Aiming to give the oft-maligned Albatross a fresh chapter in its lonely tale, Danville’s new restaurant with the same name celebrates the journey that the bird capable of circumnavigating the globe in 46 days takes with an eclectic menu that will both surprise and delight. Many items on Albatross’ menu are meant to be enjoyed as tapas, and if you’ve been following along for a while, you know that’s my favorite style of dining.
The presentation alone is worth ordering the beets and greens salad, which features a delicate, buttery red oak leaf lettuce and sweet roasted beets. While it’s in season, don’t miss the Dungeness crab cake. Sized perfectly for sharing, it’s served with savory celery root gribiche and topped with apple slaw.
You’ll notice that some dishes are available in small and large sizes. When ordering the strozzapreti, you will want the large size – even if you’re not sharing. Prepared with braised beef cheek, every bite of the hand-rolled pasta, which has a sordid history of its own, is better than the last.
The king salmon with roasted veggies was notably good.
Be sure to check out the wine list, which features selections from around the world, including Lebanon, Israel, Italy, France, Morocco and more.
Entrees start at $17. Open Tuesday-Thursday 5-9pm and Friday-Saturday 5-10pm. Full bar. 312 Railroad Ave in Danville. albatrossdanville.com.
A condensed version of this review appears in the February 2019 issue of Your Town Monthly magazine.
