Archive for February, 2011

Once in a while you come across a restaurant that really can claim to be unique, a dining establishment that has a welcoming, old world ambiance that looks like it has been there for a hundred years. Postino is such a place.

It had been a while since Sylvia and I had dined at Postino and it used to be one of our favorite restaurants. Unfortunately, on more than one occasion, we were less than impressed by the meals we had and given the fact that this is not an inexpensive restaurant, we felt that our expectations were perfectly reasonable.

What prompted us to return was the realization that Postino had a new executive chef in the form of Stewart Beatty who was promoted from Chef de Cuisine, a position he had held since 2006. Could it be that this change in kitchen management would return Postino to the position of one of our favorite restaurants? We determined to find out.

Ambiance was never an issue here. Whether dining al fresco in the warmer months or in one of the many dining areas with stone slab floors, fireplaces and beamed ceilings, one could not fail to be impressed by the surroundings. We were therefore really hoping for a good, tasty meal when we visited on a cold January evening.

Service, as always was first class. I think they must hand-pick their wait-staff for their acting ability as their descriptions of the dishes on offer are nothing less than theatrical.

So on to the food. Neither of us wanted an appetizer, as we were quite happy to relax and enjoy a glass of chardonnay while we waited for our main courses. One thing I remembered about Postino was that there was never a great sense of urgency here. They seem to expect you to take your time over a meal and there are gaps between courses. It won’t suit those who are in a hurry but this is exactly what we like.

Sylvia ordered one of the evening’s specials – an oven baked Petrale sole served with roasted potatoes and vegetables, while I had the pan roasted duck beast with grilled duck sausage. This was served with a potato croquette and a smoked pear star anise conserve.

Sylvia rarely orders fish dishes when we dine out as she is so often disappointed by them so this was a real test for Postino. Suffice it to say that they came through with flying colors. She pronounced the sole as being cooked to perfection and full of flavor.

My duck entrée was similarly impressive. Duck has always been one of my favorites but my experience in restaurants has varied considerably. The duck breast was cooked just pink in the middle and was firm without being in the least tough. The duck sausage was incredible. I really wish I could find a source for that so I cook it at home. The sausage could have been a meal in itself.

We passed on desserts (too many calories) but as you will have surmised, we were most impressed by the total experience and agreed that, in our opinion, Postino is again one of the few really memorable restaurants in the area.

As I have mentioned already, Postino is certainly not a budget priced restaurant but if you want to enjoy a first class meal in outstanding surroundings once in a while, I suggest you give it a try. Certainly we will return soon. If you would like to see menus and more, you can visit their excellent web site at www.postinorestaurant.com.

START YOUR SEARCH FOR A SAN RAMON HOME HERE

Bernard Gibbons – “The English Agent” – (925) 997-1585
bernard@bernardgibbons.com

www.JustSanRamonHomes.com is the complete real estate resource for home buyers and sellers in San Ramon

Bernard Gibbons, CA DRE License #01331583

J Rockcliff Realtors . 15 Railroad Avenue, Danville, CA 94526

---