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Duck Fat Fries and Ahi Tuna Nachos: Our Favorite Food at BottleRock Napa Valley

May 2023

By Heather Irwin

Maitake salad with chickpeas and burnt ends from Stateline Road Smokehouse at BottleRock 2023. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

For the past ten years, Napa Valley’s BottleRock culinary scene has been the place to see chefs rocking both behind the food booth and on the culinary stage.

This year, the Williams-Sonoma culinary stage has a particularly stellar lineup of internationally known chefs, including Jose Andres, David Chang, Roy Choi and Andrew Zimmern, who will pair up with performing bands for general silliness. But, and I say this delicately, there’s a noticeable lack of local chefs rocking inside their food stalls and a real dearth of creativity on the menus.

Unless, that is, you love fried chicken sandwiches or barbecue pulled pork. These comfort food classics dominate food stall menus, comforting, easy(ish) to make and at a price point under $20. They’re absolutely fine, but meh.

For a decade, BottleRock has been an annual highlight, with new restaurants popping up and menus reflecting the innovation and farm-fresh local food Wine Country is known for. Every year has been more and more impressive, with new chefs and new restaurants putting their best feet forward.

Maybe I’m jaded after a decade of covering BottleRock, but fried chicken and barbecue definitely seem to be a popular formula. Not especially exciting, but it seems to be the right mix of familiar, gut-filling and priced reasonably.

It’s a natural progression as the event becomes more accessible to larger crowds. Complicated food that needs tweezers and plating isn’t festival food, admittedly.

The food offerings at BottleRock will always be music to my ears because Wine Country just knows how to eat. But I challenge the chefs to stay tuned into their creativity.

Here are some solid bets because you’re going to get hungry.

1. Compline, Duck Fat Fries, $14: I’m not sure if fries cooked in duck fat are all that much better, but these are certainly some excellent fries if you’re hankering for a little greasy goodness. The Togarishi aioli served with them is incredible.

2. Tarla, Chicken Pita Gyro, $18: This is undoubtedly the best value I’ve found. It’s a big, meaty gyro with shredded lettuce, onions and garlic sauce. Easily sharable. The frozen lemonade is a great thirst quencher.

3. Stateline Road Smokehouse, Maitake Mushroom Salad ($18): I wanted this to be a solid win for the much-anticipated Napa restaurant from Michelin-trained chef and Kansas City native Darryl Bell. Unfortunately, the Kansas City burnt ends were dry and the sauce was not exceptionally flavorful. The salad ($18) was the best bet, with a citrusy dressing, chickpeas and a refreshing mix of greens.

4. Gerard’s Paella, $24: Local chef Gerard Nebesky travels the festival circuit, providing much-needed fuel for the hungry masses. His large plates of paella are rib-sticking and still a fantastic value.

5. Buckhorn BBQ, Garlicky Pulled Pork Sandwich, $18: A soft roll stuffed with tender pulled pork will keep you rocking for hours. A few pumps of their sweet sauce make this the barbecue I’m after.

6. Press, Best in Show, Ahi Tuna Nachos, $22: For the price and the ingredients, I’d call this a shareable value. Fresh tuna, fermented peppers, radishes and black lime chips with a drizzle of crema were a favorite of the day. Do not order the buttered pretzel. For $5, yes. For $15? Nope.

The VIP area offers some higher-end options that include wood-fired pizza and high-low corn dogs with caviar. Of everything we tried, the poke nachos ($20) were the most interesting.

Masahuru Morimoto’s new Asia Napa restaurant is represented, but the gummy dim sum samplers underwhelmed. The restaurant stall also offers an 8-ounce container of orange chicken ($24). Really. Orange chicken.

Mustard’s, Gerard’s Paella and Tarla have repeated menus inside the VIP area.

15 Ways to Spend Memorial Day Weekend in Sonoma County

May 2023

By Beth Schlanker

At Spring Lake in Santa Rosa. (Sonoma County Regional Parks)

With temperatures forecast in the 70s, the upcoming three-day Memorial Day weekend offers a number of opportunities to get out and explore Sonoma County.

Here are 15 ways to spend the long weekend. Click through the above gallery for inspiration.

Attend a Memorial Day observance

Cloverdale

A ceremony will be held 10 a.m. Monday at the Cloverdale Cemetery, located at Crocker Road and E. First Street in Cloverdale. The event is hosted by the American Legion Post 293.

Petaluma

The annual Memorial Day event begins 11 a.m. Monday at Cypress Hill Memorial Park, 430 Magnolia Ave. The ceremony will feature the Avenue of the Flags display within the park’s section devoted to veterans and their spouses, and presentations by local veterans. The event is free. Refreshments will be available at the Veterans Memorial Building at 1094 Petaluma Blvd S.

Rohnert Park

A Memorial Day observance begins at 10 a.m. Monday at the Community Center, 5401 Snyder Lane. In a patriotic display, American flags will line the street outside of the Community Center complex.

Santa Rosa

Rural Cemetery – Free docent-led tours will start at noon Monday at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery, 1600 Franklin Ave, Santa Rosa. Visitors will learn about veterans of the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II. Attendees should walking shoes and meet at the Franklin Avenue gate.

Santa Rosa Memorial Park – A brief ceremony 10 a.m. Monday will honor military veterans. Santa Rosa Memorial Park, 1900 Franklin Ave. Volunteers are needed Saturday morning to place flags on veterans’ graves. Meet at the Veteran’s Patio for instructions at 9 a.m.

Sebastopol

A Memorial Day service begins 11 a.m. Monday at Sebastopol Memorial Lawns, 7951 Bodega Ave., followed by refreshments at Sebastopol Veterans Memorial Building, 282 High St.

Sonoma

The 65th annual Sonoma Valley Joint Memorial Day Observance begins 11 a.m. Monday at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Park, located at 126 First St. W., Sonoma. Vietnam Army veteran Tony Lazzarini will be the keynote speaker. Any veterans who would like to take part in a “Grand March,” should meet at 10:30 a.m. in the parking lot.The event is followed by a free picnic at the Veterans Memorial Building at 126 1st St. W., Sonoma.

Windsor

A ceremony will be held at noon Monday at Shiloh District Cemetery, 7130 Windsor Road. The American Legion Honor Team will perform flag duties and play taps.

Volunteer

Get a jump start on veteran-focused Memorial Day activities by volunteering 9 a.m. Saturday morning at Santa Rosa Memorial Park, 1900 Franklin Ave, Santa Rosa. Helpers are needed to place flags on veterans’ graves. Meet at the Veteran’s Patio for instructions at 9 a.m. On Monday, a ceremony at the cemetery will honor military veterans.

Rock it out

If you don’t already have tickets to this year’s BottleRock Napa Valley festival there is still hope. The festival runs Friday through Sunday, at the Napa Valley Expo, 575 3rd St, Napa.

Featured artists this year include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone, Lizzo, Duran Duran, Lil Nas X and The Smashing Pumpkins. Some general admission tickets are still available. Get those tickets here. Some sold-out tickets are still available at BottleRock’s official ticket exchange at lyte.com.

Cruise Lake Sonoma

The water is back to full capacity and boaters can expect to be in good company at Lake Sonoma this weekend.

Lake Sonoma Marina offers a variety of boat rentals, including, pontoon, speed, fishing boats. Also available for rent are Jet Skis, kayaks, paddle boards and canoes. In addition, to spending time on the water, visitors will find plenty of locations overlooking the water to camp, hike or picnic.

Enter the splash zone

The inflatable water park at the Spring Lake Regional Park swimming lagoon in Santa Rosa will test the balance, coordination and courage of many visitors. It features slides, obstacles, climbing features and more. The popular floating structure is open each summer from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

There are three sessions each day for the Spring Lake Water Park and the $10 tickets often sell out. Children must be 6 years or older and at least 42 inches tall. The park is located at 5585 Newanga Ave, Santa Rosa.

Piddle paddle around

Kayak and stand up paddleboard rentals return for the summer season on Memorial Day weekend at Spring Lake Regional Park in Santa Rosa and continue through Labor Day.

Rentals are available: 10:15 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; and 10:15 a.m. – 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Hourly rental rates for kayaks are $14 for a single and $18 for a tandem. Hourly rental rates for stand up paddleboards are $14. Reserve in advance online or in person at the Boat Rental Office at the park’s Violetti Entrance, 93 Violetti Road in Santa Rosa.

The hills are alive

Classical music and nature lovers can wander the grounds of Jack London State Historic Park on Saturday, while pianist Hunter Noack performs live on a 9-foot Steinway grand piano in the Beauty Ranch Meadow. The concert titled, “In a Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild” is from 5:30 -7 p.m. Tickets are $40 and are available here. The park entry fee of $10 per vehicle, with up to nine passengers, is not included. Attendees may bring picnic supplies, beverages, and lawn chairs or blankets. During the concert, headsets are available so guests can explore the park, while listening to the music.

Dust off your binoculars

There are three birding events Saturday morning in Sonoma County:

Petaluma: Join a Petaluma Wetland Alliance docent for a free guided walk 9-11 a.m. Saturday at Ellis Creek, located at 3890 Cypress Drive. Try to spot some of 50-plus species that visit Ellis Creek’s fresh water ponds and tidal flood plains. Bring binoculars, water, and a hat. Meet near the main entrance kiosk.

Kenwood: Join a docent led 2.3-mile beginner birding hike 8:30-11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Meet near the white barn at the Sonoma Ecology Center in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood. Tickets are $10 general, $5 for students, youth, park members or volunteers. The docent will share information about bird anatomy, tips to identify species by sight, sound, flight pattern and behavior. Bring water, binoculars, and wear clothing layers. Parking fees apply.

Jenner: Learn to identify birds by their sound 8:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday. Meet at Willow Creek Road off Highway 1 south of Jenner. Tickets start at $25. Park in the half-circle parking area on the right, just past the kayak launch on the left.

Find a farmers market

Santa Rosa Community Farmers’ Market: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa

Windsor Certified Farmers Market: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sunday, Windsor Town Green

Sebastopol Certified Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sunday, Sebastopol Plaza.

Get your gaúcho on

Step back in time to 1840s Mexican California during the Petaluma Adobe Living History Day. The event is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park, 3325 Adobe Road, Petaluma.

Meet the vaqueros, traders, cooks, and crafts people who lived in Mexican California. Dip candles, make baskets, churn butter, rope with vaqueros, and play historical games. Bring a picnic lunch, since drink and food concessions are not available in the park. Make sure to leave your pets at home.

Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for ages 6-7, and ages 5 and younger are free.

Celtic Festival

Experience a taste of Celtic culture and history from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday at Holy Dormition Orthodox Church, 1521 Rose Ave., Santa Rosa.

The Celtic Festival features food, high tea, archery, crafts, entertainment, Highland games activities, and Scottish country dancing lessons. After dinner, enjoy Celtic music and dancing. Bring your fiddle or pipes and join the music. Admission is free.

Look inside the lighthouse

Make the trek to Point Reyes National Seashore, near the hamlet of Inverness, to sneak a peek inside Point Reyes Lighthouse. A park ranger will be available to answer questions about the lighthouse from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Friday to Monday afternoons. Be prepared to climb 313 stairs, both ways, and dress for windy and cold weather conditions.

Hear Herr Schmutzinberry

Enjoy a free family concert with featured guest composer and musician, Wolfgang Amadeus Schmutzinberry, as part of the Valley of the Moon Music Festival. The event is 11 a.m. Sunday at the Sonoma Community Center, 276 E Napa St., Sonoma.

According to the event organizers, Schmutzinberry may be the only living composer that loves wearing powdered wigs. Tickets are free, but it is necessary to RSVP. More information at pdne.ws/45quAsq.

Get kite crazy

Check out the exhibition “Kite-Flying Foibles” from Saturday to Monday at the Charles M. Schulz Museum & Research Center, 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa. Make your own kites to take home, experiment with wind, learn how kites fly and even feed a kite-eating tree.

The exhibit runs from 10 a.m. to noon. Tickets are $10 per child and are free for up to two adults per child before 11 a.m. Regular museum admission applies after 11 a.m.

Take a hike for all ages

Join Sugarloaf Ridge State Park docents from 10-11:30 a.m. Monday on a 2-mile family-friendly hike. Learn about the park’s plants, animals and history, while ascending 400 feet in elevation. The event is free, but an RSVP is required. Meet outside the visitor center at the Sonoma Ecology Center, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood. Parking fees apply. The event will be canceled if there are heavy rains.

Where’s the Love? How the James Beard Awards Snubbed Sonoma Chefs

May 2023

By John Beck

Chef Stéphane Saint Louis puts finishing touches on a dinner dish at Table Culture Provisions in Petaluma. (Crissy Pascual/Petaluma Argus-Courier)

When the 2023 James Beard Award nominations were announced in January, you could almost hear a collective sigh rise from the Sonoma County food world. Maybe it was more of a sad gasp—like a stopper pulled from a two-day-old bottle of sparkling wine.

Did we do something to offend the culinary trophy gods? No love for Animo and chef Joshua Smookler? There may be no signage in front of the popular Sonoma restaurant tucked between a McDonald’s and a smog shop, but had the program’s restaurant scouts not heard about the innovative, wood-fired mashup of Basque and Korean cuisines?

Or what about a best new restaurant shoutout for Stéphane Saint Louis and Steven Vargas at Table Culture Provisions? With their nightly multi-course tasting menu getting tons of buzz, they were hoping this might be the year. “Our ultimate goal is to get a Michelin mention,” Saint Louis told a reporter at the end of 2022.

And what about emerging chef Fiorella Butron at Edge and pioneering pastry chef Melissa Yanc at Quail & Condor?

To no one’s surprise, Kyle and Katina Connaughton got a nod at SingleThread in Healdsburg for “Best Chef: California.” It’s well deserved, but there they sit all alone—the only nominee from Sonoma County across all categories.

Kyle and Katina Connaughton during the grand opening of Little Saint in downtown Healdsburg on April 22, 2022. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat) — Kyle and Katina Connaughton got a nod at SingleThread in Healdsburg for “Best Chef: California.” (Chad Surmick/The Press Democrat)

Melissa Yanc of Quail & Condor bakery and Troubadour in Healdsburg. (Emma K Creative) — Melissa Yanc of Quail & Condor bakery and Troubadour in Healdsburg is a SingleThread alum. (Emma K. Morris)

So much for the everybody-under-the-tent mantra of recent years. There’s a backstory there:

Two years ago, the James Beard program faced a backlash after an audit found too few nominees and judges of color. The program was put on hold in 2020 and 2021, partly due to Covid, and relaunched in 2022 with a promise of more inclusivity, more BIPOC judges, and more transparency. After all, nobody wants to be the Hollywood Foreign Press of the foodie awards circuit.

James Beard Award nomination rules are notoriously tricky. Read the fine print and you’ll see that a nominee for Outstanding Restaurateur “must have been in the restaurant business for at least five years and they must not have won a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past three years.” Another new rule states “a restaurant and its chef cannot be nominated in both restaurant and chef categories in the same year.”

Just think of what’s at stake. With a win, or sometimes even just a nomination, the trajectory of a restaurateur’s career is forever altered. Cue the book deals, cookware endorsements, maybe even a spot on Food Network’s next mega battle royale.

That’s why El Molino Central owner Karen Taylor’s response to awards like these might be one of the best we’ve heard. “We’ve had a James Beard, I think. I don’t know,” she says. (The seasonally focused Sonoma Mexican restaurant was nominated as a James Beard semifinalist in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, but has yet to win.) The only way she finds out about a nomination, she says, is when the list comes out, “a friend will text me.”

El Molino has also garnered a Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition. “We finally put it up—a medal thing they give you,” Taylor says. “We just rest it on the back of one of the counters, behind the wine.”

The 2023 James Beard Awards will be given out at a glitzy gala in Chicago in June. Winners receive silver medals—and often, a chance to capitalize upon their win with lucrative endorsements and book deals. (James Beard Foundation)

Taylor’s thoughts on Michelin stars? “I remember when Betty’s Fish ’N Chips had the same number of Michelin stars as Chez Panisse.”

But who decides? Whether we’re talking James Beard awards or Michelin stars, we’re wading into a murky world that seems run by secret societies and hush-hush handshakes.

No one knows this better than Jil Hales at Barndiva in Healdsburg. When the restaurant won its first Michelin star last year, nearly two decades after it opened, it was a total shocker.

“They are notoriously mysterious,” Hales says of the Michelin review process. “Anybody that tells you they know things is telling a porker. You know they come out more than once, and you don’t know what they look at.”

Hales admits she’s a little apprehensive talking to me about the subject. It’s easy to understand why: He (or she) who bestoweth can also taketh away. Look what happened at Terrapin Creek in Bodega Bay. In 2012, they won a Michelin star, only to lose it in 2018. At the time, according to Michelin’s international director Gwendal Poullennec, top-secret Michelin inspectors thought the food was missing its previous “spark and quality.”

Dining at Barndiva in Healdsburg. (Kim Carroll/For Sonoma Magazine) — Barndiva in Healdsburg won a 2021 Michelin star, making it one of only two Michelin-starred restaurants in Sonoma County. (Kim Carroll/for Sonoma Magazine)

Short of a decoder ring, here’s a theory about this year’s nominations: many believe that Sonoma County restaurants have become exceptional at what has become known around the world as “Wine Country cuisine”—i.e. what’s fresh and seasonal, farm-to-table, grape to glass, seed to hash—all summed up in a kind of omniscient terroir that you can apply to nearly every menu and every ingredient.

And maybe that’s not what judges are looking for anymore. Bay Area restaurants scoring James Beard nominations this year included Jo’s Modern Thai from chef Intuon Kornnawong in Oakland, the Moroccan flavors of San Francisco’s Mourad, and the Indigenous roots cuisine of Café Ohlone in Berkeley. There’s a thought—wouldn’t it be nice if Sonoma County had a restaurant that paid homage to the foods of the original inhabitants of this region? In Sebastopol, Heron Shadow Farm manager Redbird Willie grows Indigenous crops for Wahpepah’s Kitchen in Oakland. Imagine if a local restaurant bought his crops.

But maybe trying to make sense of any awards process is futile.

“Good luck cracking that code,” says Barndiva’s Jil Hales. “If you do, you’ll win a Pulitzer.”

In other words, we’ll have to wait until next year. When maybe, just maybe, the Michelin gods and James Beard acolytes will rain down upon us in such glorious benevolence that all will be right in the pantheon of foodie awards again.

Until then, let’s be happy with what’s on our plate. In the words of parents everywhere, you get what you get, and you don’t get upset.

For Veteran Sandwich Maker in Santa Rosa the Secret Is in the Sauce

May 2023

By Heather Irwin

Trevor Gallagher’s DTF sauces at Pacific Market in Santa Rosa. (Trevor Gallagher)

Trevor Gallagher knows his sauces. A veteran sandwich maker at Pacific Market in Santa Rosa, the 32-year-old realized the popular deli was missing something on its meat-meets-bun lineup.

So eight years ago, he developed the prototype for his Saucy Bubbs DTF (Downtown Fever) sauces, mixing up batches of the creamy, sweet and savory spread for his signature creation, the Downtown Fever sandwich. Also known as the No. 16 at the Pacific Market deli, it’s built on a soft roll with cheddar, Buffalo chicken, lettuce, jalapeno, bacon and DTF sauce.

“I like making food,” said Gallagher, a larger-than-life character who appears in cartoon form on the bottles of his sauces, now available in local stores. There’s the Original (showing him with his signature white pick in his curly hair), the Garlic DTF (Gallagher is portrayed with vampire teeth and a cape) and Spicy Habanero (flames curl around him). A friend made the logo and characters, he said.

Trevor Gallagher, the creator of DTF sauces. (Trevor Gallagher)

With no formal culinary training, Gallagher learned the sauce business on his own, using a commercial kitchen to make large batches and sell them at local stores, including Molsberry’s Market (522 Larkfield Center, Santa Rosa) and Pacific Market (1465 Town and Country Drive, Santa Rosa and 550 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol). His sauces also show up on the menu at Ausiello’s Fifth Street Bar (609 Fifth St., Santa Rosa).

As a Chik-fil-A sauce devotee, I can confidently say Gallagher’s sauce has a similar mustard-barbecue-mayonnaise essence. Still, there’s something more craveable about Gallagher’s fresh, unprocessed-to-death sauce. Squeeze it onto everything from macaroni and cheese, french fries and vegetables to grilled pork, pizza or even a Fig Newton cookie (maybe that’s just me). Like the perfect black cocktail dress, it goes with everything.

“This sauce is so versatile, it’d even go great on a toothbrush,” he said.

My hands-down favorite is the garlic version, with freshly pureed garlic that kicks up the sauce to 11. The spicy habanero sauce has a fresh chile flavor with a tingly zing.

Find more details and order online at thesaucybubbs.com.

This Weekend Happy Hour in Petaluma Is One of the Best in the County

May 2023

By Lonnie Hayes

Filet Mignon Skewers at Seared in Petaluma. (Seared)

It’s a bit of a rarity to find a happy hour that’s offered not just during the work week, but on the weekends, too. That’s why the (nearly) daily happy-hour menu at Seared stood out in our search for the best happy hours in Sonoma County. And a bonus: Their happy-hour menu maxes out at $9.50. How can you pass that up?

Seared is a beloved steak-and-seafood spot in downtown Petaluma, open every day but Monday. And, yes, every day they’re open, they have happy hour, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. You can make a reservation during this time or opt for a spontaneous walk-in. Don’t stress too much about waiting for a table or a spot at the bar, because the happy-hour menu is available throughout the restaurant.

Seared is also big on using locally sourced ingredients, which you’ll see on their happy-hour menu, with local beer and wine and bites with ingredients such as Valley Ford cheese. It’s clearly popular locally, having won the Best Steak and Best Happy Hour at the 2019 Petaluma People’s Choice Awards.

The happy-hour menu has a little something for everyone and changes depending on what’s available “to provide the freshest ingredients possible,” according to their website. They offer half a dozen cocktails ($8), a variety of house wines ($7), a handful of canned and bottled beers ($3.50) and plenty of draft beers ($6).

Some of the standouts among the happy-hour drinks are the Scrimshaw beer from Fort Bragg and the Lagunitas IPA; the Spiced Rum Punch with hints of passion fruit and orgeat syrup; the New Orleans classic Vieux Carre with Benedictine and Peychaud’s and Angostura bitters; and the Cucumber Martini, a cucumber vodka drink with elderflower liqueur. Additionally, they feature the classics like a PBR beer, margarita and Negroni.

We tried the Cucumber Martini, which had a refreshing and cool tang, and the Old Fashioned, a classically smooth sip. While sipping our spirits, we browsed the “Eats,” with a total of eight bites to try.

Cucumber Martini at Seared in Petaluma. (Courtesy Seared) — Cucumber Martini at Seared in Petaluma. (Seared)

Deviled eggs at Seared in Petaluma. (Seared)

Of course, we sampled almost all of them: the Prime Rib Dip ($9.50), Mac ’N Cheese ($7.50), Mini Wedge Salad ($8.50), Deviled Egg ($5.50), Daily Tacos ($8.50), Filet Mignon Skewers ($9.50) and Kung Pao Prawns ($9.50). We added the Nueske’s Bacon to the macaroni ($3) and passed on the calamari ($8.50).

In true Seared fashion, the Daily Tacos featured a grilled fresh cod with a bright passion-fruit slaw. These burst with flavor with every bite and felt like a lighter option among the other food on the menu. The tacos arrived at the same time as the Deviled Eggs, which were stacked tall with the filling, chives and serrano ham. Both items come with two of each, so they’re easily shareable.

The Nueske Bacon makes an appearance on a few of the happy hour items, like the Mini Wedge Salad. Blue cheese lovers will love this salad, topped with Pt. Reyes blue cheese, watermelon radish, crispy shallots, cherry tomato and bacon. It’s pretty sizable, with a heaping amount of bacon, and it’s the main vegetable on the Eats menu.

Next came our more filling options, and we wondered if our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Most portions on the menu were pleasantly large, despite low prices.

The Mac ’N Cheese was covered in perfectly gooey Valley Ford Highway 1 cheese, with hints of garlic and herb flavors. Any macaroni and cheese connoisseur knows the importance of diving your fork into the dish and pulling it away with the noodles attached by strings of hot cheese. This dish delivered.

The Kung Pao Prawns, atop soba noodles, packed a lot of flavor into every bite. The five large shrimp were perfectly crispy despite being covered in sauce and lime juice. Seared does a fabulous job balancing their dishes with spices and citrus flavors, and this dish exemplifies that.

The Prime Rib Dip came on excellent toasty baguette-style bread. Soggy bread is always a worry with a prime rib dip sandwich, but this bread kept its integrity of crunch. It comes with a subtly spiced horseradish aioli, Jack cheese, caramelized onions and shaved prime rib, with au jus to dip, of course. It’s large enough to share and packed full of tender and juicy prime rib.

The star of the show, in our opinion, was the Filet Mignon Skewers. Herbivores, we apologize, but if you order anything on this happy hour menu, let it be the skewers. Three skewers are stacked with flawlessly cooked filet mignon soaked in a soy marinade. A ginger aioli is drizzled across the dish, which lies atop a papaya salad. The meat is filled with flavor so good you want to savor every bite.

With low prices and plenty of options, you’ll be impressed by the portions as well as the punchy flavors in each dish and drink at Seared. The atmosphere is ideal, too, with high-top, booth and bar counter seating.

Happy hour from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Seared, 170 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma; 707-762-5997.

You can reach intern Lonnie Hayes at lonnie.hayes@pressdemocrat.com.

A Room with a Brew? New Petaluma Hotel Opens Close to Lagunitas Taproom

May 2023

By Dana Rebmann

Most travelers will enjoy a room with a view. But how about a room with a brew?

At Petaluma’s newest hotel, Home2 Suites by Hilton, guests can stay just a half mile away from Lagunitas Brewing Co. and 10 minutes from downtown. Though catering to business travelers, the hotel will no doubt attract beer-lovers and leisure travelers, too, with its proximity to one of Sonoma County’s most popular taprooms, along with its reasonable room rates: mid-week rates start at $169; weekend rates at $200.

“We’re really excited. We’re seeing a really strong uptick in bookings since we’ve opened,” said General Manager Ken Murakami.

Guest rooms at Home2 Suites are large by Wine Country standards. All 140 rooms come with either a king bed or two queen beds and a kitchenette that includes a full-size refrigerator, dishwasher and microwave. (Portable induction cooktops can also be delivered to rooms upon request.) Pops of color, including pink, purple and yellow, are a refreshing contrast to the typically neutral color scheme of big brand hotel rooms. Although the hotel is located just off the busy Highway 101, rooms are notably quiet.

Home2 Suites has no onsite restaurant but has two barbecue grills that guests are welcome to use and breakfast is included with every stay. It features a variety of choices, from breakfast sandwiches and muffins to yogurt and Belgian waffles.

Hotel amenities include a heated saline pool, hot tub, two fire pits and 24-hour fitness center with Peloton stationary bikes and other assorted workout equipment. (Hotel guests can also buy passes to neighboring Active Wellness Center at a discounted rate.)

Parking is complimentary and a handful of electric vehicle charging stations are available for an additional fee. Dogs are welcome for an additional $25 per night and get their own dog bowls and treats.

Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the property.

Home 2 Suites by Hilton, 1205 Redwood Way, Petaluma, 707-992-4900, hilton.com.