The best pork chop in living memory was had by me last week at Ristorante Avanti. 
The pastured pork from Marin Sun Farms was tender and wildly delicious. The plump chop was embraced by a pool of creamy polenta, green beans with toasted almonds and several roasted crab apples — the sweet, tangy taste of autumnn. . . . Meanwhile, you would be doing yourself a favor to join the Seabright neighbors, dining at La Posta on Tuesday evenings. Not only is there a deal-of-the-century option – pasta plus wine, or pizza plus wine, for $15!, but you can slip into the magic realism world of authentic mandolin music, listening to mandolin master Paul Rangell (shown above).
Rangell’s collection of Sicilian, New Mexican, eastern European, etc. folk music is almost supernaturally encyclopedic. And he’s a gifted artist as well. Accompanied on guitar by his wife, Emily Abbink, Rangell’s insistent mandolin fills the room with the bittersweet minor keys of old world tangoes, and the lilts of traditional Mexican melodies. And gobs more.
We joined the packed La Posta crowd in soaking up the beautiful music last Tuesday – and this happens starting at roughly 7pm every Tuesday evening. Wine to drink in music by, and music to dream by. (Yes, this is the same Paul Rangell who has a cult following among Central Coast printmakers.)
