Late-Night Sweet Shop Opens in Santa Rosa

By Heather Irwin
Brownies from Sister Sweet Shoppe in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy of Sister Sweet Shoppe)

If you’re one of those disciplined people who don’t eat after 8 p.m. and only have sweets on your “cheat day,” read no further; this is not for you.

But if you’re like every other normal person on the planet and the 10 p.m. sweet cravings come on like a freight train and you’re seriously considering those two-week-old Teddy Grahams you found in your kid’s backpack, then we have the solution: Sister Sweet Shoppe. The late-night snack business features homemade brownies, Rice Krispies “cereal bowl” treats, salty snack mix and custom-made soda concoctions from 6 p.m. to midnight.

The delivery-only kitchen is headed by sisters Elease and Elaina Dimond, both in their 20s, who know from personal experience that sometimes you just need a tasty snack after a little home-based adult relaxation.

“There are so many winos and green lovers around here that it’s enough of a market,” Elaina said. On nights when we’re tethered to our couches, she said, the choices were a bit limited in Sonoma County.

“I got over mug cakes so quickly, and people don’t always want Jack in the Box,” the former Sonoma State University student said. “We’ve all had that struggle.”

Sister Sweet Shoppe
Cookies from Sister Sweet Shoppe in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy of Sister Sweet Shoppe)
Elaina and Elease Dimond of Sister Sweet Shoppe in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy of Elaina Dimond)
Elaina and Elease Dimond of Sister Sweet Shoppe in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy of Elaina Dimond)

Using family recipes and diligent testing and tasting, they’ve come up with a stable of goodies that they bake from scratch at their 1229 N. Dutton Ave. kitchen (Franchetti’s restaurant during the day) in Santa Rosa. The number-one seller? Double Trouble Brownies made with three types of chocolate, a gooey center and crispy edges took three years to perfect.

Also on the menu are Brown Sugar Meringue Brunetties (shortbread blondies with marshmallows and chocolate chips); Cereal Bowl Bars with all your favorite childhood flavors; homemade Cracker Jack corn with peanuts; and salty pub snack mix in ranch, chile or crab boil seasoning. Grab a thirst quencher like the Maui Wowie, a combination of Sprite and pineapple, coconut and lime flavors. Party-size stashes are available, including trays of brownies, along with weekly specialty snack cakes.

“We’re never boring, and we want our products to be extra, like us,” Elaina said. “It’s about happiness through sugar and butter. Happiness through calories,” Elease added.

The business was a pandemic project, according to Elease, who urged her sister to come home from Southern California, where she was working as a candy maker at Disneyland (which closed during the quarantine).

“This was our time, and I said, ‘Let’s start our business.’ We always wanted to do something together, but we hadn’t decided on anything,” Elease said.

They quickly found an audience using social media and delivery apps like Door Dash and UberEats, now ubiquitous. In addition to getting their late-night deliveries, Thursday through Saturday, you also can order ahead and pick up at the kitchen or find them at the Saturday farmers market at the Luther Burbank Center.

The two hope to add a late-night cafe later in the year and have plenty of other treats they’re excited to add to the menu.

After working double with full-time day jobs and their night hustle since December, the Dimond sisters now are ready to devote their time exclusively to their sweet shop.

“For this whole year, we were women hustling all day and all night. We just put in our notice (at work), so now we can focus,” Elaina said.

“We just appreciate all the community support. People reaching out to us through our Instagram just motivates us to work even harder,” she added. “Were glad this is stuff people want and are craving at night.”

Sister Sweet Shoppe is on Instagram @thesistersweetshoppe or sistersweetshoppe.com. Order through Uber Eats, Grub Hub or Door Dash.

Where to Get the Best Rotisserie Meat in Sonoma County

By Heather Irwin
Kebab plate with garlic yogurt from Stockhome restaurant in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

Doner. Shawarma. Gyro. Kebab. Al pastor. Whatever you call it, wherever you’re from, there’s a word for one of the greatest inventions of all person-kind: spit-fired meat. Or maybe you call it rotisserie? In more direct terms, it’s putting pork, lamb, beef or chicken on a rod and letting it slowly roast for hours, marinating itself in its own delicious juices.

The practice is one of the simplest and oldest forms of cooking, allowing meat to cook from both inside and outside either over an open flame or coals or in an oven.

As my current obsession with al pastor (Mexican marinated pork cooked on a rotisserie) deepened, its history as a Lebanese import compelled me to look into its roots as shawarma. Which has its roots in Turkish doner. Which beget the gyro and kebab. Not that anyone can exactly lay claim to inventing a cooking method estimated to be more than 8,000 years old.

Unfortunately in Sonoma County, finding the familiar cone-shaped gyro broilers spinning with al pastor, gyro or doner isn’t easy. Most restaurants here don’t sell enough meat in a day to warrant the expensive spits, so when you find one it’s a special moment. For an eating adventure inspired by ancient flavors, here are recommended local places to take a bite.

Shawarma

While working in Manhattan, I became obsessed with halal carts offering shawarma. Shawarma can be made from pretty much any kind of meat, but chicken marinated in cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pepper, cardamom, turmeric, cumin and oregano was my favorite, served with yellow rice and a ribbon of white garlic sauce. Decades later, I still remember the flavors.

Recently, while perusing a menu at East West Cafe in Santa Rosa, I saw shawarma listed. That old hankering returned, sending me on a hunt for other shawarma in the North Bay. Here’s what I found.

Sam’s Mediterranean Cafe, Chicken Shawarma Plate, $15.99. You don’t stumble on this out-of-the-way deli unless you spend a lot of time cruising quiet office parks looking for hole-in-the-wall lunch spots. Thankfully, I do, and this charming little place is a Middle Eastern gem. Their panini -style chicken shawarma wraps are a delicious entry point, with gently-spiced meat and melted cheese. Comes with garlic and hot sauces and a Greek salad. 613 Martin Ave., Suite 111, Rohnert Park, 707-584-0220, samsmeddeli.com

East West Cafe, Chicken Shawarma Plate, $15.95. Marinated chicken breast with grilled tomato, onion and tahini sauce on a pita. It’s a hearty stick-to-your-ribs meal with a side of fries to mop up anything you missed. Breast meat can be a little drier than thighs, but we won’t hold that against the lovely spices in this version. 557 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa, 707-546-6142, eastwestcafesantarosa.com. Also in Sebastopol.

King Falafel, Arabic Shawarma Plate, $14.99. Beef or chicken versions of this classic dish served with fries and white sauce. It’s the closest approximation of NYC’s halal carts. 100 Brown St., #150, Sebastopol, 707-824-4800.

Grossman’s Noshery & Bar, Chicken Shawarma Kebabs, $18. The touch of a chef makes these real-deal skewered chicken thighs marinated in warm spices a favorite. Served with yam fries, red and green schug (a hot sauce originating in Yemen) and an Israeli salad. 308 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-595-7707, grossmanssr.com

Zaina’s Bellini Cafe. Just-opened cafe in Cotati serves both chicken and beef shawarma wraps. 7981 Old Redwood Hwy., Cotati, 707-664-5956.

Al pastor

Meaning “shepherd style,” this Middle Eastern-spiced meat stems from an influx of Lebanese immigrants to Mexico in the late 19th century. The spit-grilled shawarma, usually using lamb, was adapted and localized using pork and pineapple. You can usually spot it by its bright red-orange color.

For months, I was on a mission to find the absolute best al pastor in Sonoma County. Here are some favorites.

Cancun. The online menu doesn’t say “al pastor” but instead, “Marinated Mexican Pork.” Small shreds of pork are studded with bits of pineapple, which makes it one of my favorites so far. 443 Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-528-8933, ordercancunmexicanrestaurantca.com

El Fogon. Uses an al pastor spit and is a fan favorite. 6650 Commerce Blvd., Suite 5, Rohnert Park, 707-585-1623.

Cielito Lindo. Impressive flavors and generous portions from a Bennett Valley newcomer. 52 Mission Blvd., #110, Santa Rosa, 707-978-2070.

Tonayan. Super. Solid. Enough said. 500 Raley’s Town Centre, Rohnert Park, 707-588,0893, tonyanmex.com

Gyro, souvlaki and kebab

Greeks, as well as Turks and other Middle Easterners who have used spit roasting for millennia, would take issue with lumping these three dishes together. But in the United States they’re fairly interchangeable. What separates them from shawarma is their pairing with tasty tzatziki, a tart cucumber and yogurt dip.

I’m going to be honest and say I’ve always been a huge fan of the classic mystery meat “cones” of gyro that are shaved into long strips, but your experience may be different. Kebab and souvlaki tend to have larger chunks of skewered meat. The trick to great kebab is to avoid drying out the meat, and that’s hard to get right (which is why I don’t go nuts for kebab or its Indian counterpart, tandoor).

Dino’s Greek Food. Mobile gyro/souvlaki awesomeness. Don’t miss the loaded Greek fries either. The food truck is currently closed, but look for Dino’s to reopen at the forthcoming Livery in Sebastopol in 2022. facebook.com/dinosgreekfood

Real Doner. Doner is the Turkish word for gyro, and this spot is legit. 307 F St., Petaluma, 707-765-9555.

Ulia’s. I’ve always been impressed by the gyros at this warm little Santa Rosa deli (their Petaluma outpost closed). Family-operated, they’ve been through tough times during the pandemic, as much of their sales are business park- and catering-related. 130 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa, 707-525-8542, uliasdeli.com

Stockhome. A Swedish take on kebab? The Scandinavian country can’t get enough of kebab as a late-night snack and tummy-filler. This version isn’t the most authentic you’ll ever have, but it’s truly delicious. Plus, I love it when my Swedish friends come with me and roll back their eyes in pleasure, remembering wild nights with old friends and post-party kebab. 220 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-981-8511, stockhomerestaurant.com

You Can Spend the Night at This Winery Chateau in Healdsburg

By Dana Rebmann

There’s no shortage of top-notch hotels and resorts that promise memorable stays when visiting Sonoma County, but how about spending the night at a winery? Recently, a few local wineries have started to offer overnight stays in adjacent guesthouses. At Jordan Vineyard & Winery in Healdsburg, however, you can book a stay at the winery chateau — recently renovated to the tune of $1 million — if you join the winery’s membership program.

Tom and Sally Jordan, the founders of the northern Sonoma winery, added the French-style chateau to their vineyard estate in the 1970s with the intent to offer lodgings as well as culinary experiences to their guests. Along with a commercial kitchen and formal dining room, three guest suites were incorporated into the design. Since then, members of the winery’s loyalty program, Jordan Estate Rewards, have been able to book a stay at the winery chateau, a perk many have taken advantage of. Following the recently completed $1 million remodel, those stays, still only available to loyalty program members, are likely to become even more sought-after.

The newly remodeled Cépage Suite at Jordan Vineyard & Winery in Healdsburg. (Courtesy of R. Brad Knipstein)

John Jordan, Tom and Sally’s son, is now at the helm at Jordan Vineyard & Winery. When he first envisioned the renovation of the chateau guest suites, he planned to do it in phases. But when the pandemic hit, he saw an opportunity to invest in the future during a quiet phase in the wine industry and called on San Francisco interior designer Maria Haidamus to spearhead the renovation project. While modernizing the suites, Haidamus made sure that any design upgrades resonated with the time period and style the original design sought to emulate.

Original French-inspired features, such as rustic wood beams in the high ceilings and hexagon tile floors imported from southern France nearly four decades ago, were preserved. Antiques from the Louis XV period, collected by Sally Jordan, were also incorporated into the suites. Additional furniture and decor pieces, as well as art work, had to be sourced online due to pandemic travel restrictions and shutdowns.

“I didn’t want to make (the redesign) too traditional, so the challenge was to strike the right balance between making it updated (and) comfortable, but still true to the design period,” says Haidamus.

A late 19th century neoclassical pair of biscuit plates in antique brass frames hang next to a window in the newly remodeled Cépage Suite at Jordan Vineyard & Winery in Healdsburg. (Courtesy of R. Brad Knipstein)

The remodel of Jordan’s guest suites — from picking wallpaper to installing new light fixtures to hanging 19th century paintings — took only eight months to complete. Click through the gallery above for a peek at the luxurious new chateau suites.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery, 1474 Alexander Valley Rd, Healdsburg, 707-431-5250, jordanwinery.com/reward-types/overnight-stays.  

Great Lighting Fixtures for Sonoma Homes

By Karen Kizer

As Sonoma designer Cesar Chavez will tell you, interesting lighting fixtures can add instant style to a space. In addition to enhancing the look of a room, the right fixtures can also serve as works of art, says Santa Rosa designer and Íreko proprietor Jim Rascoe. With such hardworking, space-changing design pieces, it’s important to choose well. Thank goodness Sonoma stores have our style backs with many fantastic lighting options to choose from. Click through the gallery for a few finds that will give instant style to your home.

9 Fabulous Outdoor Dining Finds from Sonoma Stores

By Karen Kizer

As vacation days and weekends on the water give way to busy school and work schedules, you might ask yourself, “Where did the summer go?” To make sure you squeeze all the sweetness out of summer before the first day of fall, we suggest perfecting your alfresco dining setup at home. Whether it’s a sunny summer lunch or an evening dinner as the sun sets, dining outdoors — for as long as possible — has a way of extending those summer vibes. We’ve lined up a few finds (enormous and small) for inspiration. Click through the above gallery for details.

Party for a Cause With Sonoma’s Out in the Vineyard

By Kaila Bohler

Gary Saperstein, the founder of Out in the Vineyard tour and events company, has dedicated three decades to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for the LGBTQ community in Wine Country.

The Sonoma resident launched his company in 2008 to help make Wine Country a destination for the gay traveler. At the time, he had been noticing a steady increase of LGBTQ people visiting and moving to the area, yet there was a lack of marketing directed toward the LGBTQ community.

“Here we are 45 minutes north of the Castro in San Francisco, and yet nobody is marketing to the gay community,” he recalled thinking. “I wanted to open up the wine community to ours.”

Out in the Vineyard’s first event, Twilight T-Dance, was hosted by Beringer Winery in St. Helena. T-dances, or tea dances, date back to 1950s New York, when it was illegal to dance with someone of the same sex and bar owners risked losing liquor licenses if caught selling alcohol to LGBTQ clientele.

Alluding to the traditional tea dances in the English countryside, the tea dance was reconfigured in New York’s gay community as a format where gay people could dance together under the guise of enjoying afternoon tea. Later, tea dances turned into nightclub events and, thanks to Out in the Vineyard, Sonoma County eventually got its own t-dance, complete with disco music and local wine.

Visitors socialize around the pool during Out in the Vineyard's Twilight T-Dance at Raymond Vineyards, benefitting Face to Face Sonoma County AIDS Network, during Gay Wine Weekend in St. Helena, California, on June 14, 2014. (Alvin Jornada / For The Press Democrat)
Visitors socialize around the pool during Out in the Vineyard’s Twilight T-Dance at Raymond Vineyards, benefitting Face to Face Sonoma County AIDS Network, during Gay Wine Weekend in St. Helena on June 14, 2014. (Alvin Jornada / For The Press Democrat)
A sign displayed during pool party as part of Gay Wine Weekend at MacArthur Place on Sunday, June 21, 2015 in Sonoma, California . (BETH SCHLANKER/ The Press Democrat)
A sign displayed during pool party as part of Gay Wine Weekend at MacArthur Place on Sunday, June 21, 2015 in Sonoma. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)

Out in the Vineyard’s inaugural Twilight T-Dance benefitted local nonprofit Face to Face, an organization that supports people in Sonoma County living with HIV and AIDS.

“I always knew when I started (Out in the Vineyard) that I wanted it to have a philanthropic arm,” said Saperstein. “I had lived here for almost 15 years and had never heard of Face to Face before Out in the Vineyard.”

Now also serving as Director of Development at Face to Face, Saperstein pointed out that, to date, Out in the Vineyard has raised over $400,000 for the organization through event ticket sales and auctions.

“The work now is focused on ending the HIV epidemic which is far from over … cases of HIV doubled in 2020 in our county and it hasn’t gotten much better this year,” said Saperstein.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Out in the Vineyard routinely organized winery tours, as well as customized day trips and extended stays tailored to visitors’ interests and preferences. The company also produced popular signature events like the annual Gay Wine Weekend, which attracts visitors from across the U.S. and has been named “best summer event” by Gay Travel Awards.

During the height of last summer’s pandemic surge, Out in the Vineyard pivoted from hosting in-person events to online events in the form of virtual wine tours, talks and hangouts. As Black Lives Matter protests swept the nation, Saperstein invited Black vintners to discuss virtually their experiences in the grape growing and wine industry. 

As the county began reopening this summer, Saperstein planned smaller in-person events in lieu of the previously larger gatherings organized by his company. In July, Out in the Vineyard hosted a smaller Twilight T-Dance event at Chateau St. Jean Winery in Kenwood. Attendees, required to show proof of vaccination, enjoyed performances by San Francisco drag queen Ruby Red Munro along with Adriana Roy and Madison McQueen. A portion of the proceeds were donated to Face to Face.

“Seeing the joy and love of bringing people together again and being able to see and hug each other again — being with the community, has been really heartwarming,” said Saperstein. “Even though they’re smaller events, it really is what Out in the Vineyard is all about.”

Events planned by Out in the Vineyard this summer include:

Mix & Mingle at Macrostie Winery in Healdsburg — Aug. 22, 4 p.m.-7p.m.

Eco Terreno Wines in San Francisco at a private residence — Sept. 11, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

To plan a winery tour or trip to Wine Country, visit outinthevineyard.com.

‘It’s Humbling and Great:’ Sebastopol Restaurant Honored by Michelin

By Heather Irwin
Khom Loi restaurant in Sebastopol. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)

Inspired by the “resilience and creativity of chefs” during the pandemic, Michelin inspectors have named Sebastopol’s Khom Loi as one of 10 notable new San Francisco and Wine Country restaurants in its online guide.

The acknowledgment, chef-owner Matthew Williams said, is appreciated and immediately increased reservations for the Thai restaurant, which were lagging as the fourth wave of COVID, and indoor mask mandates took hold.

“It’s a nice thing for our entire staff at not the easiest time. It’s humbling and great because we’ve put a lot of work in to keep up with health and safety mandates and live up to the mission we planned,” said Williams, who also co-owns Ramen Gaijin, a ramen shop, with Chef Moishe Hahn-Schuman.

Related: Dive Into Inspired Thai Cuisine at Sebastopol's Khom Loi

The honor, announced Wednesday, comes in advance of the 2021 San Francisco and Wine Country Michelin Guide’s awarding of coveted stars and bib gourmands in late September.

Ramen Gaijin has been a bib gourmand selection since 2016, given to restaurants that are “good quality, good value restaurants,” while the star awards go to higher-end restaurants. Williams said he hopes the recent recognition might be a precursor to a bib gourmand for Khom Loi.

Resilience, however, has lost much of its meaning for Williams, who opened Khom Loi during the pandemic. The restaurant then closed, then opened again, then closed and finally reopened as mandates about indoor and outdoor dining fluctuated throughout the past year and a half. After facing potential power shut-offs this summer, a tough labor market and wildfire season, Williams said he’s grateful for the surprising news from the Michelin team.

Michelin’s anonymous chief inspector of North America called the restaurant’s menu “spiced and seasoned with little hesitation and fresh and electric at the same time.”

The inspector also noted Williams and Hahn-Schuman’s passion for the flavors of Thailand.

“Extensive travel throughout Thailand has informed and inspired this team to bring a taste of Chiang Mai to Sebastopol. The house-made Thai sausage is superb; and the paste for all the curries are made in-house, with our favorite being the green curry with Manila clams and potatoes,” the anonymous chief inspector wrote.

The praise from Michelin comes on the heels of a strongly critical essay in the San Francisco Chronicle accusing the chefs of cultural appropriation.

The two chefs, who are white, drew stinging criticism from the paper’s restaurant critic, Soleil Ho, for opening a Thai restaurant after “occasional travel” to Thailand and claiming their food was cooked “as you would find in Thailand.” She also blasted the restaurant for menu inaccuracies and profiting from a “fatuous claim of authenticity.”

Williams takes the commentary in stride.

“The criticism is fair, and I get where it is coming from. We just answer it by saying our travels and experiences around the world influence our style of cooking. Ultimately, we’re running Sonoma County restaurants that showcase local ranchers and farmers and create a place to gather.”

“We look at (Thai and Japanese cuisine) as something we are passionate about. Moishe has been cooking Thai food for 20 years after living, traveling and paying deep attention to the cooks of Thailand. We look at it as a form of advocacy, but it’s certainly a real critique,” Williams said.

Other restaurants included in the “new additions” include Horn BBQ of Oakland, Aurum in Los Altos, Ettan in Palo Alton, North Block in Yountville, Reve Bistro in Lafayette, Top Hatters in San Leandro, and San Francisco restaurants 3rd Cousin, Marlena, and Routier.

4 Sonoma Farmstands Off the Beaten Path

By Sonoma Magazine Staff

Hit the road for produce, meats, and pantry goods fresh from local farms at the height of growing season. Even if your own garden’s production is off the charts this summer, these four spots offer gourmet ingredients worth the trip. Click through the above gallery for details.

Tap Into the Picnic Spirit With Sonoma’s Favorite Jug Wines

By Stacy Briscoe
Beautiful couple having romantic breakfast with lots of tasty food and wine, sitting together on the picnic blanket at the vineyard on a sunny morning

Travel-friendly jugs and growlers are hallmarks of summer in Wine Country. No longer the place where low-quality plonk gets, well, plonked, jug wines are perfect for picnics and beach trips and days spent on the go. And at a few area wineries, local drinkers can head back to the source for refills—a happy errand if ever there were one.

“Growlers are perfect any time of year, but thrive in spring and summer,” says Kailey Priest of Kivelstadt Cellars in Sonoma. “No need to worry about bringing a wine opener with you—you just pop the top and enjoy.”

The winery’s refillable jug wine program was created by founder Jordan Kivelstadt to reduce waste produced from wine bottles. The refillable growler program now saves the winery over 6,000 pounds of waste every year. And there’s a bonus for for consumers’ wallets as well, says Priest. “The price to fill the growler is the same as the price of a bottle of wine, however, our growlers are 1-liter, versus a 750 ml bottle, so it’s a bit more bang for your buck.”

“Jug wines are a nod to enjoying wine in a more casual, relaxed setting … [it’s] unpretentious, approachable, and fun,” says Johanna Holm of Larson Family Winery in Sonoma. Larson’s jug wines are available in 1-liter glass bottles and—new this summer—500 ml bottles. While Larson doesn’t yet offer refills, the staffers do say they notice customers upcycling the distinctively chunky, poptop bottles into carafes and flower vases.

In downtown Sonoma, Cochon Wines’ tasting bar offers multiple wines on tap, along with 1-liter growlers that have proven popular with guests looking for wines to picnic with on the nearby Sonoma Plaza. Owner and winemaker Adam Webb likes to choose crisp, refreshing whites and rosés for his jug wine program, and occasionally a “highly fruited, juicy red” like the Cochon Cherry Bomb.

The jug wine program at Preston Farm & Winery in Dry Creek Valley is important to founder Lou Preston. “He wants to make wines similar to those his neighbors and mentors made in the early 1970s,” explains the winery’s Ken Blair. Four decades later, Preston still sells his “Guadagni Red,” an old-school blend of traditional Dry Creek grapes, including Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Carignan, in large 3-liter jugs. The style, as well as the vessel, is a nod to tradition and local agrarian history. Blair says most customers are Sonomans looking for an easy-drinking red wine as a regular dinner-table staple.

“It’s not necessarily about what’s in the jug, but about tapping into a spirit that lives on,” he says.

4 jug wines to try

Kivelstadt Cellars – KC Labs Zinfandel: Bright cranberry and raspberry flavors in a low-alcohol summer wine. Pair with: Sushi compliments the wine’s crisp freshness. Price: $27 for 1 liter. How to buy: Purchase in the tasting room or order online for pickup. 22900 Broadway, Sonoma, (707) 938-7001, kivelstadtcellars.com.

Cochon Wines – Cochon Cherry Bomb: An old-vine Grenache that undergoes a partial carbonic fermentation for simple, extra fruity summer sipping. Best served lightly chilled. Pair with: Grilled hot dogs right off the barbecue. Price: $32 for 1 liter; $4 deposit on the first bottle; deposit waived when growler is returned. How to buy: Available at the tasting room only. 531 1st St E, Sonoma, (707) 934-8157, cochonwines.com.

Larson Family Winery – Wingo White: A blend of Gewürztraminer and Pinot Grigio with notes of floral and citrus. Pair with: Grilled chicken with herbes de Provence. Price: around $20 for 500 ml. How to buy: Purchase in the tasting room or online for pickup, refills not offered. 23355 Millerick Rd, Sonoma, (707) 938-3031, larsonfamilywinery.com

Preston Farm & Winery – Guadagni Red: A traditional red table wine based on California’s heritage grape, old-vine Zinfandel. Pair with: Summery food-truck fare like barbecue, tacos, or falafel. Price: $52 for 3 liters Where: Purchase online; pick up at the winery. 9282 West Dry Creek Rd, Healdsburg. (707) 433-3372, prestonfarmandwinery.com.

Cotati’s Wing Man Closing, Southeast Asian Restaurant Taking Over Space

By Heather Irwin
Wings, fries and sauces at Wing Man in Cotati. Heather Irwin/PD

Joe Trez isn’t hurting for customers at his Cotati chicken wing restaurant. Even so, he’ll be shutting the doors on Aug. 15, after crushing supply chain shortages, ongoing labor scarcity and a general frustration over inevitable power outages and county permitting challenges.

But mostly, he’s closing because he just can’t get any chicken wings.

According to Trez, wings are the most popular part of the chicken these days and demand has far outpaced supply. Local Rocky chickens are simply too small for his meaty wings, he said. Winter storms last February in Texas that killed millions of chickens, COVID-19 shutdowns at processing plants and reduced production by powerhouses like Tyson have more than doubled wholesale prices, forcing restaurateurs like Trez to charge a ridiculous $3 per wing in order to make even a small profit.

Joe Trez of Wing Man in Cotati. (Heather Irwin / Sonoma Magazine)
Joe Trez of Wing Man in Cotati. (Heather Irwin / Sonoma Magazine)

So he’s closing his brick-and-mortar restaurant at 101 E. Cotati Ave. and retiring his food truck rather than continue to wait for better days.

“I waited it out and waited it out, but things are just getting worse. It’s offensive to charge $18 for a six pack of wings. That’s crazy,” Trez said. Bone-in chicken wings comprise up to 70% of his sales, and unlike other restaurants, he can’t simply take them off the menu and replace them with something else.

Wings aren’t the only problem for the popular Wing Man. He can’t find to-go containers and he worries he could lose a huge amount of inventory during power outages. He said Sonoma County regulations often make it difficult to be a food operator.

“I just wanted to do something different and make everything from scratch by myself. It was just hard,” he said. For now, he’s planning to take some time to ponder his next move and possibly do some catering.

He’s excited, however, for the next building tenant, Jamilah Nixon’s Jam’s Joy Bungalow. Much of the Wing Man staff will stay on to work for Nixon, Trez said.

Nixon announced the second official location for her Southeast Asian fusion cuisine (in addition to her truck) on Tuesday. She’ll be using the Cotati restaurant as a central kitchen to supply her food truck, catering business and Sebastopol location (150 Weeks Way). She previously announced a Santa Rosa location in the works at the corner of Fourth and B streets.

“This is a great spot, and I’m sad to leave, and I hope it’s easier for (Nixon),” Trez said.

“I told the staff that 90% of restaurants fail in first year,” he added. “We made it through two, so at least we beat that. It’s been a wild ride.”