Howard Bulka leaves Marché to make pizza

[MaxH]

Marché in Menlo Park has been one of the handful of independent restaurants in the SF peninsula and South Bay known for high-end dining (and custom gastronomic banquets); I've often summarized Bulka's style at Marché as elegant comfort food. (For instance a single huge duck ravioli drizzled with meat juices, with bitter greens and garlic puree, to accompany smoky red Burgundies. Like village Dujacs that were on the list, good-value classy wines not particularly fashionable at the time or "highly rated," thank God.)

In a message yesterday, Bulka said he'd left Marché's kitchen in capable hands while remaining a business partner.

"Howie's Artisan Pizza" is a new venture planned for Palo Alto, early 2009.

"In addition to the best darn pizza you ever ate, you can look forward to Mussels Baked in the Wood Oven with Garlic, Shallots, Hot Chili and Oregano, Howie's Chopped Salad, Daily Vegetarian Soup, Homemade Soft Serve Ice Cream ... all prepared with local, wholesome, artisan products. See us at www.howiesartisanpizza.com. " Promising a friendly family alternative to "the junky restaurants that are taking over our world." Chef's blog at blog.howiesartisanpizza.com.

Hints of such interests were long evident in cooking at Marché. We can always use interesting pizza. The best access to pizza delivery services in the US is, or was, not far away, in Sunnyvale (according to published statistics and supporting the frenetic nutritive demands of silicon valley over the years), but that was more about quantity than quality.