Sausalito’s F3 transforms into Mediterranean bistro
Fast Food Français (F3) owners Susannah and Olivier Souvestre needed a change. Last week, after closing their Sausalito restaurant for a month to revamp the interior and menu, they reopened as Zalta, a Mediterranean bistro.
The Souvestres have been in the Marin restaurant business for quite some time, opening Le Garage in Sausalito in 2008 with business partner Bruno Denis (they later sold their portion). The now-closed L’Appart Resto in San Anselmo followed in 2010 and then F3 in 2013.
At Zalta, chef Souvestre, who is originally from France, presents an entirely different menu from the American fare with a French slant he’s been doing for the past 11 years at F3.
“We felt like we needed a refresh and new energy,” says Susannah Souvestre, who cited the pandemic as motivator to embark on something new. “Mediterranean food is what we cook at home, and it helps that there are very few restaurants in Marin.”
The menu includes appetizers such as ahi tuna bites on Greek kataifi with olive tapenade; lamb chops with hot green pepper sauce; and a mezze plate made up of Moroccan pickled vegetables, dolma, olives, feta cheese and a set of Middle Eastern dips with pita.
Hand-pressed dough made with wheat, rice and soy flours serves as a base for the pinsa Romana, an airy oval-shaped pizza with toppings like lamb merguez, pepperoncini, feta, pine nuts and green garlic tahini sauce; porchetta, crème fraiche, fontina cheese; and roasted tomatoes and pepper shakshuka crowned with an egg.
You can still get a burger, but this one has layers of tzatziki, pickled onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and green zhug between a Panoramic focaccia bun. Four proteinbased, Mediterranean-style mains round out the menu.
Although the interior structure remains the same, it has been reinvented with fresh paint, woven grass lighting, aqua blue mosaic tiles and Moroccan accents.
A wall of shelves behind the bar is illuminated by backlighting and displays a vibrant collection of cocktail mixings. Naturally it includes a selection from the owner’s new Novato-based distillery Alamere
Spirits, winner of a few recent spirit competition awards.
Try it in the house Pomegroni with pomegranate, Lillet, Alamere London Dry gin and Angostura bitters, or the
Zalta G&T with Alamere makrut lime and lemongrass gin, Mediterranean tonic, juniper berries and fresh mint. Alamere Spirits can also be found at Nugget Markets in Novato, Andy’s Local Market in San Rafael, Woodlands Market in Tiburon, Vintage Wine & Spirits in Mill Valley, Driver’s Market in Sausalito, and local restaurants Bungalow 44, Picco and the Trident.
A new wine list offers lesser-known varietals from Greece, Lebanon, Portugal, France and Italy, as well as California.
Zalta is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 4 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays; 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays; and 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m. Sundays and is closed Mondays and Tuesdays at 39 Caledonia St. For more information or to make reservations, go to zalta. us.
Tincture tonics
St Hildie’s Spiked Tincture Tonics have arrived on local market shelves right in time for holiday consumption season. The plant-based canned cocktails are made in Mill Valley by a trio of wellness-devoted founders — Meghan DeRoma, Alexi Cashen, and chief executive officer and Mill Valley resident Christine Peck.
The female entrepreneurs are committed to forging a path in the maledominated beverage industry by crafting what they call a “functional ready-to-drink cocktail made for the wellness-conscious drinker.”
These sparking drinks are light on the booze and calories and have a touch of fizz, real fruit juice, and herbal adaptogenic and nootropic tinctures that help support mind, body and spirit. These come in three signature flavors — guava ginger, elderberry hibiscus and lemon turmeric. “It was important to us to create a beverage that allowed us to enjoy the pleasures of imbibing while also maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” they share through a spokesperson.
St. Hildie’s can be found in Marin markets and restaurants including the Junction, Farmshop, Mill Valley Market, Driver’s Market, Andy’s Market and Jolly King Liquors and at other California retailers. Find more at drinkahildie.com.
Culinary camps
Scott Davis, aka the Culinary Dude, is offering parents a double win during the upcoming school vacation weeks — three-tofive-day options for getting a daytime break and an opportunity for children to learn a host of dishes to expand the family’s recipe repertoire.
Three interactive and individualized multi-day culinary camps are scheduled for Nov. 22 through 24, Dec. 20 through 24, and Dec. 27 through 31 in Tiburon, from $300 to $495.
Davis has made it his mission to empower students ages 6 to 14 to find their inner chef by teaching cooking skills, kitchen etiquette and table manners. Campers follow up to six recipes per day and prepare elaborate menus from scratch using fresh ingredients. All camps include a child-prepared lunch with a main and side dish, vegetable or fruit dish, and dessert.
A few of the highlights during the Thanksgiving week camp include creamy baked corn, sausage bean and greens gratin, smoked paprika roasted cauliflower, sweet potato cranberry salad, crab and seafood cakes and a fried turkey ($300).
At the first of the December camps, kids make and taste traditional Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa dishes, including turkey and seafood creole; potato latkes; soda bread; eggplant parmesan; chicken shawarma; slowcooked lamb shoulder; Doro Wat-spiced chicken; collard greens; creamed spinach; honey glazed ham; Parker House rolls; snickerdoodle brownies; sweet lokshen kugel; and bananas foster crisp. ($495)
The last camp of the year focuses on Christmas favorites from around the world. Kids will head south of the border for pickled Mexican vegetables, chicken pozole, salsa fresca, Mexican hot chocolate and chocolate crinkle cookies. They’ll visit the islands on day two for Hawaiian pulled pork sliders with tropical slaw; chocolate haupia pie; and Spam fries. Vegan, Canadian and international days follow with foods that align with the theme. All camps follow strict state and local COVID safety protocols and are held in a nut-free environment.
Camps are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Hilary School at 765 Hilary Drive in Tiburon. Early drop off and late pickup is available for an added fee. View the details, day’s menus and registration information at theculinarydude. com or call 415-242-4192. Enrollment is limited to 16 campers.
Leanne Battelle is a freelance food writer and restaurant columnist. Please 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 guide.