Bird and The Bottle Restaurant Opens in Santa Rosa
Jewish comfort food meets Southern cookin' meets Korean food at Bird and The Bottle, now open in Santa Rosa.
Open kitchen at Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CA
By biteclub
In case you haven’t heard the shrieks of joy from your food-obsessed friends, Mark and Terri Stark have finally (finally) opened their sixth restaurant in Sonoma County, Bird and The Bottle. It wasn’t without some labor pains, which included everything from permitting and ABC challenges to managing the $1.5 million renovation. But like any parent, the pain is soon forgotten when that bouncing baby turns out to be pretty perfect. I’ll be writing more about the menu and the whole story behind what Mark is lovingly calling his “Jew-rean” menu in the coming weeks, but here’s the 411 on what you need to know if you go:
– The menu is a mashup of Jewish comfort food, Southern classics (fried chicken, Gulf shrimp, buttermilk biscuits with pimento cheese) and a punch of Korean on the side. That means dishes like cheesy grits with maitake mushrooms, cured egg and spicy schmaltz (rendered chicken fat), $10, kimchee latkes ($10) or matzoh ball ramen ($10). Somehow it all works.
– The cocktail menu is equally inspired, with hard teas, drinking vinegars paired with vodka, bourbon and tequila, or giant cocktail shakers with drinks for the table
– Schmears are a great snack or lunch item, with chicken liver mousse, smoked black cod or barbecued bone marrow served with pumpernickel rye ($10-14)
– The name refers to a saucy double entendre describing late-night pleasures of pre-World War I young men about town—“hot bird and a cold bottle”. We’ll let you guess which was the saucy dish and which was the champagne.
– A $20,000 indoor wood-fired grill is the kitchen centerpiece, with live fire grilling of fish, breads, veggies and of course heartier meats. A commercial smoker gives duck and fish perfect flavor.
Bird and The Bottle, open daily for lunch and dinner, 1055 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-568-4000.
Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CAExterior, Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CAButtermilk Fried Chicken with Mombo Sauce, $24 (Feeds several) Bird and The BottleBird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CACake in a jar: Bird and The BottleTrue pimento spread at Bird and The BottleChicken liver mousse with chicken cracklings, $10Chicken Cracklins wit Nashville Hot Sauce, $4: Bird and The BottlePoncho’s Pride Cocktail. The cocktail menu here is insane, with drinking vinegars and “hard teas”. Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CAFired Chicken entree, Whole Fish Entree, Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CAMy favorite dish: Cheesy grits with hen of the woods mushrooms, cured egg and spicy schmaltz, $10 Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CACraft Mac and Cheese with fried mortadella and brussels sprouts, $8. Looks haute, tastes like your childhood. Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CABBQ Octopus with beat sprout miso slaw, $16 Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CA8 Hour smoked pork shoulder, $24, great for sharing. Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CAThrice fried potatoes. Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CAGulf prawns with buttery Saltines and Korean chili butter, $13 Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CASchmaltz. Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CASmoked black cod with sour cream and pumpernickel toast, $11 Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CAWhole grilled fish, $32, Bird and The Bottle, a new Stark Reality Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CAGrilled squash with pickled tomatoes, a vegetarian dish. The restaurant maintains a separate grill for vegetarian items.Grilled squash at Bird and The BottleGrilled radicchio at Bird and the Bottle
Comments
12 thoughts on “Bird and The Bottle Restaurant Opens in Santa Rosa”
Besides the “schmaltz” and matzoh ball soup, where’s the Jewish style food?
there are like 5 schmears, and latkas in addition to what you see illustrated. it’s not a Jewish deli. It has inspirations from Jewish comfort food, which is Terri’s heritage, and something she’s long wanted to see in one of their restaurants.
Heather thank you for posting your impressions and Photos(!) after your first look into Bird And The Bottle. I too have already had the pleasure of dining in and and the experience as spot on- even on day one. While I am always impressed with food and hospitality of all the Stark’s restaurants, this newest addition is off the charts on all accounts.
The combination and layering of flavors come together so beautifully, while offering a ‘down home’ yet yet elevated palette. The ambience exudes casual yet sophisticated comfort with many artistic elements to rest the eye.
Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!
Schmaltz!!! Yummers! With chicken cracklin’ (called gribenes in our house!).
Thanks Heather for your defense of us omnivores–you can eat what you want and believe what you want, but the moment you try to convert me and tell me how wrong my choices are, then you’re just narrow-minded and overbearing.
Too bad they’re ignoring the thousands of us vegetarians, who would love some gourmet dishes not containing the dead flesh of mammals, birds, or fish.
It looks like they’re in some past time warp with all that fried food. Yuck.
Argh. May I make the suggestion that you read the menu.
There are 10 items on the menu that are “flesh free” or can be made so (ie: not adding schmaltz). Additionally, they maintain a separate side of the grill for vegetarian dishes (ie: your radicchio isn’t mingling with the fish unless you want it to).
I did add a couple items from my visit that represent the vegetarian dishes (they just didn’t photograph well, which i why I didn’t include them originally). Please also know that the Stark’s are kinda famous for their rich, indulgent food. I couldn’t eat it everyday, but when I want a meal that satisfies the longings for fat and butter and meat, I go to their restaurants.
I get very frustrated with people who make categorical statements about restaurants. I could easily slam Gaia’s Garden for not having meat. Sheesh there are a lot more carnivore/omnivores out there. Or vegan dishes at Indian restaurants. Look, humans ARE omnivores. Cruelty to animals? That’s a different issue, but I do ask the restaurateurs where they get source their meats, and the conscientious ones like Mark source as ethically as possible. Mark uses all of the chicken — not just the breasts, down to the fat, which is rendered into schmaltz, a much-loved Jewish cooking fat.
I can’t change anyone’s mind, but I really get peeved when people slam a restaurant without knowing the facts. Restaurateurs contribute a huge amount to the economy of Sonoma County — huge. Let’s just be as fair to them as we would be to any other entrepreneur.
Why do vegetarian whiners expect every chef and restaurant to cater to them? Go somewhere else if you don’t like the menu. All that dead mammal, bird and fish looks scrumptious!!
The name of the restaurant didn’t clue you in as to what the focus may be? I get people in my restaurant all the time complaining our menu is ‘meat driven’ when it is in fact not. There are plenty of meat free options and substitutions available to our meat free guests. If our menu items with meat products in them look more satisfying than a kale salad with a side of veggies, that’s your problem not ours. Either learn to navigate a menu or make your salad and be sad and grumpy at home.
Besides the “schmaltz” and matzoh ball soup, where’s the Jewish style food?
seriously.
https://locu.com/places/bird-the-bottle-santa-rosa-us/
there are like 5 schmears, and latkas in addition to what you see illustrated. it’s not a Jewish deli. It has inspirations from Jewish comfort food, which is Terri’s heritage, and something she’s long wanted to see in one of their restaurants.
Heather thank you for posting your impressions and Photos(!) after your first look into Bird And The Bottle. I too have already had the pleasure of dining in and and the experience as spot on- even on day one. While I am always impressed with food and hospitality of all the Stark’s restaurants, this newest addition is off the charts on all accounts.
The combination and layering of flavors come together so beautifully, while offering a ‘down home’ yet yet elevated palette. The ambience exudes casual yet sophisticated comfort with many artistic elements to rest the eye.
Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!
Schmaltz!!! Yummers! With chicken cracklin’ (called gribenes in our house!).
Thanks Heather for your defense of us omnivores–you can eat what you want and believe what you want, but the moment you try to convert me and tell me how wrong my choices are, then you’re just narrow-minded and overbearing.
Too bad they’re ignoring the thousands of us vegetarians, who would love some gourmet dishes not containing the dead flesh of mammals, birds, or fish.
It looks like they’re in some past time warp with all that fried food. Yuck.
Argh. May I make the suggestion that you read the menu.
There are 10 items on the menu that are “flesh free” or can be made so (ie: not adding schmaltz). Additionally, they maintain a separate side of the grill for vegetarian dishes (ie: your radicchio isn’t mingling with the fish unless you want it to).
I did add a couple items from my visit that represent the vegetarian dishes (they just didn’t photograph well, which i why I didn’t include them originally). Please also know that the Stark’s are kinda famous for their rich, indulgent food. I couldn’t eat it everyday, but when I want a meal that satisfies the longings for fat and butter and meat, I go to their restaurants.
I get very frustrated with people who make categorical statements about restaurants. I could easily slam Gaia’s Garden for not having meat. Sheesh there are a lot more carnivore/omnivores out there. Or vegan dishes at Indian restaurants. Look, humans ARE omnivores. Cruelty to animals? That’s a different issue, but I do ask the restaurateurs where they get source their meats, and the conscientious ones like Mark source as ethically as possible. Mark uses all of the chicken — not just the breasts, down to the fat, which is rendered into schmaltz, a much-loved Jewish cooking fat.
I can’t change anyone’s mind, but I really get peeved when people slam a restaurant without knowing the facts. Restaurateurs contribute a huge amount to the economy of Sonoma County — huge. Let’s just be as fair to them as we would be to any other entrepreneur.
https://locu.com/places/bird-the-bottle-santa-rosa-us/
Head over to Sebastopol…there are plenty of of restaurants that serve the hay and grass and grains and oats that you desire.
Why do vegetarian whiners expect every chef and restaurant to cater to them? Go somewhere else if you don’t like the menu. All that dead mammal, bird and fish looks scrumptious!!
The name of the restaurant didn’t clue you in as to what the focus may be? I get people in my restaurant all the time complaining our menu is ‘meat driven’ when it is in fact not. There are plenty of meat free options and substitutions available to our meat free guests. If our menu items with meat products in them look more satisfying than a kale salad with a side of veggies, that’s your problem not ours. Either learn to navigate a menu or make your salad and be sad and grumpy at home.
Assuming it’s the same fried chicken and mambo sauce they use at Bravas, this makes me very happy. Put that sauce on everything.
it is. and yeah, i’d slather it on myself if i could. so amazing.
Good gravy that all looks so delicious! “I want to go to there…”