Press
Upscale yet friendly and approachable, Madcap is one of the Bay Area’s top destinations for contemporary dining. The superb culinary skills on display should be no surprise considering that Chef/owner Ron Siegel worked at some of the West Coast’s more renowned kitchens, including The French Laundry. Madcap reflects much of his background, but at its soul, this is a humble hangout, striving to highlight the best local and seasonal ingredients with little fuss. Elegant, yet comfortable, the service here doesn't miss a beat.
Both à la carte and fixed menus are offered and are sure to feature some of the kitchen’s more surprising concoctions. While each composition is likely to change with the seasons, every bite remains well crafted, balanced and teeming with unique flavor combinations. Highlights include heirloom tomato soup with wedges of tomatillo, crunchy croutons and cubes of charred beef, as well as crisped shrimp atop an array of cucumber and melon. Sonoma duck breast composed with stone fruit purée and the season's greenery is lean and velvety.
Desserts, such as the caramel pot de crème with a double hit of almond crumble and ice cream, are simple perfection. Michelin Guide 2021 https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/california/san-anselmo/restaurant/madcap
Upscale yet friendly and approachable, Madcap is fast becoming one of the Bay Area’s beloved destinations for contemporary dining. The superb culinary skills on display should be no surprise considering that Chef/owner Ron Siegel worked at some of the West Coast’s more renowned kitchens, including The French Laundry and Masa’s. This is his first solo project and it reflects much of his background as a chef with Californian sensibilities and subtle Japanese influences—note the paper lamps and minimalist décor. At its soul, this is a humble hangout, striving to highlight the best local and seasonal ingredients with little fuss. Both à la carte and fixed menus are offered and are sure to feature some of the kitchen’s more surprising concoctions. While each composition is likely to change with the seasons, every bite remains well crafted, balanced and teeming with unique flavor combinations. Highlights unveil house-made, toothsome tortelloni filled with delicately braised rabbit, resting on a miso-mushroom purée and capped with parmesan espuma. Desserts are also artful and fun, as seen in a cube of Japanese cheesecake set on a lid over shiso-panna cotta with hot pink huckleberry foam. Michelin Guide 2019
MADCAP RECEIVES MICHELIN STAR
San Anselmo’s Madcap, Ron Siegel’s first restaurant, earned a coveted star from the Michelin Guide, it was announced Thursday. Siegel’s résumé spans three decades of award-winning Bay Area restaurants, including Michael Mina, Aqua, Charles Nob Hill, the French Laundry and the Ritz-Carlton, and most recently was at Rancho Nicasio’s Western Room. Siegel, the first American chef to beat an “Iron Chef” on the original show, left Rancho Nicasio in late 2016 to focus on his then-unnamed solo venture. Marin Independent Journal/November 2018
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE TOP 100 RESTAURANTS
Looking for the best food in Marin? Go to Madcap. that sounds like a sweeping statement, but chef-owner Ron Siegel had a four-star track record at the Ritz-Carlton. He was one of the original cooks at the French Laundry and has proved himself at the now-closed Masa’s and Michael Mina. He was also the first American chef to win the Japanese Iron Chef contest, and this Asian influence informs his cooking. at his comfortable, relatively casual restaurant in San Anselmo, he’s joined by his wife, Kim, who handles the front of the house. the food is every bit as good as when he was cooking at the higher-end places. one night he offered four bite-size cubes that look like petit fours layered with almond cake, duck liver mousse, hibiscus gelee and a tiny yellow flower garnish. He also offers a must-try nine-course tasting menu for $88 that includes some dishes on the ever-changing menu and a few new creations. Siegel intuitively balances ingredients, turning out food that excites but never overwhelms the senses. - Michael Bauer/ May 2018
Eater SF
The Hottest Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now, January 2018
"Nestled on a quiet street in San Anselmo is the first solo project from chef Ron Siegel. It’s an opportunity for Siegel to cook on a smaller scale, and away from the fine-dining kitchens of his past." - Ellen Fort/January 2018
San Francisco Chronicle
11 Best New Restaurants of 2017
"Siegel turns out dishes that excite but never overwhelm the senses. Every dish illustrates the difference between a competent chef and an inspired one." - Michael Bauer/December 2017
Zagat
The Bay Area's Most Important Restaurant Openings of 2017
"Finding the region’s top new table in San Anselmo is not as strange as it sounds. Madcap’s chef-owner is Ron Siegel, the immensely gifted talent behind some of SF's most acclaimed kitchens (Michael Mina, Masa’s, Charles Nob Hill, The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton)." - Trevor Felch/December 2017
San Francisco Magazine
Three New Restaurants to Try Now
"In Siegel’s hands, herb-roasted chicken is an elevated bird arranged in a garden of bok choy, cherry tomatoes, and red-peppery romesco. The art-filled space has the feel of a cozy corner haunt, but a tasting menu underscores the kitchen’s high intentions." - Josh Sens & Luke Tsai/November 2017
SF Chronicle
The best cooking in Marin? It's at the new Madcap in San Amselmo
"Siegel has proven time and again to be one of the best chefs in the Bay Area. Siegel illustrates the difference between a competent chef and an inspired one. He intuitively balances ingredients and turns out dishes that excite but never overwhelm the senses."
3 1/2 stars" - Michael Bauer/November 2017
C magazine
A Chef for All Seasons
"Here, Siegel focuses on produce and what he considers the Bay Area’s “40 sea- sons,” as well as his signature nuanced, Japanese cooking style." - Michalene Busico/November 2017
Marin IJ
Michelin-starred chef Ron Siegel's Madcap a work of art
"What you'll find at Madcap is a harmonious alignment among three elements — space, food and service." - Leanne Battelle/October 2017
Zagat
Eat This Now: 15 Fall Dishes to Try in the Bay Area
“Chef-owner Ron Siegel masterfully marries contemporary Californian cooking with classic Japanese ingredients and techniques at his Marin County solo debut…” - Trevor Felch/October 2017
7x7
A Kitchen of His Own: Chef Ron Siegel Seriously Owns it at Madcap
“…perhaps it's simply the inspiration and influence of a man who has dedicated the better part of his life to perfecting his craft. In either event, the end result is a kind of magic.” - Nick Czap/October 2017
Marin Magazine
Madcap: A Sophisticated Story
“Upon entering Ron Siegel’s newest solo venture Madcap, I was immediately impressed with the finesse of it all. Vibe: Dark and intimate with vibrant art, the space looks like something you would stumble upon in SF’s Mission District rather than sleepy San Anselmo.” - Leela Lindner/October 2017
SFGATE
Ron Siegel to Open Madcap in Marin
"The menu is American and Japanese-influenced fare, with a focus on vegetables." - Justin Phillips/ April 2017
Eater sf
Chef Ron Siegel to Open Solo Restaurant in Marin
"Siegel will be doing a completely new concept." - Ellen Fort/April 2017