Drayton SherylAlanna Hale Murray Circle is the more upscale restaurant at Cavallo Point Lodge.
The signature restaurant of the picturesque Cavallo Point Lodge, Murray Circle occupies a former officers’ club in decommissioned Fort Baker, just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. But while the stunning views from the dining room are certainly a crowd pleaser, what truly amazes is the grand award-winning wine selection of 2,200 wines. Managed by wine director Ken Barash and strong in California, Burgundy, Rhone, Bordeaux and Italy, the list pairs easily with chef Michael Garcia’s local menu. Current offerings include maple braised pork, tea-smoked duck breast, and vegan fall risotto with cranberry gastrique.
Guests can savor Chef Justin Everett’s menu of ingredients on the veranda or sitting at a table in the dark, quiet dining rooms with the original embossed grist. Choose the seven-course tasting menu, if time permits (three weeks), or select the category of pasture, garden, water or wildlife on the à la carte menu. Wild rice arancini with greased ramp and rucola set the tone with a rural vibe, followed by McFarland-Springs trout with crispy skin, laid on green sour cream on top of honey chocolate puree. Prather Ranch pork chop comes with a long bone behind the handle, served with sirloin grits and pork belly. Each plate is decorated with parostoks, gorichas, sprouts and blue herbs and seasoned with light barvisti flavorings. The large wine list includes 2200 wines from 25 countries.
The key to choosing Murray Circle is to know if it meets your tastes. It’s one of the most expensive places to eat in Sausalito. As a restaurant that seeks to satisfy the palates of gourmands and food lovers, Murray Circle caters to elite diners and an audience that “eats like a judge at Iron Chef America” and gets high marks from this group. On the other hand, it may not be worth it for people who are looking for larger portions and lower prices. But you don’t have to order the menu with a fixed price – the hamburger is not only cheap, but also one of the best you can have in the city.