![]() ![]() It could all go horribly wrong - expect that Siegel has proven time and again to be one of the best chefs in the Bay Area, whether he’s cooking at the Ritz Carlton and Michael Mina in San Francisco or the quirky Rancho Nicasio in Marin.ĭuring my first dinner near the end of summer I realized that Siegel illustrates the difference between a competent chef and an inspired one. The dictionary can’t be retired until the main courses, where the ingredients seem more familiar but far from boring. What is a “toma scoobies,” listed as part of the heirloom tomato soup? Turns out to be a bite-sized turnover filled with cheese and greens. Although there are only a dozen dishes on the menu, plus Brickmaiden bread ($6), diners confront terms like oboro kombu and Parmesan spuma.Ī salad of summer melon and cucumber ($8) at first sounds familiar, but that ends with the addition of a atika, a cheese from Cowgirl creamery. While Siegel is a great chef, I questioned how the combinations would play. The dishes aren’t the familiar comfort food one expects in Marin. When I glanced over the menu at Madcap, Ron Siegel’s new restaurant in San Anselmo, the offerings seemed a little edgy. John Storey/Special to the Chronicle Show More Show Less John Storey/Special to the Chronicle Show More Show Less 5 of5 Chef Ron Siegel cooking in the kitchen at Madcap in San Anselmo, Calif., on October 20th, 2017. John Storey/Special to the Chronicle Show More Show Less 4 of5 The Mt. John Storey/Special to the Chronicle Show More Show Less 3 of5 Dishes by Ron Siegel include a chocolate sesame cake. John Storey/Special to the Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of5 People have dinner at Madcap in San Anselmo, Calif., on October 20th, 2017. Prices: starters begin at £6.45, mains start from £16.95, and desserts run from £6.45.1 of5 The Rabbit Liver Mousse at Madcap in San Anselmo, Calif., is seen on October 20th, 2017. Location: 126 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, WC2B 5SU. ![]() I tried, I really did… Photo: stage props, opera music, and bathroom nudes: like I said, dinner at Sarastro is anything but ordinary! Believe me, I tried to find something borderline acceptable, but no dice. Sarastro is also rather notorious for their bathroom artwork, which gleefully blurs the line between “erotic” and “definitely porn” – so we won’t be posting pictures here, for fear it might offend your delicate sensibilities. Photo: your dinner will be soundtracked by classical music and arias from legendary operas a refreshing change from the stale playlists of your average fast-casual chain. Mezze platters, falafel, and lamb make frequent appearances on the menu, although there’s a healthy number of veggie and vegan options for the meat-averse. Despite the Italian origins of opera, and the British location, the food is Turkish, with the odd Mediterranean inflection. Photo: effect is striking, to say the least – it’s almost as if you’ve wandered into a fabulous old music hall, one which is staging a particularly exuberant production of Arabian Nights. Even the banisters are recycled, having been purloined from the Royal Opera House many moons ago. The restaurant is named for a character from Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and it’s chock full of repurposed opera boxes, old theatre props, and costumes from productions long since forgot. ![]() Something for the rest of us to aspire to! Photo: first clue to the ostentatious interiors can be found outside, where a leafy facade doesn’t quite disguise the gilded opulence of the signs. Quick word on the inimitable Niazi: when he died in 2008, his funeral procession marched through the streets of Covent Garden, featuring samba music, Chelsea Pensioners, and a police escort. I can promise you this: dinner here will be a memorable experience… Photo: has its roots in opera, born from original owner Richard Niazi’s love of the genre, and his penchant for putting on a show. Billing itself as “the show after the show”, this deliciously OTT restaurant boasts an array of barmy decorations and a flair for the flamboyant. Quite simply, that’s the wrong choice, and Sarastro is the reason why. When frequenting the theatres of the West End, your usual choice is to grab a hasty, pre-show meal at some safe, reliable eatery. ![]()
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