The idea of green eggs and ham has always struck me as something best left for Dr. Seuss after trying several well-meaning efforts from creative chefs. But a Turkish egg version with ham from Journeyman Meats, green goddess yogurt, dukkah spices, crushed pistachios and a jammy egg could easily persuade me to try it in a box, with a fox or pretty much anywhere.
Chef Beryl Adler, the owner of Acorn Cafe in Healdsburg, is spilling the tea on forthcoming dishes on his breakfast, brunch and lunch menu. The cafe, located in the 124 Matheson St. building that housed Oakville Grocery for 25 years, is slated to open in late summer (fingers crossed for August, Adler said).
Also on the menu are tiramisu French toast with brioche from Santa Rosa’s Goguette Bread, mascarpone sabayon (a rich cream sauce) and a scoop of Black Oak coffee ice cream; a bacon Benedict with brown butter Hollandaise; a fried chicken sandwich with housemade teriyaki sauce and pickled vegetables; as well as lemon pancakes and an acai bowl. The restaurant will also bake scones and muffins daily.
The interior of the former Oakville Grocery has been completely remodeled, with more windows and expansive indoor seating, in addition to the much-loved patio seats with a view of the plaza.
“The whole purpose of me wanting to open this cafe is to create a space where my wife can come after dropping my daughter at school and grab a beverage with friends,” Adler said.
Keeping with the family theme, the green eggs and ham dish is a nod to his 3-year-old, the chef said, though the ingredients are decidedly not nursery school fare.
“There’s nowhere really on the plaza for breakfast,” he said, noting that, while there are bakeries and coffee shops, a dedicated sit-down cafe has long been lacking.
After Acorn Cafe closes at 5 p.m., Adler hopes to create a community space inside the building for pop-up restaurants.
“It’s for entrepreneurs who dream of opening a restaurant, so rather than committing to a lease, they can test the waters here,” he said. (Healdsburg has long been a prime spot for new restaurant concepts, with places like Molti Amici, Maison Healdsburg Wine Bar and other tasting rooms serving as launchpads for entrepreneurial chefs.)
Adler previously worked at the W Hotel in Seminyak, Bali, and Ritz-Carlton locations in Half Moon Bay and Grand Cayman in the Caribbean. While coming up with the concept for Acorn Cafe, he created the in-house menu at Black Oak Coffee Roasters in Healdsburg (324 Center St.). The Ukiah-based coffee company, however, is not part of the Acorn ownership team.
“This little acorn fell from their family tree,” he said of his time working for Black Oak owner Jon Frech.
In addition to serving Black Oak coffee, Acorn Cafe will have beer and rosé on tap.
Stay tuned for opening details.