Hopefully opening this fall in San Anselmo will be PIZZALINA, a Neapolitan-style pizzeria (with a local, organic, and sustainable focus) and wine bar from owner Louise Franz. She has trained and is certified as a pizzaiolo with the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, and has been working for the last year in pizzerias such as Picco and Rosso.
Pizzas will be made from naturally yeasted dough with a four-day proofing method, hand-pulled mozzarella, and family-made salumi, and cooked in a Mugnaini wood-fired oven. Other offerings on the seasonal menu will include antipasti, salads, soup, market main courses of the day, pastas (like maccheroni alla chitarra with lamb ragu), and Straus soft-serve ice cream with homemade toppings for dessert. Ex-husband and restaurateur Mark Franz is lending his expertise, and her brother Sean Crowley (formerly AQUA, and now sales director for Paradigm) is putting together the wine program, with an emphasis on California, Marin, and Italian wines. There will be a substantial wine on tap program featuring some unusual varietals and specialty blends, and local beers on tap and in the bottle.
The former Round Table Pizza at Red Hill Shopping Center will be converted by William Craig Architect, George Federighi Kitchen Design, and Josh Klein Builders. There will be 48 seats inside, and 20 seats outside. The atmosphere will be rustic-casual, with an open kitchen. They hope to get through the permit process in a couple months, and are aiming for a mid-August/September opening. 914 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. at Shaw Dr., San Anselmo.
A tablehopper reader let me know his beloved TSUKIJI is closed; the owners were reportedly evicted. 24 Sunnyside Ave. at Parkwood St., Mill Valley.
Louise Franz; photo from Pizzalina blog.
