Buckeye Roadhouse
15 Shoreline Hwy.
Mill Valley
www.buckeyeroadhouse.com
American cuisine
Lunch & dinner daily, Sun. brunch
Entrées: $16.95-$31.95
Full bar, excellent wine list
The Buckeye Roadhouse is like a bustling mountain lodge (reservations are highly recommended). I say “bustling” because we were there on a Tuesday night and the place was packed, and “lodge” because that’s really how it looks. Inside there’s a lively bar and lounge and a large, well-appointed dining room (complete with a huge fireplace).
The menu is topped with specialty cocktails. Brennen and I tried the cucumber gimlet (house-infused vodka, elderflower, lime and champagne, served up) and the “autumn pear-fection,” (pear vodka, elderflower and fresh lemon juice). Both were refreshing, and the pear drink really did taste like a fresh pear.
One of the most popular appetizers is the “oysters bingo,” which are oysters baked with garlic spinach, aioli with asiago cheese and “a fine liquor” (ah, there’s the secret—except it’s an actual secret, so I can’t tell you what it is). Served warm, they had a nice garlic flavor and were creamy, delicate and a good wake-up call to the taste buds. We also tried the fresh ahi tuna appetizer, which was crusted with sesame seeds and seared rare, then served with a chopped relish of Napa cabbage, crispy wontons and a hoison-ginger vinaigrette. We loved its crisp elements, fresh vegetables and the dish’s mild, building heat.
At this point, we switched to wine: 2007 Miraflores Viognier, El Dorado (lovely and smart with pear, melon, apple and minerals) and a 2007 Schug Pinot Noir, Carneros (earth and bright berries, good acid balance, long finish).
Having met in Bolinas, we simply had to order the “Bolinas greens” salad, which was a sweet and earthy mix of organic baby greens (and reds!), a generous amount of fresh sliced avocado, cucumber and a tangy, light cilantro and lime vinaigrette.
For entrées we ordered the fresh fish special of seared local halibut (crisp exterior, moist inside) topped with caramelized onions and halved plum tomatoes and served atop a healthy portion of creamy saffron risotto and a small amount of braised radicchio that added a bit of an edge (and a hint of anise flavor). We also had a tender petit filet mignon, which was served medium rare (as ordered) atop an earthy sauce along with slightly wilted, warm spinach and a potato gratin rich with gruyere cheese. Everything we ordered was well presented, and the service was friendly and excellent with great attention to detail without being overbearing.
Next we tried a couple coffee drinks, one of which was called the “gran caffé” and had Bailey’s Irish Cream, Frangelico and Gran Marnier with fresh whipped cream on top. It was like an alcoholic chocolate orange. Yum.
To end the meal, we ordered a s’more to share. But this was no ordinary s’more. Think about if you just roasted the hugest marshmallow ever, perfectly gold, then put it on top of a pie rich with chocolate and a graham cracker crust. Very fun!
