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A blue ceramic bowl with pasta and microgreen garnish. David Varley

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Michael Mina’s the Bungalow Kitchen Will Bring a Face From ‘The Hills’ to the North Bay

Celebrity chef Michael Mina and nightlife veteran Brent Bolthouse are bringing the Bungalow Kitchen to Tiburon

Lauren Saria is the editor of Eater SF and has been writing about food, drinks, and restaurants for more than a decade.

San Francisco–based celebrity chef Michael Mina and hospitality veteran Brent Bolthouse — as in, that guy you might remember from his role on the Hills — are bringing a beachy new restaurant to Marin County: as reported last year, the Bungalow Kitchen by Michael Mina promises an “eclectic bohemian design” and “California cuisine,” according to a spokesperson, and is now taking reservations for dinner and weekend brunch starting Wednesday, November 3. Located at 5 Main Street in Tiburon, the bayside restaurant will be headed up by Mina and executive chef Joseph Offner, offering a menu of duck-fat fries, tuna tartare, and a selection of oak-fired steaks.

According to a spokesperson, longtime friends and partners Mina and Bolthouse are joining forces to create a restaurant that’s as much about great food and hospitality as it is about a “bustling social scene.” The Tiburon restaurant will be the second location of the Bungalow Kitchen, the first of which debuted in Long Beach earlier this year. The 12,000-square-foot, two-story restaurant marks the first Bay Area project for acclaimed interior designer Martin Brudnizki, who channeled the area’s haute-hippie vibe into the decor. In addition to the indoor space, there’s 5,000 square feet of outdoor space across two patios. Upstairs, the aptly named Salon aims to secure a reputation as the North Bay’s hottest late-night destination — a place where, even after midnight, you can get a great cocktail, play a game of pool, and sit by a fireplace while enjoying waterfront views.

Courtesy the Bungalow Kitchen
A rendering of the first floor of the Bungalow Kitchen in Tiburon

On the menu, Mina and Offner are taking inspiration from local and seasonal ingredients, which means the menu is wide-ranging and designed for mass appeal. It spans everything from table snacks like Garden Crudité Bowl and Dungeness Crab “Pop-Tart” to grilled and roasted entrees like a crispy chicken designed for two and a wagyu burger topped with Cowgirl Creamery cheese. There’s a raw bar section featuring ahi tuna tartare, caviar, oysters, and a northern California shellfish tasting that includes Fort Bragg sea urchin and salmon roe, Dungeness crab, and Bodega Bay clam cocktail. Steaks — ranging from a NY strip to a filet mignon — grilled over oak and a selection of pastas and pizzas round out the dinner offerings. And, of course, Mina’s signature Lobster Pot Pie made with a whole Maine lobster, truffle lobster bisque, and root vegetables.

Cocktails include a signature Bungalow Margarita made with Casamigos Blanco tequila, lime juice, and agave; Bitchin Sangria with red wine, açai liquor, elderflower, orange, and pineapple; and Spill the Tea, a combo of rye, Campari, and tamarind chai–infused Italian sweet vermouth.

The Bungalow Kitchen debuts on Wednesday, November 3. It will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays; 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays; 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturdays; and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.

An ornate silver platter with a selection of vegetable crudite. David Varley
A Pop-Tart style pastry filled with shortrib. David Varley
A large bowl of pasta with prawns. David Varley
A white bowl of duck wings glazed with Grand Marnier. David Varley
A rendering of the second floor of the Bungalow Kitchen Courtesy the Bungalow Kitchen

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