What’s new, fun and tasty in West Marin
A drive to Tomales is a far distance from many points in the county, but during a pandemic, an outing is often a welcomed diversion, particularly when it’s to a town that boasts so many culinary rewards.
The excursion is once again complete with the return of a destination-worthy bakery housed in the 100-year-old Piezzi Building in the center of town. Route One Bakery & Kitchen opened earlier this year in the corner space where former tenant Tomales Bakery was a longtime fixture and mid-ride incentive for weekend bicyclists and motorcyclists.
Tamara Hicks and David Jablons, co-owners of the Tomales farm, dairy and creamery Toluma Farms, purchased the building last year. Its new operator is Shannon Gregory, who owns the Marshall Store seven miles south on Highway 1 in Marshall.
After a significant remodel that brought the building up to code, enhanced the kitchen with a new Swedish oven and other baking equipment, and graced the exterior with a crisp blue paint job, the bakery opened earlier this year, before the pandemic lockdown in March, and then reopened in May.
While the physical establishment has been spruced up, the original recipes of beloved Tomales Bakery pastry chef Alison Cavallaro remain, as does its team of bakers.
The list of homey, scratch-baked goods includes croissants, muffins, scones, Danishes, crumb cake, layer cake, brownies, cheesecake, spanakopita and fruit pies.
In addition, Gregory worked with a bread consultant to get his loaves just right, and now offers French baguettes, oat wheat pan loaves, seeded sourdough rounds and more. He also supplies the Marshall Store, the Bodega Store and neighboring K & A Take Away sandwich shop, another must-stop in town.
Further down the menu, a few sandwiches and salads change with the seasons. The list recently featured roasted chicken salad, bacon, red onion, tomato, herbs and mustard vinaigrette on fresh bread; salad with baby romaine hearts, radishes, cucumber, spiced pumpkin seeds and avocado green goddess dressing; and a submarine sandwich filled with Double 8 Dairy veal, pork and beef meatballs, fresh ricotta, provolone, herbs and garlic.
Gregory also decided to get into the pizza game with Roman-style pies in quarter half and whole sizes topped with local cheeses, meats and vegetables.
A short but curated list of wine and beer is available in the evenings.
Visit the bakery at 7:30 a.m. and until the shelves are empty Thursdays through Sundays; pickup pizza from noon and 7 p.m. Fridays through Sundays; and gather bread from 11 a.m. until it’s gone Thursdays through Sundays at 27000 Highway 1. Find further details at routeonebakery.com or call 707-879-2022.
Across the street, the recently refurbished William Tell House is open for lunch and dinner on an expansive patio. Socially distanced picnic tables are shaded by red umbrellas, Adirondack chairs circle fire pits and the chef showcases the region’s agricultural and coastal bounty.
Founder and San Francisco food entrepreneur Ted Wilson (Oakland’s Alice Collective and Metal + Match catering company) purchased the Tell in mid-2018 and is living up to his commitment to “bring a reinvigorated experience to the town, its community and those passing through the area,” a goal he shared with me just prior to the start of the pandemic.
Most recently, he’s put that into play with Thursday drive-in movie nights at the old high school baseball field. Family films are projected onto a 40-foot outdoor screen viewable from parked cars or a blanket spread on marked spaces on the field.
Fill an order form, shine a light overhead, and gourmet concessions and meals that change weekly come straight to your spot. Most recently, the menu included a Stemple Creek smash burger, veggie burger, hot dog, house-made cotton candy, caramel corn, popcorn, candy, wine, beer, seltzer and soda.
Gates open at 7 p.m. and the movie reels run at 8:15 p.m. A portion of all ticket sales ($40 per car, $5 per walk-in) goes to the Shoreline Unified School District to help start the Farm to Fork program.
Go to williamtellhouse.com for the full lineup of films that continue weekly through October.
The Tell is celebrating Oktoberfest on the patio from 1 to 8 p.m. Oct. 8 with live music, grilled bratwurst and all-you-can-drink local and German-style beer. Purchase a ticket ($25) for a large glass boot stein and admission for dancing, singing, drinking and eating.
The William Tell House is at 26955 Highway 1 in Tomales.
Four miles outside of town at the coast, Dillon Beach Coastal Kitchen is open for takeout from noon to 7 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. Chef Matt Elias is in the kitchen preparing a locally inspired menu, including fish and chips, a Stemple Creek burger, rustic clam chowder and seasonal salads. On Thursdays, fried chicken dinner with biscuits, mashed potatoes, gravy and other sides is available for pre-order.
The outdoor patio is open for takeout dining from the restaurant.
South of Tomales at Nick’s Cove, socially distanced tables have been added to the property along the 300-foot pier leading to the Boat Shack and across the street in the onsite garden that supplies produce for the restaurant. Order takeout from the counter and eat onsite from 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily at 23240 Highway 1 in Marshall.
Pizza time
San Francisco’s Pizzeria Delfina has been making a weekly stop in Mill Valley. Pre-order from its limited menu of frozen par-baked pizzas, salads and bake-at-home meal kits such as pork, beef and veal meatballs and ricotta, chard lasagna with nettle pasta, escarole, béchamel and parmigiano. Quantities are limited, so plan ahead.
Place orders online by Wednesdays to pick up from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays from the white Pizzeria Delfina van parked at 707 Redwood Highway between the Travelodge and the Shelter Bay office complex.
Hoping the truck will pass through your town? Go to pizzeriadelfina.getbento.com/marin to make the request, place orders and find additional Bay Area delivery stops.
Dinner on a Pacific Plate
The Point Reyes National Seashore Association is gathering online this year at 6 p.m. Oct. 10 for its 11th annual Dinner on the Pacific Plate. The first virtual event will celebrate resilience as the park begins its recovery efforts following last month’s Woodward Fire that spread over almost 5,000 acres.
The one-hour event will feature Bay Area science experts, who will cover lessons learned, the impact of the fire and how it will affect the park in the near and long term, and conservation and education efforts.
In contrast to past 10 fundraising celebrations featuring local restaurants and food purveyor partners at a reception and dinner, adaptations have been made to continue to involve the community.
A Fork Full of Earth catering is providing a menu that can be prepared from home using fresh, seasonal and locally grown ingredients. This will be emailed to attendees prior to the event. Hog Island Oyster Co. will include an oyster recipe and will be featured in videos within the live “show” with Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese.
Prizes have been donated by Heidrun Meadery, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese, Sol Food and more to present to game and contest winners. And higher level donors will have the opportunity to go on small, COVID-safe, naturalist-led hikes throughout the park with picnic items supplied by Cowgirl Creamery, Brickmaiden Breads and Good Earth Natural Foods.
At the virtual after-party, choose from several hosted Zoom rooms with PRNSA and park staff, including one led by Molli Milner of Small Blue Planet Events, who will discuss the food menu and demonstrate the making of a special cocktail.
To find out more about the PRNSA, register for the event or make a donation, go to ptreyes.org/support-seashore/dinner-pacific-plate.
Community gives back
Arti Natural Organic India Café in Lagunitas is getting back on its feet following a random act of vandalism early Friday morning. The neighboring community that commends owner Noel Fernandes for his giving nature and the 10-year-old restaurant as a cornerstone of the community started a GoFundMe campaign to help repair the damage.
Fernandes is using the funds to rebuild the interior and patio and purchase his first security system, although it didn’t take long for him to get back into the kitchen and start serving again.
“My crew is strong, and we managed to get it back up and running for the weekend,” he says. “We are overwhelmed by the generosity and support of the local community. For you all to give so generously during these tough times is heartwarming.”
Stop in for takeout or outdoor dining between noon and 8:45 p.m. daily. Check articafe.com or call 415-488- 4700 for updates.
Leanne Battelle is a freelance food writer. Please email her at ij.lbattelle@gmail.com with local food and restaurant news or follow the Marin dining scene at instagram.com/therealdealmarin.