Cuisine:

• French
• Californian
• Others

Marinus Restaurant Description:
The oversize fireplace worthy of Citizen Kane burns throughout dinner, its embers casting a glow on a seamless montage of dishes. Pretenses do not foil this fine dining milieu---there simply are none. Servers' "au natural" good nature appears inherent. Chef Cal Stamenov's natural and rustic artistry is nuanced by subtle poetic undertones of the region; a fortunate providence that the finest local and global ingredients end up in his hands. He presents a six-course tasting menu as well as a five-course garden tasting menu. Mini Parmesan gougères engage until the amuse appears. The seasonal menu changes daily, but à la carte offerings might start with Kumamoto oysters with ginger-shallot mignonette or seared Hudson Valley foie gras with sweet onion purée, roasted shallots and black trumpet mushrooms. Main dishes might range from turbot accompanied by baby artichokes, house cured bacon and green garlic purée to Colorado lamb with potato purée, fava beans, porcini mushrooms, spring onion and rosemary jus. Where subtlety pervades the dinner menu, pastry chef Ben Spungin stylizes desserts, often sourcing unusual ingredients. Mark Jensen and the other wine experts roam the intimate space matching food glass-for-glass from a notable collection that includes Bernardus's own selections. Book the chef's table, a comfortable in-kitchen booth with a bird's eye view of the action.