Upscale yet friendly and approachable, Madcap is fast becoming one of the Bay Area’s beloved destinations for contemporary dining. The superb culinary skills on display should be no surprise considering that Chef/owner Ron Siegel worked at some of the West Coast’s more renowned kitchens, including The French Laundry. This is his first solo project and it reflects much of his background as a chef with Californian sensibilities and subtle Japanese influences—note the paper lamps and minimalist décor. At its soul, this is a humble hangout, striving to highlight the best local and seasonal ingredients with little fuss. Both à la carte and fixed menus are offered and are sure to feature some of the kitchen’s more surprising concoctions. While each composition is likely to change with the seasons, every bite remains well crafted, balanced and teeming with unique flavor combinations. Highlights unveil house-made, toothsome tortelloni filled with delicately braised rabbit, resting on a miso-mushroom purée and capped with parmesan espuma. Desserts are also artful and fun, as seen in a cube of Japanese cheesecake set on a lid over shiso-panna cotta with hot pink huckleberry foam.