Dining Guide

Maranello is more than just another case of great food semi-hidden on a suburban corner (in this case, in Fair Oaks); it’s one of the region’s most exhilarating restaurants. That’s because owners Joe and Gayle Hensler hired star chef Gabriel Glasier, late of Slocum House, and then got out of the way. The result is what Glasier calls “pan-Californian-Italian-Mediterranean” food that balances big flavors, loads of nuance and a touch of playfulness. In
March, for instance, there was the pan-roasted day boat scallops with potato leek
chowder, house-smoked pork belly, oyster mushrooms and Granny Smith apples. And Maranello’s bar has a cool, old-school auto-racing vibe, which gives away the Henslers’ affinity for cars. So does the name: Maranello is the Northern Italian town where Ferrari is based.