Select the Raw Platter for a tour through America’s seafood like Maine lobster salad and Fort Bragg uni over egg custard. Though the dark wood tables are bare, the tableware may be flecked with gold to properly showcase chef Robin Song’s ambitious food. Located in the former bank vault of the iconic high-rise at 555 California Street, the bar at the Vault is the casual, chatty partner, complete with a giant arrangement of ferns to the dining room’s steady quietness. Tables are dressed with classic white linen and the comfortable chairs are designed for lingering over a glass of vintage port. The ingredient-driven menu shines in these individual spotlights, the burger (only available at lunch) aglow with ruddy color, the kampachi glittery with oil and the warm hues of citrus. The stunningly dark interior is a foil for chef Mark Sullivan who plates dishes like dry-aged duck breast with Tokyo turnips and apples to catch the gleam from the perfectly positioned spotlights above each table.

Swan gougères, prawn consommé cooked tableside in broth and a torchon of foie gras done up as Snail Wellington lead to a 21-layer chai Napoleon, a perfect ending to this 19 th century-inspired meal. In a recent edition, a room bedecked with glowing candelabra, custom ceramics, and places marked with peacock feather fans honored Victorian opulence. Step into the bold theme (it changes every few months) that defines a historical culinary moment. It all makes for a fancy restaurant experience a la 2020. Lassen Trout with cauliflower puree and pickled radish, finished with a warm dashi broth which is poured tableside.

Dishes change daily, featuring showstoppers like the Mt. The tasting and a la carte menus, too, offer a two-course night out or a more complete flavor experience. The bespoke tableware and warm glow from each table’s candle radiates the “fine yet casual’ vibe that warms the hearts of local diners. There are no coverings on the natural-grained walnut tables at Madcap where chef Ron Siegel unabashedly delivers upscale cuisine in one of Marin’s most romantic restaurants its two small rooms are perfectly sized for intimate conversations. Lassen Trout at Madcap in San Anselmo, Calif., as seen on October 20th, 2017. You can even get signature martinis served there on a martini cart, designed to resemble a 1930s Parisian bar trolley. The most unusual touch is the restaurant’s private card room, which is occupied by a sturdy marble table, chestnut chairs, and of course, playing cards and poker chips. After dinner, adjourn to the bar, with its photos of Audrey Hepburn and Truman Capote adding a touch of Hollywood glamor, and enjoy a glass of rare bourbon or wine from the cellar, which boasts a selection of 3,000 – 4,000 wines. The Alaskan Halibut in beurre rouge sauce has a particularly heavenly texture – it’s as rarefied as the surroundings. There is Kelgua caviar perched delicately atop cured Hokkaido scallops, or dry-aged roast crown of duck with sauternes-poached local plums. The cuisine by Michelin-starred executive chef Mark Sullivan is equally sophisticated. Used as a fine dining venue since the 1930s, the cavernous 10,000-square-foot interior is a visual feast, kitted out by interior designer Stephan Brady and Lost Art Salon owner Rob Delamater. Here are a few Bay Area restaurants that are redefining what it means to be “fancy.” Selby’s, Athertonįrom the marble staircase at the entrance, to the metalwork chandelier dangling in the main dining room, to the crackling fireplace framed by black panel walls and abstract artworks, Selby’s is a striking restaurant.

When spending this much money to dine, not just eat, we all still want a comfortable chair and a great environment in which to enjoy a great meal.

Madcap san anselmo