Jan 21, 2021
In this podcast, Tony
Carracci picks up where he left off in
Part 1, talking about closing his kitchen inside the Cat Club
and using that space instead as a second dance floor. It was around
this time that the '80s-themed night 1984 started.
But Tony wanted a live-music venue.
He found a spot in Hunter's Point that happened to have a kitchen,
and so, The Pound SF was born. After running that place for a few
years, Tony left and, after not doing much "for a minute," he
became a wedding planner. In his mind, it has a lot in common with
running a restaurant or a club.
Fast-forward to 2017. He had been
living in Marin since the mid-1990s, and, as a food person, was
always making sauces. One day, he noticed an empty storefront and
"inquired within." While he awaited permits to do food in the
space, he acquired a food truck, and, inspired by David Bowie's
last LP, named it Black Star Bakehouse and Smokery.
Tony's story of meeting his partner,
Suzie Vasko, coincides with his discovery of Point
San Pablo Harbor. Tony would take the Black Star truck to the
harbor and he had just won best food truck in Marin when the
COVID-19 pandemic hit. In the summer of 2020, the harbormaster told
Tony that Nobilis, a restaurant down on the water, was closing and
that Tony's barbecue would be a perfect fit.
Suzie shares the story of their
meeting, and the two end the podcast talking about opening
Black Star Pirate BBQ.
The restaurant is open for takeout
from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday. They of course hope
to reopen once it's safe and legal to do so. Please support them if
you can—the food and location are truly special.
We recorded this podcast at Black Star Pirate BBQ in
Point San Pablo Harbor in December 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather