Madcap

Upscale yet approachable, Chef/owner Ron Siegel's Madcap is one of the Bay Area’s best for contemporary dining. Well-crafted bites on the prix fixe may include a quenelle of tuna tartare with ginger and sesame seeds tucked with a crisp rice cracker that is deliciously simple. Next, a tender, almost-sweet coin of charred octopus rests over a pureed base of fermented pimentos and Tokyo turnip for a clean counterpoint. Supple slices of tart umeboshi, "noodles" of daikon and a creamy ponzu is a creative, pleasure-packed dish, while a tranche of crisp skin-on trout with cauliflower purée and ribbons of kohlrabi is bested with a tableside pour of dashi. The caramel pot de crème with a double hit of almond crumble and ice cream is perfection.