Savvy Restaurants: Coqueta

Coqueta is located along the embarcadero at Pier 5 in San Francisco.  It is a Spanish tapas concept created by Chef Michael Chiarello (Bottega).  Carlos and I would put this up on one of our favorite restaurants for 2014.  The food was delicious and the cocktails (get one of their Spanish gin & tonic cocktails) were amazing!

The "Sunny Side-Up" Huevo and the Albondigas a la Feria are must have dishes.  If you have room for dessert, you must have the Salted Caramel Manchego cheesecake pops.....I can't even talk about them without my mouth watering. 

Happy eating! 

Cheers,

Savvy Eats: Molina in Mill Valley

Goat Cheese Croquette w/Roasted Beets & Fennel / Alaskan Halibut w/English Pea Sugo, Lardons & Mint Salsa Verde

Pork & Lamb Meatballs w/Tomatoes, Almonds & Mint / Homemade Strawberry Pop Tart

We are spoiled in the Bay Area by the number of amazing restaurants.  In San Francisco, you can't walk a couple of blocks without stumbling into a tasty restaurant, cozy wine bar or a scrumptious bakery.  But in Marin, things are a little more spread out and it is harder to find those food gems as much as you do in San Francisco. 

When I found out that Molina was opening up in Mill Valley by Chef & Proprietor Todd Shoberg (Town Hall & The Liberty Cafe), I was thrilled to have another Marin option to add to the rotation.   Molina's daily menu highlights local flavors and ingredients from the California Coast.  The interesting factor is that everything is wood-fired cuisine prepared in an Alan Scott oven.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Molina press preview and then went back a couple of weeks later with Carlos since I enjoyed it so much.  Everything we had was delicious (definitely get the meatballs, any of their fish dishes and the homemade pop tart).  

Wine Curator, Jason Ruppert, has curated along with Chef Todd a nice selection of family-owned wines that are operated using sustainable viticultural methods.  They have a nice wine list and their $8/a glass house wine (a Vermentino) was the perfect accompaniment to my dinner.  

The space is a small (55 seats), but gives it a nice neighborhood restaurant feel.  Chef Todd wants you to feel that you have been invited into his home and you are able to watch him as he has a hand in every dish. 

Molina is located at 17 Madrona Street, Mill Valley, CA.

Cheers,

*images by Gamma Nine Photography & my iPhone

Tasty Treats - Lucy Garden Lunch

Cocktail demonstration with Lucy Mixologist, Brady Wilkens.

A fig cocktail. 

Hotel Bardessono's rooftop pool has amazing views.

I loved all of the products they carried in their spa store including my own love knot necklace from local designer, Natasha Grosso and these amazing wood watches from WEWOOD.

Executive Chef Victor Scargle gave us a personal tour of his kitchen and Lucy's garden where they find the inspiration for that day's menu.

The Lucy Garden Table situated right in the middle of the garden. 

Lucy Wine Sommelier, Anani Lawson, sharing details about the wines he was pairing with our garden tasting menu.

I was excited to be invited to one of Yountville's top getaway spots, Bardessono, for a media lunch at their restaurant, Lucy. Bardessono is a Leed Platinum Certified Hotel located in the Napa Wine Country.  

When we first arrived at Bardessono, we were first treated to a seasonal specialty fig cocktail, made for us by their resident mixologist, Brady Wilkens from Lucy Restaurant.  With cocktail in hand we were given a tour of the hotel property including the rooftop pool (where I could spend hours), spa store and their beautifully designed hotel rooms.  

We then were given a tour of the Lucy garden by Executive Chef Victor Scargle.  Victor and his staff go out to the garden everyday to see what is fresh to inspire them for the menu that day.  

Next we sat down at a gorgeous communal table situated in the middle of Lucy's gardens.  We enjoyed a leisurely multi-course meal where every other person had a variety of different courses in order for us to sample all of the dishes that Lucy had to offer.  Lucy's wine sommelier, Anani Lawson, came to share with us all of his wine pairings for the lunch.  He shared two of his favorite local wineries to visit (though he said the list could go on forever) - Chase Cellars for their Zinfandel & Falla Wines for their Pinot Noir.

You can book the Lucy garden table in the Spring, Summer and Early Fall which includes a chef-led tour of their garden, a specialty cocktail prepared by their mixologist and then a multi-course meal at their communal garden table. 

Thank you to Bardessono & Lucy for a delicious meal and a truly relaxing day in the wine country!  

Cheers,

*Photos by Savvy in San Francisco Photography

Tasty Treats - Waiheke Island Yacht Club

Gorgeous view of Coit Tower from the massive windows in the front of the restaurant, our beautiful table set for brunch and the open kitchen, which allows you to watch as your food is prepared!

Mixed melon salad with kaffir lime, mint granita & greek yogurt sorbet,  our hosts: Tony Stewart & Nisreen Gardner, our fabulous server from New Zealand and the delicious French toast & anglaise with coconut fromage, peaches, nectarine, maple and Heilala vanilla.

MOA Breakfast beer that was paired w/the French toast.  I am not a beer fan, but the MOA beer was a delicious pairing.

Pork Belly, abalone mushrooms, caramelized shallots, pickled red cabbage, hollandaise & free range eggs = WOW!

A couple weeks ago I was invited to a media preview brunch at Waiheke Island Yacht Club at Pier 29. Waiheke Island Yacht Club is a pop-up New Zealand restaurant that is here through December for the America's Cup.  They recently invited us to sample their new brunch menu that according to them is reflects their New Zealand sensibility in the San Francisco marketplace.  

I was pleasantly surprised how they could create such a cool and inviting space in a warehouse.  The food was delicious and the flavors did not disappoint.  If you are down by Pier 29 watching the America's Cup or looking to try a taste of New Zealand, I highly recommend trying Waiheke Island Yacht Club. 

*Brunch was provided gratis, but my opinions and my tastebuds are my own! 

Cheers,

Dry Creek Valley - Wine Tour

Aromatics Seminar at Fritz Winery

Underground caves at Fritz Winery

"Soil Tasting" at Mauritson Winery

Organic Grapevines at http://www.quivirawine.com

Blending Seminar at Dutcher Crossing

Dutcher Crossing wine maker Kerry Damskey

The three Dutcher Crossing wines we blended

Dinner at the home of Debra Mathy, Proprietor, Dutcher Crossing Winery

All of the writers "blends" ready to be judged

Our winemaker judges - Scott Lindstrom Drake (Thumbprint Cellars), Barry Collier (Collier Falls Winery), Kerry Damskey (Dutcher Crossing Winery) and Rick Hutchinson (Amphora Winery) 

Dutcher Crossing Vineyards and Collier Falls Vineyard that looks like a waterfall on the hill behind. 

I was thrilled when the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley invited me on a wine tasting day to explore the Dry Creek Valley! It was an opportunity to learn more about the region while learning some of the different techniques that go along with wine tasting and making (aromatics seminar, "soil" tasting and blending seminar).  How could I say no to touring a wine region famous for its Zinfandels, my personal favorite red varietal!

With so many different wine regions right in our Bay Area backyard, it was a great opportunity to discover some new wineries an hour north of San Francisco.

We started our trip up in Cloverdale at Fritz Winery with an aromatics seminar.  The seminar was lead by Fritz Winemaker, Brad Longton.  He introduced us to the notes in the following wines:

• 2012 Estate Sauvignon Blanc: Guava, Sweet Pea Flowers and Fresh Pineapple
• 2012 Estate Rose: Sweet Strawberry, Raspberry, and Blueberry
• 2011 Estate Zinfandel: Black Cherry, Licorice, and Ripe Plum
• 2010 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: Ripe Raspberry, Bittersweet Chocolate and Ripe Plums

Next we went to Mauritson Winery where wine grower, Cameron Mauritson introduced us to the following wines and showed us how the different soils of the vines could change the taste of the wine:

• Mazzocco Sullivan Vineyard Zinfandel
• Bella Lily Hill Zinfandel
• Gopfrich Syrah
• Mauritson Rockpile Zinfandel
  
  

After the tasting we enjoyed a delicious catered lunch at Mauritson by Dry Creek General Store.

Then we were off to Quivira Winery, an organic winery and biodynamic farm.   Nick Amtower lead us on a tour of the property to see the biodynamic farming in action and meet some of the farm animals.  We were able to enjoy the following wines while on the tour:

• Quivira 2012 RoséWine Creek Ranch Grenache
• Quivira Fig Tree Sauvignan Blanc
• Quivira Quest Zinfandel
• Quivira Mourvedre Wine Creek Ranch
• Quivira "Elusive" Wine Creek Ranch (GSM)

Our last winery stop was at Dutcher Crossing, where winemaker, Kerry Damskey, led us in a blending seminar.  We later had four winemakers judge our blends in a blind tasting to determine a winner!

We then went across the vineyard to Debra Mathy, Proprietor of Dutcher Crossing Winery, to enjoy a catered dinner by Heidi West Catering.  It was such a gorgeous setting sitting on her back deck nestled in the vineyards with rolling hills in the background.

At dinner we enjoyed the following wines:

• Thumbprint - Viognier and petite verdot
• Collier Falls - Cabernet Sauvignon
• Amphora - Zinfandel
• Dutcher Crossing - Sauvignon Blanc
  
  

While we enjoyed dinner we were able to hear from all of the winemakers what they loved about making wine and especially why they loved making it here in Dry Creek Valley.

It was a fabulous day spent touring the Dry Creek Valley!  I really getting to know a handful of the over 70 wineries in the Dry Creek Valley area and getting to know the winemakers behind the wine.  It was such a treat to meet all of them and I left with such a better knowledge of wine and the winemaking process! Thank you to the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley for a wonderful day trip!

*All images via Savvy in San Francisco except the last image via WDCV.
**This wine trip was sponsored by the WDCV, but all opinions are my own.

Cheers,