Kientz Hall is a great addition

UPDATED 11/23

With a focus on Mediterranean classics with a modern twist, San Anselmo’s new Kientz Hall has plenty for vegans to choose from, in a modern and upbeat setting.

You order at the counter here, then find a seat. You can also choose to order via QR code from your table. The menu on the app has a vegan section called out, but the printed menu at the counter does not separate the vegan items. Either way, the menus are the same, just organized differently.

The menu is centered around shared plates, with a smaller menu of salads and entrees. Our group ordered:

• Fried Brussels sprouts with calabrian chiles, basil, capers, lemon and garlic

• Chickpea fritters (Farinata- be sure to ask them to hold the shaved Parm on top)

• Nantes carrots with spiced tahini yogurt, dill and black sesame

• Grilled broccoliniI with shaved garlic, lemon, calabrian chiles and fried breadcrumbs

• Smoked purple-top turnips with lacinato kale, pickled ginger and a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette

• Roasted eggplant with grilled fennel, spicy harissa, Castelvetrano olives and almonds

• All Green salad, with little gems, cabbage, cucumber and snap peas

  avocado, scallions, pea sprouts, pickled white radish and seed crunch (they have either a vegan or dairy dressing option for this salad)

• French fries

All of the dishes were really delicious. We thought the eggplant, Brussels sprouts, the turnips and the salad were the stand-out dishes. I will be dreaming about that eggplant dish!

The Farinata is a HUGE portion, best shared with four people, and it could use a vegan dipping sauce of some sort (maybe Harissa?), as it is a bit dry (but tasty!). This is the vegan protein they offer for adding to their salads, too.

They have a mezze plate, but it is not a great choice for a vegan since two of the items included have dairy. It includes grilled marinated vegetables, carrot hummus, feta yogurt, cheese, pickles and an herb salad. If you are eating with omnivores and order this….the carrot hummus on the plate is terrific.

Sadly, there is no vegan dessert here (yet!).