| Marin Joe’s1585 Casa Buena Drive Corte Madera (415) 924-2081 www.marinjoesrestaurant.com Italian Cuisine |
Many restaurants lately are focusing on American classics. I think that’s a great idea, since it emphasizes fond memories and comfort food. Marin Joe’s has a bit of a head start on the newbies, though. It’s been serving up classic Italian American fare since the 1950s and has worked hard (and very successfully) at keeping that nostalgic feeling alive. With several Bay Area locations, it certainly has a recipe for success.
We visited on a Monday, and the joint was jumpin’. People of all ages filled it with smiles and chatter. The main dining room has an open kitchen and casual feeling. Brennen and I sat in the lounge, complete with black leather seats, stone walls, a fireplace, a large, full bar with plenty of seating and a grand piano bar.
Our meal started with an appetizer of meat ravioli, smothered in a tomato sauce that had a tiny touch of cream, fresh diced tomatoes, Italian herbs, fresh pepper and was topped with parmesan cheese. It bursted with homemade, Italian flavor. We also tried the housemade onion rings, which came in a large pile, lightly battered and served hot. They were sweet, fresh and delicious.
You can’t really pass up a Caesar salad tossed at the table—so we didn’t. Each is made to order, with the dressing from scratch. The Romaine leaves are chopped and the salad was rich with cheese, garlic and parmesan croutons.
To go with dinner, I ordered a glass of Zinfandel, and the server suggested the Pezzi King Old Vine (peppery, dark fruit).
We must have been on a seafood kick, because for entrées, I chose the petrale sole doré and Brennen ordered mesquite smoked trout. You can decide on the sides: steamed vegetables and fries or baked red potatoes, or ravioli or spaghetti (with meat sauce, though substitute sauces are available for a bit extra). Brennen took it a step further and ordered gnocchi with pesto sauce as his side (moist, creamy, garlicky, yum).
The sole was exactly as I’d pictured. Absolutely perfect, it was a large portion and smothered in the lemon, butter white wine doré sauce—very tender and enjoyable.
The smoked trout is an excellent choice for someone looking for a lighter dish. Very fresh and tender, its mellow, natural flavor was its highlight. Both fish dishes came with tartar sauce (I don’t personally use it; I feel like it hides the flavor too much), but when I tasted it, I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t heavy or thick, but rather creamy with a generous amount of fresh chopped onions.
For dessert, we enjoyed coffee, tiramisu and some apple pie. The tiramisu was light and creamy and went perfectly with the coffee. The apple pie was fresh made with cinnamon, and not overly sweetened one bit (just the way I like it).
