Vin Antico
881 Fourth St.
San Rafael
(415) 721-0600
Farm-to-Table
Lunch Tues.-Fri., dinner nightly
Entrées (dinner): $16-$28
Nice wine list
Located in a historic building in downtown San Rafael, Vin Antico is an intimate space with an open kitchen (you can even sit at the “chef’s bar”), exposed brick walls, a wine bar, wood furnishings and real silverware. Rotating art installations (see sidebar) adorn the walls and the vibe is casual yet sleek.
Executive Chef Gesser De Leon’s menu is seasonal and changes often, and while it focuses mainly on local, organic and sustainable products, there’s also a bit of international flair thrown in. The result is unique combinations of flavor, texture and presentation.
We started with sparkling JCB #21 (green apple, crisp) and some Hog Island oysters with jalapeño apple mignonette (see recipe below)—very fresh and what a nice kick with the sauce. Our second appetizer was gambas al ajillo, sautéed prawns with garlic, white wine, fresh herbs and crispy prosciutto. There were six large prawns set atop the sauce, with an edible flower and thin-sliced red onions, roasted leeks and parsnips.
The soup of the day was asparagus, which was dark green, thick and rich with battered Brussels sprouts leaves and asparagus spears as well as garlic croutons. The dino kale Caesar salad had chopped kale and romaine topped with crumbled egg yolk, white anchovies, forbidden rice, garlic croutons and shaved Parmesan. The dressing had plenty of garlic, which is how we prefer a Caesar to be.
A glass of 2009 Heffernan Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley; dark fruit, pepper, leather) went great with the Painted Hills New York steak, served medium rare with rich blue cheese béchamel, a mound of perfect Parmesan truffle fries and shredded roasted Brussels sprouts that had a subtle kick we liked a lot.
The local halibut came with golden fried artichoke and brown rice croquettes topped with Zuckerman’s asparagus. The pan seared, light and flaky fish was atop multicolored cauliflower and a dense, mild Meyer lemon vin blanc. A nice presentation and blend of color and texture.
For dessert we chose beignets filled with hazelnut crème, drizzled with chocolate. They were lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a fresh strawberry.
Jalapeño Apple Mignonette
2 cups rice vinegar
1 cup agave or Marshall Farms honey
1 Fuji apple, finely diced
1 jalapeño, deseeded, ribs removed, finely diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients and enjoy with your oysters
Art Exhibit
