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Gerard's Paella and Tapas, Santa Rosa: Gerard Nebesky is a celebrity chef in the Wine Country food world, even though he hasn’t owned a restaurant since 2001. He’s famous for his catering, specializing in boldly flavored paella cooked over an open grape-wood flame at farmers markets, festivals, and wineries. Part of the ooh-aah appeal is his monster-size pans, spanning up to 11 feet wide to hold mouthwatering creations like the El Pescador of clams, mussels, prawns, squid, sweet peas, peppers, black cuttlefish-stained rice, and a silky dollop of aioli. At his new eatery in downtown Santa Rosa, however, we can dig into individual-size paellas, finished in a wood-burning oven and offered alongside salads, Spanish sandwiches, and pintxo (appetizers) like crispy manchego croquettes. 701 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-708-8686, gerardspaella.com
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“Today’s customer is an educated food lover who is very particular with all aspects of its preparation,” says Gerard Nebesky of his cafeteria-line-style service. “The fine fast-casual concept and having the assemblage done right before the customer’s eyes allows a direct line of communication with the chef.” (Photo by John Burgess)
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El Pescador Paella with sea clams, mussels, prawns, squid, sweet peas, arroz negro, peppers and aioli from Gerard's Paella and Tapas in downtown Santa Rosa. (Photo by John Burgess)
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Creme Catalan with raspberry sauce from Gerard's Paella and Tapas in downtown Santa Rosa. (Photo by John Burgess)
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Miracle Plum, Santa Rosa: This adorable market in a 114-year-old building near Railroad Square tempts with lots of lovely, local boutique groceries like Golden State Pickle Works/The Live Larder pickles, and The Nectary organic cold-pressed juices. Owners and Santa Rosa natives Sallie Miller (a caterer for chef Guy Fieri’s Food Network show) and Gwen Gunheim (trained under Gary Danko at Geyserville’s Chateau Souverain) are raising funds to expand into a full cafe, as well. For now, guests can stock up on hearty grab-’n’-go sandwiches from Santa Rosa’s Red Bird Bakery (from Linda and Isaac Cermak of Petaluma’s Della Fatoria fame) plus gourmet salads from Sebastopol’s Food Mechanic (owned by Shane Dykhuis, a Chez Panisse apprentice and former Boonville Hotel chef). 208 Davis St., Santa Rosa, 707-708-7986, miracleplum.com.
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The Mechanic’s smoked chicken and pink pearl apple salad at Miracle Plum is crazy mouthwatering, tumbled with Point Reyes blue cheese, avocado, cucumber, salted almonds, golden raisins, and Little Gem lettuce in crème fraîche vinaigrette. (Photo by Chris Hardy)
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Padron peppers at Miracle Plum in Santa Rosa. (Photo by Chris Hardy)
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Raku Ramen & Rolls, Santa Rosa: Chef-owner Takeshi Uchida worked with top chef Tony Ounpamornchai of Santa Rosa’s critically acclaimed Sea Thai Bistro to create this impressive menu featuring high-quality ingredients like organic veggies, tofu, tempeh, and avocado, plus sustainable Ora king salmon and wild-caught tuna. You can select your ramen noodles from thin, thick, or gluten-free, and your broths from pork bone tonkatsu, shoyu chicken and pork, or organic vegan blended with organic red and white miso. A lot of thought went into the snazzy interior, too, which is artsy and upscale with a paper lantern sculpture hanging from the ceiling, raw wood walls, and shelves of elegant pottery, bonsai, and Daruma dolls. 2424 Midway Drive, Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa, 707-623-9668
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Raku Roll sushi. (Photo by Chris Hardy)
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Zoftig Eatery, Santa Rosa: Chef-owners Matt and Sonjia Spector operated Calistoga’s high-end JoLe for nearly eight years before launching this rustic, fast-casual breakfast and lunch cafe last December. And they say they are happier than ever now, with more time for their family. “I think over the years, the idea that great food can only be in a fine-dining restaurant has been proven wrong many times,” says Matt, explaining that zoftig is an expression meaning complete, plentiful, and well-rounded. The chefs make everything from scratch for their mouthwatering choices, like a succulent grilled Italian roasted pork sandwich layered with fennel, red onion, parsley, roasted red peppers, and Parmesan, or a Korean burrito overstuffed with grilled short ribs, kimchee, carrot, daikon, green onions, jalapeño, avocado, and brown rice. 57 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-521-9554, zoftigeatery.com
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“Now, I’ve got a place where people can enjoy our food three times per week, rather than three times per year,” says Matt Spector, chef-owner at Zoftig Eatery. (Photo by Chris Hardy)
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Grilled Italian Pork sandwich with garlic aioli, roasted peppers, fennel red onion slaw, on Village Bakery ciabatta roll at Zoftig Eatery in Santa Rosa. (Photo by Chris Hardy)
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Korean Burrito featuring ground beef marinated with soy, brown sugar, garlic and ginger, Korean bbq sauce, avocado, mint cilantro, pickled daikon and carrot, organic brown rice, and kimchi at Zoftig Eatery in Santa Rosa (Photo by Chris Hardy)
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Ippinn Udon & Tempura, Santa Rosa: Noodles are made in-house and cooked to order, the variety of broths and sauces are made from scratch, and toppings are ultra-fresh, including silky pork belly chasu, prawns, scallops, and squid. 1880 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-521-9911, ippinnllc.com
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El Huerto, Sonoma: “Huerto” means “orchard” in Spanish, saluting the many premium fruits and nuts made into healthy bowls, smoothies, pressed juices, and savory toasts at this Sonoma superfood cafe. Owners Susan and Adrian Olvera create signatures like the Sunrise bowl of mango, banana, avocado, dates, lemon, almond milk, granola, strawberries, and shredded coconut, or thick-cut country bread slathered with almond butter, banana, chocolate chunks, and chia seeds. Juice recipes are just as inventive, in refreshing concoctions like apple, beet, celery, kale, and a spicy jolt of ginger, or the brilliant quaff of honeydew melon, spinach, celery, lemon, parsley, and zingy mint. The sleek lime-green and white interior feels as clean and fresh as the food. 19213 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, 707-934-8791.
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Ginger and lime shot at El Huerto in Sonoma. (Courtesy photo)
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Stockhome, Petaluma: Husband-and-wife team Roberth and Andrea Sundell own the fancy Scandinavian restaurant Pläj in San Francisco, but the couple’s new endeavor highlights Swedish street food ordered at a counter that shares space with a rainbow array of Swedish bulk candies. The brief menu offers bites like kebabs, wiener schnitzel, and the truly amazing creation of tunnbrödsrulle, a grilled frankfurter with all the fixings stuffed into lavash. 220 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-981-8511, stockhomerestaurant.com
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Matjes herring served with baby potatoes and pickled onions and carrots at Stockhome Restaurant in Petaluma. (Photo by Beth Schlanker)
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Swedish meatballs at Stockhome Restaurant in Petaluma. (Photo courtesy of newrevmedia.com)
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Kebab plate at Stockhome Restaurant in Petaluma. (Photo courtesy of newrevmedia.com)
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Swedish Saturday Candy at Stockhome Restaurant in Petaluma. (Photo courtesy of newrevmedia.com)
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What a Chicken, Petaluma: Owners Cesar and Griselda Segura morphed their successful farmers market operation into a cheerful cafe specializing in succulent grilled chicken and ribs, homemade tortillas, and sparkling fresh fruit agua frescas. 706 E. Washington St., Petaluma, 707-971-7549
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Barrio Fresca Cocina Mexicana, Sebastopol: Chef Carlos Rosas makes tacos muy elegante with tortillas homemade from GMO-free California corn masa and griddled to order on the plancha then filled with local organic meats and veggies. He offers sophisticated dishes, too, like carne asada smothered in melted curd cheese, Mexican chimichurri, micro-greens, arugula, citrus-pickled onions, and lacy edible flowers. 6760 McKinley St., Sebastopol, 707-329-6538, barriobayarea.com
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The Choriloco with red corn tortilla, potatoes, handmade chorizo, scrambled eggs, pumpkin seed, melted cheese curds, arugula and salsa de chile Morita from Barrio Fresca Cocina Mexicana in Sebastopol's The Barlow. (Photo by John Burgess)
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Torta el Chavo served on torpedo bread with pork belly, chipotle aioli, pico de gallo and arugula from Barrio Fresca Cocina Mexicana in Sebastopol's The Barlow. (Photo by John Burgess)
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Handline, Sebastopol: An authentic stone mill grinds organic corn into masa for homemade rustic-thick tortillas. Hyperlocal organic ingredients include produce from the eatery owners’ farm, and daily catch swims in from nearby Bodega Bay. 935 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-827-6297, handline.com
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"The Pier 45" fishermans stew with tomato, fennel, rock cod, cove mussels, clams, calamari & crab served with house tortillas from Handline in Sebastopol. (Photo by John Burgess)
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The Handline "Inglewood" burger features pastured beef, St. Jorge fonduta, iceberg lettuce, spicy pickle relish and thousand island on a toasted bun. (Photo by John Burgess)
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Handline was built on the site of the old Foster's Freeze in Sebastopol and they continue to keep soft serve ice cream on the menu. (Photo by John Burgess)