![Liberty Farms duck leg with pistachio dukka, baba ganoush and pomagrates is the Best Sonoma County Restaurant Dish of 2015](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_shed_duck2-600x464.jpg)
As the year comes to a close, it’s always fun to look back at the best dishes of the year — or at least my favorites.
Choosing the best from hundreds of meals isn’t easy, and admittedly is rather subjective, but a few dozen rise to the top as truly special.
![Wild fennel soup with smoked trout at SHED Cafe in Healdsburg](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/HI1115_SHEDCAFE_WILDFENNELSOUP_757694-600x464.jpg)
Anyone who’s dined with me knows the gratified look I reserve for these remarkable, memorable dishes and the hand clapping that usually accompanies it (I’m not subtle). So, what makes a great dish for me? It’s a combination of flavor, mouthfeel and elements of surprise that I find most delightful — which can come in almost any form, and at any price point.
![Preston Farms carrot salad at SHED Cafe in Healdsburg. Photo: Heather Irwin.](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/carrot-600x420.jpg)
Some are from fancy restaurants you know, others from food trucks or strip mall finds, or even a standout dish from a restaurant that I didn’t otherwise find memorable. For example, on the affordable end of the spectrum, I fell in love with a vegan chia parfait from Seed on the Go, Indian flatbread at the Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco and a bowl of shakshouka (basically eggs in a spicy, Mediterranean tomato sauce) from Goodman’s Jewish Deli. At the luxe end, a beautiful plate of seared foie gras at Valette captured my heart.
![Seared foie gras with baby kiwi and almonds at Valette in Healdsburg.](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_foiegras_valette-600x464.jpg)
In the end, however, there had to be a single winner, and this year it was a Liberty Farms duck leg with pomegranate, baba ganoush and pistachio dukkah at SHED Cafe in Healdsburg. A perfect Mediterranean dish influenced by local ingredients with kicks of flavor — smoky, sweet, herbaceous and loaded with personality.
“Many dishes on the menu are vegetable-centric,” said Chef Perry Hoffman, who recently took over as Culinary Director, and created the dish. “The duck is almost an afterthought, but it works perfectly,” he said.
![Roasted potatoes at SHED Cafe in Healdsburg, California. Photo: Heather Irwin](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1115_shedcafe_potatoes2-600x420.jpg)
It was hard to pick a single favorite dish from Hoffman’s menu, with each course a surprise and delighted featuring root vegetables from nearby farms, fresh herbs and high-end plating, including dry farmed roasted potatoes with garlic aioli, carrot salad with bee balm and yogurt; wild fennel soup with smoked salmon (now off the menu until April) and braised beef cheeks with persimmons.
After multiple courses, I remember getting up from the meal and thinking it was one of the most intriguing and unexpectedly wonderful experiences of the year. Prices range from $9 to $25 for dinner.
Here are some of my other favorite dishes of the year:
![hi1215_forkroadhouse_granola](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_forkroadhouse_granola-600x464.jpg)
– House granola with stewed prunes: Fork Roadhouse, $$ (9890 Bodega Hwy, Sebastopol, forkcatering.com)
![Kobe steak with foie gras butter at Valette in Healdsburg, CA](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/foie_steak-600x461.jpg)
– Wakame and Ahi tuna, seared Kobe beef with foie gras butter: Valette, $$$ (344 Center St., Healdsburg, valettehealdsburg.com)
![Best Sonoma County Restaurant Dishes of 2015: Grits with preserved egg, hen of the woods mushrooms, schmaltz at Bird and The Bottle in Santa Rosa](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/HI1015_GRITSBB_752586-600x464.jpg)
![HI1015_MACCHEESEBB_752587](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/HI1015_MACCHEESEBB_752587-600x464.jpg)
– Grits with preserved egg, hen of the woods mushrooms, schmaltz; “craft” mac and cheese with mortadella and fried Brussels sprouts: Bird and The Bottle, $$ (1055 Fourth St., Santa Rosa)
![BBQ pork banh mi: Simply Vietnam Express one of the Best Restaurant Dishes of 2015](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_banhmi_simplyvietnam-600x464.jpg)
– BBQ pork banh mi: Simply Vietnam Express, $ (3381 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, simply-vietnam.com)
![Bacon scone from Dominique’s Sweets: Franchetti’s Kitchen,one of the Best Restaurant Dishes of 2015](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_franchettiskitchen_bacon-600x464.jpg)
– Bacon scone from Dominique’s Sweets: Franchetti’s Kitchen, $-$$ (1229 Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa)
![Mixed mezze platter: Grape Leaf Mediterranean Grill, one of the Best Restaurant Dishes of 2015Mixed mezze platter: Grape Leaf Mediterranean Grill, one of the Best Restaurant Dishes of 2015](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_grapeleaf_mezze-600x464.jpg)
– Mixed mezze platter: Grape Leaf Mediterranean Grill $-$$ (101 East Cotati Ave., Cotati, grapeleafecafeandgrill.com)
![Spleen mousse (served at a special no-waste dinner): Backyard Restaurant, one of the Best Restaurant Dishes of 2015](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_backyard_spleen-600x464.jpg)
– Spleen mousse (served at a special no-waste dinner): Backyard Restaurant, $$ (6566 Front St., Forestville, backyardforestville.com)
![Ribs, hush puppies, cornbread and Brussels sprouts at KINSmoke, one of the Best Restaurant Dishes of 2015](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/1115HI_KINSMOKE_PLATTER_756703-600x464.jpg)
– Ribs, hush puppies, cornbread and Brussels sprouts at KINSmoke, $$ (304 Center St., Healdsburg, kinsmoke.com)
![Ribs, hush puppies, cornbread and Brussels sprouts at KINSmoke, one of the Best Restaurant Dishes of 2015](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_ramengaijin_izakaya-600x464.jpg)
– Pork belly Yakitori: Ramen Gaijin $$ (6948 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol, ramengaijin.com)
![Candy Cap mushroom churros: Sam’s Social Club, one of the Best Restaurant Dishes of 2015](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_samssocialclub_churros-600x464.jpg)
– Candy Cap mushroom churros: Sam’s Social Club, $$ (1712 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, samssocialclub.com)
![BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato): Wishbone,one of the Best Restaurant Dishes of 2015](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_wishbone_blat-600x464.jpg)
– BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato): Wishbone, $$ (841 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, wishbonepetaluma.com)
![Short ribs and polenta: Hazel Restaurant, one of the Best Restaurant Dishes of 2015](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_hazel_shortribs-600x464.jpg)
– Short ribs and polenta: Hazel Restaurant, $$ (3782 Bohemian Hwy., Occidental, restauranthazel.com)
![CRUDO_735702](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/CRUDO_735702-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_appetizers_barndiva](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_appetizers_barndiva-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_bankclub_chilepies](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_bankclub_chilepies-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_deldotto_mangalitsa](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_deldotto_mangalitsa-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_drycreekkitchen_dungeness](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_drycreekkitchen_dungeness-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_frybread_outsidelands](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_frybread_outsidelands-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_harvestkitchen_gnocchi](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_harvestkitchen_gnocchi-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_pascaline_buns](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_pascaline_buns-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_pastaking_polenta](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_pastaking_polenta-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_heritagepublichouse_burrata](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_heritagepublichouse_burrata-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_hertitagepublichouse_smokedchicken](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_hertitagepublichouse_smokedchicken-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_personapizza_burrata](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_personapizza_burrata-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_quickly_octopus](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_quickly_octopus-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_ramengaijin_salad](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_ramengaijin_salad-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_santarosaseafood_fishtaco](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_santarosaseafood_fishtaco-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_seedtruck_chai](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_seedtruck_chai-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_shakshouka_goodmans](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_shakshouka_goodmans-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_sitkaspruce_salmon](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_sitkaspruce_salmon-600x464.jpg)
![hi1215_sweetts_nachos](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi1215_sweetts_nachos-600x464.jpg)
![hi2015_eastwest_buns](https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/hi2015_eastwest_buns-600x464.jpg)