The Other Critics

Commis Gets Four Stars from Sens; Bauer Delights in Cupola

The chef's counter at Commis.
The chef’s counter at Commis. Photo: Courtesy of Commis

The Michelin-starred restaurant that Mr. Bauer famously kind of hated when it opened in 2009, Commis, has gone on to garner plenty of critical praise, including a Best New Chef honor for James Syhabout from Food & Wine in 2010. The miniature-museum-like Oakland restaurant now gets the honor of a perfect four stars from San Francisco Magazine’s Josh Sens, who writes “it’s hard to overstate the impact of Commis, as [Oakland’s] first and only Michelin-starred restaurant and, more important, a departure from convention.” He also notes that the $68 prix fixe remains a “pittance” in a market where far less inventive meals will run you that much. And he concludes, “Any restaurant can fill you up. Only a rare few leave you this fulfilled.” [SF Mag]

Michael Bauer finally checks out six-month-old Cupola Pizzeria, in the Westfield, and it’s surprising it took him this long given his ardent love for pizza, but perhaps the mall thing put him off. Unterman’s wild rave last month likely encouraged him, and he says, “It’s unusual to get such soulful fare in a shopping mall,” but also says that the Lark Creek Group and chef Christian Hermsdorf are “turning out some of the best Neapolitan pizza in the Bay Area.” He enjoys the Dome Salad, and calls the pulled-to-order warm mozzarella a “don’t-miss.” But he says the new table-feast deal, for $30 a person, is the “deal of the year.” He’s only a bit disappointed with dessert, and says that and some iffy service are the only reason he didn’t give the place three stars (which other favorite pizzerias Ragazza, Gialina, Piccino, and Zero Zero all have). The final verdict: two and a half. [Chron]

Commis Gets Four Stars from Sens; Bauer Delights in Cupola