Dive Into Inspired Thai Cuisine at Sebastopol’s Khom Loi

By Heather Irwin
Pad Thai at Khom Loi in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

Dozens of woven bamboo lanterns float high above the outdoor-indoor dining patio flanked by two-story sliding glass shoji walls. Inside, water gently tinkles into a charming concrete pond filled with aquatic plants. The best tables are beside the aquascape that lulls diners into lingering just a little longer.

Located inside the former Peter Lowell’s, the newly opened Khom Loi has been an ambition for chefs Matthew Williams and Moishe Hahn-Schuman for years, after travels to Thailand inspired them to host several pop-up dinners featuring many of the dishes that have now made their way onto the menu. Like Gaijin, the food is their own take on the cuisine, inspired by the flavors of their travels.

Khom Loi, which means floating lantern in Thai, is an homage to the cuisine of Chiang Mai and nearby Laos, with nods to central and southern Thailand. There’s nothing shy or demure about the spicy, sweet, sour and bitter flavors of East Asia in every one of the dishes. There is nothing American-ized or even explained on the menu. Instead, it’s an immersion — sometimes a little awkwardly immersive.

“It’s about having fun,” Williams said. That means using hands, rolling rice and wrapping lettuce around tidbits of food. “Our dishes are like what you would find in Thailand.”

Het Paa Naam Tok from Khom Loi. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
Outdoor dining area at Khom Loi. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)

That sometimes means having no real idea what you’re eating (unless you have a cellphone handy to look up words like rau ram and naam prik noom). It’s more fun, however, when you start asking questions, such as, what do you actually do with sticky rice?

“I roll it up in a ball in my hands,” Williams said. “You dip it; you don’t pour curry on it. You have fun with it.

What do you do with the piles of lettuce, basil and mint that come with several dishes? You wrap up morsels in them, or take a bite of one thing, then a bite of another. Even for an experienced diner, it’s an adventure that takes some understanding if you really want to appreciate it more deeply than at a surface level.

But being an outsider is what’s so enjoyable, especially when we can’t travel to a far-flung place for the original experience. It’s about making that effort to engage, learn something new and make a few awkward mistakes along the way.

Or just go to Khom Loi to eat really good Pad Thai. Your call.

Best Bets: Must-order dishes

Gai Tod (lemongrass fried chicken), $10: The smell of lemongrass and fried lime leaves are enough to send you into orbit. Sharp black pepper and chile sauce (nam jim) with two-bite fried chicken pieces make this almost impossible to put down, or share.

Som Tam Pu (green papaya salad), $12: Dried shrimp and fish sauce are two of my favorite things about Thai food, but sometimes it’s difficult to find either of these salty, fishy flavors that pump up the volume of green papaya salad. Here, unripe papaya are crunchy carriers for the tart-sweet lime fish sauce I could literally drink with a straw.

Yum Som-O (winter citrus salad), $14: This is where the team’s varied culinary backgrounds shine through with a Cali-Thai flair. Bitter pomelo and grapefruit are tossed in fish sauce with green apple, toasted coconut, dried shrimp and fried peanuts. It’s a perfect winter dish that somehow tastes like summer.

Pad Thai, $18: The true measure of any Thai restaurant is this simple noodle dish. 1. It should never be red. 2. It shouldn’t be too sweet. 3. It should have the “wok hay” or breath of the wok. 4. Palm sugar and tamarind should be included. Ketchup shouldn’t. Khom Loi gets it right on all fronts and includes tofu, chicken thighs and prawns for extra, extra credit.

Bpet Yang (charcoal-grilled Liberty Duck breast), $18 (half) or $35 (whole): Another local-meets-Thai dish with a crispy charred exterior and buttery soft, rare interior. Just like it should be. The fun is in mixing and matching the duck with bites of lettuce, pumpkin, long beans and a green chile sauce.

Khao Niaw (sticky rice in a basket), $3: Sticky, glutenous rice has a special place in Thai cuisine; it’s used mostly to soak up sauces as you might with bread. Don’t try to use a fork or you’ll end up with a mess. Instead, pinch off a handful, roll it into a ball and dip it into soup or the sour dressing of green papaya salad. Fragrant jasmine rice is better for soaking up curry, however.

Sundae, $10: Save room for soft-serve ice cream flavored with lemongrass and other “flavors of Thailand” (they change). Topped with fresh mango (we got brûléed bananas, which were even better), crunchy coconut peanut crumble and condensed milk, this refreshing meal-ender is studded with sticky mochi for an extra surprise.

Great Picks: seriously delish

Plaa Thawt Lat Prik (crispy whole rock cod), $32: The only reason this isn’t a Best Bet is because I know how people are about a whole fish staring back at you, studded with millions of little bones inside. I feel you. However, this fried rock cod is scored before frying for maximum crispiness. Tamarind and chile stick to the skin, and the small bites are perfect for eating with chopsticks or a fork. Don’t forget the juicy and delicious head — the cheeks are one of the best parts. Sadly we made a mess of the poor cod and ended up eating a few bones. Ask for a little help if you’re new to eating whole fish. We should have.

Het Paa Naam Tok (charcoal-grilled mushroom salad), $15: If you’re a Ramen Gaijin devotee, you’ll recognize these (or something very similar) from their menu. Sweet and earthy mixed mushrooms get kissed by charcoal, adding bitterness and depth. Toasted rice powder binds everything together, and Thai coriander, basil and mint give the dish a pop of fresh, light greenery.

Going back for

Kaeng Khei Whwan Hoy (green curry with clams), $20: The massman curry with wagyu short ribs was very good, but seeing this dish with fresh clams and a light green curry in coconut milk made me wish I’d ordered this instead.

Not my jam

Tom Yung Goong Nam Khon (spicy sour shrimp soup), $16: There’s a lot to love about this showstopper, with huge head-on gulf prawns, coconut milk, galangal and mushrooms, but a float of sliced limes add bitterness rather than depth. Fishing out huge unshelled prawns with finger-poking antenna, then pulling off shells and legs at the table is more of a messy task than a pleasure. Large chunks of inedible herbs also make it a minefield.

Needs a warning

Tua Tod Samu Prai, $5: “Thai peanut crack” had us at “crack,” but these little nuts are only for experienced heat-seekers. They’re tossed into several dishes where they’re less atomically hot, but the combination of lemongrass, lime leaf and skin-on peanuts are hard to resist — even when you know you should.

Drinks

A lovely by-the-glass wine list highlights lighter wines that pair well with Thai flavors, offered in 150-mL, 350-mL and 750-mL sizes. A longer, brilliantly curated bottle list includes offbeat picks from the Basque Country, Portugal and Hungary along with rieslings, pinot gris and a whole lot of bottles of fermented grapes we wouldn’t even try to spell. I wish I had delved a little deeper into these wines. There’s Thai beer, naturally, along with local ciders and brews. Don’t miss the Thai iced tea with a float of coconut cream and a hint of cardamom.

A few notes

Allergens: Shellfish, fish sauce and peanuts are a huge part of the flavor of Thailand and are in many of the dishes. If you’re deathly allergic to any of these, Khom Loi might not be a good fit. Gluten-free and a few vegan dishes are available.

Despite the frequent use of lime leaves on the menu, you won’t find them referred to as “kaffir” — a term often used to differentiate them from American or European limes. Instead these richly perfumed leaves are called “makrut” because the k-word is actually a highly offensive slur in South Africa and other regions.

Khom Loi is at 7385 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol, 707-329-6917, khomloisonoma.com. Open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner. Reservations strongly recommended. Parking is very limited and on the street only. Until indoor dining returns, the restaurant is serving outdoors in a tent and for takeout.

Chef Dustin Valette’s New Healdsburg Restaurant Coming Into View

By Heather Irwin

It takes some imagination (and an architect’s drawing) to fully appreciate the vision Chef Dustin Valette has for his soon-to-be-completed new restaurant concept, The Matheson, but it is certainly coming together in a spectacular way.

From the soaring ceilings that invoke wine-barrel staves to the still-wrapped Mugniani pizza oven and still-under-construction open kitchen where Valette and Ken Tominaga (of Hana Japanese Restaurant) will cook, it is the Healdsburg native’s dream project come to life.

The three-story space on the Healdsburg Plaza will include an upscale dining room, a bar and an 88-bottle self-serve wine wall on the first floor (similar to the Barlow’s Region). A small mezzanine is prime real estate for its view of the dining room. The upper level, Roof 106, is a casual, lounge-y indoor-outdoor area with a second bar, pizza oven and patio.

Though there was some initial push back over the size of The Matheson when it was first proposed, capacity is spread throughout the building, with about 85 seats in the dining room (at 100% capacity) and 42 on the rooftop patio.

But it is the almost childlike glee that Valette expresses about each tiny detail — the Hestan range in Matador red, the hexagonal tiles that match the bee theme upstairs — that makes even a hard-hat tour fun.

Like Valette’s namesake Healdsburg restaurant, The Matheson has a family history as one of the bakery spaces once used by his immigrant great-grandfather.

“We wanted to keep this place and make it live on. This is so much bigger than me. The Matheson is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do something bigger than yourself,” Valette said.

With plans to use small artisan producers like Lou Preston, Valette said the space will tell a story.

“This is the evolution of Healdsburg. It’s something we need right now. I hope people will come and get excited about Wine Country again,” he said.

The Matheson, at 106 Matheson St., in Healdsburg, is slated to open in late spring. thematheson.com

Hot Chix Coming to Santa Rosa: The Union Hotel on Mission in Santa Rosa is launching a Nashville-style fried chicken pop-up starting March 1, available for pickup and delivery only.

Owner Daniel Gonnella was inspired to create a California-meets-Tennessee fried chicken sandwich with five levels of heat — mild, medium, hot and Call Yo’ Mama, considered “too hot for the sober gentleman,” according to Gonnella.

They’ll also have chicken tenders, a whole fried chicken, mac and cheese, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, baked beans and cornbread, along with waffle strips with maple-Bourbon dipping sauce (now there’s a breakfast of champions).

How’s the sandwich? You’ll never eat at Chick-fil-A again. Franco American bun, coleslaw, fresh pickles and crispy fried chicken with just a little burn (medium) and a whole lot of sass — mine didn’t make it home. Details at hotchixsantarosa.com

Santa Rosa Designer Shares Tips On How To Transform Your Home

By Karen Kizer

Neoclassical busts, modern crystal sconces and abstract paintings are just a few components that come together in a renovated home just off the Sonoma plaza. The interior design scheme is the work of Íreko Interior Design & Fine Furniture in Santa Rosa. The home — framed by olive trees and with timeless details throughout — exemplifies the magic that comes from skillfully mixing contrasting elements.

Íreko co-founders Jim Rascoe and Michael Webb started out in 1985 with a small flower shop in downtown Santa Rosa. Soon, their services expanded into floral home design and, finally, interior design. 35 years later, the two now have a team, an expanded retail home store and design projects that range from condominiums to wineries to heritage homes.

Here, Rascoe shares some advice for home decorating, whether that’s with new furniture, old cherished pieces or a mix of both. He has several tips for creating a well-designed interior. But one of his best tips centers on what not to do.

Design for your unique space and tastes

“The ultimate mistake is to invite your neighbor to give the final call on what you want to do with your own house,” says Rascoe. “Getting advice is great, but it’s your space. If you love it, it’s probably okay.”

This advice encapsulates a central tenet of Rascoe’s interior design philosophy: homes should be functional and comfortable, and also suit individual tastes and preferences rather than trends. This means avoiding replicating rooms featured in catalogs and stores. What might look great in marketing photos won’t work in every home.

“Your house doesn’t have 20-foot ceilings, French doors, steel case windows (like the rooms in magazines). There’s no one way to treat all rooms,” he says.

As people want to make “safe” choices, they copy interiors from magazines and online and pick pieces that will coordinate easily. Rascoe works against this pervasive uniformity in home design.

“It’s all going to work great, but it’s all boring and unexciting,” he says. Instead, he prefers to mix old with new, ornate with modern. “Accessories show your character,” he adds. “This is your opportunity to “transform something from ho-hum to ‘oh wow.'”

Start with large pieces

Rascoe employs a particular foundational tactic to achieve a great look. “I’ve come to the conclusion that everything about interiors hinges on scale,” he says.

He suggests starting with the biggest most functional pieces (like sofas, tables and TV furniture) and, once the larger pieces are in place, smaller objects, accents and decorative pieces can fill the spaces that call for them. Feel free to move large pieces around to find a sense of balance that’s both functional and pleasing to the eye: A TV might sit across from a sofa. A reading nook might fill in a corner.

Rascoe encourages investing in a few good pieces like upholstery, tables, lamps or art. “Those can be reinvented a million and one ways,” he says. “You will always find a home for great things. Great pieces last forever.”

The Santa Rosa designer also believes in using what you already own.

While some might hesitate to put an ornate piece in an otherwise modern room, Rascoe says, “It is that touch of something with a history that will create the most exciting contemporary look.” Add pieces that are unique and personal and “see them in a way you’ve never seen them before.”

But don’t add too many small things to a room. Collections tend to make a room feel cluttered, while large objects don’t usually have that effect on a space, says Rascoe.

Use light as an accessory

In addition to creating visibility for performing tasks and moving around the house, pools of light can be interesting focal points. Rascoe likes to use light as an accessory — it can be atmospheric, exciting and dramatic. He enjoys viewing spaces with lighting done well — (they) are so exciting to visit at night,” he says.

There’s no need to do a massive rewiring project to add more interesting light sources to your home.

“Most builders want to punch can lights (in ceilings),” says Rascoe and adds, “The fewer of those kind of lights, the better off you are. You’re not living in a grocery store. You’re living in a residence.”

Instead, add a well-designed reading light, floor lamp or table lamp, which will also serve as accents. Rascoe also suggests adding dimmers to lights so that the mood of the room can be controlled with a simple slide on the switch.

Look for new ways to use familiar pieces

Rascoe has made lamps out of china and fashioned side tables from antique Japanese screens. These pieces can become focal points in any room by highlighting the beauty of antique or vintage materials. Visits to antique stores, salvage yards and estate sales can be the inspiration for accents that are truly unique.

The Santa Rosa designer always moves around furniture and decor in his own home. A living room chair might get moved to the bedroom to go with an ottoman. Such movements can reinvent pieces and give the owner renewed appreciation for them.

Among Rascoe’s most treasured pieces is a table made by award-winning designer Paul Maitland-Smith. The top of the rustic table is woven copper and the base is bronze. Every day, Rasco thinks to himself, “My God. It’s a totally singular piece of furniture. It doesn’t get better than that.”

It’s a crown jewel in a space that epitomizes Rascoe’ design philosophy, “The same room has never been done twice and never will be done again.”

Sonoma Designers Share 10 Tips for Creating a Serene Bedroom

By Karen Kizer

We’ve been asking a lot of our bedrooms lately. All that time spent within the same four walls has most of us in need of an in-home refuge — a peaceful spot to get away from it all. But with kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms becoming pop-up offices or schoolrooms, serenity is hard to come by these days. We turned to Sonoma County designers and stylists for some bedroom decorating inspiration. Here are some sweet spots with ideas for making our bedrooms offer more of what we need — click through the above gallery for details.

Pups on the Patio: 25 Dog-Friendly Restaurants in Sonoma County

By Heather Irwin
Patio dining at the Fork Roadhouse on Bodega Ave. east of Sebastopol. (JOHN BURGESS/The Press Democrat)

Sonoma County residents are a passionate breed when it comes to breaking bread with their dogs in tow and local restaurateurs roll out the red carpet for furry canine companions. We’ve got a plethora of patios where you can bring a pup when you dine out. Keep in mind that we’re talking about well-mannered pets that won’t take a bite out of anyone or anything else. If you don’t abide, Dude won’t be welcome. Click through the gallery for details. Please note that most photos were taken before the pandemic.

Did we miss one of your (and your dog’s) favorites? Let us know in the comments!

What’s For Dinner? This Sonoma County Winery Has You Covered

By Dana Rebmann

The pandemic and shelter-in-place orders have led to a long list of changes to everyday life — including how we eat. With outdoor dining available once again, some are now donning layers to eat al fresco. Others have upped their takeout budget in an effort to support local restaurants and get a break from the stove. Whatever your approach, you’ve likely become better acquainted with your kitchen during the past year.

Local chefs have been forced to develop their own set of Covid-19 kitchen survival skills. Committed to rolling with the pandemic punches, Executive Chef Shane McAnelly and his culinary team at Bricoleur Vineyards in Windsor have launched a Wine & Food To Go program to put delicious dishes on our home tables.

“We wanted to find a way to cook for our friends and neighbors and still entertain to a certain extent, even when we couldn’t host them at the winery,” said McAnelly.

With a half-dozen Bib Gourmand distinctions from the Michelin Guide, McAnelly is well known from his days as Executive Chef at Healdsburg restaurants Chalkboard and The Brass Rabbit. Now at the helm of the culinary program at Bricoleur Vineyards, he continues to hone his skills and evolve his dishes. This includes adapting to pandemic-era restrictions.

Although chefs and restaurant staff have been working overtime to make up for the absence of in-restaurant dining, some foods just don’t translate well to takeout. So when McAnelly set out to design a cook-at-home meal kit, quality control was a top concern.

Two frozen pizzas and salad are paired with a bottle of Bricoleur Vineyards 2018 Zinfandel. $82.00, serves two to four. (Courtesy of Bricoleur Vineyards)

Throughout McAnelly’s years in the kitchen, pasta and pizza have remained favorite dishes to prepare. This is reflected in Bricoleur’s menus as well as its cook-at-home meals. The burrata agnolotti arrabbiata paired with a rosé of pinot noir and the gnocchi bolognese paired with a pinot noir have been the most popular kits so far. There’s also flash-frozen, wood-fired pizzas paired with zinfandel (McAnnelly’s favorite), and mushroom and spinach lasagna or pork and cabbage tortellini in brodo, both paired with chardonnay. (The kits require very simple prep: boiling pasta, heating up lasagna, putting garlic bread in the oven, and tossing dressing on salad).

“He gained a reputation for his true passion — creative pasta dishes — and they’re at the heart of all of our menus, whether folks order Wine & Food To Go, or join us here at the winery for dinner, or a Sip & Savor tasting,” said Mark Hanson, CEO and co-founder of Bricoleur Vineyards.

Located in the Russian River AVA, Bricoleur Vineyards released its first vintage in 2017. The tasting room opened to the public last June, amid pandemic and ever-changing Covid-19 safety requirements and precautions.

There’s more to the newly-opened 40-acre wine estate than just grapes. Dozens of fruit trees, an olive grove and a vegetable garden, close to an acre in size, add to the scenery and help shape McAnelly’s menus. As spring produce starts to become abundant, he expects pasta dishes will take advantage, giving diners fresh dishes to look forward to.

“The thing I like most about our Wine & Food To Go program is the simplicity and the quality,” said McAnelly. “I am proud that the final product at home is easy to make and tastes as good as if I were cooking it for the guests here at the winery.”

Wine and food packages range from $62 to $88 dollars and serve two. All options include salad; pasta dishes also come with garlic bread. Meals are available Thursday through Monday and can be ordered online or by phone. Placing orders 24 hours in advance is recommended, but same-day pickup can often be accommodated. Along with curbside pick-up at the winery, delivery is available to Sonoma County addresses within a 20-mile radius for $20. The menu is expected to be available through March.

Pandemic Wine and Food Offerings

Bricoleur isn’t the only winery that’s getting creative with food offerings during the pandemic.

Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery is offering Taste at Home Self-Guided Wine Experiences. Along with wine, vineyard and tasting notes, the winery recommends cheese pairings available for purchase from local favorite, Cowgirl Creamery.

Clif Family offers a number of curated gift boxes that include wine and bites. The Napa Valley Happy Hour box includes a bottle of both red and white wine, and a number of cheese-plate-friendly munchies like nuts, jam and crackers. You just add the cheese.

Guerneville’s Big Bottom Market is delivering picnic lunches to nearby AutoCamp Russian River and a number of wineries including Iron Horse Vineyards in Sebastopol and Paul Mathew Vineyards in Graton.

New Take-Away Cafe Coming to Santa Rosa

By Heather Irwin
Banh mi sandwiches prepared by Jamilah Nixon-Mathis, chef and founder of Jam’s Joy Bungalow. (Alvin Jornada/The Press Democrat)

New eateries are coming to Sonoma County, including Jam’s Joy Bungalow, and two secret gems are already here.

Coming soon

Jam’s Joy Bungalow is expanding to downtown Santa Rosa. The pocket-size Sebastopol eatery and food truck is planning a take-away cafe in the former Crossing the Jordan space at the corner of Fourth and B streets across from the Santa Rosa Plaza. The focus will be on sandwiches like the pho dip and Charlie Hustle fried chicken, rice bowls with curry or braised pork belly, salads and sides. Owner Jamilah Nixon-Mathis said she’s also planning to expand their all-day breakfast menu that includes bao buns, jok (rice porridge I’m obsessed with), crispy rice waffles and Spam musubi. The space also will sell snacks, drinks and sundries from around the world. More coming on this as the opening approaches this spring.

Jamilah Nixon at the Jam's Joy Bungalow food truck at BottleRock 2019. (Heather Irwin/PD)
Jamilah Nixon at the Jam’s Joy Bungalow food truck at BottleRock 2019. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

Now open

Eagle-eyed fried chicken fans are raving over a hole-in-the-wall cafe called Peak Wings, hidden behind Starbucks in the Southpoint shopping center in Sebastopol. Its saucy sweet chili and Korean hot sauce are its most popular flavor enhancers. The menu also includes multi-pack fried chicken dinners and a small selection of Chinese favorites like spring rolls, dumplings and chow mein. Available for takeout or delivery. 799 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-827-6086, peakwingssebastopol.com

Freshly made tortillas are a high point of Tortilla Real, a new Jalisco-style taqueria in Petaluma. Chicken tinga, carnitas tostadas and the five-napkin torta ahogada with chile sauce, tomato sauce and shredded pork are best bets. 5 Petaluma Ave., Petaluma, 707-658-1415, tortillareal.com

8 Sonoma County Hikes With Spectacular Views

By Grace Yarrow

For those in search of some exercise, time in nature and the perfect shot for their Instagram feed, Sonoma County trails have a lot to offer. From coastal hikes in the west to eastern mountain summits, there’s something for every nature-lover and aspiring photographer. As a reward for the time and effort spent on the trail, we’ve found a few options with a special treat at the end. So lace up those hiking boots, pack your camera (or smartphone) and click through the gallery for eight Sonoma County hikes with spectacular views.

4 Secret Pop-Ups to Try in Sonoma County

By Heather Irwin
Crab mac and cheese at the Holly and Tali Show at The Casino Bar & Grill in Bodega. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

As tourists crane their necks to see the steeple of Saint Teresa of Avila, made famous by Ansel Adams and the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock movie “The Birds,” they tend to overlook a nondescript old wooden building that leans into the road at the center of Bodega.

Below a faded 7-Up sign, red neon letters label the building “Casino,” leaving most passersby to wonder why a casino sits at the heart of this quiet hamlet just four miles from the coast. Let them wonder.

For more than 100 years, the building — which never has been an actual casino — has stood as a gathering place, a watering hole and a simple roadhouse. Inside, the space is remarkably dark and woody, with creaking floors and an old jukebox in the corner. Glass-eyed deer look down from the walls, silently observing as the decades roll by. It’s not a place begging for attention from hipsters to judge its lineup of craft brews.

The Casino Bar & Grill is a place to discover accidentally and then love unconditionally. And the best time to stop by is for the Holly + Tali Show each Monday through Thursday when local chefs and caterers Holly Carter and Tali Aiona prepare dinner menus reflecting the fields, farms and fish that surround them and exotic flavors that inspire them.

Crab mac and cheese at the Holly and Tali Show at The Casino Bar & Grill. Heather Iriwn/Press Democrat
Crab mac and cheese at the Holly and Tali Show at The Casino Bar & Grill. (Heather Irwin / Sonoma Magazine)

To call it a pop-up isn’t quite fair, because the duo have been creating destination-worthy food for nearly six years in a kitchen barely larger than its two-burner stove. Guests are usually locals who — pre-pandemic — popped in to see what was on the menu and sit family-style at candlelit wooden tables with mismatched dishes and silverware. For now, it’s a pre-order and pickup situation that’s less charming but just as delicious. If you’re lucky you’ll catch a glimpse of 94-year-old Evelyn Casini standing behind the bar she’s owned for 71 years.

Carter and Aiona are friends who’ve cooked together for more than 12 years after meeting at the nearby Occidental Arts and Ecology Center where they cooked vegetarian meals for permaculture students and teachers.

“We worked in the most idyllic of settings in a wooden, weathered farmhouse kitchen, dancing to ’90s rap and R&B music at full volume,” Carter said. “We were a show indeed. I know it sounds like we are a television act or something, which believe me, we joke about. But we’re not. Just two gals cooking their hearts out.”

Menus change almost daily, depending on what they’ve secured from nearby producers.

Frequent wedding caterers, they’ve expanded their repertoire during the pandemic by hosting an additional pop-up per month at Americana in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square.

“It keeps us busy and fresh,” Carter said.

Recent menus included such varying dishes as Panizzera sausage and brisket lasagna, orange-olive oil upside-down cake (their baked goods are incredible), Dungeness crab mac and cheese that beats every version I’ve ever had, kale and Brussels sprout salad with prawns, tikka masala, cider-brined pork chops with red lentils and wild salmon with asparagus. Don’t go in with any preconceived ideas. Just let them cook for you.

Like at any good pop-up, you have to work a little to get such amazing food. Menus are posted daily on their Instagram site, @thehollyandtalishow, and you’ll have to call or text your order that morning. Entrees are a la carte, ranging from about $16 to $25 each for generous portions for two. Salads and desserts run about $7 to $12 each.

Carter and Aiona’s pop-ups at Americana, which recently featured a Burmese-inspired meal of tea leaf salad and tom kha soup (so creamy and luxurious), kimchi-braised pot roast and Kaffir lime panna cotta ($75 prix fixe), are also announced on their Instagram site.

Now you know the secret behind that curious place nestled in the one-stoplight town where few take the time to explore.

More details at thehollyandtalishow.com. The Casino Bar & Grill is located at 17000 Bodega Highway, Bodega.

Miracle Plum pickup

This charming neighborhood market near Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square is a treasure trove of exotic ingredients you didn’t know you totally need, immediately. From artisan tahini and umami bullion to organic yuzu furikake dried black trumpet mushrooms, it’s a food fanatic’s playground.

What we love is their new grab-and-go kitchen just down the street. Open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, it includes top noshes such as a smoked chicken and beet salad with farro, toasted walnuts, Pt. Reyes blue cheese and pickled celery ($13.50) and the delicate squash and black lentil salad with pickled mushrooms, beets, farmers cheese and a miso vinaigrette ($12.50). Both salads are plenty big for sharing or nibbling on all afternoon.

My hands-down favorite is the homemade egg salad sandwich on Red Bird Bakery Pullman Bread (my bread happened to be a focaccia that day, $8.50). It was gone before I got home. Also worth trying is Bonnie’s Mom’s Noodle Salad with buckwheat noodles and sesame oil or the Friday special of lemony smashed chickpeas on fresh focaccia ($10).

Owners Sallie Miller and Gwen Gunheim also curate wine and foods made by women for some extra lady-powered goodness. Lunch orders at miracleplum.com, with pickup at 600 Wilson St., Santa Rosa (the former A La Heart Catering). The store is located at 208 Davis St., Santa Rosa.

Belfare Sonoma

There has been a lot of buzz about this Petaluma Farmers Market pop-up featuring ridiculously good (and spicy) fried chicken sandwiches with dill pickles, Cajun cabbage, spicy sesame mayo and Belfare Sonoma’s signature “Belfire” hot sauce. Eastside Petaluma market-goers also can pick up the jalapeño and bacon fried chicken sando with roasted jalapeños, applewood-smoked bacon, barbecue sauce, mayo and American cheese. On the side, add fingerling fries with nori and sesame mayo and Brussels sprouts with ponzu, Asian pear and Cajun spice.

You’ll often find changes and additions on the menu as well as seasonal pantry items (Meyer lemon marmalade!) to keep things interesting. Chef Eric Lowe is also well known for langoustine sandwiches and their beef Wellington, available by pre-order. belfaresonoma.com or @belfaresonoma on Instagram.

Flatbed Farm

Speaking of pop-ups, this Sonoma Valley farm and charming farmstand is a favorite weekend destination for Wine Country visitors and locals looking for fresh eggs, seasonal produce, oils and rustic flower arrangements. Over the next few months, Flatbed Farm also is hosting chef pop-ups including Belfare Sonoma, 25 Lusk in San Francisco and Living Essence, a health-conscious kitchen much loved for their bone broth. Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, 13450 Sonoma Hwy 12, Glen Ellen. Keep up to speed @flatbedfarmglenellen or flatbedfarm.com

A Sneak Peek at 3 New Sonoma County Restaurants

By Heather Irwin

Petaluma Can’t Seem To Get Enough Pizza: Petaluma has always had great pizzerias — with deep dish, New York-style, wood-fired and Cali-style — but it seems there’s always room for more. The Mad Sicilian recently opened at 203 N. McDowell Blvd. with “grandma-style” square Sicilian pizzas along with Chicago deep dish and thin-crust Napolitana style. They won’t even shame you if you’re a Hawaiian-style lover, because it’s right on the menu. Plus, Zimi, slated to open soon, will take up residence at The Block and serve wood-fired Napolitana-style pizzas with a crispy char and locally sourced ingredients. We’re looking forward to more details, so stay tuned.

Montage’s Hazel Hill Opens: The luxury resort hotel has finally opened to the public after months of shelter-in-place orders and with it the outdoor dining experience at the Hazel Hill. Views of the Alexander Valley are breathtaking from the large outdoor patio space, but the menu is evolving. Mixologist Scott Beattie prepared us a cocktail for the ages with Japanese whiskey and fresh yuzu from his backyard. Meanwhile, the resort wine and liquor list runs 25 pages, to please just about any price point. More to come on this one. 100 Montage Way, Healdsburg, montagehotels.com/healdsburg

Khom Loi Now Open: Ramen Gaijin owners have teamed with Lowell Sheldon (formerly of Peter Lowell’s) to open an authentic Thai restaurant inspired by Moishe Hahn-Schuman’s extensive travels in the southeast Asian country. The Plaa Thawt Lat Prik (whole crispy fried rock cod) is a favorite, with a lightly battered exterior studded by spicy tamarind and bird chili sauce. The outdoor dining experience is lit by bamboo lanterns for a romantic rendezvous. Dishes are finding their way quickly as the soft opening continues. Reservations highly suggested at khomloisonoma.com. 7385 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol.