When you focus on organic ingredients that don’t have to travel far and present them in an unfussy way that lets their fresh flavors shine, how wrong can you go?
Not much as we discovered at Osteria Stellina, chef-owner Christian Caiazzo’s nearly 12-year-old restaurant.
In all my visits to Point Reyes Station over the years, I’d never stepped foot in the pretty corner building that once housed Rosie’s Cowboy Cookhouse. Clearly, that was a mistake.
We arrived just as the restaurant opened for dinner service, 5 p.m., greeted warmly by Bill Scott, who runs the front of house, on a beautiful Saturday expecting to be about the only diners there. This was not the case, and within a half hour it was packed and animated. And, thus on the loud side, especially where we were seated, a table in the front by the large windows that overlook the action on the main street, and that has a towering, beamed ceiling.
When the IJ last reviewed Osteria Stellina, in 2009, a few months after it opened, the reviewer also noted that it can be loud. I’m not sure if this will help, but my dining companion, an artist, and I wished there was some softness to the dining room. Gauzy curtains on the bare windows perhaps, or something woven on the walls instead of kimonos made of exotic woods. While the leatherette chairs at the wood tables topped with reed placemats that hug the walls — tables in the middle have tableclothes — were comfortable enough, something with more of a cushion would help not only muffle the sound, but also cradle the posterior. And while the dining room is rustic, dark and intimate, we thought candles or flowers, or both, would, again, offer a touch of warmth to the gray walls and numerous hard surfaces, including the reddish-brown tiled floors that were replaced with wood a week after we dined. Maybe that will help.
Caiazzo made his way to Point Reyes Station after cooking at San Francisco’s Postrio and Union Square Café in New York City, among other places. Once in West Marin, he made an effort to connect with local purveyors. Even the ceramic tableware is local, from Heath in Sausalito. His emphasis on local, organic and seasonal has brought the small-town restaurant national recognition.
It’s easy to understand why.
I was eager to try the grilled octopus bruschetta ($15) and ordered it before realizing my dining partner doesn’t eat octopus (“They’re too smart,” she told me). So I indulged in the two large slices generously topped with perfectly grilled and tender octopus chunks given a bit of zing with lemon zest, olive relish and a sprinkling of chili flakes — a lot for one person to manage.
It’s always a good idea to order Dungeness crab when it’s in season — especially this year, which got off to a late start — and Caiazzo presents it in a delightful way, atop an arugula and shaved fennel salad ($24) scattered with thin red onion slices and blood orange pieces with a light truffle vinaigrette. It tasted as lively and vibrant as it was to look at and was a good-sized portion for two (easily a meal for one), although a few more chunks of crab would have made our hearts sing.
I generally don’t order carb-heavy dishes but the saffron risotta ($28) with rock shrimp, and chanterelle and oyster mushrooms was too tempting to ignore. It was pure comfort food, creamy and full of shrimp and mushrooms, but we couldn’t detect any of the promised rosemary. It didn’t matter; there were plenty of other flavors to savor.
Our only disappointment was with a dish that’s so straightforward it seemed like it couldn’t miss — braised organic Petaluma chicken ($24) with herbed polenta, braised chard, lemon and olives. The chicken itself was moist and flavorful, but it was a small leg and a thigh; not a problem for me as I’m a fan of dark meat but my dining companion is a white meat person. We detected just one olive and not much of a lemon flavor, but the biggest problem was that all was served in a bowl, and the water from the braised greens made the whole dish soggy. A different plate might have made a difference.
Pizzas ($17 to $20) remain popular — if I weren’t lactose intolerant I would have been game to try the oyster pizza ($20) with Straus cream-braised leeks, lemon thyme and parsley, because how often do you see that being offered? And while the menu changes to reflect what’s in season, there are a few signature dishes that are staples, such as Beans & Greens ($11), a simple pairing of rosemary-simmered cannellini beans and garlic-braised greens.
Pastas range from $22, for orecchiette with house-made fennel sausage and broccoli rabe, to $28 for the risotto. Entrees start at $24 for the chicken to $40 for a 10-ounce grass-fed grilled Stemple Creek New York steak with mashed potatoes and sauteed broccolini rabe. I would have ordered the grilled Devils Gulch pork chop ($36) with chestnut jam, celery root-parsnip puree and sauteed nettles in a heartbeat because yum to all of that but, again, my dining companion reminded me of how smart pigs are (they are), and so she would not share.
These are good conversations to have, along with how cattle is contributing to climate change; recent studies seem to indicate that grazing practices that ranches such as Stemple Creek, Devils Gulch, Belcampo and others employ greatly reduce livestock’s greenhouse gas emissions. You’ll pay more for that kind of conscientiousness, as reflected in Osteria Stellina’s hefty prices, but these are choices all of us will need to make.
There don’t seem to be any ethical dilemmas when it comes to desserts, however. Osteria Stellina’s are made in-house ($9) by pastry chef Christi Gauslow and include such enticements as passion fruit custard, affogato, sticky toffee pudding and tiramisu. But when there’s warm chocolate anything on the menu, that’s what I’m going to order and so we indulged in the warm bittersweet chocolate cake with fior di latte gelato and candied kumquats. The cake itself, dusted with powdered sugar was small, true, but rich and luscious, and taken to another level by the kumquats. A perfect ending to an almost perfect meal.
Wines, from California and Italy, are available by the glass, $9 to $16, and bottle, $36 to $250; sparkling is $9 and $10 by the glass, $36 to $78 bottle, local beer on tap and cider are $7, beer by the bottle is $6
Previous reviewers, from the IJ and other media, have made note of the less-than-stellar service. While our server was friendly and knowledgeable, dishes took a long time to come, empty plates lingered a bit too long on the table and water glasses went for long stretches unfilled.
That Osteria Stellina, named after Caiazzo’s daughter and that means “little star” in Italian, has continued to be a star in Point Reyes Station says a lot about Caiazzo’s skill, dedication to keeping things local and unpretentious dishes. I’ll be back, probably for the pork, probably with a different dining companion.
OSTERIA STELLINA
Address: 11285 Highway 1, Point Reyes Station
Phone: 415-663-9988
Website: osteriastellina.com
Cuisine: Italian
Service: Fair
Noise level: Can be loud
Liquor selection: Beer and wine
Corkage: $20
Vegan dishes: Yes
Gluten-free selections: Yes
Organic offerings: Yes
Dog friendly: No
Parking: Free street
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 5 to 9 p.m.daily
Prices: $24 to $40
Reservations: Yes
Summary: Nearing its 12th year, Osteria Stellina continues to be a star in Point Reyes Station, thanks to chef and owner Christian Caiazzo’s skill, dedication to keeping things local and unpretentious dishes.
"ingredients" - Google News
February 12, 2020 at 03:03AM
https://ift.tt/2vmBFxK
Restaurant review: Local ingredients are the true star at Osteria Stellina - Marin Independent Journal
"ingredients" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2Qstat1
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
Related Posts :
COVID Help Desk: Answering your questions on vaccine ingredients, allergies and more - Houston Chronicle- Ultra KetoXBurn Reviews: Latest Ultra KetoXBurn Reports on Ingredients - PRNewswire
- 13 Unsafe Hair Care Ingredients to Avoid - Toxic Ingredients Hair Care Products - L'Officiel
- The biggest skincare ingredients trends for 2021 - LancsLive - Accrington Observer
- Does ProbioLite Ingredients Really Work - ProbioLite Reviews by DietCare Reviews - Yahoo Finance
0 Response to "Restaurant review: Local ingredients are the true star at Osteria Stellina - Marin Independent Journal"
Post a Comment