Michael Mina’s Bungalow Kitchen serves California cuisine and amazing views

Celebrity chef Michael Mina’s Mina Group has 40 restaurants throughout the United States and one in Dubai. But the former West Marin resident never had a restaurant in his county until he opened the Bungalow Kitchen in Tiburon. Located in the space long occupied by Guaymas Mexican restaurant, it opened a year ago after a lavish remodel.

The Bungalow Kitchen sits just back from Main Street as it curves to the left toward Paradise Drive. Just walk down the ramp toward the water and you’ll arrive at the entrance. There is valet parking, street parking and a couple of lots on the right after entering the downtown area.

I became a fan of chef Mina’s food when he was at Aqua in San Francisco in 1992. His delicious, well-designed food is professionally served and presented in lush but comfortable surroundings, which is certainly the case for the Bungalow Kitchen.

The two-story restaurant looks like a stage set where you get to feel like the star of the evening. However, the specific play you’re in changes from one space to another. Parts of the ground floor are designed to resemble a community clubhouse in a more tropical part of the world. There are several “rooms,” or areas, offering various atmospheres with an assortment of tables, half booths comfy upholstered chairs, plus other more casual rattan furniture and lots of faux plants.

Upstairs there is a more intimate club feeling. The pool table room, with its dark red and teal-patterned walls and teal ceiling, has an inviting fireplace and couches. There’s also another bar, as well as other places to lounge and enjoy a nightcap. Both levels offer spectacular views of San Francisco, Angel Island and the bay.

Although the deck was heated and the clear sides had been dropped, we preferred to eat inside, were a booth and armchairs across from the horseshoe bar, where you’ll find an extensive wine list and some interesting house cocktails, awaited. It was a great location to watch guests coming and going. And on this Saturday evening, it was bustling downstairs. There was a wedding reception upstairs and occasionally their DJ’s music filtered down.

Despite the music and a fairly full house, it was still easy to hear and talk without raising our voices.

I had heard so much about the Crispy Liberty Duck Wings ($22). They are justly popular. A generous serving of six brined and Asian spice-seasoned duck wing “drumsticks” are fried and then doused with sticky Grand Marnier sauce. Fortunately, a plastic package of hand wipes came with the dish, which was somewhat inelegant in its plastic package but none the less welcome.  The bronzed wings were tender and easy to pull off the bones.

The brioche-based Jalapeño Shrimp Toast ($17) was mounded with shrimp paste, covered with black and white sesame seeds, and fried crispy. They look as if they were constructed on a narrow slice of brioche, cooked and then sliced into one-bite pieces. It is based on a Chinese restaurant classic that I normally don’t order since I’ve been served too many oil-sodden ones — but not these! The six little squares, each dabbed with ginger aioli, topped with a thin slice of jalapeño and a tiny bar of ginger, are ideal cocktail food. Considering their complexity, they were still light and full of flavor.

Sweet Potato Pancakes ($24), with king salmon gravlax, sour cream and a tart, intense applesauce, seemed out of place on the dinner menu, but it does provide the opportunity, if the spirit moves you, to order an ounce of the Michael Mina Reserve Kaluga Caviar ($195). It is also available as a choice on the $49 prix-fixe brunch menu. The famous Mina Lobster Pot Pie ($45 supplement) is also on the brunch menu. Considering the fabulous views that are included, brunch is a bargain.

The Charcoal-Grilled Sakura Pork Chop ($42) was tempting, but while you’re sitting by the bay, the Miso-Broiled Sea Bass ($59) was more appealing. The kitchen divided the order between two bowls at no extra charge, which many other restaurants tend to do. The golden-crusted sea bass in ginger-dashi mushroom broth was strewn with pea tendrils and slivers of watermelon radish.  There was definitely an ample amount to share. All the flavors came together harmoniously.

As a side dish to the fish, the San Francisco Garlic Noodles ($13) were chewy and tasty, but the rustic bowl of fat, dark noodles topped with fried onions was at odds with the elegance of the fish.