Category: BiteClub

Mother’s Day

I recently heard someone say that if you needed a holiday to honor your mom, you might need to rethink your relationship. Which is probably true, but it’s always nice to have a fire lit under one’s sorry behind to get that maternal thanksgiving crackling. And what better way to say, “You’re the best, Mom” […]

Plaza Farms closing

After several years of trying to make a go of it, Healdsburg’s Plaza Farms is throwing in the towel. The market, which opened in 2005, has struggled to gain a foothold with tourists and locals since its inception despite the popularity of many of its vendors, including Bovolo Restaurant and DaVero Olive Oils and former […]

Hey cupcake

Cupcakes are the happiest food on earth. I dare you to defy me on that. Wrapped in crinkly paper collars and capped with a pastel poof of buttercream, they’re unabashedly adorable. They come in dozens. And no one can pull off sprinkles and candy glitter with the same panache. But when it comes to taste, […]

Sift Cupcakery

As owner of Sift, the Sonoma County's first official cupcakery, Ballus is dedicated to the art of killer cupcakes. With a baker's dozen (or so) flavors fresh made each day, she and her staff (of one) are barely keeping up with demand. Not exactly surprising when at least half the menu reads like a high-end cocktail list--Pink Champagne, Miami Vice, Limonata, the Irish Car Bomb and the Ooh La La. Cute, but just a little dangerous

Bluegrass Bar and Grill (Closed)

Bluegrass Bar and Grill's menu has some very solid contenders for the restaurant's assertion of "Best BBQ in Sonoma", namely the St. Louis Ribs ($16.99 half). These are a smoked and rubbed version, so the gloopy, gloppy is at a minimum, though sauce is served on the side. They're tender, fall-off-the-bone tasty with just enough spice to be noticed

Trisha’s Lumpia House

Going Pinoy is the name of the game at Trisha's Lumpia House, Sonoma County's first (as far as anyone we talked to knows) Filipino restaurant. Hidden in Petaluma's G&G Shopping Center, Karen tells us that much of the clientele are curious, um, obviously non-Filipino eaters like us and she's always happy to walk folks through the menu. She locks us onto Pork Adobo, lumpia (think fried spring rolls), pancit noodles (think Pad Thai or chowmein) and Sitaw at Kalabasa (long beans and squash in coconut milk).

Hopmonk

BiteClub was ready to love Hopmonk. All the build up, all the hype, all the beer. What could go wrong? Apparently a lot. I’m willing to overlook a whole heck of a lot when a restaurant first opens. Kitchens need time to get the drill right. Staff need breaking in. Hey, it’s a brewpub for […]

Hopmonk | Sebastopol

Despite a rough start, BiteClubbers say fare has improved