Healdsburg’s Molti Amici, which closed abruptly in November last year amid financial struggles and embezzlement accusations, will reopen this spring with a fresh vision and a new name – Bistro Lagniappe.
Chef Jacob Harth is leading the charge at the new Healdsburg bistro. He first captured local attention last September at a pop-up preview of Winnie’s, a seafood restaurant centered around responsibly sourced West Coast seafood.
While Winnie’s is still in development, Bistro Lagniappe is set to make its debut this spring with a menu focused on wood-fired dishes inspired by both California and French countryside cooking.
“Bistro Lagniappe will showcase California countryside cooking inspired by the rural routiers (roadside restaurants) and bistros of France, informed by the best ingredients from Sonoma County,” Harth said.
Though the menu is still in the works, Harth described his cooking style as “minimalist and straightforward, allowing our exceptional local artisans to shine.”
A new chapter
The Bistro Lagniappe announcement ends months of speculation surrounding the future of the 330 Healdsburg Ave. space, which had been vacant since Molti Amici’s closure. It comes in the wake of the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by Molti Amici co-owner Jason Cutrer against the shuttered restaurant’s founder, Jonny Barr. The lawsuit had sought more than $1.5 million in damages.
In a joint statement released April 11, Cutrer and Barr said, “While we will not be working together moving forward, we have worked collaboratively to reach an agreement that enables each of us to focus on our respective paths and future endeavors.”
Harth said Thursday that Cutrer is no longer in the public-facing role he assumed after the closure of Molti Amici, but that Cutrer and other Molti Amici investors will retain ownership stakes in Bistro Lagniappe.
The menu
The Healdsburg Avenue space will give Harth a key tool to use in crafting his cuisine. A large wood-fired oven, which can reach temperatures of 1,200 degrees, is a centerpiece of the expansive patio behind the restaurant.
The oven was built by chef Ari Rosen when Campo Fina occupied the space. (The Italian restaurant closed after 10 years in 2022, with a downtown Healdsburg funeral parade mourning its loss. It was forced to shutter due to skyrocketing rent, according to Rosen.)
“It’s a powerful heat source and has been used in people’s homes for hundreds of years,” Harth said.
Though brick ovens are a favorite of pizza-makers, the Lagniappe menu will feature comfort dishes like cassoulet, gratins, roasted oysters and wood-fired fish – no pizzas.
A chef with national recognition
Before taking over the former Molti Amici location, Harth earned national acclaim for his Portland-based restaurant, Erizo, which was named one of Eater’s “16 Best New Restaurants of 2019.”
Erizo’s menu was built around a sustainable seafood tasting experience, with an emphasis on invasive species such as purple sea urchins, bycatch and seasonal seafood from sustainable fisheries.
Taking sustainability a step further, Harth even obtained a commercial fishing license to harvest rarely used seafood, like sea grapes and gooseneck barnacles.
Bistro Lagniappe will initially be open for dinner, with plans to expand into weekend brunch down the line.