Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Osteria Stellina












Osteria Stellina is one of the best restaurants that you have never heard of. It is located in the town of Point Reyes Station, about an hour and fifteen minutes drive north of San Francisco. The town of Point Reyes Station is located in western Marin County and is the gateway to the stunningly beautiful national preserve, Point Reyes National Seashore.


I am amazed that a very small town with a population of about 350 has such a superb restaurant. Osteria Stellina is the equal of the best restaurants in Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco. Also in town is the excellent Cowgirl Creamery and Tomales Bay Foods, along with several bakeries, an excellent book store and other shopping that can keep one busy when not out enjoying the beautiful beaches, hiking, birding, kayaking etc.


Stellina describes its cooking as "Point Reyes Italian" with an unwavering commitment to local organic products. On a typical dinner menu you will find several raw options (oysters, shrimp) 10 appetizers (from soup to salad), several pizzas, four pastas and about six main dishes. The wine list is small with a few decent selections and corkage is $20 per bottle.  They could do more with wine selections, but have some good local choices.  Stellina also has a dedicated pastry chef turning out some very good desserts, so make sure to leave room after dinner!! As an aside, you can find some of her dessert and pastries at Toby's coffee bar in the middle of town.


In two recent dinners we sampled local lettuce salad, a raw zucchini and spinach salad, slow cooked baby octopus, chilies, tomatoes and mint, greens and beans (a "signature dish" of perfectly creamy cannellini beans and chard), black cod with oven roasted cauliflower smashed potatoes and braised greens, braised goat shoulder with creamy herbed polenta, chocolate pudding with whipped cream and shortbread cookie, and an apple & huckleberry crisp with a small pitcher of cream on the side!


I have eaten and cooked a lot of excellent black cod in Seattle and Orcas Island in Washington. The black cod from Bodega was by far the best I have experienced. It tasted like it had been pulled out of the water minutes before cooking and was perfectly seared. It was so good we had to order it two nights in a row. Just a gorgeous dish. All the other dishes were equally as good. Two beautiful meals in a very pleasant atmosphere and a special area. The service was friendly, knowledgeable, and obliging. I very much look forward to returning to Point Reyes Station and Stellina.




Open every day for lunch and dinner

1.415.663.9988


Osteria Stellina






PO Box 868



Point Reyes Station, CA 94956


































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