On Tomales Bay, Nick's Cove Gets a Makeover

Nick's Cove's "Smoky Sunset" cocktail (left), and BBQ oysters. [Credit: Justin Lewis]

The last few years have been nothing but rocky for Nick's Cove on Tomales Bay. To begin with, owner and local restaurant magnate Pat Kuleto gave up on the property, deciding to sell the Bay-adjacent restaurant and cottages that once charmed him into millions of dollars in renovations and upkeep. Then there were all sorts of juicy tales about food poisoning and horrendous service, seeming to culminate in a kiss-of-death review San Francisco Chronicle reviewer Michael Bauer pulled. New owners, a group of silent investors, finally purchased Nick's from Kuleto. Just in the knick of time, they launched a totally different menu, with more small plates and slightly more modern fare.

In August, chef Austin Perkins was promoted from within to lead the kitchen in a different direction. My first inkling that the mutiny was over in the kitchen came with a taste of the BBQ oysters. Perkins' oysters hold on to their dignity, and the accompanying housemade BBQ sauce and garlic-parsley butter were layered on in good measure.

In the dining room, a few design changes are noticeable right away. Dated white tablecloths have been traded for reclaimed redwood tables. A new fireside bench by the host stand sets a ski lodgey tone up front, and a lot of the Kuleto-era knick-knacks have been removed in an effort to modernize things. The most predominant design features are several deer and moose heads mounted on the wood-walls. Every table in the restaurant has a view.

Perkins' menu doesn't distract from the vista either. A certain level of refinement is in play. GM Dean Castelli (also a recent hire under the new ownership) is so knowledgeable about the local oysters on offer that he could tell me, with gusto, why the Drakes Bay oysters are so much larger than Kumamotos (hint: terroir.) The cheese-laden crostini that comes with the cioppino is hit with a little lemon zest to brighten the dish. A seared scallop special comes out with a nice caramelized exterior, even if the accompanying mashed avocado, nori glaze and Himalayan red rice was just ok. Perkins gets points for his bright idea to fold pumpkin puree into his arancini appetizer, dressing the crusted exterior with a small dot of maple cinnamon sour cream. It made for a bite that was crisp, creamy, sweet and salty all at once.

Meanwhile the bar program has moved into creative territory with drinks like the Smoky Sunset, a combination of Knob Creek bourbon, St. Germain, citrus and cayenne. At meal's end, we learned that the kitchen is slowly going to start incorporating more ingredients from an on-site garden into its dishes.

After dinner, we headed down the long, skinny boardwalk behind the restaurant for a night cap in the boathouse, which was filled up with people in a festive mood who didn't want their night to end either.

Diners may have avoided the restaurant during unstable periods in the past, but I'd say the coast is clear now. It wasn't Gary Danko (nor should it be), but our meal was pleasant enough that the views and the enduring charm of a Bay-side lodge could work their magic well. Nothing rocked the boat.

Great article Carolyn! We recently went to Nick's Cove on a spur of the moment outing and had the best time! The hostess greeted us warmly and the entire staff was super helpful. The cocktails were creative (my favorite was the smokey sunset). And the oysters ... we just could not get enough; thank goodness we were there early enough on a Wednesday to enjoy their happy hour - $1 oysters! But unlike past visits, we had more than oysters! Everything we had tasted great! We will definitely be back sooner than later!

By BT (not verified) on January 22, 2012

To Keep Driving: Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience at Nick's Cove. As the general manager, I can assure you that we're taking your review very seriously. It's clear we were not on our usual game that night. I have spoken to the chef, and discussed this at our managers' meeting. The description of your evening was a knock for all of us, and you certainly didn't get the experience you deserved. Disappointing to say the least! I do hope you will visit Nick's Cove again in the future and give us another opportunity to provide you with a much, much better (and hopefully fantastic) dining experience.

By Nick's Cove GM (not verified) on January 20, 2012

To Keep Driving: Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience at Nick's Cove. As the general manager, I can assure you that we're taking your review very seriously. It's clear we were not on our usual game that night. I have spoken to the chef, and discussed this at our managers' meeting. The description of your evening was a knock for all of us ... and you certainly didn't get the experience you deserved. Disappointing to say the least! I do hope you will visit Nick's Cove again in the future and give us another opportunity to provide you with a much, much better (and hopefully fantastic) dining experience.

By Nick's Cove GM (not verified) on January 20, 2012

Did she "canvass" the risotto balls to see how they felt about being a "canvass" for other flavors? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised , since the use of "just OK" indicates that the writer's food and writing experience is largely gained from Yelp reviews.

By Anonymous (not verified) on January 17, 2012

Actually dined there last night (16 Jan, 2012). It was so bad I was thinking about writing Kuleto, knowing he would be mortified by our experience. (Didn't know he has sold).

The spinach salad was fine nothing special, croutons out of a box - $12. The clam chowder was very, very thin and with the main event being celery - $11.

The real horror show was the "Venison stew - carrots, potato, turnip, onion drop biscuit - $21". It showed up looking like microwaved frozen gravy - kind of congealed and separating at the same time, with a ENGLISH MUFFIN on top. Yep - full on Thompson's english muffin. It was sliced in half and both slices were placed on top of the 'stew'. I looked at the waiter and said "are you serious?", he mumbled something about not having biscuits and this was the chef's solution. I could not really see, nor get at the stew, so I asked for a side plate. I took off the english muffins, and tasted the stew, after stirring it trying to get it emulsified again. I took one bite and it tasted like gravy out of a can, the venison had zero flavor (unless you count the flavor of institutionalized gravy).

I couldn't eat it (fyi - not a picky eater. never send things back). I was scared to order anything else - didn't really want to risk it, but I figured the chicken would be a safe bet. 30 minutes later, after my husband had finished his meal, the chicken arrived. On the menu it is described as "petaluma chicken - rosemary polenta, sunchokes, pomegranate jus - $20" What arrived was a leg and part of a breast marinated in something that started out as teriyaki finished in red jam. A better description would have been candy chicken. It was on a bed of very runny polenta (needed a soup spoon) which smelled strongly of butter, but not real butter. There was zero rosemary. There was something else on the plate, not sunchokes. It was also soaked in the jam sauce.

My husband ordered the "wood roasted ribeye - eggplant, candied butternut squash, balsamic reduction $29-" The meat was decent, the eggplant inedible (and he loves eggplant) and the squash was fair.

We had driven by Nick's many a time and wanted to try it. I think it is a fine place to stop and have a drink. But I wouldn't touch the food. If the chef is willing to send out 'venison stew' with an english muffin on top - anything is possible.

Oh, and if you sit in the sun room - know that if you are by the window it is NOT insulated, you can feel the wind whipping through the walls.

By Keep Driving (not verified) on January 17, 2012