Category: BiteClub

UPDATEOrsi’s closedDowntown Italian eatery, Orsi’s, has closed. The spot on Fifth St. seems to be cursed since the closing of the popular Cafe Lolo several years ago, with two restaurants since failing in the spot. No word on whether the restaurant will re-open elsewhere. Meanwhile, a change of ownership and possible wine bar in the […]

Just in time for this weekend’s Taste of Petaluma (this Saturday, Sept. 29 from noon to 4), several new Theater Square (along Petaluma Blvd. south, in downtown Petaluma) restaurants have swung open their doors. Here’s a quick sneak preview of the menus- Tres Hombres officially opened yesterday. The interior is much more luxe than your […]

BiteClubber Jim asks: Where in Santa Rosa or in the county of Sonoma can I find Monte Cristo sandwiches? America’s answer to the Croque Monsieur, the batter-dipped Monte Cristo sandwich was a beloved diner staple throughout the 60s and early 70s. But like Shirley Temples, meatloaf and pot roast, it faded into food obscurity as […]

My usual beat on the food circuit–new openings and funky food trends–has one very distinct disadvantage: I rarely haunt tried and true restaurants with proven menus. And while bacon on a trapeze and opening nights clearly have cache and appeal, its hard to describe the relief of sitting down at a nearly decade-old spot like […]

Despite what some of you may think, the life of a food writer isn’t all foie gras and Kobe beef. Not by a long-shot. Like everybody else, I eat plenty of bad take-out, mega chain burgers, Lean Cuisines and hot dogs. And during most of those everyday meals, I pretty much shut off my foodie […]

There’s nothing that gets my blood pumping faster than a whiff of new restaurant about to open. And this fall, there’s plenty to be excited about. From Petaluma to Windsor, at least a dozen new spots have either recently opened or are preparing to start service before the end of the year (most sooner). You’ll […]

A cross between your average Thompson table grape and the tart-skinned black Concord, Bronx grapes are a rare heirloom varietal worth seeking out. Available for a limited time at Whole Foods in the North Bay, they have a delicate pinkish color, and a honey sweet taste that rival the tasty Muscat. You won’t find these […]

Though there’s not much meat to this tidbit, BiteClub’s still gnawing eagerly: The long-awaited Starks Steakhouse is set to open this fall. I’d heard a bit of buzzing about things happening at the former Michele’s near Railroad Square, then found out that waitrons at Mark Stark’s other restaurant, Monti’s, were reportedly wearing “Coming Soon” shirts […]

Only in Napa could a guy spend fourteen years and countless millions building a 121,000 square-foot castle to a collective yawn. Maybe it was the decade-plus of building. Maybe it was just another castle in a valley full of McMansions, chateaux and bombastic monuments. Maybe it was because you had to pay $15 bucks just […]