"Farm to table, nose to tail..."
That's the buzz lately on the locavore restaurant, The Plate Shop. Having never been a locavore follower, I've always found the whole Chez Panisse movement, dare I say it, boring? (There. I said it. Lynch me.)
But TPS sheds a whole new light on the concept of locally produced goods. It is the embodiment of farm fresh, with the progenitor of the immaculate poached egg just a few feet away clucking without a worry.
Tucked away in the picturesque town of Sausalito lies a hidden gem, The Plate Shop. And well hidden it is. With barely a sign, one can drive by many times without even noticing this tiny shop, as we did. The decor is whimsical, modern with a tinge of rustic. Service is impeccable.
The Plate Shop articulates with the seasons. Not only are the ingredients from their own garden, a few steps from our table, each bite bursts with flavors of summer. Freshly plucked sprigs of rosemary flavor the tender ribchop and the poached egg that adorn the rabbit livers was just laid by the hen I was chasing around in the garden.
Toasted Rabbit Livers, Poached Egg, Pancetta
Assortment of warm olives imported from Spain
Ricotta Gnocchi, browned butter, hazlenuts
Ribchop, coleslaw
With that said, I'm here to stress this: All movements come and go, be it nose to tail, locavore, MoGa, or street food. So please drop by and have some warm Spanish olives or better yet, sip on one of their artisanal cocktails, as I would like to see this one stay.
The Plate Shop
39 Caledonia
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 887-9047 http://www.plateshop.net/
I agree that the Chez Panisse movement can seem boring, but I believe that's because it's been so successful. The ideals of CP changed how chefs think, and Waters' mantra of local, seasonal, sustainable is ingrained in modern American cooking, so what was new and novel back then is commonplace today--a good thing for us diners.
ReplyDeleteOne sometimes forgets who started the movement and takes it for granted. Nice to have reminders now and then. ^^
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