”

Orange

Sweet potatoes!

Black

Just one – BLK Beverages’ BLK Water, made with fulvic acid, mined from Canadian Rocky Mountain soil.  It looked cool in the glass and tasted like mineralized water but it was tough to get an explanation of the benefits of fulvic acid from the show rep…(A web search tells me it is an antioxidant and micronutrient.)

White

Coconut

Making its way out of Asian groceries, coconut is the new “other white meat.”  Find it in tea (The Republic of Tea), water (Harney and Sons Fine Teas), dessert (Simple Squares), cookies (Piccolinos!) and chocolate (Helen Grace).

Aloe

Aloe is making its way out of co-op groceries and onto mainstream shelves, mostly in water or drink formats.  Check out JayOne Foods or Riba Foods aloe juice, SPI Westport aloe drink [with chunky bits of aloe – reminded me of bubble tea] and Harney and Sons coconut water with aloe .

Agave

The new “alternative” sweetener? Found in Montebello Kitchens dressings and marinades (agave inulin) and countless others.

Cheese

A personal favorite: Liederkranz cheese (DCI cheese Co).  They are not kidding when they say it reminds people of Limburger.  I’d say the aromatics are less like Limburger’s stinky socks, more like “barnyard” typical French Sauvignon Blanc.  Gorgeous on hearty rye with a sprinkle of onion. 

Other visions of the immediate food future:

Cocktail trend moves to food:  Mojito marmalade tea and mojito lime mints (Tea Forté) and margarita morsels (Cheri’s Desert Harvest).

Truffles less important: 479° Popcorn launched a truffle popcorn. Anything else?

Are Peruvian/Andean foods coming out of restaurants and into the home?  

Peruvian quinoa, Urbane Grain quinoa blends;

Kañiwa, purple corn, Pussac Punay (heritage beans), mesquite flour and sweet potato flour (all gluten free) from Zócalo Gourmet/Culinary Collective.

Garden of the Andes, organic herbal teas from Chile

Will 100% acorn fed  Ibérico pig become the pork talk?

Gluten free the new standard – everyone puts this marketing term on their packaging now, but note this new cereal (for my GF friends): Crunchfuls, breakfast cereals made from pulses .

Raw/vegan – too many to count, some products noted above

Organic – practically implied these days

Finally, please note that not once did I use the word “green” in this piece.  Green is dead. (Long live green!)

Heidi Krahling’s Cookbook Homage to her Customers

There comes a time in every chef's life when writing a cookbook becomes almost inevitable. Chef Heidi Krahling, whose San Anselmo restaurant Insalata's is now a fixture of the local restaurant scene, self-published her first cookbook, Insalata's Mediterranean Table in late 2009.

Filled to the brim with her customer's favorite recipes, Insalata's Mediterranean Table is Krahling's homage to both her culinary influences and to the customers who have supported her restaurant for over 13 years.

To cook from Insalata's is to get inside Krahling's head. Taught first by her Italian father and later by respected Chefs like Mary Risley and Joyce Goldstein, Krahling's cooking reflects a certainty built on years of experience that terrific ingredients produce terrific flavor. It is a chef's role to coax what is best from each product, to work in harmony with the seasons, and not mess around too much with what nature provides. Prepare a few of these recipes and you, too, will understand the underpinnings and flavor profiles of Mediterranean cuisine.

Most cookbooks today write a recipe to within an inch of its life – there is little room for experimentation. Krahling's recipes are more open in style. She will not tell you in the Porcini-Crusted Steak recipe, for example, to "grill a filet for 4 minutes per side." Instead you will be encouraged to "cook, turning once, to desired degree of doneness."

Some will find this lack of articulation maddening. If you are comfortable with the inherent uncertainty of cooking and can operate a stove, you will understand that Krahling's recipes give you needed space to interpret according to what the ingredients and the day require.

Advanced equipment is not required to cook from Insalata's, but a well-stocked pantry will come in handy. Various oils, vinegars, nuts and seeds, salt and spices are called for, and regional foods such as piquillo peppers (native to Northern Spain), tarama (Greek-Turkish salted carp roe), Aleppo pepper (a spice native to northern Syria), and grape leaves make special appearances.

To fully appreciate the depth and breadth of flavors of the Mediterranean kitchen, get a hold of a sturdy spice grinder, citrus zester and food processor - these kitchen tools will be in heavy rotation. It helps, too, if you have a good relationship with a green grocer or farmer's market for fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs.

Many recipes are designed to amply serve a family of four or an intimate dinner party for eight. A sign of a well-written cookbook -- most recipes are easily halved or quartered for smaller gatherings.

Ambitious cooks will enjoy the "extras" that make dining at Insalata's so special. Mista Salad -- loaded with baby lettuces, sweet herbs, and a hint of prosciutto and pine nuts -- tastes fresh and appealing with the accompanying vinaigrette. Take the time to prepare the Mista Onions that garnish the restaurant version and your salad will go from appealing to the best salad you've had in a long time.

Porcini-Crusted Steak has a hint of spice, a gorgeous crust and an earthy, full taste. But, add the suggested Salsa Verde and that masculine steak is beautifully balanced with the nip of capers, lemon and garlic, and takes the steak to an even better place.

For the Conchiglie Rigate (Pasta Shells) with Summer Squash, you can substitute store-bought pesto, but it is the homemade version, along with fresh lemon zest and clabbered cottage cheese, that makes this summer garden dish tangy-creamy and impossible to stop eating.

Not every dish was a success when I made it – the Spicy Greens had a warm and spicy flavor, redolent of the fresh cumin and coriander within, but suffered from too high heat and too little water in the pan. Agrodolce: Sweet and Sour Chicken did not produce a luscious sauce – but the flavor was so good, all was quickly lapped up with the Creamy Polenta.

This beautiful book, with vivid drawings and vibrant still lifes by Laura Parker, includes some photos of the finished dishes. Krahling's recipes are well-written and translate easily from restaurant to the home kitchen.

As the cook, you may take shortcuts to save time and the results will please but Insalata's is at it's best when cooking time is savored and friends and family can share in the joy of cooking together. This is Krahling's message to us: seasonal foods, simply prepared, are the heart and soul of the Mediterranean kitchen. Cook from Insalata's and revel in the flavor.


"http://sananselmofairfax.patch.com/articles/heidi-krahlings-cookbook-homage-to-her-customers"

Mesa restaurant, Zurich

In Switzerland for the summer and a once-in-a-decade opportunity came our way. My sister-in-law took my 20-month old for an overnight stay on June 19, giving my husband and I the opportunity to enjoy a leisurely dinner and late-night drinks on the town. My husband made a reservation at a place called Mesa - he heard it was good. When we told friends and family about our plans, we were met with such “oohs” that our expectations of a great meal inched upwards. I took these verbal cues to mean that I would surely have heard about Mesa if we lived here.

We arrived early for our 8 pm reservation but no worries, your table here is reserved for the evening and we were promptly seated. Our expectations tipped further upwards when we noticed that the female diners’ purses were elevated on little customized stools, protecting these modern day status symbols from the gleaming floors.

Chef de Service, Danny Neynaber, guideded us through the menu, in English or German. Prix fixe, your choice is for the number of courses. Select 5, 6 or 7 (the entire menu) but keep in mind that Chef de Cuisine, Marcus Lindner, offers an amuse bouche to start and an intermezzo after Course 2. There is no wine pairing offered with the menu but the Wine Card does offer enough half bottles and by the glass options to make a wine pairing possible with each course.

We had informed Neynaber of my food intolerances via email prior to our arrival. Tableside, he asked which one of us could not eat eggs, dairy and wheat. I was thrilled that the Chef de Service had memorized my special needs. Even better, he sent over gluten-free bread for me! I did not need to again ask if it was safe to eat my dish. Each server confirmed the ingredients when presenting each plate. Truly, a delight of service.

Au courant Chefs such as Lindner bring together seemingly disparate flavors to a flavorful whole. It is your role as diner to deconstruct the flavors into their singular pieces, marvel at the work of the kitchen and enjoy the ride. At Mesa, expect the ride to take upwards of four hours.

Lindner explains his cooking style as “light and digestible” with Catalán accents. If by Catalán, Lindner means the molecular gastronomy of famed Catalán Chef Ferrán Adriá and beautifully designed and plated food, then yes, Catalán accents. Light and digestible for an Austrian Chef in Switzerland means “no shortage of protein.” Meat and fish take center stage but vegetables are treated with respect and provide a rich color palate for the hero.

Lindner has many years experience in Switzerland and his work demonstrates comfort with the seasonal and local fruits, vegetables and grains of the area. Such country staples as early summer rhubarb and late spring white asparagus are transformed into sculpted accent pieces that provide layers of texture and flavor to a dish of Zurichsee fish and foie gras. A dish of King pigeon and eel, humble creatures of earth and sky seen on New Year’s Eve menus in Austria, is modernized with Asian spices and stylized haricort vert and broccoli.

Some dishes amazed while others were “only” very good. My favorite dish of the evening was a dish I did not order, the intermezzo. Made of three stacked bite-size morsels – lamb and whirled carrot puree with a whipped potato base, tuna tartare with white radish and charcoal emulsion and coconut-curry soup with foam, redolent of coriander and clove – each thumb-sized drop was a world of experience and flavor that excited the palate but left you ready for the next morsel. My husband loved the beef carpaccio and langoustine dish so much, it was the only dish he photographed (see top).

By Course 5, both my husband and I experienced palate fatigue. Three hours and four courses + two bonus dishes of meat/fish left us sated and happy and ready to call it quits. But here comes the baby beef. A beautiful meal to this point, the beef with peaches and risotto arrived over-cooked and lacking in artistry and soul. The dish looked like the kitchen had placed each component on the plate and then sent it out without another glance. I ate two bites and decided to leave the rest.

What a flurry of attention this uneaten dish caused. Literally the entire staff questioned me about it, including Lindner. Luckily, Stefan was able to express my feelings more succinctly in German than I was as Lindner did not offer to speak English. After an ornate meal prepared with my every unique need met, I was sad to leave the beef uneaten but delighted the Chef took a personal interest in me as a result.

All evening long, the commitment of the staff to ensure a special dining experience did not waver. Service was professional and friendly but not overly intrusive. Translations were provided when asked for and Neyneber even asked us to translate a few unknown ingredients. Fresh napkins arrived after a bathroom visit and a “purse stool” is brought if needed. You will even be shown to the bathroom and offered an available room. The only thing missing from our evening? A view. The dining room is warm and inviting but a view would have made this memorable meal more special.

Lindner earned his first Michelin star in 2004 at a restaurant in nearby Küsnacht at the Hotel Ermitage. At Mesa, he kept his star. His commitment to excellence does not waver at Mesa.

Daniel Patterson, if you are ever in Zurich, this is the sister restaurant to Coi. While I have never seen Patterson in the dining room (is this a European Chef characteristic?), the dining experience and restaurant style of Coi are similar to Mesa. Perhaps the flavors at Mesa are a smidge more European while at Coi they are a bit more experimental/Californian but I would consider these two fine dining establishments and their Chefs de Cuisine to both offer seasonal yet complex and modern food in a warm and friendly setting.

Dish, Mill Valley: Fresh takes on American comfort food

Dish, Mill Valley

The new Tamalpais Commons hotspot, Dish, opened to a full house on June 3. Focused on the Mill Valley golden triad of local-sustainable-organic, Dish offers ethnic\American comfort food, or, more plainly stated, updated American classics from long-time Mill Valley resident and restaurateur, Peter Schumacher of Bungalow 44 and Buckeye Roadhouse fame. Stop in as early as 6:30 for coffee and pastries (breakfast service starts at 7) then drop in at this casual, all ages welcome eatery throughout the day and sate your appetite with a thoughtful range of dishes from salads, soups and small dishes to sandwiches and entrées.

Quality ingredients are the starting point and flavors travel across the globe from grilled eggplant with tzatziki (Mediterranean), to lemongrass chicken soup (Thailand) and ahi with soba and bean sprouts (Japan). Executive Chef Derek Belanger’s menu includes options for special diets, from gluten-free to vegetarian, and all soups and salads can be ordered in small or large to suit a range of appetites.

But Chef Belanger expects locals to want mostly Euro-American flavors and weights the menu with such local favorites as grilled salmon with tarragon, huevos rancheros and tuna melt. Every dish begged for more flavor – Spanish chicken salad tasted timidly of pimentón and sherry vinegar. Shrimp summer rolls were fresh and soft but the sauce was bland. Tuna tartare with plantains lacked the zip inherent to lime vinaigrette. Opening day jitters may be the reason most dishes were under-seasoned. The experienced management and crew will surely smooth out these wrinkles in due course.

The kids menu does not surprise (PB&J, fish sticks, wagon wheels and cheese) but offers a choice in the healthiness quotient of the sides; fries, veggie of the day or fruit. A high chair was brought right away but the child’s meal was served after the adults’. Comfy chairs are perfect for lingering over a glass of wine by the fire but challenge even the most maneuverable stroller. And where to put that stroller once you have the high chair?

With a large stone fireplace and warm, rough-hewn recycled wood throughout, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Families with children are the norm during the day with a shift to a slightly older crowd in the evening. The bar is small and situated with a ringside view of the kitchen. A community table is a great idea but the large screen TV is not needed and feels imposing. Order at the front for lunch, tableside at dinner.

Stop by Dish for a quick bite with the kids or linger over a glass of wine (by the glass, carafe or bottle) and appetizers. Dish offers terrific potential and Marin-reasonable prices. (Small dishes: $5.50 - $11.95, Sandwiches: $7.95-$8.50 and Entrees: $9.75-16.50) It is a welcome addition to the all day Mill Valley dining scene.


Hours
Monday - Friday: Coffee/Beverages/Pastries 6:30AM - 9:00PM
Breakfast 7:00AM - 11:00AM | Lunch 11:00AM to 2:30PM | Dinner 5:00PM to 9:00PM
Saturday and Sunday: Coffee/Beverages/Pastries 7:00AM - 9:00PM
Breakfast 7:30AM - 11:30AM | Lunch 11:30AM to 3:30PM | Dinner 5:00PM to 8:30PM
• Cuisine: Fresh takes on American comfort food
• Features: all day food, wi-fi, outdoor seating, fireplace
• Atmosphere: casual fun
• Dress code: Casual