Sometimes when a door closes, a 150-year-old yellow clapboard Victorian overlooking downtown Occidental opens.
That’s exactly what happened to Jim and Michele Wimborough of Hazel Restaurant.
This week, the couple reopened Hazel in a new home at 3688 Bohemian Highway, less than a year after closing the restaurant’s longtime location down the street. That space, at 3782 Bohemian Highway, is now home to the recently opened Bohemian Bistro.
Moving wasn’t the plan. But sometimes unexpected changes come with silver linings.
The quirky old building that once housed Barley & Hops has a historic bar filled with 19th-century charm, an airy dining room, cozy nooks for tables and just the right amount of west county character to make it feel like a neighborhood restaurant from the start.
Not surprisingly, the regulars have already begun returning, Michele Wimborough said, happy to see their favorite dishes back on the menu.
A new home
The couple spent the past eight months reworking the space, which had sat empty for several years. It wasn’t a quick turnaround, or at least not as quick as anyone would have liked. Old buildings and old equipment have a way of revealing surprises, and sometimes things simply take longer than expected. That, too, is part of being a restaurateur.
On Aug. 13, with the tables set, cookies baked, pot roast braising and sourdough starter rising, Hazel soft-opened in its new home.
Naturally, one of the fryers broke. The sourdough starter balked. That’s also part of being a restaurateur.
Otherwise, Hazel might be more Hazel than ever.
Looking out onto a redwood grove from the pale blue dining room, there’s a coziness that settles over the room. A soft banquette, old wood floors, the occasional creak and tiny decorative details that reward a closer look all fit naturally with the casual comfort food that has become Hazel’s hallmark.
The limited opening menu includes the favorites: the epic hunk of braised beef with mashed potatoes, roasted half chicken, vegan Caesar salad and the OMG Sundae with caramel and hot fudge.
The schnitzel is larger than its oversized plate, its crisp coating spilling over the edges alongside red cabbage. The Brussels sprouts with bacon may be the best you’ve ever had, with crisp leaves, tender centers and just enough caramelization.
New are flatbreads topped with Point Reyes blue cheese, caramelized onions and bacon. They’re every bit as satisfying as Hazel’s old pizzas.
It’s all there, just the same, but in a new place that feels unmistakably Hazel.
Open 5-9 p.m. Wednesday through Monday. 3688 Bohemian Highway, Occidental, 707-874-6003, restauranthazel.com.