Starbelly's Patio Picnic Tuesdays Start Tonight

Tamara Palmer

​Starbelly's patio has been renovated in time for summer and now boasts an edible garden and retractable roof. Tonight kicks off an eight-week series, "Patio Picnic Tuesdays," a $25 prix-fixe family style meal. Each week will riff on a different theme. We enjoyed a media preview last week that skewed Southern, with pulled pork, fried chicken, and ribs (pictured above). This week, it's a "Cali-Mex Picnic," with grilled Kobe beef tri-tip served Santa Maria style, Rancho Gordo potted beans, chopped salad, nopales and tomatoes, hand-made corn tortillas with fire-roasted salsa, Mexican chocolate pot de crème, and dulce de leche bonbons. Reservations aren't required, but are accepted. And if it's not exactly warm outside tonight, the best darned heat lamps we've ever encountered will perpetuate the summer illusion.

Starbelly 3583 16th St. (at Sanchez), 252-7500.