M2

 

5

4

Snow W.

San Anselmo, CA

2/22/2007 6 photos

Update: 10-01-07:  Mankas has closed M2 but is still offering their old lodgings of cabins, Boathouse, and cottages. Breakfast is being served in room and dinner by special arrangement with the chefs.

Well, it isn't the same place, but it's wonderful all the same. The chef/owners from Manka's Inverness Lodge have moved down the road to an old farmhouse they are calling "M2" and transformed it into a quietly elegant little inn. The rooms are beautiful; sort of like Ralph Lauren meets George Sand. There are three rooms, and we stayed in one with a huge canopied 4-poster. It had a lovely view of Tomales Bay and this rainy weather made it the perfect cozy retreat (and no phones or TV made it easy to imagine it might be 1907 rather than 2007 --- very "Somewhere in Time"). While the rooms are lavishly filled with antiques, the paint on the walls is barely dry and all the mattresses and bedding are totally new, which is good for a neat freak like me. The bathrooms are a treat, too, with giant clawfoot tubs and sparkling fixtures. The colors and tones are all very subdued and there isn't a Victorian floral pattern anywhere. Very tasteful.

The really cool part concerns the food. Since a fire destroyed the old Lodge and dining room, in the new place, you can only get dinner service if you are an overnight guest (and the old cabins are still available too, for those of you who prefer a more red-and-black-plaid rustic experience).

I almost can't believe I've already been able to enjoy the same delectable food I thought I might never get to taste again. That was some sentence. I just mean that since the fire, and not knowing if or when Manka's would be rebuilt, I was seriously worried that it was gone forever. But upon coming downstairs for dinner all fears were vanquished. For the cocktail hour we were greeted with a choice of hot mulled cider or a glass of wine, then oysters, and my favorite, what I call "cheesy puffs," or what the French call  gougeres. Wow!

The dining area is in two rooms, one containing a huge fireplace with beautiful stonework, and grills for cooking. It's lined with colorful, graphic prints of different varieties of mushrooms, and from the other room you can look outside to see the Chef pull crab out of the big pizza oven. That smoky crab was fantastic, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Both rooms have a view of Tomales Bay and have a very relaxed, elegant feel.      

Dinner started with a mussel soup made with leeks and wild onions, bits of tomato and a wonderful aromatic broth. Truly delicious, and I'm not even a fan of mussels. A plate of the most heavenly dinner rolls was brought to our table and they were so light they almost floated away. I'm not kidding; these rolls were right out of the oven and reminded me of the best of Thanksgivings. The old Manka's served a variety of breads, mostly the whole wheat, sourdough type, and I thought those were good until I tasted these rolls.

Then came the crab that had some spicy rub on the outside that of course got all over your hands when you tried to extricate it from the shell. Go with the flow and lick your fingers along with the crab, it's fantastic. Just as I was saying to my companion "I'm going to need a bath when I finish this crab," our waiter set a dish of hot towels on the table. Perfect timing.

There was a small salad of watercress and baked sheep milk's cheese that was not very flavorful, but after the spicy crab, maybe that was understandable.

No complaints about the pork loin, though; perfectly cooked and accompanied by mashed potatoes and a bit of bacon they cured themselves. The pork was great, the bacon even better. I suppose I should mention I had a white burgundy and also tried a pinot noir, both of which were enjoyable.

For dessert I will quote the menu: "A Crisp of Spring's First Rhubarb, Dotted with Rosa's White Raisins, Crowned with Costal Cream To Your Heart's Delight," which was served in an amusing fashion. Because the dining room is made up of lodgers only, cocktails started at 7 and dinner service started at 8. We all got our courses at roughly the same time, and when they brought out dessert, a waiter would place the fresh-from-the-oven rhubarb crisp down, and the maitre 'd followed behind, bearing a large bowl of whipped cream. He brandished a large spoon and was happy to dollop as much whipped cream as you wanted on your crisp. It was just funny to watch him go from table to table, leaving delighted diners in his wake. I was pleasantly surprised to find the rhubarb had a very cherry-like flavor to me, and I managed to eat every last bite.

I must say the service all evening was prompt, friendly and refreshing. Perhaps because this dining room is about half the size of the old one, they are able to be more attentive. Our waiter was very cheerful and happy to answer all our questions about the new location. We had a great time and hope to go back agai

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