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Glen Ellen Star: “If you are curious about where the locals eat, or looking for a place without the ostentatious trappings of wine country wealth, consider Glen Ellen Star in a small village just north of the city of Sonoma,” New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov wrote.
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At the glowing heart of Glen Ellen Star is Chef Ari Weiswasser’s 650-degree custom-built wood-fired oven that perfumes the entire block with its smoke. The restaurant uses the oven for a variety of menu items, including sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and corn kernels. (Erik Castro/for The Press Democrat)
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“I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve had that was made in the oven, whether the margherita pizza, with its blistered crust, roasted whole fish or crisp-skinned chicken roasted under a brick, served over polenta with roasted winter vegetables and a caramelized orange slice — a delicious touch,” Asimov wrote. (Crista Jeremiason/The Press Democrat)
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As for wines at the secluded restaurant, Asimov wrote, “The wine list emphasizes local bottles, mostly from small producers. The selection of reds is particularly extensive, with many reasonably priced options alongside older vintages for those wanting to splurge.” (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
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Sonoma Magazine dining editor Heather Irwin included Glen Ellen Star in her recent selection of "Essential Sonoma County Restaurants." "Combining classic French techniques, razor-focused attention to detail and exotic Mediterranean and Middle Eastern spices in every dish, Glen Ellen Star is one of Wine Country’s perennial must-tries," she wrote. (Crista Jeremiason/The Press Democrat)
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You'll also find one of the best steaks in Sonoma County at Glen Ellen Star. Chef Ari Weiswasser's Wagyu zabuton (a Denver strip) is served with with potato dauphinois, broccoli, crispy guanciale and bordelaise sauce. (Glen Ellen Star)
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The Matheson: “I can’t think of a better place in Wine Country for a lone business traveler than the Matheson,” Asimov wrote about chef Dustin Valette’s Healdsburg restaurant. “Along with comfortable seating at a handsome, slate-covered bar and excellent California cuisine, the restaurant offers an astounding, futuristic wall of wine, a sort of wine-automat with 88 choices, which you can order by the splash or the half or full glass.” (Michael Woolsey)
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Asimov compared increasingly swanky Healdsburg with Yountville, home of the famous French Laundry restaurant. “In Sonoma County, Healdsburg is about as close as it gets to the ostentatious wealth of Napa Valley, as new boutique hotels and expensive clothing shops seemingly open every month. The Matheson, with its rooftop cocktail lounge and sleek, stylish, street-level restaurant, might comfortably fit into Yountville, he wrote. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
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"I chose a glass of dry, focused 2021 Calandrelli Vineyard gewürztraminer from Halleck in the Russian River Valley and an appetizer of deeply flavored corn soup, with Oaxacan cheese, cilantro and a fritter that tasted like the essence of a corn tortilla. I added a glass of 2020 Les Noisetiers Sonoma chardonnay from Kistler, with halibut served with pole beans and squid in a mild Thai curry sauce," wrote Asimov. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
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Margherita Salametto Flatbread at Roof 106 at The Matheson in Healdsburg. (Michael Woolsey)
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Valley Bar + Bottle: "Valley, on Sonoma Plaza, is the sort of place I’d love to have in my neighborhood,” Asimov said of his third choice in Sonoma County. “It’s a wine bar with a terrific, thoughtful list that leans toward the natural side. It sells bottles retail, too, and it serves a small, seasonal menu of simple foods that are beautifully prepared.” (John Burgess/ The Press Democrat)
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The tented back patio is the place to be here, Asimov wrote. And as for which wines to chose? “Among the California bottles on the list, I would covet two Central Coast wines: a savagnin-and-chardonnay combination from Phelan Farms in Cambria, and a counoise from Margins in the Santa Clara Valley.” (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
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Compline, one of our favorite places to sip wine in Napa, also was included in The New York Times article, along with The Charter Oak in St. Helena and Torc in the city of Napa. (Compline)
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The Compline menu features seasonal dishes, large and small, designed to pair with the wines. (Compline)
