As good as it gets in Marin

There are many great restaurants in Marin, but with Restaurant Picco about a mile from my house, it's usually where I end up when I go out for dinner. The wine and cocktail selection never disappoints and the food is consistently delicious.

I met a friend at Picco last night; over the course of three hours, we ordered 5 dishes and 5 glasses of wine to share. 

To start, I opted for a glass of the 2009 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris. It was crisp and clean with flavors of pear and green apple. Although refreshing and tasty on it's own, it was the perfect accompaniment to our first course of kampachi crudo and risotto with wax beans and peppers.

Meanwhile, my friend enjoyed the Italian 2010 Ceretto Blange Arneis--a slightly sweet white wine with stonefruit flavors and a medium body.

When the trio of sliders arrived, I quickly ordered a glass of the 2009 Bueyes Malbec from Argentina. Dark and juicy, this approachable red has been on the wine list for a while and I love it! It's also great with the thin-crust pizza served next door at the Pizzeria. 

The Malbec also paired nicely with the hen of the woods mushroom (a meaty mushroom grilled and served in a citrusy beurre blanc sauce). 

The luscious 2008 Lambert Bridge Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel was such a wonderful match for the rich, pungent cheese plate we had in lieu of dessert. For $14.95, the four-selection cheese plate with marcona almonds, fruit and grilled bread, this is the best cheese plate ever.

Why would I go anywhere else when Picco is as good as it gets?