It was a year of recession for the economy and progression for the dining scene. Looking over the restaurants I reviewed this year, you'd never know money was tight; new places kept opening, and quality remains high.
In just one week this month, three high-profile places premiered in San Francisco: Melissa Perello's Frances; the Beretta offshoot, Delarosa; and Baker & Banker in the old Quince space.
Because I wait at least a month to give the staff time to settle in before beginning the three-visit review process, these restaurants won't be featured until next year, along with other places that opened in the past few months, such as Out the Door in San Francisco and Marzano in Oakland.
In fact, 2009 will go down as the year Oakland blazed its own culinary trail, with the opening of such places as Ozumo, Sidebar, Adesso, Bar Lata, Pican, Commis, Lake Chalet and Bocanova. Plus, there's more to come in 2010.
I reviewed 50 new places in 2009 and visited more than a dozen others that didn't make the review cut, so what follows is really the top of the heap. There was a good mix of blockbuster openings and small neighborhood places that were so good they quickly gained a Bay Area-wide reputation.
I have to fess up: I cheated a bit. The following list doesn't include two stellar restaurants - Limon, which was closed for more than a year because of fire but opened with a spiffed up decor and even better food, or Gialina, which actually opened a couple years ago. I'd written about it many times but only got around to reviewing this year. Yet neither of them is actually new.
So here is my list, in alphabetical order.
Adesso
At this Oakland restaurant, Dopo owner Jon Smulewitz and salumieri Chad Arnold produce the top salami in the Bay Area. They offer about 40 varieties at a time. Each is distinctive, whether it's coppa with Lambrusco and wild fennel seeds, or salami with fresh oregano and garlic. The menu includes a raw bar, pates, salads, panini and one large plate. Early in the evening and late at night Smulewitz offers free platters of salumi to go with the well-crafted cocktails.
4395 Piedmont Ave. (at Pleasant Valley Road), Oakland; (510) 601-0305. Dinner Monday-Saturday until at least midnight. No reservations. Salumi, $7-$11; secondi, $18.
Bottega
