Gnudi with butternut squash and sage at Grata Restaurant in Windsor. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
We drank wine. We gossiped. We shared dishes. We watched the sun set. We ate way too much. And most importantly, we laughed and laughed and laughed.
That’s exactly the idea behind Grata just off the Windsor Town Square. With a large outdoor patio, chef-owners Eric and Christina Foster wanted a festive local gathering spot with family-friendly, approachable Italian classics and a convivial atmosphere. Done and done.
A longtime chef for Stark Reality Restaurants group, Eric Foster is no stranger to bustling, high-volume restaurants and knows how to get out orders quickly and efficiently with minimal staff, something most first-time restaurateurs struggle to master. Foster also knows plenty about creating bold flavors, like his meaty sea scallops with sweet-sour apple agrodolce and chive sweet potatoes.
At Grata, you can go simple by sticking to hearty appetizers like the creamy Grata Burrata ($12) with a smear of preserved lemon honey, pesto, teardrop peppers and grilled bread or crispy arancini with marinara sauce ($11). Or you can dive into comfort carbs that include smoked salmon carbonara ($22) and a hearty risotto with Parmesan stock and grilled maitake mushrooms ($19). If you’re feeling extra hungry, Grata’s change up seasonally, including wine-braised beef short rib ($28) with creamy polenta and halibut piccata with lemon and white wine ($24).
Our three favorite dishes, however, were Shawnees Shrimp Diavolo ($24), Ricotta Gnudi ($19) and the ridiculously decadent Ricotta Zeppoli ($9).
Unlike most spicy shrimp dishes, this diavolo isn’t as much about heat as it is about full-flavored marinated shrimp with a deep flavor of tart tomato conserva and olive oil atop spaghetti noodles.
Ricotta gnudi ($19, and yes, it’s pronounced “nudie”) could be a wallflower of a dish, but in Foster’s hands it becomes the belle of the ball with brown butter-soaked ricotta dumplings, seasonal butternut squash, hazelnuts and basil. It’s definitely worth going back for, along with the warm ricotta donut holes served with a Nutella chocolate dip so delicious you’ll wish you were a kid again just so you could lick the bowl.
Grata’s lunch menu features many of the same appetizers as dinner, along with oysters, a chicken Parmesan sandwich and the ridiculously delicious-sounding PBLT, a pork belly, butter lettuce, tomato and Calabrian chili aioli sandwich ($13).
Lunch and dinner, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Monday. 186 Windsor River Road, Windsor, 707-620-0508, gratawindsor.com.
It was sad news for Sonoma shoppers when Artefact Design and Salvage permanently closed their storefront in August after 17 years at Cornerstone Sonoma. The store housed a unique collection of new, salvaged, rare, exquisite and weird design items. Where would we now find decorative blobs of glass and gnarled tree branches to hang on a wall, or a giant chair made from teak root?
But in late October, Artefact proprietor and curator, David Allen, announced on social media that a new store was popping up. The business opened a week later on Sonoma’s Fremont Avenue.
On display at this new more intimate space are Allen’s patented ARTEFACTcurator Wall Mounts — wall panels studded with brass screws that can hold decorative pieces like branches, flowers, vases and framed art. Wool blankets from Spain, cork purses, air plants and staghorn ferns are also available.
Allen’s new pop-up store should not disappoint those in search of the big, bold and eccentric. The entrance is flanked with terracotta heads of Bacchus and Maenad, which were previously perched on the roof of the Vanderbuilt Hotel in New York City. The heads were removed from the hotel due to safety concerns, and Allen saw to it that they made their way across the country. Outside the store, a yard houses oversized pieces like the decorative top of a massive column and a giant limestone seal from Philadelphia. Allen travels the US by truck in search of rare finds—Pennsylvania has become one of his favorite places for old architectural pieces that become available during demolitions.
If you’re not in the market for giant finds, there’s lots of little things to love at the Artefact pop-up store, and gifts items will be making an appearance before the holidays.
Speaking of holidays, it will be interesting to see what will become of the three hundred plastic snowmen that Allen would arrange in creative formations at Cornerstone Sonoma each year. Judging by the surprise element in his design and curation choices, we’re guessing (hoping) Allen will drop more zany decorative fun.
Artefact Design and Salvage, 27 Fremont Drive, Sonoma, 707-933-0660, artefactdesignsalvage.com, Open Wednesday through Sunday 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Inflatable ghosts and pumpkins have just been packed away, which, pre-pandemic, would signal it’s time to think turkey and gatherings. But since medical advice is to keep gatherings virtual or very small this year, now could be a good time to focus on early holiday shopping instead. By starting your holiday shopping early, you’ll have more time to ship gifts to family and friends and local businesses will appreciate an early kick-off to the holidays.
The Barlow in Sebastopol offers a range of options for the savvy holiday shopper. The former apple cannery now houses workshop and retail spaces where talented makers produce and sell their unique wares. Visitors to The Barlow can also enjoy drinks and bites from tasting rooms and restaurants. If you prefer to shop online, that can be done, too.
Click through the above gallery for some locally-made or designed gifts we found at The Barlow that are so cozy and “so Sonoma.”
Christopher Chung / The Press Democrat A bee collects nectar from a flower at Monte-Bellaria di California in Sebastopol. The farm’s lavender honey was made into a Gravenstein Honey Cider for the Gravenstein Apple Fair.
If you’re feeling a little frazzled, reaching for a sachet of lavender might be a good idea, according to science. A study published in 2018 found that sniffing linalool, an alcohol component of lavender odor, had a similar effect to popping a Valium. But stressful times may sometimes require stronger remedies. We found one in Sonoma’s West County.
Monte-Bellaria, a nine-acre farm in Sebastopol, offers visitors an opportunity to breathe fresh fall air and soothing lavender — replacing sniffing sachets with a more immersive experience. “Monte Bellaria” means “mountain of beautiful air” in Italian and the bucolic hillside property lives up to its name. Even as the lavender fields shift in color from purple to brown in fall, the landscape remains beautiful and fragrant.
“When we trim back for the fall, the essential oil is very present,” said Dr. Bill MacElroy, founder of Monte-Bellaria.
MacElroy, a statistician and former product development lecturer at UC Berkeley, MIT, Penn State, University of San Francisco and Notre Dame, experimented with different types of lavender before settling on the fragrant and hardy Grosso variety that makes up most of the property’s 35,000 plants. He was recently awarded a silver medal by the international judging association Lavender Sommelier.
After the lavender is harvested between July and the first rains, MacElroy gets to work distilling and infusing the essential oil into products which are sold until supplies run out. The farm also cultivates olives and does beekeeping — its products make for perfect holiday gifts. The Monte-Bellaria moisturizing balm, for example, combines beeswax, olive oil and lavender. Hydrosols offer a sweet spritz of lavender to linens and laundered clothing. The farm’s olive oils are grassy and peppery, and the lavender-infused honey has fantastic flavor and consistency. An added bonus: the shopping experience is far more blissful than a visit to the mall.
Resident beekeeper Eric Sias manages the Monte-Bellaria fields and leads farm tours and gives informative workshops. In a recent class on propagation, he talked about the idiosyncrasies of Grosso lavender, saying it’s the kind of plant you should “forget to water and then overwater.”
Testing, measuring and tweaking for improvement is a central part of the process at Monte-Bellaria. The farm recently troubleshooted an erosion problem by creating a drainage system that routes rainwater down the hill and into a creek that runs under the property’s footbridge and into the forest. Combining a scientific approach with creativity seems to be the secret to the farm’s success — that, and the beauty of the property.
Open weekends 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monte-Bellaria di California, 3518 Bloomfield Rd, Sebastopol, 707-829-2645, monte-bellaria.com
Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa is offering outdoor weddings for small, intimate weddings. (Vintners Inn)
As most brides and grooms will attest, planning a wedding can be quite a stressful endeavor. That’s perhaps even more true with the current restrictions on gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have five different plans,” said Samantha Sasser, who anticipates tying the knot in July of 2021. “We just really adjusted our expectations.”
Sasser and her fiancé, of Rohnert Park, are just one of many couples whose plans have been affected by the pandemic. State and local health guidelines allow for weddings to continue for now but with detailed cleaning and social distancing protocols that must be implemented.
The state of California currently doesn’t allow wedding receptions or parties, only ceremonies. Sonoma County has determined that indoor venues can only operate at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer, and that outdoor venues must have six feet of distance between people, which limits guest lists.
Rescheduling weddings
Emily Hax, of the venue Green Acres Petaluma, is doing her best to accommodate couples whose weddings were canceled in 2020 by scheduling them for 2021.
Hax said although Green Acres has plenty of outdoor space, she has decided to limit capacity for weddings in 2021.
While Hax said it’s hard to make these adjustments, especially as she’s losing income for the venue, she thinks it’s worth it in the long run.
“We’re doing this for the greater good. We’re trying to stop it (COVID-19) so we can go back to normal, faster,” Hax said. “Not only do you have the parents and the couple to be wed, but all the vendors that come, you have to count those people as well. It’s a little tricky and it’s pretty devastating for these couples.”
Like Green Acres, many wedding venues in Sonoma County are playing things by ear for the coming months and for 2021, while some are finding new ways to host couples and their immediate families.
Micro-weddings and livestreams
The Luther Burbank Center (LBC) in Santa Rosa normally hosts hundreds of wedding guests in its multiple indoor and outdoor venues every year. Adjusting to the coronavirus pandemic, the music center is now taking advantage of its newly renovated plaza, which is “perfect” for COVID-safe “micro-weddings,” according to Sari Feinstein, programming manager for LBC.
“With the changes and our complete new direction with COVID-19, we have been really grateful to our community and our partners that have all gotten creative and sat around a table — a virtual table — and discussed how we can still be that community gathering place, how we can bring joy in a time that really needs it,” Feinstein said.
The center, which now has a wedding guest limit of 12 people, including the couple, has partnered with staging professionals and videographers who can help couples film their weddings for livestreams on Facebook, Zoom and other platforms.
Other outdoor venues, like the Vintners Resort in Santa Rosa, are taking advantage of their extra space by separating family groups and separating dining tables by six feet. Still, wedding staples like dancing and gathering in groups are prohibited at these venues, and guests need to wear face masks unless they’re eating or seated at a distance.
The Kenwood Inn, in the Sonoma Valley, is solely offering their “Elopement package,” which includes a wedding planner, officiant and space for up to six people.
“We have done several of these since … restrictions have been in place, and they have worked quite well,” said Sharon Rooney, director of public relations for the inn.
These micro-weddings and intimate ceremonies are gaining popularity. While the trend started as a response to pandemic restrictions, many couples and families have found ease and comfort in these simpler, low-pressure weddings.
While the future of weddings remains uncertain, Sasser said she’s prepared to be flexible while planning her 2021 ceremony at Vine Hill House in Sebastopol.
“With all of our vendors, we’ve been asking, ‘What’s your cancellation policy? Can we get a full refund?’” Sasser said. “They’ve all been really great and really flexible with offering postponements if needed.”
What will the candidates eat on election night? Chances are it will be pasta, burgers and ice cream for dessert if Biden or Trump have their way.
With plenty of fast food, carbs and comfort classics on their go-to lists, Joe Biden and Donald Trump Jr. are pretty proud of their down-to-earth cravings. Both have been criticized for their predilection for junk food and honestly, from most published reports about their favorite meals, no one is going to accuse anyone on the campaign trail of being a gourmand — with the exception of Kamala Harris, the lone foodie (and cook) in the group.
We thought it would be fun to imagine what the candidates would eat in Sonoma County and to suggest dishes you can pick up to celebrate/console yourself in honor of Trump or Biden winning on Tuesday night. In the meantime, you can grab an elephant or donkey election cookie at Costeaux French Bakery (417 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, costeaux.com) to show support for your favorite party (or eat the head off the one you don’t like).
Interesting fact: Trump and Biden are both tee-totalers, eschewing booze of any kind. Both are fans of Diet Coke. Harris loves a good glass of wine, which makes sense considering her home state is California. Pence, apparently, isn’t much of a drinker and enjoys the occasional non-alcoholic O’Douls beer.
Of course, we all love a good burger, and no one can refuse pizza and ice cream. We’re more alike than different, and good food is something we all can agree on!
All dishes are available for pickup. None of the restaurants listed here have endorsed any candidate; this is purely for fun. The list is in alphabetical order.
Vice President Joe Biden
Vice President Biden is a huge ice cream fan. (Photo: Shutterstock. Illustration, Heather Irwin)
Biden has repeatedly told reporters his favorite food is pasta, especially with red sauce. Our first choice is Campo Fina’s homemade pappardelle pasta with Liberty duck ragu, truffle bugger, leeks, sage and roasted winter squash (330 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, campofina.com). But we also love a good Bolognese meat sauce at Ca’Bianca (835 Second St., Santa Rosa, cabianca.com). Wanna go old school? Art’s Place (563 Rohnert Park Expressway, Rohnert Park, artsplacerp.weebly.com) is the home of the famous Pasta King marinara and pesto.
Ice cream is Biden’s guiltiest pleasure. He once posed for the cameras with a tasty DQ Blizzard. But why not go plant-based? The nondairy chocolate shake at Amy’s Drive Thru (58 Golf Course Dr. W, Rohnert Park) is twice as good with half the guilt. Another sweet-tooth satisfier is the creamy vanilla bean small-batch pint from Noble Folk (Santa Rosa and Healdsburg, thenoblefolk.com). Other best bets for the Democratic contender? All-American caramelized apple pie from Two Dog Night Creamery (Sebastopol and Windsor, twodognightcreamery.com) or peanut butter chip from Fru-Ta (multiple locations in Sonoma County, fru-ta.com).
Senator Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris likes fries, pasta and burritos. (Shutterstock photo illustration)
VP candidate Kamala Harris seems to be the cook in the group. She says she loves to make a good roast chicken, with beans and even French fries in duck fat (how very Californian), among other things.
Roast chicken is so boring. We think “Aunt Kamy” would go wild for Blue Ridge Kitchen’s Drunken Fried Chicken with truffle mac and cheese, bacon collard greens, Kentucky hot butter and apple honey, just to shake things up (6770 McKinley St., Sebastopol, brkitchen.com). Harris has strong feelings about a tuna melt sandwich and too much mayo, but Mac’s Deli (630 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, macsdeliandcafe.com) does it so right with a side of Kamala’s fave side dish, fries. Take it up a notch with duck fat fries with whipped ranch at Wit & Wisdom Tavern (1325 Broadway, Sonoma, witandwisdomsonoma.com).
For Kamala’s burrito habit, we’re picking Lepe’s (4323 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, lepestaqueria.com) Surf and Turf with shrimp, carne asada and all the trimmings.
Vice President Pence
Vice President Pence’s favorite snack is popcorn! (Shutterstock photo. Photo Illustration Heather Irwin)
Pence is another simple eater. He loves popcorn, bacon and ice cream.
Mike’s not much of a drinker, but who can resist a little Bloody Mary-flavored popcorn from Comet Corn (cometcorn.com)? For pizza, keep it old school with a simple pepperoni pie from Homerun Pizza (484 Larkfield Center, Santa Rosa, homerunpizzalarkfield.com).
Pence is an avowed bacon man, and we think a tasty California twist on the BLT, the BLAT (with avocado and sourdough bread) might be a nice energy boost while visiting the Sonoma County Airport’s Sky Lounge (2200 Airport Blvd., Santa Rosa, santarosaskylounge.com).
President Donald J. Trump
President Trump loves well-done steaks and fast food. (Shutterstock photo. Illustration Heather Irwin)
Don’t ask the Prez if he’s a sushi fan, because the answer is a resounding no. Instead, Trump prefers his food well-cooked. He’s a fan of fast-food giants like KFC, McDonald’s, Burger King and Chik-fil-A. Here are a few local alternatives we think he might like!
The McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish is Trump’s go-to, but you haven’t had a fish sando until you’ve had the Crispy Cod Sandwich with rémoulade on a soft roll at Seafood & Eat. We think Donald might also go for a little butterscotch pudding for dessert, because who doesn’t like pudding (9238 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor)?
Make sandwiches great again with a fried chicken sandwich atBrewster’s Beer Garden with — wait for it — goat cheddar and aioli. But come on, it has bacon, too!
Or he could try steak at Valette. Snake River Farms’ beautifully marbled meat should never be cooked well-done, but hey, if that’s what Trump wants, at least it’s a darn good overcooked steak.
Whopper or Big Mac alternative: If it’s a drive-thru with a burger wrapped in paper, then In-N-Out is our choice, though Five Guys gets ’em nice and charred. We’d prefer to send him to Mike’s at the Crossroads (7667 Old Redwood Hwy, Cotati, mikesatthecrossroads.com) or Superburger (multiple locations, originalsuperburger.com), but if we’re doing a burger to remember, it has to be the California Smash Burger at Pizzando (301 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, pizzandohealdsburg.com).
And finally, chocolate cake. There’s no comparison to Sax’s Joint’s chocolate cake with caramel icing, fudge and Rolos. It’s decadent almost to a fault, but nothing this good could ever be faulted (317 Petaluma Blvd. South, Petaluma, saxsjoint.com).
Healdsburg’s Single Thread Restaurant and Farm was among five Bay Area restaurants given a 2020 “Green star” — a new category — at a virtual California Michelin Guide event this week.
The new star distinction was given to chefs who “have taken responsibility by preserving resources and embracing biodiversity, reducing food waste and reducing the consumption of non-renewable energy,” according to organizers.
Owners Kyle and Katina Connaughton of Single Thread in Healdsburg own a small farm outside the town which grows many unique varieties of produce for their three-Michelin starred restaurant.
“We are incredibly proud to receive the Green Star recognition for our sustainable practices at the farm. Our farm team works incredibly hard not only to steward the land but also to do so using sustainable agricultural practices. This distinction highlights their hard work and the commitment to these practices by the whole team,” said Kyle Connaughton.
The stars, along with several “Michelin Discovery” restaurants (none in the North Bay) were a sort of consolation after the restaurant guide decided to forgo its annual California awards for 2020 in response to the pandemic and ongoing wildfires that have devastated the state.
On Tuesday, the French tire company long known for their European restaurant recommendations hosted a Virtual Family Meal where top California chefs discussed the state of restaurants after suffering from months of closures related to Covid and how restaurants have responded as front line feeders during the pandemic.
Other Green Star award winners in the Bay Area included Michael Tusk of Quince in San Francisco, Dominique Crenn of Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, Thomas Keller of the French Laundry in Yountville and Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in Berkeley.
Michelin’s new category of inspector “discoveries” were a nod to “new and aspiring culinary talent across California” and included 25 restaurants statewide. In the Bay Area, Tony’s Seafood in Marin, Aziza in San Francisco, Tacos Oscar in Oakland, Los Carnalitos in Hayward, Brotzeit Lokal in Oakland and Selby’s in Silicon Valley were noted.
Pulled pork, chickpea meatloaf, and Philly cheesesteak pretzel bun sliders from Fourth Street Social Club in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy of Fourth Street Social Club)
Two new restaurant openings and one reopening to be excited about right now…
4th Street Social Club in downtown Santa Rosa has officially opened. The plant-forward eatery has been in development for months (and months) at the former Jade Room. 643 4th St., Santa Rosa.
“Jacked Up Popcorn Chikn” is a house favorite at Fourth Street Social Club in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy photo)Cocktail from Fourth Street Social Club in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy of Fourth Street Social Club)
The popular, family-friendly Yogurt Farms frozen yogurt and ice cream shop has reopened under new ownership. 1224 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa.
In Windsor, former Stark’s chef Eric Foster has opened Grata, an Italian-inspired restaurant we’re chomping to get to as soon as possible. Burrata with preserved lemon honey, fritto misto, roasted beet and butternut squash salad and ricotta gnudi have our names all over them.186 Windsor River Road, Windsor.
Carbonara pizza with crispy guanciale, Yukon gold potatoes, poached farm egg, Pecorino Romano at Wit & Wisdom in Sonoma. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
I blame the agnolotti. Those delicious little pillows of al dente pasta filled with caponatina — a Sicilian mix of eggplant, caper and olives — sitting in a pond of tomato water and creamy, melty Parmesan have tongue-tied me so thoroughly I’m afraid Chef Michael Mina thinks me a silly hayseed.
Hey, you try to say “agnolotti” or “caponatina” with any authority when a multi-Michelin starred celebrity chef with some 30 restaurants worldwide casually stops by your table on a steamy Tuesday night at his new Sonoma restaurant, Wit & Wisdom.
“Oh, ah, oh! Chef! I love the anlotti. Angliota. Angolia. The cappynota. Capota…ca…,” I mumble with my mouth full.
He looks confused, like maybe I need some medical help. Someone please save me. General Manager Seth Johnson comes to my rescue. “The agnolotti, chef,” he says. Mina’s eyes crinkle like he’s smiling, but it’s hard to tell under the mask. It might be a grimace. I consider climbing under the table.
Tomato, tomahto. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. And he knows it.
Caponatina Angolotti with tomato water glaze, capers and Parmesan fonduta at Wit & Wisdom in Sonoma. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
The agnolotti is not the only near-perfect dish on the table that night. Every single bite is better than the next, be it Liberty Farms black pepper duck wings or Carbonara Pizza with a soft-boiled egg, black pepper and a Pecorino cheese sauce mixed tableside and poured over the hot pizza.
Mina’s first Wine Country restaurant, recently opened at the Lodge at Sonoma, is so top-to-bottom exceptional, it’s easy to feel a little provincial. Mina and his team are professionals in a Big Fish, Big Pond kind of way, with critically-acclaimed restaurants in Chicago, Boston, Las Vegas, Dubai, Seattle and Mina’s home stomping grounds of San Francisco (where he has nine restaurants).
Suffice it to say the MINA group has the immense financial backing, top tier talent and the ability to get everything dialed in right out of the gate because they’ve done it 30-plus times and counting.
Trust me, I didn’t want to totally love it as much as I did, because it’s easy to discount someone like Mina as an outsider who doesn’t understand Wine Country cuisine.
Wrong. He does.
With a legit menu that sources (mostly) locally, there’s not much to poo-poo — except the Olympia Provisions charcuterie plate. Which, while amazing, doesn’t use local charcuterie. That’s honestly my biggest gripe.
“We couldn’t open some of our other restaurants,” Mina says of the pandemic restrictions. “But we wanted to open here.”
Roasted heirloom carrots with vadouvan yogurt, piquillo pepper, walnuts and tangerine vinaigrette at Wit & Wisdom in Sonoma. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)Duck fat fried potato wedges with whipped ranch dip at Wit & Wisdom in Sonoma. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
Truly it has been a winding road to get the restaurant open at the former Carneros Bistro. More than a year ago, rumors started buzzing about a possible Mina concept. It wasn’t until June that the restaurant seemed to be a sure thing, finally opening in mid-September.
With a large, enclosed outdoor dining area, Wit & Wisdom has plenty of socially-distanced tables. Diners are encouraged to use digital menus accessed by a QR code (though paper menus are available).
A pleasant surprise are the prices, with many dishes under $15 and solid entrees like the pastas under $20. You can gild the lily with higher-end dishes like the Lobster and Black Truffle pot pie ($84), but in general, we were pleasantly surprised by the affordability.
There’s a robust spirit program, with creative cocktails like the Hummingbird ($13) made with mezcal, elderflower liqueur, lemon and passion fruit. The wine list is spectacular and runs 20 pages, as one might expect, with both trophy wines and more approachable sippers. By-the-glass selections don’t disappoint, and we loved a recommendation for a German pinot noir (Enderle & Moll Liaison, Baden, DEU 2016) with soft fruit notes that worked perfectly with the, uh, pasta pillows. Yeah, let’s call them that.
Best Bets
The menu runs two pages for dinner, and recently brunch was added. This is only a small sampling of the dishes.
Savory Pop Tart, $12: You’ll get the joke. A rectangle of crisp puff pastry hides a filling of savory pulled short rib. Accessorized with crispy onions, horseradish cream and flecks of red peppercorn. No toaster needed.
Liberty Farms Duck Wings, $14: Orange peel scented, caramelized duck “wings” are more like duck drumettes. Moist confit-style meat with a crispy Grand Marnier glazed. “Made my knees buckle a little,” said my husband, eating the leftovers.
Roasted Heirloom Carrots, $11: The prettiest dish on the menu. Multicolored carrots are roasted to a sweet softness, piled high with Vadouvan-spiced yogurt, pomegranate seeds, a pool of piquillo pepper sauce and tangerine vinaigrette. Flavor-boosted!
Caponatina Agnolotti, $17: This dish is so good it’s going to land somewhere near the top of my Best of 2020 dishes. It’s not about a single note, but a harmony of light tomato water, carby al dente pasta, restrained caponatina and salty cheese. Just amazing.
Liberty Farms Duck Breast, $32: Not your usual cherry-glaze sweet on sweet take. We like the more savory presentation of medium rare duck atop mustard creamed cabbage. Sadly the poached pears didn’t add a lot, but the pomegranate jus brought the whole thing together.
Carbonara Pizza, $18: A perfectly-blistered wood-fired pizza with crispy guanciale, thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes and a light dusting of cheese. What made it special was the tableside mix of a soft-boiled egg, a tablespoon (at least) of cracked black pepper and fresh Pecorino romano. The sauce is poured over the pizza, imparting a spicy, sharp flavor that’s a foil to the creaminess of the cheese.
The Chocolate Bar, $12: Like the best Snickers you’ve ever had. Mirror-glaze dark chocolate, milk chocolate and dried peanut butter crumble. So sexy.
Bohemian Creamery Cheese Plate, $20: A proud collection of soft and hard goat, cow, sheep and buffalo milk cheeses from this small, women-owned West County creamery with Della Fattoria bread and Napa Valley olives.
Worth A Look
Hot and cold shellfish towers ($79 to $109) include fresh oysters, lobster, crab and shrimp.
Maryland striped seabass with shrimp arancini, early spring vegetables, Meyer lemon olive oil emulsion and spinach pudding at Farmhouse Inn in Forestville. (Charlie Gesell / Sonoma Magazine)
The Michelin Guide has postponed naming its 2020 restaurant selections for California. No stars and no Bib Gourmands will be announced for this year due to the ongoing pandemic and — most notably for California — the wildfires. With most of the state’s restaurants still limited to outdoor dining and takeout due to COVID-19 restrictions, Michelin representatives said the decision was made after talking to chefs and considering their feedback.
Michelin stars are among the most influential awards a restaurant can receive. Healdsburg’s Single Thread Restaurant and Farm is one of just a handful of California restaurants to win the coveted three-star award, the highest award given. Madrona Manor, also in Healdsburg, has one star. Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant in Forestville also got one Michelin star. The Restaurant at Meadowood in St. Helena, another three-star winner, was destroyed in the recent Glass fire.
Insiders are saying that “postponing” doesn’t necessarily mean the awards will be shelved altogether for this year. Although the usual October announcement won’t be made, the guide may be released sometime in early 2021 as many reviews already had been completed for this year before restaurants were forced to shutter and then limit services.
Guide organizers will host a virtual Family Meal event to support California restaurants at 4 p.m. Oct. 27. Both diners and chefs are invited to attend. (Details at guide.michelinman.com).
