Novato, CA.
By
Carol & Joe Davis
Dining Detectives
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We
were very impressed with the décor and attention to detail
as we entered The Southern Pacific Smokehouse.
Their beautiful Bar was straight ahead, Exhibition Kitchen, Outdoor
Patio and Main Dining Room with tables and small and large booths
were to the left and the Smokehouse Lounge which is where they
have live entertainment was off to the right. They just opened
in May serving contemporary wood fired American Cuisine made with
mostly local produce and ingredients. The 2000 pound Ole Hickory
Smoker called Mabel is where their BBQ is slow cooked over hickory
wood. The Executive Chef is Ryan Barnett who
grew up on a farm and trained at the Le Cordon Bleu College of
Culinary Arts.
Alex
Bachman their Mixologist and Sommelier stopped by our
table in the main dining room and encouraged us to try their Hand
Crafted Cocktails. We were very impressed by the Corpse Reviver
#2 which is a classic cocktail created at the American Bar
in the Savoy Hotel in London by Harry Craddock in the 1930's.
It is a true classic and one of the best we've ever tasted! It
is made with Bombay Gin, Cocchi Americano and Cointreau then lemon
seasoned with a touch of Leopold Brothers Absinthe. The light
flavor of the absinthe was amazing! We also loved the Moscow
Mule which is another classic that was served in a copper
mug made with Vodka, Lime and Ginger Beer. Stephanie, our server
who was very knowledgeable assisted us with our menu choices.
The
Starters are all generous servings and well priced. We loved the
Garlic and Herb Flatbread which was finished with parmesan
and extra virgin olive oil. The Crab & Shrimp Cakes
with fennel and arugula salad and lemon-cayenne emulsion were
tasty too. You must have the New Orleans style Shrimp and Grits
with glazed shallot cream sauce. It's a little rich but worth
it! We were impressed by the tomato based Smoked Chicken Tortilla
Soup with Queso cotija, crème fraiche and lime pepper
tortilla strips. Next, we had an excellent Wood Oven Pizza created
with Smoked Chicken, Bacon, Brie and Pear puree.
The
Entrees can be ordered in small or large sizes and they are very
flexible with substitutions of sides which accompany the entrees.
We loved the Smokehouse Duo of Dry Rub Baby Back Ribs and
Pulled Pork which was served with mashed potatoes and sautéed
arugula and spinach The Smoker gives the meat a wonderful taste,
makes the ribs so tender that they fall off the bone and the pulled
pork fantastic and lean. We enjoyed the SP BBQ sauce which was
served on the side. They do offer fresh fish specials including
Salmon in season as well as Pork Chops, Chicken dishes as well
as Burgers and Sandwiches.
The
desserts that we tried were both amazing, very large and made
to be shared. The Banana "Nilla" Pudding was excellent
and the Cranberry Bread Pudding with Ice Cream was also
great, real comfort food. They both tasted like they were made
by "Mom". We took some of the Banana "Nilla"
Pudding home and it was even better the next day! A Galleto D'Oro
Western Espresso was the perfect finish to our dinner.
The
Southern Pacific Smokehouse is a great new American
Grill which has already gained a loyal following including some
music celebrity sightings. We heard that Kenny Loggins dined there
when he was in town for his performance at the Sausalito Art Festival.
It is great spot for large parties and is family friendly with
a Children's Menu. The Smokehouse Lounge has live entertainment
on Tuesday- Saturday nights featuring Blues, Acoustic, Country
and a Magic Show. They are open for lunch and dinner 7 days a
week starting at 11:00 AM and have a Weekend Brunch with Punch
including adult libations. This is a welcome addition to the dining
and music scene in Marin!
Southern
Pacific Smokehouse
Vintage Oaks Shopping Center
224 Vintage Way
Novato, CA. 94945
415-899-9600
www.TheSouthernPacific.com