For May, my monthly look at restaurants in the Bay Area and beyond includes Melissa Perello’s long-running Octavia and 100% gluten-free Clementina in San Francisco, AYA, the new rooftop hotspot in Sonoma, and a few delights on a college reunion visit to Saint Louis.

SAN FRANCISCO

Knowing that the kitchen is 100% gluten-free meant I could walk into Inner Richmond’s Clementina and revel in the joy of not auto-eliminating entire pizza and pasta portions of the menu. Of course, I still had to inquire which dishes could be made without dairy. So informed, I started off my meal with house made focaccia which was puffy like the Genovese original. Served cold, it was good. Warmed, as when I reheated it at home, it was toasty, bready and fabulous. Vitello Tonnato served with sliced capers was a delight, especially as I swiped the focaccia through the dish’s remaining sauce.

There’s four house made gf pasta styles to try – four! – including gnocchi, rigatoni, tagliatelle, and risotto. I chose the Tagliatelle al Sugo di Calamari with Monterey squid ragù and soffritto. I watched my fork in awe as the spoon’s pressure wound the noodles around it. What!??! Could this get better? Yes! Pop the forkful in your mouth and revel in the briny flavors of the sea against the soft chew of the noodles. It doesn’t get more coastal Italian than this. And, if you’re jonesing for pizza, the house made pizza crust here is the lightest I’ve ever tried – and it folds! The room’s cozy vibes and well-informed staff added to the “welcoming to all eaters” atmosphere.

My friend, Wendy, and I have birthdays within days of each other and make it a point to meet for lunch each year to celebrate. This year, we chose Arquet in San Francisco’s Ferry Building as our birthday locale. The kind host, stunning floral arrangements from Lily, and sweeping bay views had us at “hello.” A first taste of Liberty Duck Liver Brûlée and marmalade (no toast points for me) was a thrilling reminder that you can eat duck liver in these here parts. From there, things got dicey. Dirty Girl Kale & Apple Salad was over-dressed, the kale and walnuts’ flavor lost amidst the sauce. Steak Frites was grass-fed Brandt New York Strip, missing its sear and cooked well past our request of medium-rare. Bad steak is not a good sign.

For dessert, a celebratory 70% Chocolate Terrine with hazelnut praline –delicious, but a missed opportunity by our server to wish us good tidings. Where did he go, anyway? We left with happy birthday vibes intact, despite the kitchen and service misses.

Before a concert at nearby Trinity + St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, a friend and I popped in for a quick dinner at Octavia, promising the hostess we’d be gone within an hour. (Truth!) I was smitten with the Sweet Potato Mochi with walnut salsa macha, the soft squish of the mochi and crunchy heat of the chile sauce a deft balance of spice and texture. I don’t know how Chef Perello and her team softened the leaves just-so and still presented a plate of Grilled & Chilled Cabbage with almond goma and orange so beautifully. Lamb Tartare with chorizo spice was daring in flavor but I’m not going to try this one at home. I’ll leave the raw meat dishes in more capable hands.

North Bay/Wine Country

In Rohnert Park, AYA a rooftop stunner from Rockwell Group, opened earlier this month. At the media welcome lunch, Chef Roy Ellamar (L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Harvest, Las Vegas) showcased his commitment to local sourcing while leaning into the flavors of his Hawaiian-Filipino heritage, “AYA,” or life, breath, beauty depending on which language you speak, sources most of their vegetables from the house’s 40-acre farm, G40. Ember-roasted Carrots with macadamia nut pesto and Delta Asparagus with yuzu bearnaise were shining examples of classic California fare. I tried the American-raised Kuro Wagyu Picanha with mushroom tare and beef tallow potatoes (so trendy) but could die happy after trying Ellamar’s Koji Black Cod. Simply executed with just enough char to bring out the creaminess of the flesh, it’s an instant classic.

Though I did not partake, Calamansi Tart arrived with a server to shave wisps of Asin Tibuok – an ancient Filipino sea salt preparation which looks like a dinosaur egg – onto the dessert and I heard others sighing with delight over Chef’s banana bread. I do miss gluten sometimes…

My boys treated me to brunch at San Rafael’s Tutu Lounge before a Marin Symphony Youth Orchestra concert at College of Marin. While I will never again order a salad at a downtown spot known for waffles and pancakes, the boys loved their stacks of carbs (Buttermilk-Fried Chicken and Croffle and Monte Cristo with berries) and my Ube Latte with a shot of espresso hit the not-too-sweet spot.

And a Long Weekend in Saint Louis

My decision to attend my college reunion meant a jaunt to Saint Louis, Missouri, and a near-miss from a series of tornadoes and golf ball-sized hail which touched down to our north and west. (Whew!)

When I walked into award-winning INDO, I felt right at home. The dark, oil lamp-lighted room gave all the moody vibes. A menu packed with Thai-Japanese flavors from Chef Nick Bognar made it hard to choose, so Lukas started us off with Bluefin Tuna Sashimi with fresh wasabi and Isaan Hamachi with candied garlic and coconut naam pla. The mix of restrained and complex flavors continued on a plate of seared Japanese Eggplant with labne and chili crisp and the so-called Famous Cabbage Salad with tamarind and onion straws. Somewhat less successful was a dish of Massachusetts Scallop with lump crab and pea puree ,but that was all forgotten when we took a few bites of Salted Duck Egg Semifreddo, smoothed with Thai tea. I’d love to come back next time I’m in town.

In the more familiar to me Central West End neighborhood, Bowood by Niche was our stop for breakfast the next morning. A proper Cortado kicked things off, followed by an Arugula & Grain Salad as hearty as any I’ve had in California. My friend Elizabeth said she has to have the Vermont Cheddar Waffle every time she visits. And who can blame her? Warm with crisped cheese edges, it’s a dairyfull dream sprinkled with just enough Maldon sea salt to make any cheese lover sigh.

Interested in more restaurant coverage? Here’s the restaurants I covered in April.