Sweet and savory ways to celebrate the holidays
How long it will be until our traditional holidays aren’t characterized by phrases like virtual gathering, contactless delivery and boxed kits is anyone’s guess. But celebrating the upcoming holidays brings far more options than a year ago.
In follow-up to last week’s column, here are many more restaurants and bakeries featuring special menus for dining out and staying home on Easter and Passover.
• Easter brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Trident on the Sausalito waterfront at
558 Bridgeway. Feast on views of the bay from every indoor and deck seat, and also on rack of local spring lamb, roasted ham, steak Oscar, pan seared local halibut or prime rib. Or choose a modification of the regular lunch menu from noon to 8 p.m. For details and reservations, go to thetrident.net or call 415-331-3232.
The four-course brunch ($85) served on the porch or inside Murray Circle at Cavallo Point in Sausalito starts with chilled carrot soup with sweet pea puree; orange brioche with sweet butter; and charred asparagus salad with baby frisée, shaved fennel and baby tomatoes. Main course choices include stuffed Sonoma lamb roast, lobster Benedict, tamari-glazed duck breast, grilled king salmon and miso-glazed butternut squash. Finish with lavender honey short cake with Meyer lemon curd and fresh berries. A children’s menu is available.
Brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 602 Murray Circle. Call 415-3394751 or email mcreservations@cavallopoint.com to make reservations.
• The deadline window for ordering takeout Passover meals at Floodwater in Mill Valley is quickly closing. Pre-order by Thursday for pick up from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. The menu includes charoset salad with wild arugula, toasted walnuts and cinnamon honey vinaigrette; local rock cod gefilte fish; chicken matzah ball soup; pot-roasted Creekstone brisket; strawberry swilled chocolate chunk brownies, and white chocolate matcha macarons ($70). A la carte items are also available.
Floodwater is at 152 Shoreline Highway and is offering patio and indoor service in its expansive dining room, in addition to takeout and delivery. Find out more or make reservations at floodwatermv.com.
• The sidewalk patio and a limited number of indoor tables are open on weekends at Comforts in San Anselmo. A seasonal spring menu is in store for both Easter and Passover incorporating English peas, pea shoots, heirloom carrots, radishes varietals, asparagus and artichokes.
Order a la carte Easter and Passover items like hot cross buns; loaf and bundt cakes; quiche Lorraine; asparagus, goat cheese and leek tart; soups; salads and main dishes such as boneless honey-baked ham; herbcrusted filet of salmon; slow-roasted brisket, and leg of lamb.
Side dishes include asparagus with gremolata, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, potato leek gratin, roasted vegetables, and English peas with prosciutto. Egg-shaped filled cakes, Passover macaroons, cheesecakes, tarts and other sweets round out the holiday menus.
The Comforts retail section offers candies, chocolates, cookies, tea towels, mugs, and other Easter baskets fillings. Go to comfortscafe.com to fill out an order form or call at 415-454-9840 to arrange for pick up at 335 San Anselmo Ave. Easter orders must be placed by 3 p.m. March 31 for pick up by 2 p.m. April 3. The restaurant is closed Easter Sunday. Passover orders must be placed at least 48 hours in advance of pickup.
• Prix fixe Easter brunch is being served at Insalata’s in San Anselmo from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 4 ($42, $25 children). Start with a seasonal fruit platter, hot cross buns and scones. For the second course, choose grilled lamb brochettes, eggs Benedict with a housemade chive biscuit, spring salmon salad, herb white cheddar frittata or fresh waffles. Finish the meal with a box of Insalata’s pastry treats to go.
• Insalata’s is at 120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Make reservations at insalatas. com or call 415-457-7700.
• If it’s just sweet confections you’re seeking, check out Woodbines Bakery’s robin’s nest cupcakes, spring flowers cake and DIY Easter cookie kit. Place orders at woodbinebakery.com.
• Sweet Things at 1 Blackfield Drive in Tiburon covers the classics with pinkberry, chocolate, carrot and tres huevos egg cakes; mini cupcakes; assorted decorated cookies; petit fours and a variety of Passover cookies. Place orders at sweetthings.com.
• The Passover and Easter selections at Italian café Emporio Rulli in Larkspur could fill a full page. La Morenita is a flourless chocolate almond cake covered with chocolate ganache and fresh glazed strawberries. A southern Italian Neapolitan tart is made with custard, softened wheat kernels and fresh Bellwether Farms ricotta. It takes a full 72 hours to create the dove-shaped panettone, a naturally leavened northern Italian cake. You’ll also find hot cross buns, brasiliana chocolate sponge cake, tartufo with raspberries and chocolate ganache, and much more.
The bakery has a brand new parklet at 464 Magnolia. Find holiday pre-order and pickup information at rulli.com or call 415-9243474.
Worker-owned Arizmendi Bakery in San Rafael is baking both plain and chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons from Saturday to April 4, and hot cross buns April 3 and 4. Orders close at 2 p.m. the day prior to pick up. Order online or in the store at 1002 Fourth Street at arizmendibakery.com.
The Marin Country
Mart farmers market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.Saturdays is the only local source for bagel bark from Ethel’s Bagels co-owned by Nicolas Abrams, who formerly worked in kitchens at Buckeye Roadhouse, Hilltop 1892 and Rustic Bakery. It’s made with a base of matzah crackers and baked with a layer of caramel that’s crisped and
then finished with semisweet chocolate with either white chocolate drizzle, pistachio, or both. It comes in 4-ounce bags in regular or gluten- free, and is available through Passover.
You’ll also find the usual fare of bagels, rugelach, schmear and challah at the Saturday stand at 2257 Larkspur Landing Circle, or place an order by Tuesday evening for Friday delivery in Marin at ethelsbagels.com.
• Parisian executive chef Alexandre De Jesus prepares something new every week at his pre-order only Corte Madera bakery Petit Lulu, rarely letting a holiday pass unnoticed.
For Easter, the former co-owner of L’Appart Resto in San Anselmo is preparing tarte aux pommes, tarte au citron meringuée, flourless chocolate cake and Easter bread.
Find out what he has in store each week at instagram.com/petitlulupatisserie. To place an order, call or text 415-271-0860 or email petitlulupatisserie@gmail.com a minimum of 24 hours in advance. Pick up curbside in Corte Madera (address provided when ordering) or arrange for doorstep delivery in Marin.