The New Year is here along with all those resolutions about living healthier, thriftier, more fully and just better. A good-looking kitchen may make it easier to stay motivated. Here’s some kitchen inspiration from local designers — from minimalist to maximalist to in-between. Click through the above galley for ideas.
Ready to ditch 2021 and say hello to 2022? Here are some spots to dine deliciously and celebrate the New Year.
Santa Rosa
Epicenter: Family party 5- 9 p.m. with laser tag, bounce houses, video games, magic show and bowling. Watch the ball drop at 9 p.m. and celebrate with a sparkling cider. Buffet menu includes cheeseburger sliders, pizza, chicken wings, fruit platter, fries and chocolate-topped cream puffs. 3215 Coffey Lane, Santa Rosa.
John Ash & Co.: Four-course dinner with choice of pheasant and quail terrine, beef carpaccio, avocado and tofu poke stack, baked rock shrimp cannelloni, portobello Wellington, Liberty duck breast, diver scallops, beef filet, blood orange creme brulee and huckleberry pavlova. Book at vintnersresort.com. 4330 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa.
La Gare: Four-course dinner with potato leek soup and Caesar salad, followed by choice of chicken cordon bleu, beef Wellington, prime rib, Australian lobster tail or surf and turf. For dessert, chocolate caramel cake. Three seatings: 5 p.m., 7 p.m. or 9 p.m. For reservations, call 707-528-4355. 208 Wilson St., Santa Rosa.
Ricky’s Eastbound: Pick-up dinner of herb-roasted lamb shank, au gratin potatoes, honey-roasted Brussels sprouts, salad and rolls. $110 for two, $215 for four. Email order to rickyseastboundorders@gmail.com. 5755 Mountain Hawk Drive, Santa Rosa.
Healdsburg
Matheson: Two New Year’s Eve parties at the tri-level restaurant. Downstairs, the menu includes caviar on smoked brioche with whipped tofu; seafood matsutake chawanmushi with Maine lobster and sea urchin; aged Sonoma duck with salsify, chard and mandarin; beef Wellington with whipped potato and Périgord truffle. Also a few specials, including Alba white truffle (additional cost) and house-cured foie gras. The Chef’s Tasting Menu Dinner is planned for the dining room and mezzanine for $175 per person (5 p.m. seating) and $275 per person (8 p.m. seating). Tickets available at exploretock.com.
Upstairs, Roof 106 will have an a la carte menu for walk-in customers (you can queue up at the host stand in front of the restaurant) from lunchtime to midnight. The menu includes wood-fired pizzas, appetizers, sushi rolls and deserts from the dinner menu.
The Matheson party continues with a ticketed New Year’s Eve celebration from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. for $100 per person (must be 21 years and older). Music from the band Notorious, a DJ on Roof 106 and a midnight toast. The Matheson will have a la carte food, champagne, wine and cocktails available to order. Find details at exploretock.com/thematheson or by calling 707-723-1106. 106 Matheson St., Healdsburg.
Valette: Six-course tasting menu with caviar ($95 extra), Dungeness crab tartare, scallop en croute, mushroom gnocchi with prosciutto and truffle, maple-glazed Liberty Farms duck breast, American wagyu filet and Million Dollar Bar. $150 per person. Reserve at valettehealdsburg.com/reservations or 707-473-0946. 344 Center St., Healdsburg.
Rohnert Park
Sally Tomatoes: Served buffet dinner with salad, scalloped potatoes, asparagus, prime rib and chocolate bourbon torte. Stand-up comedy show and live music. Tickets at bit.ly/32rFUbQ. 1100 Valley House Drive, Rohnert Park, sallytomatoes.com
Sebastopol
Blue Ridge Kitchen: Enjoy dinner and a party at The Barlow. Three-course meal includes oysters and shrimp cocktail starters and entrees of braised Kobe beef short ribs, cioppino or butter-poached black cod. Lavender panna cotta or Mississippi mud pie for dessert. $95 per person, including admission to the after-party. Call 707-222-5040 for reservations. 6770 McKinley St., Sebastopol. brkitchen.com
Gravenstein Grill: Winter vegetable croquette, root vegetable salad, French onion soup, Dungeness crab salad, New York strip steak, Liberty duck breast, wild mushroom gnocchi and Meyer lemon tartlet. $150 per person; call for reservations, 707-634-6142. 8050 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. gravensteingrill.com
Sonoma
Glen Ellen Star: New Year’s Eve menu starts with a sparkling wine toast and housemade Parker House rolls with brown butter. For dinner, choose between wood-baked halibut with slow-cooked fennel and saffron, sultanas, toasted pine nuts and sauce Maltaise or New York strip steak with Romanesco sauce, caramelized shallots and pomegranate Bordelaise. Entrees come with rigatoni cacao e pepe, 24North Parmesan Reggiano and grated Perigord truffles, served family-style. $100 per person. 13648 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen. Reserve through resy.com or at glenellenstar.com. 707-343-1384.
Kivelstadt Cellars Eatery: Truffle fries and a glass of 2020 Carignane Pet-Nat Wondering for $15 on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Josh Yenne will play live from 1- 3 p.m. on New Year’s Day. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. New Year’s Eve and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. New Year’s Day. Reserve at kivelstadtcellars.com or exploretock.com. 22900 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-938-7001.
Layla at MacArthur Place: Dungeness crab cakes, warm Berkshire pork belly, stuffed Sonoma quail and a choice of two seasonal desserts. $110 with wine pairings available for $60 extra. Seatings at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. 29 E. MacArthur St., Sonoma. Reservations at macarthurplace.com, 707-938-2929.
Picazo Kitchen & Bar: Traditional Mexican chile en nogada with poblano chile stuffed with veggie peccadillo, vegan walnut sauce, pomegranate and parsley, all served with cilantro rice and corn flour tortillas. Other options include lobster tail pasta with fettucine Alfredo or 6-ounce steak frites with chimichurri. Reserve ahead both for dine-in and take-out. $45 for one, $85 for two. 19101 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, 707-935-3287.
Sonoma Grille and Bar: Three courses include choice, for the first course, of raw Royal Miyagi oysters, chilled baby scallops with sweet and spicy sauce, lobster bisque drizzled with basil oil or blood orange salad with feta, pistachios, frisée and Champagne vinaigrette. Entrees are a choice three-cheese ravioli with tomato sauce; spinach fettuccine with sea scallops; Blue Nose seabass with Tuscan lentils or tenderloin filet with grilled asparagus and crispy shoestring potatoes. For dessert, choice of chocolate torte with gelato and chocolate sauce, cranberry pie with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce or strawberry cheesecake with strawberry Champagne sauce. $80 per person. 5 -10 p.m. Also open New Year’s Day. 165 W. Napa St., Sonoma. Reserve at 707-938-7542.
Wit & Wisdom: Multi-course meal includes a caviar amuse bouche of Yukon gold roti with crème fraîche and Mina Reserve Osetra caviar and dill. A la carte first course includes choice of smoked burrata with Burgundy truffle and shaved Alba white truffles ($35) or ahi tuna tartare with quail egg. Additional courses include scallops, wild mushroom tagliatelle, lobster pot pie, eye of ribeye steak with potato puree and creamed spinach. Add a black truffle to any course for an additional $65. For dessert, a “Farewell to 2021 chocolate extravaganza” consists of Valrhona milk chocolate cream, brownie bar, gold leaf and Champagne gelée. Reserve at opentable.com/r/wit-and-wisdom-sonoma. Dinner is 5 -9 p.m., and the bar will be open late for a complimentary Champagne toast at midnight. 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-931-3405.
Valley Ford
Dinucci’s: Antipasti plate, minestrone, salad, ravioli with Bolognese sauce, filet mignon or Alaskan halibut, mashed potatoes and cheesecake. $42 per person. Music from Nick Foxer. Book online at dinuccisrestaurant.com or call 707-876-3260. 14485 Valley Ford Road, Valley Ford.
Kathleen Hill contributed to this article.
It’s easy to get caught up in the rush of restaurant debuts throughout the year, bouncing from one grand opening to the next without really having time to fully digest each experience.
Only through the lens of time can we understand a new local restaurant’s importance to Sonoma County, whether through what’s on the table, who’s in the kitchen or how the restaurant impacts the greater community.
My list of 2021’s most notable restaurant openings is a look at what’s garnered special attention this year — small pop-ups becoming permanent restaurants, a new generation of immigrants opening their own restaurants, experienced chefs taking considerable risks in a challenging time or new ideas for old spaces.
No doubt, there are restaurants I’ve overlooked or some that didn’t fit the framework of this article. (You can read about all the restaurants that opened this year on pressdemocrat.com and sonomamag.com.)
In no particular order, here are my picks for this year’s biggest restaurant openings. Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the restaurants and suggestions on what to order.
Quail and Condor: Bakery superstars Melissa Yanc and Sean McGaughey opened their small storefront in January and the rave reviews have continued since. The couple is known for their wild yeast sourdough and hearty dark loaves, but their sweet pastries — croissants and filled Danishes, also made with sourdough — alone are worth the trip. Yanc, a former chef at Single Thread, won $25,000 on the 2019 Food Network “Holiday Baking Championship” show and the couple raised more than $20,000 for their bakery build-out in 2020 through crowdsourcing. 149 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-473-8254, quailandcondor.com
Why it matters: This scrappy young couple have not only launched their own bakery but have hosted frequent dinner pop-ups to support their friends’ culinary enterprises, from burgers to bao. Yanc and McGaughey plan to open a sandwich shop, Troubadour, in downtown Healdsburg at the former Moustache Baked Goods (381 Healdsburg Ave.).
The Matheson and Roof 106: Chef Dustin Valette’s much-hyped new dining experience includes a reservation-only downstairs restaurant and a more casual upstairs lounge.
Why it matters: The rehab of the 106 Matheson building, where Valette’s grandfather once had a bakery, was a massive undertaking, resulting in a modern three-story wonder that’s dominating the Healdsburg restaurant scene. An approachable menu, a self-serve wine wall, a separate sushi menu inspired by Hana’s Ken Tominaga and Valette’s boundless energy (and sizable personal investment) have The Matheson well on its way to becoming a Healdsburg institution, for good reason. 106 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-723-1106, thematheson.com
Hazel Hill at Montage: This multimillion dollar resort has had its ups and downs, and its swanky restaurant has followed suit. The Olive Terrace dining area features an outdoor dining patio, fire pits and lounge areas to sip cocktails or enjoy fine dining. An expansive view of the Alexander Valley is spread out like a quilt with more than 200 acres of land surrounding the terrace. 100 Montage Way, Healdsburg, 707-979-9000, montagehotels.com
Why it matters: The French-ish opening menu at Hazel Hill was way out of step with the unmistakable sense of place (the Alexander Valley) that the resort cultivates. Frankly, it was a disappointment, with poorly thought-out dishes and awkward service. The kitchen has since settled in, with comfortable and family-friendly breakfast, brunch and lunch menus. The dinner lineup is impressive, although the prices are mile-high.
Altamont General Store: Jenay and Andzia Hofftin spent nearly four years rehabbing Occidental’s iconic 1876 hotel, housed in the west county hamlet’s oldest building. Hailing from pioneering stock, Jenay’s family has been part of the town since the two-story way station was built. This buzzy general store is a breath of fresh air, with an Instagram-worthy interior and plenty of grab-and-go dishes. 3703 Main St., Occidental, 707-874-6053, altamontgeneralstore.com
Why it matters: This wife-and-wife team are part of the fabric of this sleepy coastal hamlet that’s been slow to attract millennial tourists. Nourishing veggie-and-grain bowls and sweet ice cream, along with small-production wines by women, make this a starting point for more exploration of the artisan food scene happening in west county.
Khom Loi: Inspired by their many travels to Thailand, chefs Matthew Williams and Moishe Hahn-Schuman dreamed of bringing the flavors of Thailand to Sebastopol for years. After several pop-ups at their nearby Ramen Gaijin restaurant, the duo honed the dishes that pay homage to the cuisine of Laos and Chiang Mai, Thailand, with nods to central and southern Thailand. 7385 Healdsburg Ave., No. 101, Sebastopol, 707-329-6917, khomloisonoma.com
Why it matters: Two white chefs opening a Thai restaurant made San Francisco Chronicle writer Soliel Ho cry foul, calling the venture “cultural appropriation.” But Ho’s criticism was an errant missile in this case, as Williams and Hahn-Schuman have always been clear that their food is not “authentic” but inspired by, or a tribute to, cuisine they love. (Their other restaurant, Ramen Gaijin, points out their “otherness” in the name; “gaijin” translates as “foreigner”.)
Ho’s inquiry raises the bigger question, however, about where passion for a foreign culture leaves off and exploitation begins in the culinary world and beyond. For many food writers, woke or unwoke, 2021 was a year of rethinking words like “authentic” and “exotic” that no longer seem appropriate or inclusive.
Sonoma Burger: After finding success with his pandemic burger pop-up at Gravenstein Grill, Chef Bob Simontacchi decided to take over a nearby restaurant space for a casual burger spot that’s top-notch. 173 Pleasant Hill Ave. N., Sebastopol, sonomaburger.com
Why it matters: Adept restaurateurs who have tried pop-ups and special takeout menus are finding a following with customers adapting to a different style of dining. Sonoma Burger has a touch-screen ordering kiosk and outdoor seating that’s well-spaced.
Stellina Pronto: This Italian-inspired bakery turns out incredible lacquered pastries, focaccia sandwiches, salads and espresso drinks, with plans to expand the menu to wood-fired pizzas, piadine and meatball subs. 23 Kentucky St., Petaluma, stellinapronto.com
Why it matters: Chef Christian Caiazzo and wife Katrina Fried are among the millions of restaurateurs urgently trying to figure out how to run a restaurant in a world that no longer supports traditional restaurant business models. When their critically-acclaimed Point Reyes restaurant, Osteria Stellina, closed during the pandemic, they pivoted to a more financially lean fast-casual bakery without table service or a large kitchen staff. While Caiazzo didn’t spend 35 years behind the stoves of Michelin-starred restaurants to become a barista slinging cappuccinos and lattes, he’s enjoying the new adventure with his family at his side.
Lazeaway Club: The total remodel of the midcentury Flamingo Hotel is as hipster-slick as a pompadour with a mid-fade. The restaurant has a Palm Springs vibe with island-inspired dishes that aren’t overly complicated but perfectly enjoyable. A great drink menu and summer poolside dining make it destination-worthy even if you’re not a tourist.
Why it matters: The revamp of this historic icon revived the sagging old hotel. A thematic restaurant that doesn’t take the joke too far and offers plenty of beachy drinks brings the ’60s party palace back to life. 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, flamingoresort.com
Old Possum Brewing: The large commercial kitchen at Old Possum has launched several new food businesses that operate in conjunction with the brewery. Over the summer, Sebastopol’s Barrio led the charge with creative Mexican cuisine, followed by Austin’s Southern Smoke BBQ and Bayou on the Bay. 357 Sutton Place, Santa Rosa, 707-303-7177, oldpossumbrewing.com
Why it matters: Commercial kitchens for startup food businesses are few and far between in Sonoma County and, if they can be found, they’re expensive. Partnering with a brewery creates a win-win for everyone, with food to pair with the beer. Food trucks pulling up to breweries also have become an important trend as the often-eschewed trucks find great partnerships at breweries that don’t offer food.
Tony’s Galley: Chef Tony Ounpamornchai of SEA Thai Bistro, SEA Thai Noodle Bar and Raku Ramen and Rolls opened a fifth restaurant in 2021. Montgomery Village former owners David and Melissa Codding, longtime fans of Ounpamornchai, gave the Thai restaurateur the financial backing he needed to make Tony’s Galley a reality. In a time when so many restaurants are closing, it’s heartening to see a success story. 722 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 707-303-7007, tonysgalley.com
Why it matters: The Coddings, who recently sold the outdoor shopping mall to a Boston-based developer, have long been champions of local businesses. In 2007, they invited Ounpamornchai to move his original restaurant, SEA Thai Bistro in Petaluma, to a small corner space now occupied by Tomatina. With their financial support, Ounpamornchai was able to grow his following and later move the restaurant to its current location, which seats 120. Will the new out-of-state owners continue to support local small businesses in the same way?
Pezcow: The former Tu Mole Madre has been transformed into an elevated Mexican restaurant centered around its wood-fired oven and the talents of owner Damian Zuniga and his extended family. 8465 Old Redwood Highway, No. 510, Windsor, 707-393-8370.
Why it matters: Zuniga has worked in restaurants since he was 15, many of them owned by the Diaz family, successful Sonoma County restaurateurs who own Agave, El Gallo Negro, El Faralito and a bottled mole company. Now 32, with three food businesses to his name, Zuniga is hoping to replicate the success of the Diazes with a food empire of his own. He’s part of a new generation of local immigrants who are launching off the shoulders of those who came before them, the immigrant business owners who gave them a start. 8465 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 707-393, 8370. bit.ly/31k9I9X
Peruvian openings: A slate of Peruvian restaurants have suddenly opened in Sonoma County, including Inca’s Peruvian Cuisine (799 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-861-9057), Warike Restobar (527 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-536-9201) and Bistro 201 (613 E. Washington St., Petaluma, 707-559-5130).
Why it matters: Why does Sonoma County suddenly have six Peruvian restaurants? The cuisine is approachable and existing restaurants like Sazon have proven popular. There’s some grumbling about who’s authentic and who’s not, but at the end of the day it all comes down to a good Pisco sour and the best leche de tigre.
Dino’s Greek, Zimi Pizza, Zimi on Mission, Taverna Lithi: Passionate about bringing the Old World flavors of Greece to Sonoma County, Chef Dino Moniodis is building a little restaurant empire. Starting with his tiny food trailer (Dino’s Greek Food), he’s opened two brick-and-mortar restaurants — Zimi Pizza at The Block in Petaluma (20 Grey St.) and now, Zimi on Mission (500 Mission Blvd., Santa Rosa, eatzimionmission.com). He’s developing another restaurant, Taverna Lithi, at the forthcoming Livery food hall in Sebastopol.
Why it matters: Moniodis is an energetic entrepreneur, whose risk-taking seems to be paying off in the challenging restaurant landscape of 2021. Fast-casual dining with good prices and hard-to-find Greek flavors have made him one to watch.
Jam’s Joy Bugalow: Chef Jamilah Nixon-Mathis’ new restaurant and kitchen is a weird, wonderful, jungle-y hodgepodge of fun. Here you can explore her expanded menu of Southeast Asian-inspired dishes with all the spicy, sweet, aromatic flavors we’ve come to expect from Jam’s Joy Bungalow. 101 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati, jamsjoybungalow.com
Why it matters: Female chefs are a rare breed, and this entrepreneur and mom has expanded her business from a food truck to a small takeout window to a full-fledged restaurant.
Il Fuoco: Chef Rob Larman has pivoted many times in his career, and Il Fuoco is the latest transformation. The former Cochon Volant, which focused on barbecue, has become a wood-fired pizza oven spot. 18350 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, 707-522-7778.
Why it matters: Adaptation was the name of the game for restaurants in 2021. Moving to a new concept brings new interest and new customers when done right.
Robert Nieto and his wife, Tara, have been selling their pretty, artisan Fleur Sauvage chocolates at local farmers markets for the last three years, but on Wednesday, Dec. 15, they will open their own chocolate shop at 370 Windsor River Rd. in Windsor.
The couple launched their chocolate business in 2019, after Robert Nieto worked as pastry chef at Madrona Manor, Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro and Jackson Family Wines. You might also have seen him as a competitor on the Food Network’s “Holiday Wars,” “Cookie Wars” and “Beat Bobby Flay” over the last few years.
If you like artfully made chocolate, you’ll appreciate Nieto’s skill with his thin-shelled jewel-like bonbons and chocolate wine bottles filled with truffles. Nieto has been up to his eyeballs in chocolate orders for the holidays, so they plan a soft opening for the new shop, highlighting just a few treats for gift-giving, including signature multicolor chocolate bonbons.
“We do have some holiday-themed bonbons, and we’re going to try to offer the Cocoa Bomb,” Nieto said. “We make our own cocoa mix, with cinnamon to spice it up and marshmallows inside.”
The shop also will sell jelly candies in Wine Country flavors like pear-chardonnay and mulled wine. Nieto pops the candies out of a silicone mold and casts them in sugar for a frosty coating. He also hopes to bake a few individual desserts for the holidays and give the classic bûche de Noël dessert a modern twist.
Tara Nieto will run the front of the store, where you can order espressos, lattes and hot chocolate to warm up on cold winter days. There are several seating areas, inside and outside the shop, which is located in a former driving school.
Fleur Sauvage Chocolates already partners with several wineries to serve their chocolates, from Badassari Wines in Windsor to Walt Wines in Sonoma and Napa. But Nieto plans to get more involved with the Windsor community.
“I’d like to offer a workshop on how to make your own chocolate bar,” he said. “It’s really family-oriented here.”
Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday but may change in the future. For more information, go to fleursauvagechocolates.com.
After 20 years of designing urban, suburban and rural residences, San Francisco-based Feldman Architecture has released a book showcasing selections from their award-winning body of work.
The book, called Immersed, The California Houses of Feldman Architecture, features two Sonoma County properties — one in Healdsburg and one in Sonoma — that exemplify architect Jonathan Feldman’s light-on-the-land approach and his vision to create site-sensitive homes, which, through the use of local and natural building materials, blend with the surrounding landscape. Other spectacular properties in the book include a Carmel home with a “caterpillar roof” that mimic the hillside in the background and a high-art Santa Cruz surf house cladded in locally-sourced reclaimed lumber.
Feldman and his partners approach new projects as “observers and editors,” taking inspiration from the landscape and what already exists on a property while carefully making additions to the setting without radically changing it. For the Healdsburg home featured in the book, they took design cues from a cabin on the hillside property. The home was then situated to maximize views, while its shape was informed by the surrounding landscape so that the house would blend into the hillside setting.
The Healdsburg home is sleek and modern with black steel elements but, in Feldman’s words, the look is “softened” by bleached walnut ceilings and plaster walls. It makes great use of the indoor-outdoor design trend that is continuing to have a big moment in California. Four massive glass doors on each side of the home roll up warehouse-style, or like garage doors, and transform the home into an open-air pavilion. Concrete floors indoors extend to the outdoors on the terrace, and around the pool and fire pit.
The Sonoma property was conceived as a “garden pavilion” — “a simple and modern shell that directly immerses its inhabitants” in the surroundings, according to Feldman. The homeowners are avid gardeners, so the design was intended to showcase their garden, allowing it to be seen from the indoors through a wall of glass in the front and on the sides of the house. This wall of windows also makes the 2,000-square-foot home feel more expansive. Like the Healdsburg home, this property is modern and sleek but the look is softened by dark slate grays in the concrete and Douglas fir accents.
Click through the above gallery for a look at the two Sonoma County properties.
“Immersed, The California Houses of Feldman Architecture” is available online and a local booksellers. $75, oropublishers.com.
A sea urchin a study in contradictions: Tenacious and spiky on the outside, vulnerable and velvety on the inside. With a beauty both fragile and fierce, it can burrow for decades into rock, but die from the tiniest crack in its brittle shell.
As an ingredient, sea urchin is a flavor bomb that’s sweet and briny, custardy and ambrosial, summoning the taste of both earth and sea in every bite.
If you’re like some people, a glance at a jiggly orange blob of sea urchin roe, or uni, might be enough to prompt a hasty “no thanks.” But fresh, local sea urchin, abundant in the ocean along the North Coast, has captured the fancy of coastal chefs, and it’s increasingly finding its way onto menus. Local uni is an umami delicacy on par with caviar — with an environmental backstory that people can feel good about.
Jason Azevedo, chef de cuisine at the Little River Inn on the Mendocino Coast remembers his first taste of uni in his 20s.
“It was at a sushi restaurant, and I got the big combo platter to try anything,” he recalls. “It reminded me of foie gras in the rich sweetness, and then that melty, briny flavor — I fell in love with it.”
From there he started adding the tender lobes to his tapas dishes and garnishing paella with it. He pureed it to make a savory flan: a silken uni custard, with a layer of miso in place of the caramel base.
These days, Azevedo uses the luxurious umami flavor of uni to elevate a pasta dish (see recipe p. 52), using black squid-ink pasta draped in a golden-hued cream sauce. He forages for urchin down in the coves below the inn when he gets the chance or, he adds with a smile, “When I’m having a really bad fishing day.”
Urchins along the West Coast come in two main varieties for eating: the red urchin and the purple. Red urchin has long been favored by chefs because of year-round availability and bigger “tongues” — the five spears of roe that form the edible part of the sea urchin. These silken lobes can be a couple of inches long and an inch or more wide, with a color ranging from deep gold to vibrant orange.
The smaller, scrappier, and more populous purple urchin has snagged the spotlight in recent years as a tasty way for humans to literally take a bite out of an ecological disaster that began a decade ago, when warming seas triggered an alarmingly large algal bloom, followed by a disease called “sea star wasting syndrome” that killed off an estimated 80% of the sea stars that feed on urchins and normally keep the urchin population in check.
Like abalone, sea urchins feed on bull kelp that grows in undersea forests supporting a range of sea life. However, from 2014 to 2016, warmer sea waters that scientists nicknamed the “Pacific warm blob” inhibited regrowth of those kelp forests. As luck would have it, purple urchins can survive on nothing but rock and algae for decades, earning them the nickname “zombie urchins.”
Within a few years of the purple urchins’ population explosion, not only were abalone starving to death, forcing the closure of the abalone fishery in 2018, but many of the West Coast’s once-lush underwater bull kelp forests had been reduced to “urchin barrens” — spiky carpets of purple urchins covering miles of ocean floor.
On a drizzly Saturday morning at Caspar Cove in Fort Bragg, while others are still asleep, Josh Russo has already been in and out of the ocean, culling as many purple urchins as he can find in a targeted section of the cove. “It’s perfect out there,” he says of the day’s dive, noting 15 feet of visibility underwater and some promising areas of regrowing bull kelp, visible from shore as dark floating orbs. As the lead organizer for the North Bay chapter of the Watermen’s Alliance, Russo rallies groups of diving volunteers to harvest overpopulated purple urchins from selected areas, giving the bull kelp a chance to thrive again.
Russo serves on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marine Protected Areas group, where he successfully lobbied this year for bigger limits on individual harvests of purple urchin — up to 40 gallons per person — and more aggressive culling methods at Caspar Cove.
Russo shows a bag of urchins he collected on the morning’s dive, their spikes moving slightly in the morning rain, headed for the kitchen at Little River Inn. “We also have to remember the purple urchin are not an invasive species; they’re a native species,” he says. “They’re not the enemy; they’re just overpopulated right now. Our effort is to restore the balance.”
Cally Dym, the fifth-generation owner of the Little River Inn and restaurant has been foraging on the beach her family once owned, now known as Van Damme State Park, since she can remember. Back then, abalone was the prize, part of a thriving ecosystem that brought thousands of tourists to the Mendocino Coast each year to dive and dine.
While Dym, like others on the North Coast, longs for the day when the abalone fishing returns (Fish and Wildlife has set 2026 as the date for releasing its plans for the fishery), uni has been an interesting side trip. While she calls urchin an “acquired taste,” it’s one that her husband Marc likes, and she’ll grab him some when she’s out “rock-picking” the tidepools at a very low tide.
Down Highway 1 from Little River, in the town of Elk, the back dining terrace of Harbor House Inn overlooks a sunny cove, a view that tempts Executive Chef Matthew Kammerer out of the kitchen. “Honestly, I like any excuse to get outside,” the Michelin-starred chef says with a grin, and fetching purple urchin at a low tide is as good a reason as any. “This is a rare place,” he says. “That’s why I chose it. It still feels raw and untouched.”
“A lot of our guests have their first uni experience here,” he said. “In a restaurant like this, it’s about language and the mindset you put guests in before they eat something. So, if you’re excited about it, they’re excited about it.”
Kammerer’s urchin-based creations include a savory Japanese-style uni custard or chawan-mushi and a dish of warm celery root and cool uni that has guests raving. The backstory of the sea urchin takes some time to explain at the table, but Kammerer believes it’s worth it.
“We see it as our job to get people asking more questions about where their food comes from and about the need to go local to sustain economies and the natural world,” Kammerer says. Depending on the season, he sometimes uses red urchin purchased from local fishermen, but admits the purples are more desirable from a local and sustainability standpoint. “You can find like 50 in five minutes,” he says of gathering the plentiful purples from tidepools in the cove below the restaurant. The meatier ones, he says, will be the ones feeding near the seaweed.
Both chefs Kammerer and Azevedo mention that the key to good uni is freshness and proper handling. Cleaning an urchin is a matter of cutting a circle around the bony plates on the bottom of the urchin that form its mouth (kitchen shears work nicely).
Once the mouth is removed, the urchin can be gently rinsed out with sea water. This will reveal the five points of roe, sometimes called tongues, that sit on the inside of the urchin’s shell like the petals of a flower.
In Europe and Japan, urchin is often served this way, on the half shell, so diners can scoop it out with a spoon. Live, whole urchins can keep in the refrigerator in seawater for 24 hours, but not much longer. Cleaned and in the half-shell, they can keep for a couple of days on ice.
If you forage at a minus tide, or attend one of the Watermen’s Alliance urchin dives, you should expect that only 5-10% of urchins will yield a decent amount of the sought-after roe, so take more urchin than you need, keep them in seawater, and be prepared to smash up the ones you don’t use and put them in your compost bin. Urchin can also be ordered in advance online from purveyors or ordered from a favorite fishmonger or market.
To address the problem of purples not yielding enough roe, a global company called Urchinomics hopes to start “ranching” sea urchins, by harvesting them from barrens and fattening them up for 6-12 weeks on a special non-bull kelp seaweed diet, then selling them to restaurants in places with high demand. Urchinomics conducted successful tests of the program in Bodega Bay last year, and, according to the company, expects to open a ranching site in Southern California in the next year. Finding the right site and working with regulators takes years, but the company is optimistic that the North Coast region will one day have its own purple urchin ranch that keeps the population in check, while filling a growing demand for the roe.
Meanwhile, some locals on the coast are feeling hopeful this year about the fact that cooler summer temperatures and windier days drew an upwelling of kelp-friendly cold water into the urchin-dotted bays, with promising stands of bull kelp visible right off shore.
Dym, who goes to a place she calls “my beach” whenever she can, said she saw a good amount of young abalone among the colorful tidepool life on a recent excursion. She shared a photo of a bright and perfectly formed young sea star, a key urchin predator, that she found on the rocks at low ride. “We still have a long way to go,” she said of the once-vibrant fishery with an uncertain future, “But seeing this, it made my day.”
• Go on a volunteer “Purple Urchin Removal” Day with Josh Russo and Watermen’s Alliance, announced on their Facebook page (facebook.com/ groups/158992911481142/about) The group welcomes volunteers, and there are thousands of purple urchins available for the taking this season.
• Rock-pick your own purple urchins from the tidepools at Van Damme or Caspar Cove at a very low, minus tide. Practice ocean safety: Go with a group, wear sturdy water shoes and gloves, and never turn your back on the ocean. The North Coast is famous for sneaker waves. You’ll also need to have a current fishing license.
• Order online from a purveyor like Water2Table Fish Co. (water2table.com/direct-to-consumer) or SeaStephanieFish (seastephaniefish.com) that brings urchin to the Bay Area with pop-up events and sales. Uni sells out quickly, so plan ahead.
• Ask your favorite fishmonger or supermarket to order uni for you from their supplier.
This uni recipe comes from Jason Azevedo of the Little River Inn, who prefers to make his own squid-ink pasta. Home chefs can buy the pasta at well-stocked markets or order it online. Creamy and luxurious, this is a satisfying dish for a winter evening.
For the uni sauce:
½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
¼ cup leeks, finely diced
¼ cup celery, finely diced
1 cube unsalted butter
1 tbsp salt, or less, to taste
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup heavy cream
1 ¼ cup fish stock (or bouillon)
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
½ cup uni or 10-15 “tongues”
1 lemon, zest and juice
In a saucepan, melt the butter and sauté the onion, leeks, celery, and lemon zest on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until ingredients are translucent but not browned. Add salt, Old Bay Seasoning, and flour, and cook for four minutes until a smooth, bubbly paste forms. Add uni ‘tongues,’ lemon juice, fish stock, and cream, and stir with a whisk until smooth. Simmer gently for 10 minutes until creamy. Taste for seasoning, and add more Old Bay or salt as desired.
Place sauce in a blender or use an immersion blender in the pan, and whirl until pureed. Strain sauce through fine mesh, and set aside.
For the pasta dish and garnish:
1 lb. pasta sepia (squid-ink pasta, available in gourmet markets and online)
2 tbsp butter
1 cup Dungeness crabmeat, cleaned and divided in half
2 tbsp dry white wine
2 tbsp chives
Uni for garnish (if you have extras)
In a separate pan, boil pasta and cook as directed on package. Do not overcook; pasta should be al dente — approximately 7-10 minutes. While pasta cooks, melt the butter, and sauté ½ cup Dungeness crabmeat in a large skillet until lightly caramelized (the other ½ cup of crabmeat will remain cold for the garnish). Deglaze the pan with a splash of dry white wine, and reduce the liquid on medium-low heat until there is almost no liquid left in the pan. Add 2 cups of the uni sauce, and 2 tbsp of the water the pasta was cooked in. Stir to blend. Add in the cooked pasta, and gently fold together with a wooden spoon, just until coated. Allow to bubble gently on low heat for 2 minutes.
Plate the pasta and garnish with the remaining half-cup of chilled crabmeat, a sprinkle of chives, and some extra uni, if you have it. Serves 2-4, depending on whether it’s a main course or a side dish.
One of Wine Country’s most notable power couples, French vintner Jean-Charles Boisset and winemaker Gina Gallo, are making a foray into the hotel business with their new venture, The Ink House.
The property, located just south of St. Helena, was built as a single-family home in 1885 by Theron Ink, who came to the area searching for gold, settled in the Napa Valley and eventually became a successful agriculturalist. It was turned into a luxury boutique inn by the winemaking Castelluci family in 2018. Elvis Presley stayed in the house in 1960, while filming the musical–drama Wild in the Country, and one of the inn’s guest rooms – The Elvis Room – is dedicated to the famous singer and actor.
Boisset and Gallo purchased the historic property in October. This is the couple’s first formal business collaboration and their first hotel but they are by no means newcomers to the hospitality industry.
“I’ve always dreamt of having hotels because I love to welcome guests,” said Boisset, who owns Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma, DeLoach Vineyards in Santa Rosa and a number of wineries and businesses in Napa Valley and his native France.
Boisset has considerable experience updating landmark Wine Country properties: Buena Vista is California’s first premium winery, and he also owns Oakville Grocery, which dates back to 1887, and the Calistoga Depot, which was built by the town’s founder, Sam Brannan. Just this week, his company, the Boisset Collection, announced the acquisition of Elizabeth Spencer Winery, which is located in a Rutherford post office built in 1872.
The French vintner is known for his penchant for the extravagant – his personal style has been described as flamboyant and his wineries are decorated with similar panache. But, so far, Boisset and his wife have refrained from making any big changes to The Ink House’s decor, only adding a sparkling Baccarat crystal chandelier (a Boisset favorite) to the dining room. Plans are in the works, however, for future transformations: The basement is being turned into a speakeasy with comfy seating, a pool table and bar (it already boasts a piano that Elvis is supposed to have played during his stay at the house) and a pool is being added to the property.
Only four guest rooms are available at The Ink House (six rooms can be made available if a guest buys out the entire property). All rooms come with vineyard views and a home-like ambiance. The Elvis Room is a little different, of course: Black and white photographs of Elvis and his co-stars decorate the walls, along with a nostalgic movie poster. There’s also a record player and a collection of Elvis albums. The Observation Tower room, located on the inn’s third floor, offers 360-degree views of the Napa Valley, including the nearby entrance to Boisset’s Raymond Vineyards.
“Even in my own house I don’t have such a great view,” said Boisset.
Guests at The Ink House have access to a chef’s kitchen where they can prepare meals, and wine is available to purchase from a well-stocked wine refrigerator. An assortment of candles, books and perfumes from the Boisset Collection are prominently displayed in the inn’s living room. A range of experiences, from yoga classes and chocolate making workshops to hot air balloon rides, can be arranged by the estate manager. Click through the above gallery for a peek at the inn.
Rates for ensuite guest rooms at The Ink House start at $850 per night. 1575 St. Helena Highway, St. Helena, 707-331-4382
An early-winter walk through the vineyard is generally quiet, as leaves rustle on the ground and the vines get ready for dormancy. You turn your head, see a cluster of grapes—full, over-plump, ready to burst, maybe looking a little bit funky on the outside. Were they forgotten? Rejected?
No. They’re just waiting for their moment—the moment they can be picked and made into a late-harvest wine. After the regular harvest concludes, but before vines shut down for the winter, a winemaker has one more chance to put their touch on the nearly-finished vintage with a late-harvest offering.
“Liquid gold” is how Cara Morrison, Chardonnay winemaker for Sonoma-Cutrer describes her late-harvest Chardonnay. “OK, being more technical, it’s a sweet wine made from grapes picked much later and much riper than for typical wine,” she explains.
Grapes for a late-harvest wine are generally picked between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sonoma-Cutrer celebrates the holiday-season harvest as a team: “We get a group of tasting room, hospitality, administrative, and cellar staff to pick the grapes,” says Morrison. “We provide coffee and donuts to make a fun event for employees who don’t normally get the opportunity to pick. It’s a fun, festive, and cold occasion.”
What’s more, Morrison sticks with tradition: “We pick the grapes with plenty of botrytis. They don’t look too pretty, but they taste fantastic—like pure honey.”
“Botrytis is a fungus that can have a negative impact in some wines, but it’s a positive component of lateharvest wines. It intensifies the sweetness of the wine and adds a honeyed characteristic,” explains Katy Wilson, winemaker for Anaba, which crafts a late-harvest Viognier. “Viognier is a great variety for late-harvest wine because … [it’s] a very aromatic variety and has great texture. This makes for a balanced and complex wine.”
Stew Lauterbach of Lauterbach Cellars likes to compare his late-harvest Syrah to his port-style Syrah dessert wine so guests can appreciate the difference. “With port-style wines, I stop [traditionally harvested] Syrah fermentation at 12 percent sugar by fortifying it with wine alcohol, which increases the alcohol to 19%, and keeps all the unfermented sugar,” he explains.
But with late-harvest wines, “because of higher sugar at harvest, yeast will stop fermenting naturally. Whatever sugar is left is left. You have no control.” The result is a wine that is less sweet than the dessert wine.
Lauterbach’s 2013 late-harvest Syrah is a true holiday wine—harvested the day before Thanksgiving and pressed the day before Christmas. “My wife, Barb, loves this wine with dark, bitter chocolate,” says the winemaker.
Highly aromatic, with fresh fruit and floral notes and an incredibly viscous, lush mouthfeel. Its sweetness is balanced with crisp acidity. Notes of white peach, dried apricot, baked apple, toasted almonds, honey, citrus zest, and quince paste.
Enjoy with: Lemon-flavored cake and pastries, especially when topped with cream and baked fruit. Also pairs well with the traditional holiday fruitcake.
$36 for 375 ml. 707-237-3489 / sonomacutrer.com
Aromas and flavors of apricot, pear, jasmine, white tea, and peach along with honeyed notes from the botrytis.
Enjoy with: A glass by itself can often be dessert enough, but do not miss pairing this beautiful wine with pumpkin pie! Or, do as the French do, and finish with a cheese course and the sweet viognier. Winemaker Katy Wilson loves this wine with Cowgirl Creamery’s Red Hawk.
$34 for 375 ml. 707-996-4188 / anabawines.com
Intense aromas of fig jam and plum jam, complemented by savory notes of clove, nutmeg, chili-spiced chocolate, and roasted coffee.
Enjoy with: Bittersweet chocolate, as the winemaker’s wife suggests. Or go the savory route and try this ‘dessertstyle wine’ with roast rack of lamb.
$28 for 375 mL, $50 for 750 mL. 707-578-0537 / lauterbachcellars.com
When Nancy King was a few weeks old, her family adopted a puppy—an act which became the start of her lifelong mission to help lost and abandoned pets. King grew up to become the longtime executive director of Sonoma Valley’s Pets Lifeline, a group that has helped more than 15,000 local animals since its founding in 1982.
Recently, the nonprofit relocated to a brand-new building that matches the expanded scale of its mission, which now includes variety of programs aimed at improving the lives of animals and their caregivers: free clinics for low-income pet owners, dog training programs, financial assistance for senior pet owners, summer camps for for children, and a pet food pantry that began as a response to Covid and is still going strong.
Below, King talks about Pets Lifeline and shares a few anecdotes.
We work with all kinds of people: seniors, kids, the developmentally disabled, folks who suffer from memory loss. The visceral difference an animal makes peoples’ lives is amazing. Studies show that having a cat or a dog reduces your blood pressure and relieves anxiety.
There are so many stories! Recently we had a Rottweiler-mix puppy named Azalea. She was a wonderful dog—but a lot of dog! An elderly couple totally fell in love with her and took her in. The couple’s adult kids thought a puppy would be way too much for them, but they were determined to do everything they could to help the puppy. This kind of dedication is so touching.
The new building gives us the opportunity to do so much more: We now have a full veterinary clinic, a big indoor/outdoor dog yard, and we’re able to take in more animals. The dogs have room to hang out, enjoy the sunshine, lay on their beds with their toys—and all the animals are all so much calmer, happier, and more receptive. We really notice a behavioral difference.
Before, we only had two cat rooms, so if any of the cats didn’t get along or had a health issue, we had to put them in cages in the hallways. Now we have eight cat habitats that are big, beautiful and light. Our kitten room is very popular—we often find the staff hanging out there on breaks. We either call it the “catio” or the “meow-cony!”
We say generosity is a state of mind — no donation is too big or too small! We’re always looking for food for the pet food pantry, and we’d love for people to volunteer. Sonoma County is an amazing community to be a part of. This is a very giving place.
You’ve decorated the house and tree, bought all the gifts, wrapped them and stashed them away for Christmas Day. Just as you’ve accomplished all that, you have to get busy preparing for a big holiday feast. Why not take a load off this year and let one of your favorite Sonoma County restaurants take care of it for you? Here are local restaurants, caterers and grocers offering delicious holiday meals for dining in, picking up or delivery on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Flamingo Resort: Enjoy a Christmas Day brunch in the Flamingo Resort’s Aviary Room. The menu includes a lobster bisque, wedge salad and crudités platter for starters; entrees of prime rib, pan-roasted miso glazed salmon, or pineapple and mustard roasted ham; and panettone bread pudding, chocolate budino or Meyer lemon tart for dessert. The brunch will be held on Saturday, Dec. 25, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The meal is $80 per person and reservations can be made on OpenTable. 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-8530, flamingoresort.com
Union Hotel Restaurant: The historic Union Hotel Italian restaurant has an extensive menu for dining in on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The menu includes classic favorites such as homemade ravioli, chicken parmesan, slow-roasted prime rib, beef stew with creamy polenta, an assortment of 12-inch pizzas and much more. Reservations can be made on OpenTable. 280 Mission Blvd., Santa Rosa, 707-538-6000, unionhotel.com
Ricky’s Eastbound: Christmas and New Year’s menus available for pick-up and delivery. The Christmas menu includes filet mignon wrapped in applewood smoked bacon with a mushroom red wine reduction; Hasselback potatoes with parmesan and herbs; creamed spinach cassoulet; mixed greens salad with dried cranberries and toasted pecans; dinner rolls and butter. Christmas dinner feeds two people for $130, four people for $250 or eight people for $500. Order by Friday, Dec. 16 for pick-up or delivery in east Santa Rosa on Dec. 24. To order, call 707-536-6606 or email rickyseastboundorders@gmail.com. 5755 Mountain Hawk Drive, Santa Rosa, rickyseastbound.com
The Spinster Sisters: Indoor dining for a three-course holiday meal (with several options available for each course) is available at The Spinster Sisters from 4-8 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The dinner is $75 per person with an optional $45 wine pairing. Reservations can be made on Resy. 401 South A St., Santa Rosa, 707-528-7100, thespinstersisters.com
Tips Roadside: This Kenwood restaurant serves a family holiday meal to-go for two to four people. The meal includes Tony’s glazed spiral ham and/or prime rib, roasted garlic marble potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry walnut salad, brioche dinner rolls and dutch apple pie. Pre-order online at tipsroadside.com or call 707-509-0078. Pick-up times are between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 24. 8445 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood.
Glen Ellen Star: For takeout on Christmas Eve, this $75 per person menu includes Snake River Farms Beef Wellington with a pomegranate bordelaise, house-made pull-apart rolls, spigarello (an Italian heirloom variety of broccoli) Caesar salad, au gratin potatoes, creamed arrowhead spinach, sticky toffee pudding and vanilla maple bourbon ice cream. The $65 vegetarian option includes a mushroom and winter root vegetable pot pie that serves six (a la carte). The dinner comes with reheating and cooking instructions. Place an order for a holiday dinner package on Upserve. 13648 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-343-1384, glenellenstar.com
Les Pascals Patisserie: The seasonal Christmas menu at Les Pascals includes French take-home treats such as a traditional bûche de noël, croquembouche (a dessert of choux pastry puffs piled into a cone and bound with threads of caramel), fruit tarts, feuilletes (puff pastry) appetizers, baguettes and more. 13758 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-934-8378, lespascalspatisserie.com
Layla Restaurant, MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa: For dine-in, Layla Restaurant is offering a four-course Mediterranean-inspired Christmas Eve dinner. The menu includes your choice of lobster bisque or grilled radicchio and arugula salad for the first course; crispy Spanish octopus or potato gnocchi for the second course; butternut squash ravioli, filet of beef or Alaskan salmon amandine for the third course; and bûche de noël or gingerbread cake for the fourth course. The dinner will be offered from noon to 8 p.m. on Dec. 24 and is $90 per person, plus $60 for an optional wine pairing. Reserve a table at OpenTable. 29 E. MacArthur St., Sonoma, 707-938-2929, macarthurplace.com
Wit & Wisdom: Open for indoor dining on Christmas Eve with an a la carte menu and on Christmas Day with a prix-fixe menu. The three-course Christmas Day menu ($97 per person) includes choice of shaved Brussels sprouts salad, king crab and endive Caesar, porcini rotolo (a pasta dish) or winter squash soup for the first course; wagyu pot roast, honey-ham porchetta, phyllo crusted sole or Chef Mina’s lobster pot pie for the second course; and a Christmas sundae or white chocolate-crème fraîche crepe cake for dessert. Make a reservation at witandwisdomsonoma.com. 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-931-3405
Sonoma Grille: For indoor dining on Christmas Eve from 4:30-9:30 p.m., Sonoma Grille has a sizable holiday menu. The varied dishes include vegetable strudel, Maine lobster, homemade saffron pappardelle, slow roasted prime rib, daily special desserts and more. Reserve a table on OpenTable or call 707-938-7542. 165 West Napa St., Sonoma, sonomagrilleandbar.com
Stockhome: Petaluma’s Stockhome restaurant will serve a traditional Swedish julbord for indoor and outdoor dining on Dec. 19, with a two-person takeout option on Dec. 20. The julbord menu includes S.O.S. (smör, ost och sill/butter, cheese and herring), three types of herring, cooked potatoes, Nordic cheeses, dill-cured and cold-smoked salmon, pigs head terrine (sylta), paté of elk (lantpaté), chicken liver mousse, shaved pork and lamb belly (rullsylta) with pickled vegetables, Swedish holiday bread, mustard-baked Christmas ham (julskinka), Swedish meatballs, sausages, ginger-glazed spare ribs, Jansson’s temptation (au gratin potatoes with anchovies), Santa’s rice pudding, and other kitchen treats. Buy dine-in or takeout julbord tickets at stockhomepetaluma.com. 220 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-981-8511, stockhomerestaurant.com
Down To Earth Cafe and Deli: A three-course, prix-fixe menu for pick-up on Christmas Eve includes an entree of cioppino ($60 per person), prime rib ($60 per person), short ribs ($50 per person), roasted pork loin ($45 per person) or a crab roll kit ($28 per person) — all with a variety of sides, along with a little gem Caesar salad or butternut squash soup and a choice of butterscotch pudding, chocolate pudding, sticky toffee pudding or lemon meringue pie. There’s a two-person minimum for each entree item. Additional goodies include a cheese board for four ($50), a cinnamon roll kit ($20) and a brioche bread pudding French toast ($14 per person). Call 707-753-4925 to pre-order by 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 22, for pick-up on Dec. 24 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 8204 Old Redwood Highway, Cotati, dtecafe.com.
Sally Tomatoes: For pick-up, this Christmas meal includes butter lettuce salad with spiced pears, toasted hazelnuts and goat cheese with a hazelnut vinaigrette; New York shrimp scampi with garlic, butter, capers and parmesan cheese; pork prime rib with brandied cherry demi-glaze with wild mushroom and gruyere scalloped potatoes; fresh asparagus and a dark chocolate raspberry torte. $40 per person, four-person minimum. Order at 707-665-9472 by Dec. 17 and pick up between Tuesday, Dec. 21 to Thursday, Dec. 23. 1100 Valley House Drive, Rohnert Park, sallytomatoes.com.
Daily Grill: Pre-orders for holiday to-go packages are available until Dec. 21. Daily Grill is offering a three-course ham dinner ($65 for two people and $160 for six) or three-course turkey dinner ($55 for two people and $145 for six). Each meal comes with a variety of sides, including mac ‘n’ cheese, garlic mashed potatoes, apple-sage stuffing and a choice of apple or pumpkin pie. Pre-order your packaged holiday meal for pickup here. 630 Park Court, Rohnert Park, 707-585-7505, dailygrill.com/rohnert-park-ca
Gravenstein Grill: For indoor or patio dining on Christmas Eve, Gravenstein Grill is serving a five-course, prix-fixe holiday meal for $150 per person. The first course is a winter vegetable croquette; the second course is a choice of root vegetable salad or French onion soup; the third course is a choice of local pork and duck country pate, Dungeness crab salad or a cheese plate; the main course is a choice of petite New York strip steak, Liberty duck breast or wild mushroom gnocchi; and the dessert is a choice of a petite Meyer lemon tartlet or chocolate pot de creme. Call 707-634-6142 for reservations. 8050 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol, gravensteingrill.com
Dry Creek Kitchen: For indoor dining on Christmas Eve from 5-9 p.m., Dry Creek Kitchen has added a special Christmas holiday-inspired item to its daily prix-fixe menu: Tournedos Rossini (Painted Hills filet mignon with brioche and truffle jus). The three-course meal is $75 per person and reservations can be made on OpenTable. 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-431-0330, drycreekkitchen.com
Spoonbar: Dine in at Spoonbar on Christmas Day from 2-8 p.m. The three-course menu includes a choice of lobster risotto, potato leek soup, Dungeness crab salad, beet and goat cheese salad or butter lettuce salad for the first course; Ora King salmon, duck duo, Mary’s crispy chicken breast and thigh, 12-ounce ribeye or cauliflower steak for the second course; and lemon cheesecake, chocolate bûche de noël or scoops of ice cream with berries for dessert. The dinner is $85 per person. The $25 kids menu consists of rigatoni pasta, cheeseburger and fries, or roasted chicken breast with whipped potatoes and vegetables. Make a reservation on OpenTable. 219 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-7222, spoonbar.com
Preferred Sonoma Caterers: This holiday dinner for eight to 10 people (available for pick-up on Christmas Eve) includes a choice of honey-dijon-glazed ham ($250) or rosemary-garlic rib roast ($315 full order, $220 half order) with white cheddar horseradish mashed potatoes, classic green bean casserole, maple roasted carrots with goat cheese, salad and dessert. Orders must be made by Dec. 18., and pickup is Christmas Eve. To order call 707-769-7208, sonomacaterers.com
Sonoma County Catering: This holiday dinner for four to six people (available for pick-up on Christmas Eve) includes a choice of honey-glazed ham ($119), roasted prime rib ($149) or roasted tenderloin with a demi-glaze ($169) accompanied by Sonoma green salad, garlic-rosemary mashed potatoes, fresh roasted vegetable medley and herbed focaccia bread. To place an order, call 707-694-3772 or email book@sonomacountycatering.com. sonomacountycatering.com.
Epicurean Escape Catering: Epicurean’s holiday meal for delivery includes baby kale salad, Brussels sprouts and winter squash sauté, sweet potato gratin, kumquat-cranberry compote, zinfandel-braised beef short ribs and flourless chocolate cake. Optional add-ons include truffled wild mushroom mac ‘n’ cheese ($15 per person) and maple syrup guajillo chile glazed spiral ham ($20 per person). The catered dinner is $59 per person plus a $40 delivery fee. 707-230-2802, epicureanescape.com
Oliver’s Market: Oliver’s is closed for Christmas for the first time in 33 years, but Christmas dinners can still be ordered from the grocer (place order by Dec. 21 for Dec. 24 pick-up). A complete holiday meal includes a Diestel Ranch turkey, traditional stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetable medley, turkey gravy, cranberry sauce and a dozen pull-apart rolls. The dinner is $140 and serves six to eight people. Order online at oliversmarket.com before Dec. 21; pick up on Dec. 24. To find an Oliver’s Market near you, click here.
Raley’s: Raley’s is offering heat-and-eat holiday meals for pickup. The meals include a bourbon-glazed ham dinner ($80), a prime rib dinner ($100) and a butterball turkey dinner ($80). Each meal comes with all the fixings and serves around five to eight people. Pre-order for pickup between Dec. 20 to Dec. 24. To find a Raley’s store near you, click here. raleys.com
Safeway: Local Safeway stores have a selection of holiday meals for pickup, including homestyle turkey ($60, serves six to eight people), spiral ham ($70, serves eight to 10) and prime rib ($80, serves five to six). The dinners include a variety of classic sides, such as stuffing, mashed sweet potato, green bean casserole, scalloped potatoes, cranberry sauce and spiced apples. Order ahead for pickup by Dec. 23. To find a Safeway near you, click here.
Sprouts Farmers Market: For curbside pickup or delivery, Sprouts is offering stand-alone entrees, party trays and fully prepared holiday meals. The prepared dinners include a roasted turkey breast meal ($40), a vegan roast meal ($45) and a USDA boneless beef rib roast meal ($90). Each meal comes with a variety of seasonal sides. Order online here. 401 Kenilworth Drive, Suite 1040, Petaluma, 707-789-4976, sprouts.com
Whole Foods: Catered holiday meals from Whole Foods include several complete holiday meals and a la carte options. Complete meals include a lamb shank dinner for four, a vegan cremini mushroom roast dinner for two, a classic whole roast turkey dinner for 12 with all the fixings and more. A la carte items include various entrees, appetizers and sides, such as crab cakes, pumpkin curry soup, spinach artichoke puffs, teriyaki beef cocktail meatballs and many other fun options. Order online by Dec. 23 for in-store pickup at wholefoodsmarket.com. To find a Whole Foods near you, click here.
