MARIA MANSO BIO

A Lifelong Dream Come True for Former Asia de Cuba Chef

San Rafael, CA – Chef Maria Manso awakened San Francisco’s palates to the culinary crossover of Asia and her native Cuba at the Clift Hotel’s showpiece, Asia de Cuba. Now, at her new Marin restaurant, Maria Manso World Cuisine, Manso is extending her global reach beyond any limit. “I’ve always dreamed of having a restaurant of my own,” she remarks, “where I can enjoy a more intimate relationship with my guests, and have complete creative freedom with the menu.” Now celebrating their third year anniversary, Maria Manso World Cuisine has awakened San Rafael's palate with flavors from around the globe – Mediterranean, Latin American, Asian, Middle Eastern and beyond – in an elegantly casual setting, with genuinely warm, professional service, at remarkably reasonable prices.

Born in Havana, Manso learned to cook at her mother’s side. “There were nine of us, and to this day, I’m incapable of cooking in small quantities!” The family moved to Miami when Maria was four, and at twenty, she took her first culinary job as an oyster shucker in New Orleans. Recognizing her determination and skill, famed restaurateur Dick Brennan, Jr. rapidly promoted, and when she decided to return to Miami, he recommended her to Norman Van Aken at A Mano. Manso “fell in love with the restaurant business. What these amazing chefs were doing really opened my eyes,” she recalls. “I saw the pride they take in their work, and I knew I’d found my calling.” In 1995, Manso went to work for Jeffrey Chodorow at China Grill in Miami, and then relocated to San Francisco in 2001 to open Chodorow’s fusion-style Asia de Cuba.

Now a Marin resident, Manso saw the tremendous potential there for a restaurant of this caliber. As her partner Yo Perez Gentilini, the restaurant’s Director of Operations, describes it, “Our clientele here is worldly and well-traveled, they’re open to new, creative ideas. We can give them a more personalized, relaxed experience than they would have at a big-city restaurant, yet with the high-quality food, ambience and service that they expect.” Manso adds, “We’re a friendly, neighborhood restaurant, with big-city quality – and friendly, neighborhood prices.”

The appetizer list at Maria Manso World Cuisine, ranging from just $6.00 to $12.00, sets the cross-cultural stage with combinations such as Lamb Ravioli with Yellow Curry Thai Coconut Sauce; Cumin Crusted Beef Carpaccio with Arugula, Shaved Parmigiano and Truffle Oil; and Green Tea Crusted Tuna with Wasabi Aioli, Sweet Soy and Crispy Wontons. Main dishes, priced mostly from $12.00 to $20.00, continue the global theme with Pan Seared Ahi Tuna with Tempura Avocado and Candied Ginger Sauce; Guava Glazed Chicken with Garlic Sautéed Spinach and Grilled Pineapple Salsa; and Havana Pork Chop with Sofrito and Black Bean Citrus Salad. Vegetarian options include Grilled Portobello Mushroom with Pan Seared Tomatoes and Quinoa Herb Salad, and Seared Tofu with White Bean and Cucumber Salad and Roasted Carrot Coulis. Manso’s side dishes encourage sharing, with generous portions and intriguing selections such as Soft Polenta with Fresh Herbs, and Roasted Calabaza with Caramelized Onions. With an eye toward spotlighting seasonal ingredients, she plans also to feature themes such as “Potato Week,” showcasing potato varieties from around the world.

Beverages at Maria Manso World Cuisine are as eclectic, and as carefully thought out, as the menu. Sommelier Nicole Burke has created a wine list that mirrors Manso’s cuisine, focusing on innovative producers and outstanding terroirs worldwide. Markups are low so that wine can be enjoyed at every table. In addition to dinner wines and Sangria, the list emphasizes aperitifs and after-dinner beverages, with infused tropical fruit cocktails, using spices and seasonal fruits, as a house specialty. Yo Perez Gentilini, born in Venezuela, raised in Italy, and herself very well versed in fusion, invented the sake-based, guava-stuffed Lichee Martini, and through her Italian father, “who has a great many winemaker friends,” has brought in “some superb Vin Santo from Stromboli – the flavor comes from the volcanic soil.”

The site, which formerly housed a family-run Italian restaurant, has been revitalized with what Gentilini describes as “amazing colors, clean lines, simple elegance and an overall feeling of warmth and welcome.” She likens the color scheme – rich with tones of custard, butter, and shades of caramel on the walls and in the comfortable furnishings – to “Maria’s flan: her signature dessert.” High ceilings, black accents and a custom floor of Italian travertine add a sophisticated touch. A secluded patio behind the 49-seat dining room accommodates an additional 20 diners, and the curved bar inside the front entrance welcomes eight more. Latin rhythms from the sound system bring the mood up-tempo, with jazz, Brazilian and tribal sounds in the mix: what Yo refers to as “organic music – acoustic and unsynthesized.”

Dynamic, intense, and passionately committed to sharing her knowledge, Manso will be offering cooking classes at the restaurant. “So many people who live in Marin, and in the nearby Wine Country, have beautiful homes with incredible kitchens designed for entertaining,” Gentilini notes. “Maria will teach them how to use the great resources they have, with her straightforward, explanations of ingredients, cooking techniques and equipment.” Manso and Gentilini view Maria Manso World Cuisine as “a center where people can come and find out about food – not just eat it.” In addition, “Come and Meet the Chef” events are in the works – casual receptions where guests can mingle and talk about food with Manso and Gentilini while enjoying wine and hors d’oeuvres.

Throughout her career, Manso has earned the highest accolades from restaurant critics, as well as unprecedented popularity. Manso attracts a highly devoted following everywhere she cooks – when she left Asia de Cuba, her staff was saddened – and many of her regular Bay Area patrons eagerly await the launch of her new restaurant.

With such a stellar reputation preceding her and every element of an extraordinary dining experience in place, it’s a sure bet that Maria Manso World Cuisine will meet with the success it so richly deserves. As Gentilini concludes, “Both Maria and I were raised to take care of people. We both love making people feel welcome. We’ll get to know you; we’ll even remember how you take your coffee. We’ll bring you a whole world of cuisine – and no matter what language you speak, we’ll take care of you!”

Maria Manso World Cuisine, at 1613 4th Street in San Rafael, is open for Lunch Tuesday through Friday 11:30AM until 2PM.,Dinner  from 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Tuesday through Sunday.

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Maria Manso World Cuisine • 1613 Fourth Street • San Rafael Ca. 94901 • Between "F"&"G"
Tel: (415) 453-7877 • Fax: (415) 453-2869 • Email: yo@mariamanso.com

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