Mijo, the latest venture from the dynamic duo behind Guesthouse, opens its doors this month in Corte Madera in the space that previously housed Moseley's and Brick & Bottle. Mijo promises to be a contemporary Spanish-inspired bar & restaurant with California influences, showcasing coastal flavors, creative cocktails, and a curated wine list that celebrates some of the world's most renowned producers.
Chef Jared Rogers, in partnership with Mijo Executive Chef Chris Loberg, has crafted a menu that highlights the best of local ingredients while offering fresh, playful takes on Spanish and Californian cuisine. The menu features classic wood-fired preparations alongside cutting-edge California small plates. Guests can indulge in Spanish classics such as cold and hot tapas, seafood towers, and paella, all complemented by farm-inspired small plates.
The Mijo space evokes the charm and coastal vibe of Mediterranean towns. The interior showcases a dynamic palette of warm and cool hues, layered textures, and accents of aged brass and mixed plants, creating an inviting atmosphere that calls to mind both old-world living and modern coastal refinement. The indoor-outdoor space includes a stunning mural as the focal point, exuding the spirit of an old cantina - striking, sophisticated, and just the right amount of rebellious.
After a career at Cavallo Point, Fedric D’Costa, a Level One-certified Sommelier, opened at Tiburon’s The Cove shopping center in late February. “Mog asu,” or “let there be love” in the Goan Konkani patois of D’Costa’s roots, runs the internationally-focused wine bar with his wife and business partner, Emily Lund.
Fyrn chairs and tobacco-colored banquettes lean into teal wainscotting beneath printed wallpaper and gold-framed mirrors. Behind a small bar, D’Costa whips up spritzes, like a Bottlerocket with rosé, blood orange juice and botanicals. Lund’s design includes a curtain to separate the space into cozy nooks where couples can canoodle over Roderer Estate Brut and a plate of antipasto skewers or caviar with all the fixings, and ladies who lunch can gab over a Wolfer Estate Hibiscus Cider or mocktail and a house-tossed apple and white cheddar chop salad.
The all-day vibes run from lunch to after-dinner, the perfect time for a glass of Disznoko Tokaji Late Harvest or Da Silva Colheita port. Though the couple plans flights and other tastings, for now, it’s by the glass or bottle for an expansive range of sake, wine, beer, vermouth and other beverages, with options for non-alcoholic wine, gluten-free and non-alcoholic beer, and even wine shots made from Mexican agave.
Everest Curry & Momo House in downtown San Rafael straddles the flavors of Nepal and India. Momo (Nepalese dumplings) are given ample menu space – there’s 15 varieties of veggie, goat or chicken – and less familiar regional dishes like Sukuti (spiced and seasoned dried meat appetizer), Choyella (Kathmandu-style chicken salad), and Himalays (sic) chicken soup thickened with mushrooms and potatoes.
Chef and co-owner Hari Dhital spent 17 years cooking at Berkeley’s bustling Vik’s Chaat and is testing dishes like eggplant chaat and tawal fish, its crisp flesh ruddy with Kashmiri chile powder, worthy entrees after an appetizer of tandoori chicken wings or grilled shrimp.
You can order from the expansive menu but why not try the $15.99 lunch buffet (includes butter naan and a cup of chai), with 18 trays of dal Makhani, chicken tikka, lamb korma, and other South Asian specialties. After heaping your plate, find a seat at one of the linen-draped tables (the booths are especially popular) and gaze at the TVs showing tall Himalayan peaks, hikers trekking across snow fields, and the region’s bustling cities. The warmth of the red & turmeric yellow walls and your meal’s fresh flavors is matched only by the friendly smiles of the staff.
Into the sliver of space that briefly housed Phyllis’s Burgers and Pearl’s before that comes Mama’s Luncheonette, a Mill Valley outpost of the San Francisco original. Now, instead of focusing on burgers, all eyes are on the Chopped Chicken Caesar Wrap - an East-meets-West sandwich with creamy dressing, plentiful parmesan, croutons from Petaluma’s Della Fattoria, and just a small kiss of anchovy. This mouthwatering wrap is portable and perfect to grab n go.
The tight menu includes eggs and tots-stuffed breakfast burritos to which brisket or chicken can be added, an Egg McLovin sandwich, and additional wrap options of chicken tikka, wild mushroom, and braised lamb. (All meats are halal.) Don’t miss the house made paprika chips but beware: they’re addictive!
The awe-inspiring views that you’ve come to know at dinner from Sausalito’s two-year-old Ditas are getting a wake-up call. Ditas’s better-caffeinated daytime sibling, Eria Café, opened in February with all-day hours and a lounge-like vibe that is equally welcoming to early risers in search of a flat white and mushroom toast with herb spread as it is to those in search of a golden hour cocktail and a late afternoon light bite.
Director of Operations/Chef John Carney’s breakfast menu skews traditional with to-order omelets, bacon and chive waffle, and a dark chocolate tart available whole or by the slice. Mid-day’s menu shifts to include vegan and meaty lasagnas, personal-sized veggie or chicken pot pies, as well as soups, salads, and flatbreads zhushed up with Ditas’s fine dining flair. The full bar is always available but Happy Hour brings wine and beer specials along with a menu of garlic cheesy bread, fried olives and a truffle chicken Caesar wrap.
“Eria,” the last four letters of CEO Nikita Khanderia’s surname, is not a replacement for Ditas. (The switch from café to dining room happens at 5pm) It is an opportunity to savor a piece of house made carrot cake and an Americano at whatever time of day best suits you.
