![]() ![]() He was at George Morrone's Aqua, when it opened on California Street in 1991. For decades, Siegel has been toiling in the kitchens of others. Who knew that cartoon dogs had such sophisticated palates, or more to the point, that a chef whose CV includes protracted engagements at several of the west (and east) coasts' most highly regarded restaurants, would even think of putting something so refreshingly goofy on a menu? There's no question, though, that Siegel has earned the liberty. And what was it, exactly? An empanada, of the fried rather than the baked variety, filled with a mix of dehydrated black olives and Toma, a mild, semi-hard cheese from Point Reyes Farmhouse Creamery. The server explained that Madcap's chef, Ron Siegel, is a fan of Scooby-Doo, and liked the idea of putting a Scooby Snack on the menu. What's a "scoobie?" I asked the server, guessing it was a heretofore unknown regional specialty. Glancing at the appetizers, I came across an unfamiliar dish. Which is why it came as a curious surprise, on spending an evening at Madcap, a two-month-old restaurant in San Anselmo, to learn that Scooby-Doo's diet had consisted mainly of empanadas. ![]() One doesn't, however, necessarily expect that education to entail the solution to one of the longest-simmering mysteries of popular culture. I believe Chef Ron Siegel took a Michelin Star this year it was deserved.The first visit to a new restaurant always carries the hope or expectation that the experience will to some degree be educational, whether by way of exposure to a new ingredient, a novel mode of presentation, or a previously unseen fusion of techniques from disparate culinary traditions. It is not inexpensive, but it is certainly worth the price. As the web page reflects, one can have a starter and main for considerably less if you are not celebrating with a menu degustation. The tab was a bit over $400 for two for everything. We thought the price/quality ratio was well within reason given the fact that we ordered the tasting menu with accompanying wines. Again, while not a Japanese restaurant the courses very much had a kaiseki touch. The chef "pulls this off" very nicely.Īs it was an anniversary we ordered the tasting menu with paired wines (which included one sake). It is not a Japanese restaurant, but the influence can be seen in the presentation and the taste of the food. But we did not know then that the food reflects a Japanese influence. When presented the menu and wine list we noticed that a flight of sake was on offer and thought that was a bit unusual. Decor probably not going to win an award, but very comfortable with the tables nicely spaced. Service was first-rate attentive but not overwhelming. ![]() We dined last evening and it was excellent. Madcap is a welcome addition to Marin County. Staff were friendly and attentive and earned the tip, but we won't be back. If you include the tip as standard, then just include it in your prices. I'd also prefer to decide what to tip instead of them including the 20% as a standard. The desert which should be precise was inconsistent and the chocolate base ranged in thickness from 1/4 inch to over an inch in the one small slice. The two of use had very different portions served. Portion size is also hugely inconsistent. We couldn't taste any truffle on the truffle dish and the caviar flavor was lost in a soup of foam/sauce. You don't taste the main ingredient and some things (fig with steak) seem like an afterthought on the plate. Loads of foam and sauce, but the star ingredient never shines through. Would really have preferred them to slow down. The service is good, but we felt they were in a rush to get every dish served as fast as possible. This is really disappointing since we have such great wild salmon that is in. Waiter proudly announced that the Salmon is farmed new Zealand Salmon. Went to try it out based on a post on FB.
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