Arustic-meets-majestic 3,500-square-foot hacienda complete with a 630-square-foot guest house has hit the local luxury real estate market with an asking price of $4.2 million.
The three-bedroom mission-style property, perched on a hill in Sonoma’s gated George Ranch community, was built in 1999. Rammed earth walls make the home fire resistant and handmade tiles from Mexico and unique design features like a wooden pantry door from an old Spanish church add a personal touch. The interior design and choice of furniture — a Ralph Lauren leather couch and a 12-foot-long credenza stand out — give prospective buyers the idea of the property’s potential.
The current owners of the home, Edna Hayes and Bruce Needleman, have an eye for design: They own the high-end rustic furniture store Salsa Trading Company in the town of Sonoma. The color palette in their Sonoma hacienda includes browns from leather and wood and clay-red from ceramic floor tiles; hues of cobalt blue contrast with the earthy tones in select spots in the bathroom and by the pool. Iron sconces, sculptures and paintings decorate the space and also offer splashes of color.
Pool area at 3480 Hawks Beard Drive in Sonoma. (Circle Visions)
Pool area at 3480 Hawks Beard Drive in Sonoma. (Circle Visions)Botero inspired mosaic and cobalt blue tiles in the shower at 3480 Hawks Beard Drive in Sonoma. (Circle Visions)
“The home is very elegant but also very kick-back,” says the property’s listing agent David Costello of the ACT team at Compass Real Estate. He adds that the sturdy materials used throughout the home allow prospective buyers to live there with kids, without worrying about damaging anything.
In addition to being fireproof, the home’s 12-foot-thick rammed earth walls, made from cement and sedimentary rock, also allow for natural temperature control while sun-blocking awnings cover the patios outside each room. A mature garden with towering succulents aligns with water conservation efforts in the area and with the style of the home. From the gates of George Ranch, which has just 51 residences spread over 1,000 acres, downtown Sonoma is just a 15-minute drive away.
The home is listed by Andy Ardilla and David Costello of ACT at Compass. For property details and appointments, please call 415-608-1003, email act@compass.com or visit 3480hawksbeard.com
Roof 106 at The Matheson in Healsburg. (Deb Wilson)
With its picturesque plaza surrounded by top notch restaurants, wineries and shops, Healdsburg has always been a popular destination. Over the past few months, the northern Sonoma town has added even more reasons to put a visit on the calendar: Buzzy new tasting rooms and restaurants and a reimagined historic inn are among the highlights. Click through the gallery above to discover some Healdsburg spots destined to become new favorites.
Margherita Salametto flatbread from The Matheson in Healdsburg. (Michael Woolsey)
Summer and early fall have spawned one restaurant after another throughout Sonoma County. The fact that we, as full-time restaurant writers, can barely keep up leaves us wondering how anyone else is managing to follow the ever-expanding tally.
To help you navigate the latest in the restaurant scene, we’ve pared down the newest spots to a list of those that have risen to the top and are, in our opinion, worth checking out. Click through the above gallery for details.
Smash burger from Sonoma Burger in Sebastopol. (Courtesy of Sonoma Burger)
Thin, crispy, Panko-crusted, bacon-fat-fried onion rings won’t change your life. But if anything could change your life — in a single bite — it would be precisely those onion rings, served at Sonoma Burger in Sebastopol.
This fast-casual burger spot started as a pop-up at Gravenstein Grill in the early days of the pandemic, as the Sebastopol restaurant navigated evolving health mandates. The pop-up gained traction and Gravenstein Grill Executive Chef Bob Simontacchi, with business partner and restaurant manager Brandon Parkhurst, started looking for a permanent location for their new venture. They settled on the former Giovanni’s Deli, just around the corner from Gravenstein Grill, and Simontacchi expanded the menu. It now includes those righteous rings along with smash burgers, “griddle hot dogs,“ a crispy chicken sandwich and other tasty bites on warm Parker House buns.
Serving up at Sonoma Burger in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Almost everything on the Sonoma Burger menu is made in-house, from the herb ranch dip to the fermented pickles. Simontacchi’s passion for local ingredients shows: He gets his burgers and hot dogs from Sonoma Mountain Beef Co. and uses Moonlight Brewing’s Death and Taxes lager in the beer cheese sauce (a required addition to your order). The fried chicken sandwich is made with Mary’s chicken, and the cream for the soft serve ice cream comes from Straus Family Creamery.
Take note, however, that the burgers are conspicuously small. In fact, all portions are pretty petite. We didn’t really miss all the extra stuff, which is usually too much of a good thing anyhow. But if you want more, there are plenty of toppings to add. The smash burger, served with pickles, raw onion, lettuce, tomato and sauce, is $6 — the meat is locally raised by a woman rancher. Extras include cheese ($1 – $1.50) and Sonoma Meat Co. bacon ($1.75); a double patty is $3.25. That makes a burger with all the good stuff about $8 – $10.
It seems Simontacchi and Parkhurst are onto something with this build-your-own-burger model. As supply-chain disruptions and shortages continue, the cost of meat is skyrocketing. Instead of paying $20 for a gourmet burger with fries and sauce or $3 for a not-so-satisfying fast-food burger, Sonoma Burger customers can decide how much they want to invest in their next burger, making it deluxe or basic (but still good).
Best bets include the super-crispy and juicy fried chicken sandwich ($7); the BBQ Burger ($8.50) with a kicky ginger barbecue sauce and crispy onions; and the Tempeh Burger ($7), with house-smoked seasoned tempeh and griddled onions.
“Griddle hot dogs” are a revelation. Like smash burgers (literally smashed onto a hot griddle to achieve optimal savoriness, or umami flavor), these dogs, which are sliced in half, get perfectly browned and crisp on both sides. Topped with homemade chili and pimento cheese, they’re an arpeggio of flavors.
Order the Sonoma Strong Turkey Burger ($7) and a $1 donation will be made to Food for Thought, a west county-based charity that provides food to Sonoma County residents with medical needs.
There’s a small outdoor area for seating, and takeout is available. You can order beer on tap and local wines, along with soft drinks, floats and milkshakes. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., 173 Pleasant Hill Ave. N., Sebastopol, sonomaburger.com
There was a time, not that long ago, when you might have struggled to find a hotel by the Russian River with a contemporary feel. Options were limited but demand was growing and, luckily, people in the know were taking notes. Now, a trio of hotels — all with a long history in the town of Guerneville — have received extensive facelifts and are making us dream of a river getaway. Click through the above gallery for details.
Fall is the perfect time to get outside in Sonoma County. Sunny blue skies remain but cooler temperatures prevail. And as vineyards start to display their gorgeous take on fall colors, a number of wineries in Sonoma County are offering outdoor experiences that pair perfectly with a glass of vino. Click through the gallery above for some winery adventures worth getting on the calendar before Mother Nature sets her sights on winter.
Shugri Salh yearns to return to the red East African desert of her youth. But her native Somalia is controlled by a strict and conservative Muslim sect and she would not feel safe. So she hikes the meadows and woodlands near her Santa Rosa home. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
As first-time author and Santa Rosa resident Shugri Said Salh gazes out at the dry rolling grasslands of Crane Creek Regional Park, she is both overcome with wonder and reminded of the Somali desert where she was born. How did a child, raised by her grandmother in a family of nomadic goatherds, get to this place of peace and plenty?
A nurse and self-described “soccer mom,” Salh shares her incredible journey across cultures and continents in a new memoir, “The Last Nomad.” She writes with reverence of her desert upbringing, under the wing of her grandmother, in a world of savage beauty, poetry, and storytelling. She also reflects with clear-eyed honesty on the plight of women in a repressive culture and the cruelties she witnessed in a homeland she describes as riven by clan warfare.
Shugri Salh takes comfort in the open meadows and clear skies in the hills above Santa Rosa. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)Shugri Sahl spent the earlier part of her life as a nomad, traveling the desert in Somalia where she was born. Now 47, a mother of 3 and a nurse, she often hikes Crane Regional Park near Rohnert Park for solace and emotional therapy. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
A grandmother’s legacy
I don’t believe I would have been as resilient as I am today without watching a woman that strong and resilient. She was a camel tamer. A camel is crazier than an untamed horse. I see her dismantle the hut. I see her herding goats. I see her getting ready for the droughts. I see her enjoying the rainy season. I come from this strong badass woman. So I feel like every time I’m having a hard time, I remember: I am a woman of the desert. I am the girl who came from this grandmother.
The perils of nomadic life
Survival of the fittest is put to the test. You either die or you survive. You get sick. There’s drought. Lions attack and take you. Every time you go out to the animals, it’s obvious you could encounter lions and hyenas and wild dogs. And yet they expect you to come home with the goats, all well-counted.
Shugri Salh surveys the grasslands and oak woodlands of Crane Creek Regional Park, where she goes regularly for emotional healing. Although the terrain is different, the open spaces stir memories of her childhood in the desert of Somalia. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
Santa Rosa nurse Shugri Salh’s memoir, “The Last Nomad,” of her early life in the Somali desert and her escape to the west, was published in July by Algonquin Books. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)Shugri Salh has a favorite spot in the branches of a tree in Crane Creek Regional Park, where she goes to walk, write and mediate. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
Revisiting a life left behind
I wanted to leave a legacy. My children don’t really know the world I came from. I want to make them understand. I was part of two cultures. I am the last nomad of my family. It’s not like my California kids will one day go back to the desert. They say in Somali, loosely translated, “You’re not going to live long or forever. But you may leave your words. “
Winemaker Jason Jardine of Hanzell Farm & Vineyards, a historic winery perched high on the edge of the Mayacamas just outside downtown Sonoma, says that even after decades of experience with making wine, the energy of harvest season is unlike anything else he’s experienced. “It’s probably the most special time of year for me, when we’re all standing around the fruit that’s just come in, asking, ‘How does it taste? What tank is this going to go into? Are we going to do this Pinot whole-cluster?’ That’s when 99% of the winemaking is done, standing around in that circle.”
The team standing with Jardine in that circle is doing more than upholding tradition, however. Jardine is also a visionary organic farmer applying holistic practices to make the land healthy for food crops and livestock as well as grapes. The amount of old-school Sonoma winemaking history at Hanzell makes for an unlikely pairing with this cutting-edge approach—after all, it is a risk to change the way you farm 70-year-old vines. The de Brye family, which has owned the winery since the 1970s, is so committed to history that they haven’t changed the style of the wine labels in years. And yet, in another sense, Jardine’s goals are fitting, for the winery has always been ahead of its time. The landmark boardand- batten barn, for example, built by industrialist James D. Zellerbach in the late 1950s, contained all sorts of new technology for its era, including some of the earliest stainless steel wine tanks and one of the first on-site laboratories for analyzing wine chemistry.
Located high in the Mayacamas, the sustainably-farmed winery has views across Sonoma Valley. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)
Hanzell Farm & Vineyards in Sonoma. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)
Jardine built his career in organic farming and grape growing first in Oregon, where as 21-year-old newlyweds, he and his wife, Ali, were able to purchase a small property (they almost decided to plant blueberries instead of grapes). Later, he worked as a winemaker in Napa and Sonoma, not far from where he grew up outside Lodi. He arrived at Hanzell in 2014 with a dream of transforming the use of the land, operating in the tradition of such visionaries as author Jack London, whose 1910-era experimental farm is just a few miles up the valley. Jardine says it’s important to know that the level of sustainability achieved at the farm has its roots in traditional farming. “We’re not just some hippies up on the hill, doing this new thing that no one’s heard of before. We’re preserving history and really trying to honor it,” he says.
The diversity of species and opportunity for change were apparent when Jardine first arrived. Less than a quarter of the winery’s 200 acres are planted with grapes, and wildlife—deer, coyotes, turkeys, hawks—is all around. “Here, every small block of vineyard is isolated by these large areas of forest. You just feel like you’re not just in a vineyard, but that you’re part of the environment. You feel a responsibility to take care of the oak trees that are next to the grapes, and the bay laurel… It just opens you up to thinking beyond the vineyard,” Jardine says.
For Jardine and his colleagues, thinking beyond the vineyard means that grapes are just one of many living things the farm supports, and each of those living things, both cultivated and wild, has a role to play in balancing the farm’s overall output. Hanzell is home to 150 farm animals, from chickens and geese to pigs and sheep. The sheep and fowl, under the care of farm manager Brandon Brédo, are pastured in the vineyard several months of the year, where they can eat grasses and bugs and fertilize the vineyards with their manure. Two guardian dogs, Radley and Scout, protect the livestock from hawks and coyotes as they work through the rows.
The pigs are put to work primarily as fire suppression pigs: They eat through the underbrush in the oak woodlands, turning over the earth with their snouts as they forage for acorns and grubs, and tromping down small twigs with their heavy hooves.
September is crush season for winemaker Jason Jardine of Hanzell Farm & Vineyards. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)The winery’s new outdoor tasting platforms were built with lumber milled from trees that were removed for fire safety. The tasting area overlooks the historic Ambassador’s Vineyard, planted in the 1950s. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)Wines from Hanzell Farm & Vineyards in Sonoma. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)
“The animals are all doing different jobs,” says Brédo. “It’s like there’s a partnership. Like, the pigs will be rooting in one area, and there’ll always be three or four chickens hanging out with the pigs, because without the pigs, the chickens wouldn’t be able to get at those grubs or those seeds. It’s all of these sweet, interesting things that you pick up when you spend day after day with these animals.”
The animals are just one aspect of the farm’s overall green transformation. Over the past seven years, Jardine has worked with viticulturist José Ramos to change over the vineyards to organic production, and to stop tilling in between the rows. The mat of dried grasses on the floor of the vineyard helps protect the vines from heat, and not turning over the soil preserves microbes and helps sequester more carbon. “We have these massive cover crops that we crimp down, and that’s conserving a lot of moisture, protecting and putting armor on the soil,” explains Jardine.
Jardine and his wife farm several vegetable patches at the winery, which yield several thousand pounds of food a year. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)
At Hanzell Farm & Vineyards, they’ve also experimented with grazing geese in between vineyard rows to boost production. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)At Hanzell Farm & Vineyards in Sonoma. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)
No-till farming and regenerative agriculture are buzzwords in many vineyards around Sonoma County, but only a few can apply these methods to the degree that Jardine and Ramos are. “If we can make these adjustments that benefit the soil biology, benefit the wildlife and the longevity of the vines by creating a healthier environment—I mean, I just don’t get why you wouldn’t want to do it,” says Jardine.
For Ramos, who arrived at Hanzell in 1975 and raised his three children on the property, the switch to organic, no-till viticulture was welcomed. “I was so happy—it’s good for the ground, it’s good for the vines. To leave more grass, the vines say thank you. It’s like raising a little kid, you have to give them what they love,” says Ramos. Jardine calls Ramos Hanzell’s Zen master, a repository of 40-plus years of working knowledge of the land. Ramos knows intuitively when there’s something that needs attention in the vineyards, for example, and weeks ahead of time can predict the start of harvest down to the day.
Viticulturist José Ramos has farmed at Hanzell since 1975. He was excited for the transition to organic, no-till grapegrowing. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)At Hanzell Farm & Vineyards in Sonoma. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)
The 2021 growing season has brought challenges at the winery. With low winter rains, the annual cover crops grew more slowly, which meant less natural forage for the farm’s livestock. Brédo had to bring in extra feed and adjust the grazing schedule in the vineyard blocks. Due to drier weather, the fruit set was excellent—but in April, a problem with a well pump meant that the winery was without irrigation for over two months. Going completely without water during late spring and early summer would have been a five-alarm emergency in many vineyards, but Ramos and Jardine were able to take the setback in stride. “I told everyone, ‘This is the test,’” says Jardine. “This is what we prepared for; this is why we farm the way that we farm. The vines should be able to adapt and get through this period.”
And that’s exactly what happened: The cover crops kept the soil cool and conserved existing moisture, and the vines adapted.
The well was back online by June, but in a year like this one, Jardine says he’s not using any vineyard water unless absolutely necessary. “I’m really grateful to be on a well, but we have to also be understanding that what we draw from the aquifer has an impact on our neighbors and the communities around us,” he says.
The winery’s chickens and sheep graze on cover crops grown in the vineyards, and their manure fertilizes the soil. “When you get the whole picture of so many diverse species, you can’t go wrong,” says farm manager Brandon Brédo. “They all have different jobs.” (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)
Farm manager Brandon Brédo with livestock guardian dog Scout. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)At Hanzell Farm & Vineyards in Sonoma. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)The farm’s ten American Guinea hogs help with fire suppression by eating underbrush and turning over the soil with their hooves. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)
Jardine’s vision extends to the community in other ways as well. He is exploring more ways of increasing the land’s ability to produce food crops in conjunction with growing grapes. He believes he can extend the growing season, for example, so that he can get two rounds of food crops harvested in the time that it takes for the grapes to grow. The crops that currently grow in the vineyard and in the gardens feed everyone who works at Hanzell, from fieldworkers to sales managers.
And he is experimenting with growing grains like wheat and rye in between the vineyard rows. Imagine what’s possible, says Jardine, if you could double the production of the land by growing grains as well as grapes in the same space. “If we can find a way to feed the local community, all from our vineyard, that to me would be the ultimate. I would feel like I’d accomplished something in my life if I was able to pull that off. And we’re getting very close. We’re harvesting several thousand pounds of produce a year already.”
It’s the type of ambitious thinking that can change minds and change lives. “Stewardship is huge,” explains Brédo. “We’re upstream. Everybody’s upstream in a way, right? But we’re literally upstream. And our actions here, everything we do completely affects what happens downstream.”
Farming practices at Hanzell go beyond the definition of organic. More importantly, says winemaker and president Jason Jardine, the holistic way they farm is not only better for the environment, but costs less, too. “Believe it or not, on a per-acre basis, I’m farming Hanzell for less than a lot of the conventional farms that I’m aware of,” he says. Some of the guiding principles that make the farm green include:
1. Extreme biodiversity: Hanzell is the opposite of a monoculture. On the 200-acre estate, only 42 acres are vineyards. The rest is primarily forest, with vegetable gardens and fruit trees mixed in.
2. No-till agriculture: Viticulturist José Ramos doesn’t use tractors to turn over the soil in between the rows of vines. The practice lowers water needs, maintains beneficial soil microbes, and locks carbon into the ground. Carbon released from tillage is a contributor to global warming.
3. Wildlife corridors: You won’t find fences around the vineyards at Hanzell. Deer, turkey — even coyotes and mountain lions — move freely throughout the property, and each has a role to play within the broader ecosystem.
4. Natural soil boosters: As cover crops break down in the vineyard, they add back nitrogen and other elements that were depleted by the previous year’s production. The livestock pastured in the vineyards also fertilize with their manure.
5. Fire-smart planning: Rarely a day goes by without the team tackling chainsaw work somewhere around the property. The pigs that graze the forest also lower the fire risk, and in the future, Brédo would like to incorporate prescribed burns and pile burning.
6. Food crops in the vineyard: Jardine integrates food crops like fava beans and yellow peas into the vineyard cover crop — he’s also tried squash and tomatoes. Earlier this summer, he completed a trial of a variety of rye that he hopes to grow as a grain crop in between the vineyard rows.
7. Few outside inputs: Ramos doesn’t apply additional fertilizer in the vineyard, and the livestock mainly eat what’s grown on-site, including silage put up in spring. (This year, due to drought, they did need to bring in additional feed.) Many cover crops reseed on their own, and vegetable gardens are planted with seeds saved from the year before. Non-native trees that are removed to manage the forest are milled into lumber.
8. Using less water: In the middle of a punishing drought, this may be the most important green principle of all. Since Hanzell switched to no-till agriculture in 2014, says Jardine, the farm has lowered its water use in the vineyards by 80%. “This is how we have to farm in the future,” he says. “There’s no other way.”
Lomo saltado (steak and fries) Peruvian style at Quinua Cocina Peruana in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
If you’ve been paying attention to restaurant openings in Sonoma County, there’s an unusual trend — Peruvian restaurants popping up everywhere. So what’s behind that?
If you ask Oscar Canul, owner of the just-opened Inca’s Peruvian Cuisine in Sebastopol, there is a high demand for the unique fusion of Indigenous Incan ingredients and cooking styles with immigrant influences from Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, Italian and African cultures.
“It’s the tastes, the sauces, the culture,” said Canul over plates of ceviche, empanadas and steaming seafood stew made by his cousin, Magaly Salub, in the small kitchen. Both have former ties to Sazon in Santa Rosa and Fresca in San Francisco and bring that experience to the flavorful plates that make this my top pick for Peruvian cuisine in Sonoma County.
Oscar Canul of Inca’s restaurant. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
It takes a bit of searching to find the quiet strip mall spot just west of downtown Sebastopol on Gravenstein Highway South. Tucked behind a Starbucks, it doesn’t look like much from the outside. It’s also still pretty sparse inside, but don’t let that steer you away.
Canul, who isn’t Peruvian but instead identifies as Mayan, said he chose the Sebastopol location because there wasn’t anything else like it nearby.
“We may not be Peruvian, but we have Peruvian passion and we have adopted the food as our own,” said Canul of his family.
You’ll notice some similarities to the Sazon menu for sure, but what makes Inca stand out from the crowd is the passionate family vibe; the use of fresh, local ingredients; and the thoughtful plating.
Overall: Inspired versions of the fine cuisine of Peru. The kitchen goes out of its way to use authentic ingredients and techniques but isn’t bound by tradition.
Best Bets
Mango Habanero Ceviche, $17: Prawns swim in a sunset-orange mango puree. A hint of lime makes this a bit more approachable than the more tart, classic ceviches. Ceviche Mixto ($17) with spicy peppers, mussels, scallops, shrimp, calamari, clams and octopus is a must-try.
Papa Rellana, $10: This deep-fried potato croquette is filled with a mix of ground beef, raisins, onions, hard-boiled egg and olives. We love the savory-sweet, crunchy appetizer. Empanadas with chicken pork or beef ($14) are also excellent.
Causa Santa Rosa, $10: This take on the classic Causa de Pollo has tart pickled beets in ginger, with lime and cilantro sauce atop a cake of aji amarillo-spiked mashed potatoes. Beautiful and addictive.
Causa Santa Rosa, $10: This take on the classic Causa De Pollo. Tart pickled beets in ginger, lime and cilantro sauce sit atop a cake of aji amarillo spiked mashed potatoes. Both beautiful and addictive. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Parihuela, $26: If you’re a fan of steamy soup facials a la steamed mussels, you’ll love this piping-hot bouillabaisse broth loaded with seafood and potatoes. Garlic bread lets you sop up every last drop.
Arroz Con Marisco, $25: A heaping plate of creamy Peruvian-style paella loaded with seafood in a savory aji panca pepper sauce. There’s almost too much seafood stuffed into this crowd-feeding dish. We’d leave out the crab claw that tastes frozen.
Seco De Carne, $28: Anywhere else, this dish would command a higher price. Perfectly braised short ribs in a cilantro beer broth that’s sour, grassy and meaty in a good way. Sides of yucca, sweet potatoes and beans round out this dish. Lamb will soon replace the beef.
Flan, $8: Baked into a dense slice, this version of flan is flavor-boosted into a creamy, caramelized dessert you won’t soon forget. Leave room.
Needs improvement: Dishes are mildly spiced, almost to the extreme. We’d love to see a slight bump in heat levels.
The menu clearly labels dishes that are gluten-free, dairy-free and shellfish-free. Quinoa can be substituted for rice, and the menu includes Salteado de Verduras, a vegan dish with gluten-free soy sauce. Several dishes can be altered for specific dietary needs.
Sazon, Santa Rosa: The original Sonoma County Peruvian restaurant is still a thrill, with excellent ceviche and lomo saltado. The menu hits all the highlights of a typical Peruvian menu and has always been a favorite. However, on recent visits, dishes felt little phoned-in, making us miss the ecstatic days when it was a little-known hole-in-the-wall. 1129 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, 707-523-4346, sazonsr.com
Ceviche de Tiradito from Sazon Peruvian Cuisine in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Quinua Cocina Peruana, Petaluma: A popular neighborhood Peruvian kitchen with Peruvian staples. 500 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 981-7359, quinuacocinaperuana.com
Ayawaska, Petaluma: A full bar elevates this riverfront restaurant significantly, and five different Pisco-infused cocktails will keep you busy. A vibrant interior and a lengthy menu hit all the right notes, though there are few truly standout dishes. 101 Second St., No. 190, Petaluma, 707-559-3519, ayawaskasf.com
Lomo saltado mixto at Ayawaska in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Bistro 201, Petaluma (new): The family-run restaurant is still getting its footing, with service seeming harried and a bit unsure. Some dishes are frequently “out of stock,” including the chicken and tuna causa we could never order. The Cau Cau de Mondongo, a comfort dish made with potatoes and tripe, has been a huge favorite, but again, infrequently available. We do like the heat of their sauces, however, with a nice bite from the peppers. 613 E. Washington St., Petaluma, 707-559-5130, bistro201petaluma.com
Warlike, Santa Rosa (coming): The owners of Ayawaska are planning a new downtown Peruvian restaurant. Opening soon. 527 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-536-9201, warikesf.com
Meatballs and mashed potatoes at Stockhome restaurant. (Courtesy of newrevmedia.com)
After a year-long hiatus due to the pandemic and last year’s wildfires, The California Michelin Guide returned last month with the announcement of Bib Gourmand restaurants on Sept. 22 and stars on Sept. 28. New Sonoma County additions to the guide this year include Barndiva in Healdsburg, which earned its first star, and Sebastopol’s Khom Loi and Sonoma’s Folktable and Valley Bar + Bottle, which were named Bib Gourmands. Single Thread restaurant in Healdsburg retained its three stars — the only restaurant in Sonoma County to have received the highest Michelin award.
While most people are familiar with the Michelin stars, the Bib Gourmand award is lesser known. The Michelin guide, launched by French tire company Michelin in 1900, began awarding stars to fine dining establishments in 1926. In 1955, it introduced a second designation for restaurants deemed a good value by Michelin inspectors. It became known as Bib Gourmand in 1997 and was indicated in the guide book with an image of the tire company’s mascot “Bibendum,” also known as the Michelin Man.
Today, the Michelin Guide comprises a series of guide books and announces awards annually across countries, regions and cities — there’s a Michelin Guide for France, but also one for Paris; in the United States, awards are announced in cities like New York or Washington, D.C. and statewide, in the case of California. Restaurants now need to serve two courses, a glass of wine or dessert for around $40 or less to be considered for the Bib Gourmand category.
While the stars remain the restaurant world’s most coveted awards, being selected a Bib Gourmand by Michelin inspectors is also an honor and can put a restaurant on the map of foodie destinations. This year, the California Michelin Guide lists seven Bib Gourmand restaurants in Sonoma County (and one just across the border in Marin). A great meal under $40 isn’t easily found in California — click through the above gallery for some excellent deals, courtesy of Michelin.
