My Return to Hawk's Tavern

Hawk’s Tavern, 507 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley; view website

I recently wrote a review about a new restaurant that opened up in Mill Valley called Hawk's Tavern. I was lucky enough to be invited back to sample some more items from their menu, so this time we decided to leave the kids at home and enjoy a date night for my birthday. It was definitely the right decision, as we were able to take the time to enjoy our surroundings, appreciate the fine food complimented by the great service and atmosphere.

Hawk's Tavern dining room

The main dining room and bar area at Hawk’s Tavern has a stylish rustic feel with up-lighted repurposed barn wood walls, vintage framed maps and old illustrations of hawks on the walls. It is designed for comfort and warmth, especially with the modern central fireplace which I was pleased to be sat next to. The interior of Hawk’s Tavern transforms us both back to being in a stylish pub in England, which feels nice.

We were greeted by our friendly waitress who was so informative and attentive all evening by taking the time to fully describe the food and drink menus. She recommended her favorite items and described how they were prepared and served, which not only made our mouths water but made us feel fully involved in our dining experience. Something you lose sight of, when you are juggling two kids and trying to get through the meal as quickly and quietly as possible.

As soon as the appetizer plates hit the table, the collection of wonderful smells got us excited. I started off with a wonderful creamy Organic Burrata served on garlic sourdough with collard greens, crispy kale chips and olive oil drizzled on top. It was so delicious especially with a glass of the Freeman Pinot Noir from the Russian River. 

Organic Burrata at Hawk's Tavern

My husband chose the Tamales Bay Mussels served on toast with patatas bravas (Spanish potatoes), aioli and fantastic Chorizo with “true Spanish flavor”. He washed it down with a glass of the Matilda Belgian Style Pale Ale from Goose Island Brewery in Chicago. This was our waitress’s first choice of ale of the evening, fruity yet spicy yeast that was the highest alcohol volume on the menu so served in a wine glass.

Tamales bay Mussels at Hawk's Tavern

For main course I took our server’s recommendation, which was the Wild and Tame Mushroom Pappardelle Pasta which featured meaty Trumpet and Shiitake mushrooms with scallions and Bloomsdale spinach. The crust of herb bread crumbs served on top complimented the saltiness of the lemon caper beurre blanc perfectly, and the fusion of flavors and textures made this dish incredible!

My husband ordered one of the specials that the evening which was a Pork Chop with celery puree with vanilla bean, glazed asparagus, carrots and salsify. The pork was marinated in a brine and sugar solution overnight before cooking, which not only imparted great taste but made it one of the juiciest pork chops my husband has ever had. Who would have thought vanilla and celery could work together, but it was delicious! He also moved onto the Deez English Mild Ale from Dying Vines Brewery in Oakland, this time from a more masculine English pint glass.

Pork Chop at Hawk's Tavern

We were spoilt for dessert, when we couldn’t make an amicable decision and they heard it was my birthday, they decided to bring ALL of the desserts out including a Panna Cotta with blood orange that wasn’t on the menu! 

Panna Cotta at Hawk's Tavern

The rich Warm Chocolate Muc Cake came with a candle and the most wonderful vanilla bean ice-cream and chocolate sauce which almost made me lick the plate!

Chocolate Muc Cake at Hawk's Tavern

The Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake was yellow cake served inside a glass jar with refreshing small chunks of vanilla poached pineapple on top. But the best of the bunch was the amazing Sticky Toffee Pudding which I said I would come back for in my last review, and I am glad I did. It was perfection served with wonderful warm toffee sauce and whipped cream sprinkled with brown sugar. I enjoyed this heavenly sugar feast while sipping a Sparkling Mojito with prosecco, fresh mint, lime and simple syrup…heaven indeed!

Sticky Toffee Pudding at Hawk's Tavern

My birthday had a disastrous start to it but as soon as we sat down and starting to eat and drink, the day’s troubles melted away and sent me off to dreamland as I started to plan when we could come back and do this all over again!

The seasonal menu is created by Tyler Florence and prepared by Chef de Cuisine Rob Lind. We are so grateful and we were given the chance to come back and sample more of the wonderful food, wine and beer served at Hawk’s Tavern.

A private dining room can be hired for up to 12 people or the main dining room can be hired for events or special dinners. The stylish front porch can also be hired and is a fantastic place to relax in the sunshine with a drink and play a game of backgammon, checkers or dominoes provided.

Private dining room at Hawk's Tavern

I hope more restaurants in Marin and the Bay Area will follow their lead and create more seasonally-inspired pub style restaurants as it is a great place to bring the family for an informal early dinner with a pint of beer or shady, a buzzy place to meet friends at the bar and grab some small bites and cocktails…but for me it will be top of my list for future date nights, when we can take the time to savor each delicious bite, just the two of us!

Hawk's Tavern Opens in Mill Valley

Hawk's Tavern

507 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley;

Chef Tyler Florence has recently opened an informal restaurant in Mill Valley called the Hawk's Tavern. A friend who lives in Mill Valley heard the local moms raving about it at her son’s school, so we decided to check it out on Sunday evening.

The stylish interior has a rustic warm feel with dark wooden floors and wood panel walls covered in beautiful black and white photography. There is a great porch for outdoor dining, but we ate inside at one of their circular booths at the back of the restaurant admiring the warm central fireplace.

Hawk Tavern bar area

Tyler Florence has created the Hawk's Tavern's seasonal menu of small plates which is prepared by executive chef Rob Lind, who also oversees the menu at Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco. There is beer on tap and a small selection of local wines.

My son ordered their mac and cheese before the waiter even had a chance to introduce himself, and ate it all up without any complaint. The kids menu also includes the usual staples; cheese burger, hot dog and a grilled cheese sandwich with a tomato soup which sounded good.

Hawk's Tavern dining room

My husband ordered the Fish and Chips which was small pieces of fish in an ale batter with big steak chips and tartar sauce. My brother in law had the Hawk Tavern Burger which came on a toasted potato bread bun with Point Reyes Toma and bacon. Both thought the food was good and enjoy washing them down with Bombardier English Ale served in traditional English half pint classes.

I ordered the Skirt Steak on a bed of lentils and roasted beets, crumbled ricotta, lemon and chili, with a side order of truffle fries, which was cooked well and tasted nice. “Nice” and “Good” describes a pleasant average meal. I guess after eating at El Paseo and regularly referring to Tyler Florence’s cookbook at home, we were expecting something a little more. But the meal was reasonably priced and we enjoyed the gastro pub experience which we would like to see more of in Marin County. We would perhaps order some salads or more side plates like the Burrata or the sautéed red kale next time, so we didn’t leave needing to eat more or craving dessert. Thankfully there was a frozen yogurt bar right next door, sorry Tyler we promise to come back next time to enjoy the Sticky Toffee Pudding!

For further information please see the Hawk's Tavern website 

Help Donate to Charity or Local Schools By Shopping with Treehouse Tykes

A socially responsible deal site called Treehouse Tykes has recently launched offering high-end fashionable design-driven children’s gear and apparel at up to 70% off!  Some of the luxury brands include Le Petit Bateau, Nursery Works, Mod Mom Furniture, No Added Sugar and Kukunest, with some new designs exclusive to the site.

Treehouse Tykes is reinventing the online shopping approach and experience by giving back with 10% of each sale donated to a charity or school of the buyer’s choice!  

Co-founders Elena Zaretsky and Cynthia Saito, both mothers with entrepreneurial backgrounds, wanted to help local communities and children after seeing school budgets continuously cut. Treehouse Tykes was born out of Elena's idea to impact local schools and charitable organizations that benefit children, while incorporating the new way in which people shop.

Elena Zaretsky, co-founder and mother of two, said the idea for Treehouse Tykes came to her about a year ago.  “With every passing budget, schools get hacked,” she said. “This project’s evolution started with, ‘How do I give back to schools and be philanthropic?” Treehouse Tykes is dedicated to supporting children and their education with a platform that donates 10% of its net proceeds to schools in need and children's charities. Customers can allocate their donations to charities of their choice

Co-founder Elena Zaretsky explains more to The Marin Scoop:

What inspired you to start the Treehouse Tykes website? “I've worked in municipal finance investment banking for over a decade - working with school districts and cities in California.  While working with the schools I realized that there are so many budgetary gaps that need to be filled, things that the state won't do and cannot do - but things that the kids desperately need.  So I wanted to figure out a way to be able to give back to schools.  Then the concept expanded to include charitable organizations, because they too need to fund projects and programs during tough economic times.” Taut Canvas on sale on Monday What makes Treehouse Tykes stand out from similar on-line sales sites? “No other private online sales company allows customers to select the school or charity that they want their 10% proceeds to be allocated towards.  We want our members to make a designation - we encourage them to do so.  If they have no affiliation with a school or charity, we would like them to think about selecting the Community Trust.  When they do so, they are contributing to fund an underprivileged school or schools across the country. Also, each day of the week targets a specific age group.  Mommy & Me Monday (0-2), Toddler Tuesday (3-5), Wonder Years Wednesday (6-8) and Tyke to Teen Thursday (9+).  Fridays we do a Fab Finds Friday which can be something across several age groups or something that would be great for mom or dad.  Our members select which days of the week pertain to them and the children in their lives for whom they shop.  We've segmented our sales so that parents don't have email exhaustion - we want them to know that what comes up on their selected day is in fact appropriate for their child.” Taut Canvas How does Treehouse Tykes give back to children’s education and charities? “Each quarter, we issue checks to those organizations that have been designated by our members.  The key however is that members need to shop and designate.  So, if a member for example is very involved with Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) they designate them as their charity of choice and they've shopped on the site, then 10% of the proceeds from the purchases of that member are made to the JDRF.  So the more people that shop the site and designate organizations the more proceeds we'll be able to give back.” Taut Canvas What can people expect each day if they sign up with Treehouse Tykes? “We are highly selective and very thoughtful of what we offer.  It’s not just about putting something on sale.  Often times they are toys that are helpful developmentally, they are clothes that we know and love, and they are tremendously helpful things that we've learned about.  They are also cool for the teen set and cost effective for the parental set.” How can members benefit by referring a friend to the site? “We have a 10-10-10 program.  If you refer a friend, your friend receives a $10 credit to use on our site.  Once they make their first purchase of $50 or more then you receive $10.  Finally, 10% of the proceeds from every sale go back to the school or charity of the customer’s choice.”

Treehouse Tykes' main objective is to offer the best products for families while instituting change by funding educational organizations and children related programs. "Our goal is not to dilute exceptional brands by juxtaposing or over exposing them within a large mix of other products. Rather, we focus our keen merchandising approach akin to the elite experience one comes to expect of a high-end boutique," says Cynthia Saito, co-founder of Treehouse Tykes.

Mod Mom Furniture

Each sale will last 72 hours and Mod Mom Furnishing has a sale starting Monday; this Pink flower design is exclusive to Treehouse Tykes.

Mod Mom Furniture 

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