By Christina Mueller

IJ correspondent

In the normal order of things, chefs write books after their restaurant rings up success. Joanne Weir, maestra de cocina at Sausalito's Copita Tequileria y Comida, author of numerous books including 2009's "Tequila: A Guide to Types, Flights, Cocktails, and Bites" and the host of PBS's well-regarded "Weir Cooking in the Wine Country," among others, reversed order. Challenged by long-time Sausalito resident and restaurateur Larry Mindel (Poggio, Il Fornaio) to make a better margarita than his own, Weir slayed the competition and in the process, agreed to open a restaurant with him and managing partner, Amy Svendberg.

Copita, smack-dab in the heart of Sausalito's touristic Bridgeway, is a restaurant designed with local appeal. And tequila. Lots of tequila, from more than 40 distillers, most as verticals with the "white," "rested" and "aged" versions available from a single purveyor.

For the tequila-savvy, the variety in tequila styles and flavors adds freshness to the task of ordering a 100 percent blue agave spirit. For the rest of us, there is a margarita menu where the options range from the seasonal (Joanne's cherry margarita, $9) to the re-imagined classic (Mexican 75, $12). Or, try the drink that started it all, the house Copita's margarita ($9), crafted with fresh lime juice and agave nectar. The giant ice cube, a connoisseur's touch, melts slowly, the better for sipping and savoring that premium tequila.


In partnership with that fine tipple, the menu of smallish plates incorporates seasonal, mostly organic and house-made ingredients of upscale pedigree. No stale chips and tepid salsa here. Inspired by the portable treats sold on south of the border beaches, Weir delivers slim wedges of cucumber and jicama, dusted with chile and salt to whet your whistle.

Prepared moments earlier, chunky guacamole ($8), infused with red onion and serrano chiles, was sinfully creamy, a suave foil for the remarkable chips. Rough-hewn and thick, the corn chips accompanying the guacamole evoked the essence of corn, the sweet fragrance apparent at first, full-bodied bite.

Corn in all its forms is serious business at a Mexican restaurant. Mindful of corn's culinary importance to Mexican cuisine, Weir has staff dedicated solely to the preparation of the tamalitos and the tortillas. Thick and pliable, the tortillas supporting the fish tacos ($14) made the dish. Prepared with summer's California halibut, the lime juice-pickled cabbage and chile-spiked pineapple salsa were fine but not enough to elevate the big slices of blandly seasoned fish into a "must have" fish taco. Livelier was the coctel mixto ($13). This ceviche was packed with chunks of lobster and Mexican scallops and shrimp, the heady cilantro and sharp serrano chilies pungent counterweights to the tomato-y marinade.

The wonderful tortillas return again, rolled tightly in waxed paper astride the blue cast-iron pot cradling 24-hour carnitas ($15). Lift the lid to reveal Niman Ranch pork shoulder, bathed in aromatics, pineapple and orange juices for 16 hours then braised for six hours. The result was a deliriously fragrant, succulent meat. Albondigas al chipotle ($9), petite pork and beef meatballs, were tender and juicy, the sauce more heirloom summer tomato sweet than chile heat. The Mexico City-style quesadilla ($8; really, it is an empanada), filled with tiny pieces of chorizo and potato, was surprisingly light, the hard work of the purposeful tortilladoras and sous chef and recipe maven Dilsa Lugo, again in evidence.

"I really wanted the food to be light and fresh," said Weir. This aesthetic carries over to Copita's design. Apropos of a tequileria, a long bar lines one side of the narrow room, the sub-counter lights highlighting the deep blue tiles. A custom-built fireplace, shaded by an azure flue, holds a rotisserie where chickens spin on spits.

Copita opens onto a shaded patio, the six tables aglow in soft red from the canopy. Underneath a cast iron chandelier, a community table at the front comfortably accommodates larger groups. Service is friendly and knowledgeable about the seasonal changes to the menu, and Weir can be spotted working the front of the house with general manager and tequila curator Fernando Guzman.

Copita, or "little cup," melds Weir's culinary background with her love of food and cooking. And tequila. Her modern, refined Mexican cuisine adds a little local color to the international causeway that is Bridgeway, Sausalito.



Address: 739 Bridgeway, Sausalito
Phone: 331-7400
Cuisine: Seasonal Mexican
Service: Professional
Noise level: Loud
Recommended items: Tequila! Coctel mixto, Mexico City-style quesadilla, guacamole, 24-hour carnitas, corn chips, tortillas
Liquor selection: Full bar
Corkage: $15
Heart-healthy and vegetarian selections: Yes
Gluten-free selections: Yes
Dog friendly: Yes
Wheelchair access: Yes
Parking: Lot
Credit cards: All major
Prices: $10 to $18
Reservations: Reservations recommended
Summary: After publishing "Tequila: A Guide to Types, Flights, Cocktails, and Bites," Joanne Weir accepted Larry Mindel's margarita challenge and, gauntlet thrown and taken up, opened a modern Mexican restaurant. The seasonal menu steers toward refined, familiar fare, anything with corn is not to be missed and the ceviches are unsurpassed.