Plan ahead for Easter and Passover feasts
The prepping and preparing of a traditional holiday meal can be a pleasing part of the celebration, or an onerous process happily left to someone else. Here are several options for dining out on Easter Sunday, or outsourcing some or all the Easter or Passover meal.
• Easter brunch service starts at 11 a.m. April 9 at the Trident at 558 Bridgeway on Sausalito's waterfront and includes barbecued leg of spring lamb, garlic mashed potatoes and peas with cipollini onions. Make reservations at thetrident.net or call 415-331-3232.
• At Cavallo Point in Sausalito, choose from an expansive brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to noon or 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. April 9 in the Callippe Ballroom ($149, $45 child), or sit down for a prix-fixe springtime feast from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. ($90, $35 child) at Sula. The annual “Egg”stravaganza hunt is at 12:15 p.m. on the Mission Blue Lawn with bunny photos from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ($20 per child). Find details and make reservations at cavallopoint.com.
• The deadline window for ordering Passover meals from Floodwater in Mill Valley is April 3 for pickup between 1 and 4 p.m. on April 5 at 152 Shoreline Highway. The menu includes charoset salad with wild arugula, apple and toasted walnuts; local rock cod gefilte fish; chicken matzo ball soup; pot-roasted brisket; strawberryswirled chocolate chunk brownies; and white chocolate matcha macarons ($75). A la carte items are also available. Find the full menu at floodwatermv. com or call 415-843-4545 to place orders.
• Reservations are available for a three-course dinner menu of asparagus salad, orange honey-glazed ham or risotto with farmers market veggies and butterscotch pudding ($45), or for brunch or lunch, on April 9 at Gravity Tavern at 38 Miller Ave. in Mill Valley. Reserve a table at gravitytavern.com.
• Comforts in San Anselmo has extensive Easter and Passover menus that include hot cross buns; loaf and bundt cakes; quiches; tarts; soups; salads; main dishes such as boneless honey-baked ham; slowroasted brisket; leg of lamb; herb-crusted salmon filet; side dishes; and lots of holiday desserts. The retail section offers candies, chocolates, cookies and other Easter baskets fillings.
Order ahead at comfortscafe. com or call 415-454-9840 for pickup at 335 San Anselmo
Ave. The Easter deadline is 2 p.m. April 3, or until capacity is reached, which could be earlier, for pickup by 2 p.m. April 8. Passover orders must be placed at least 48 hours in advance.
• Insalata's in San Anselmo is serving a prix-fixe Easter brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 9 ($48, $25 child) at 120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Start with a seasonal fruit, hot cross buns or muffins, and choose grilled lamb brochettes, eggs Benedict on a chive biscuit, spring salmon salad, herb white cheddar frittata or fresh waffles. Finish the meal with a box of pastry treats to go. Make reservations at insalatas.com.
• The brunch spread at RangeCafe Bar and Grill at Peacock Gap Golf Club in San Rafael includes everything from pancakes, potatoes and eggs Benedict to seared salmon, quinoa and kale salad and mini desserts ($78, $34.74 child). The Easter Bunny joins the party from 10 a.m. to noon April 9, and an egg hunt is from 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. with face painting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at
333 Biscayne Drive. Make reservations at rangecafe.net or call 415-465-3370.
• Rancho Nicasio has a ranch-style outdoor barbecue brunch buffet planned from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 9 with leg of lamb, tri-tip, slow-roasted pork, baked salmon, egg dishes, sides and desserts ($36, $26 child) at 1 Old Rancheria Road in Nicasio. Indoor seating is available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Make reservations at ranchonicasio.com.
Sweets and treats
If you have the main meal handled but want to pass off the desserts, here are a few ideas.
• Cibo Bakery in Sausalito always has a tempting display of sweet and savory pastries, pies, tarts, cakes, focaccia, cookies and packaged treats on the Angelino restaurant counter from 8 a.m. until all are sold out (usually around 12:30 p.m.) on weekends at 621 Bridgeway.
Find the menu and place preorders at angelinorestaurant.com.
• Sweet Things at 1 Blackfield Drive in Tiburon has eggshaped cakes, mini cupcakes, assorted cookies, petit fours and a variety of Passover cookies. Place orders at sweetthings.com.
• Parisian chef Alexandre De Jesus has Easter bread, lemon meringue pie, chocolate peanut butter pie and pear tart, in addition to the rest of his medley of sweet and savory pies, quiches, tarts, cakes and little bites, at his pre-order-only, French-inspired Corte Madera bakery Petit Lulu. Find ordering, pickup and delivery information at petitlulupatisserie.com or call/text 415-271-0860.
• Hot cross buns are in the bakery case every morning through Easter, while they last, at the century-old Victoria Bakery & Café at 292 Bon Air Center in Greenbrae. You'll also find many specialty cakes, fancy pastries and Italian cookies. Find the details at victoriabakerymarin.com.
• Gluten-free Flour Craft Bakery's Easter and Passover menus include bake-at-home hot cross buns with orange frosting; vegan peach and raspberry crumble; carrot layer cake; flourless chocolate budino; pistachio rose cake; limoncello polenta cake, and coconut almond Easter cupcakes filled with lemon cream. Pre-order at flourcraftbakery.com by April 1 for pickup between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. April 8 at 129 Miller Ave. in Mill Valley or 702 San Anselmo Ave. in San Anselmo.
• Employee-owned Arizmendi Bakery at 1002 Fourth St. in San Rafael offers plain and chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons (pre-order by 7 p.m. April 3 for pickup April 6 through 13) and glazed brioche hot cross buns studded with dried fruit and topped with a pastry cream (pre-order by 7 p.m. April 6 for store pickup April 9). Place orders online at arizmendibakery.com or call 415-456-4093.
• Creekside Bakery in Novato has an extensive list of sweet and savory indulgences — princess cake, strawberry shortcake, morning pastries, hot cross buns, cheddar and spring onion scones, warm cinnamon buns, breads, rolls and whole quiches. Order early for the best selection at creeksidebakery.com or call 415892-7655; pickup between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. April
8 at 1719 Grant Ave. The bakery is closed April 9.
• Petaluma-based Ethel's Bagels can be found from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays at the Marin Country Mart farmers market at 2257 Larkspur Landing Circle. Purchase the usual fare — organic sourdough bagels, schmear, spreads, sandwiches, smoked fish and sweets — and on April 8, the special bagel bark made on a base of matzo crackers layered with crisped caramel, semisweet chocolate and white chocolate drizzle or pistachios. Find more at ethelsbagels.com.
• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen, which is at the Sunday Marin Farmers Market weekly, has a Passover pop-up planned at Osher Marin JCC in San Rafael. Place orders for Seder meal kits, holiday basics, main dishes, sweets and extras by 9 a.m. April 2 for pickup between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. April 4 at 200 North San Pedro Road. Find the full menu and place online orders at wisesonsdeli.com.
Leanne Battelle is a freelance food writer and restaurant columnist. Email her at ij.lbattelle@gmail.com with news and recommendations and follow on Instagram @therealdealmarin for more on local food and updates on the launch of The Real Deal Marin restaurant search guide.