Pizza Antica
800 Redwood Blvd.
Mill Valley
(415) 383-0600
www.pizzaantica.com
Pizzeria Plus Lunch and dinner daily
Pizzas/entries: $8.50-$18.95 Great wine list
Another life ago, a favorite haunt of mine was Gordon’s House of Fine Eats in San Francisco. So when I discovered Pizza Antica’s executive chef is Gordon Drysdale (yep, same guy), I was excited to check out his newest endeavor. Gordon told me he opened PA as a place where you can bring the little ones, have a nice glass of wine, watch your kid spill everything on the floor—and not worry about it. “We’re OK with that!” he says jovially. He also told me it’s a pizzeria with “stuff you don’t find in a pizza place.” And it most certainly is. There’s an array of starters, salads, pasta and alternative entrées as well. The menu changes seasonally, and everything is made with fresh, local (and organic whenever possible) ingredients.
I met my friends Ian and Amanda for the feast. First things first, we chose the wine—a 2003 Allende Rioja. One of our favorite Spanish reds (think multi-layered, full-bodied, smoky, earthy, dark, mmm…), we were happy to find it on the eclectic, international list. The restaurant (which is one of four in the Bay Area/Sacramento area—and growing) prides itself on ensuring its servers are well educated about its wine choices.
The meal began with a few appetizers. First came the crispy romano green beans (lightly fried) with a sweet corn fonduta (like a chunky polenta, with lots of fontina cheese). The crunchy, salty beans with the sweet cheese sauce was an fun ride of texture and flavor. A fennel accent really rounded things out.
Next came the roasted pepper and heirloom chile bruschetta with goat cheese and coriander leaf. The generous amount of creamy goat cheese atop fresh, not-too-crisp bread with the coriander (cilantro) accent was lush and delicious.
Next came an item from the “not really pasta” section of the menu: handmade potato and ricotta gnocchi. Made more densely than traditional gnocci and pan friend for a (Gordon’s words) “potato chip” exterior, it was moist but not mushy (like other gnocchi I’ve tried). It had an earthy flavor with lots of herbs and just the right amount of the rich sundried tomato cream and pesto sauces. No wonder it was pegged as one of the most popular items on the menu.
And oh yes—the pizza! We tried two. Both came on housemade, thin, crispy crust. Ian and Amanda created their own with tomato sauce, portobello mushrooms and fontina cheese. The mushrooms were sliced thin but were big on flavor, and the tomato sauce was fresh and lively but not spicy (I liked that). Second, we tried the fig, prosciutto, gorgonzola and caramelized onion pizza. I loved the idea of figs on pizza, and their sweetness combined with that of the onions, the hearty gorgonzola and the salty prosciutto was a true delight—anything but your ordinary pizza.
To end the meal, we tried two desserts: A chocolate torte with hazelnuts, caramel and whipped cream (it was light in texture—a refreshing change), and vanilla bean panna cotta, which came with biscotti and a berry sauce drizzled on the side.
I’m not done with Pizza Antica yet. Next time, I’m bringing the kids. I think I’ve found my newest “house of fine eats.”
