After an opening date that was doubling as a serious moving target for months, executive chef Kim Alter and GM/partner Matt Kahn are opening their neighborhood restaurant, ~PLATE SHOP~, for dinner tonight in Sausalito. The 54-seat restaurant is in a 100-year-old building that opened as the Gold Dust Bar in 1937, and was most recently Rustico. The interior was designed by Martinkovic Milford Architects. The look will reference Sausalito’s coastal and pre-World War II industrial shipbuilding history with some nautical elements and antiques, along with distressed woods and metals. Seating includes a banquette with leather cushions, a communal table suspended from the ceiling by steel rods, and there are five sidewalk tables as well. (You can peek at more details in this slideshow on Grub Street.)
Alter’s background includes AQUA (as executive sous chef), Ubuntu, Acquerello, Gary Danko, and Manresa. She is very passionate about gardening, as evidenced by the 14 vegetable-planter boxes in the back that will supply produce for the restaurant; the use of whole animals and head-to-tail butchery will also be prevalent in her seasonal and handcrafted menu. Dishes on the sample opening menu include “Morsels” like pumpkin seeds roasted with sage salt and belly sliders with celery root slaw, pickled jalapeños and delfino; “Nibbles” like smoked risotto with urchin, sea beans, and nasturtium, and spot prawns with wheat berry, orach, smoked paprika; “Consume” lists a confit of char with crispy skin, fish bacon, kohlrabi choucroute, pancetta, and “The Whole Chicken” with liver mousse, Jameson gelée, crépinette, wing, and caramelized onion jus, plus sides of vegetables form the garden, like spicy broccoli and citrus green beans. Desserts may include “carrot cake” with cream cheese ice cream, and tapioca pudding with butterscotch and shortbread. Appetizers range from $11-$13, entrées $20-$25, and desserts $7-$8. There will also be housemade bread and house-churned flavored butters.
There is also a full bar that will highlight small-batch artisanal spirits, which opens earlier in the day at 4pm, and has room for 12. The wine list is geared to be affordable, and will feature small-production wineries. As for GM Matt Kahn, his background includes mc2 and Cigar Bar & Grill, where he continues his role as GM. Open for dinner Tue-Sun 5:30pm-10pm, closed Mon.
Photos from Plate Shop.
