From Stewarts Point to Gualala: A Perfect Day Trip In and Around Sea Ranch

By John Beck & Meg McConahey

The words Sea Ranch conjure up images of weathered wood, cabins and barns purposely designed to not call attention to themselves, blending like old farm buildings into the coastal meadows.

More than half century after the first of its structures went up, Sea Ranch stewards are still committed to maintaining the coastal enclave’s original design ethos of “living lightly on the land,” as defined by its celebrated designer, landscape architect Lawrence Halprin.

Halprin’s vision inspired a revolutionary new approach to environmentally sensitive land-use planning and architecture, but Sea Ranch was also the catalyst for pitched battles over public access to its 10 miles of ragged bluffs and beaches.

Local activists led a fight for public trails to the coast. While their efforts failed locally, they led to a 1972 ballot initiative that created the powerful California Coastal Commission and in 1976, the state Coastal Act to protect the entire shoreline and ensure the public can share in its beauty.

Click through the gallery for a perfect day in and around Sea Ranch. 

From Schnitzel to Tinga: 10 Windsor Restaurants with Global Cuisine

By biteclub
Chick Kabob at Himalayan Restaurant of Windsor, Wednesday April 22, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015

Wine Country cuisine may reign supreme in much of Sonoma County, but if you look closely in shopping centers and tucked away spots — and some more obvious locations — there’s a world of food in Windsor.

From Eastern European jagerschnitzel to Himalayan momos, Thai po-pia, mole and New Zealand sausage rolls, tastes from around the globe beckon. Here are ten spots to find incredible food from other lands in your backyard – click through the gallery for photos. 

Tizsa Bistro: Chef Krisztian Karkus isn’t sure if he wants everyone to know how good his wiener schnitzel is. He has a special recipe, sure, and it’s pan-fried in butter and pork lard with fresh lingonberry jam and homemade cucumber salad, but says he doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed as a German chef. So, in addition to the spatzle mac and cheese with wild mushrooms, charbroiled octopus with Hungarian sausage and duck fat potatoes, jagerschintzel with spatzle, bratwurst with braised sauerkraut, and warm marzipan torte he also makes a mean duck leg confit, iceberg wedge salad and roast chicken breast (with spatzle, of course). Old World meets Wine Country in a most delicious way. 8757 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor, (707) 838-5100, tiszabistro.com.

Ume: Tucked away in Windsor, Ume is the place that sushi connoisseurs talk about between themselves. The sushi is simple, minimal (not blobbed with wasabi or overly seasoned rice) letting the flavor of the fish express itself and sliced generously without being overdone. Specialties include excellent monkfish pate, a great sake list and artistic presentations. Want something a little more approachable? Ume has excellent ramen, tankatsu (panko-breaded pork), teriyaki and American-style rolls with lots of wacky ingredients — if you’re into that. 8710 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 838-6700.

Qimura: Homestyle Japanese cuisine that’s comforting for just about anyone. Grandma’s recipes include painstakingly made bowls of steaming ramen (butter miso is a favorite), Nanban chicken (deep fried chicken nuggets in a creamy sweet sour sauce), chicken katsu and hamachi collar. Their sushi rice is made from a secret family recipe. The sleek, modern interior is as clean and bright as their chirashi, a bowl of steamed rice with sashimi. Very authentic flavors with friendly service. 8960 Brooks Road South, 836-1699, qimura.us.

Himalayan Restaurant: Though the cuisines of India and the Himalyas aren’t exactly the same, they share many of the same pungent spices and cooking techniques, which you’ll find at this downtown spot. Crispy vegetable pakora, Himalayan dumplings (momo), biryani (rice with meat and dried fruits) and creamy chicken tikka masala are good introductions for first-timers, but to really get dive into true Indian cuisine, try tandoori meat or vegetables made in a special clay oven. Want to take it to the next step? Himalayan goat curry or lamb badami cooked with almonds and tomato sauce are more adventurous. Flat bread called naan is best perfect for sopping up all the extra sauce. 810 McClelland Dr., Windsor, 838-6746, himalayanrestaurantwindsor.com.

Cocina Mana: In Morales’ kitchen, there are no giant cans of pre-made sauce or piles of packaged tortillas. Everything’s made from scratch as a matter of pride. Here, tacos aren’t mix-and-match discs of tiny tortillas with nibbles of carnitas, but Tacos Giusados — platters of braised meat with beans and Mexican rice with homemade steamed tortillas on the side. In the morning, chilaquiles with red sauce are a warm way to greet the day (or recover from last night’s revelry).Tamales are a specialty here, made with fresh masa and meat, cheese, vegetables or, if you’ve got a sweet tooth, pineapple. 9238 Old Redwood Hwy STE.128, Windsor, 657-7701, cocinamana.com

Tomi Thai: This pocket-sized Thai restaurant is always packed, and for good reason. Rather than overly sweet, sticky dishes, flavors are bright and fresh. You might get a giggle or two ordering Po-Pia, vegan spring rolls filled with mung bean noodles, cabbage and mushrooms or Goong Gaborg, little cigar-shaped shrimp rolls the table will inevitably fight over. You can’t really go wrong on this menu, but their Pad Thai with fried rice noodles and tamarind sauce is excellent. Pumpkin curry in a rich yellow sauce is filled with kobucha squash, bamboo shoots, green beans and basil. You can adjust seasoning to everything from mild to Thai spicy, which we don’t recommend, because unless you’re Thai, you’ll have serious regrets — maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow but soon and for the rest of your day. Wash it all down with a creamy, floral Thai iced tea that, if you haven’t had it before, will become an obsession. 426 Emily Rose Circle, Windsor, 836-1422, tomi-thai.com.

BurtoNZ Bakery: When this Kiwi-run bakery (that’s a New Zealander to the rest of us) opened in 2014, their savory mushroom goat cheese pies, flaky meat pies topped with mashed potatoes, sausage rolls and New Zealand donut were a revelation. Nearly five years later, they’ve only gotten better. We’re especially fond of the raspberry cream Lamingtons and freshly made breads. If you’re on a diet, don’t torture yourself by going. If you’re not, get ready for a pastry feast from the Pastry Wonders from Down Under. 9076 Brooks Road South, Windsor, 687-5455, burtonzbakery.com.

El Gallo Negro: This ain’t your usual taqueria, but a funky mezcaleria featuring juicy cockails with spiked with smoky mezcal and tequila. Owned by the Diaz family, who own restaurants in Windsor and Healdsburg, the menu features their family’s mole, a complicated Oaxacan sauce made with 30 ingredients including special Mexican chocolate, chiles, tomatillos, cinnamon, raisins, garlic, cloves and host of secret ingredients. It’s a rare find because of its ingredient and labor-intensive production, but the family has stuck to time-honored tradition of making it in small batches for their restaurants. Don’t expect white tablecloths, instead, wood tables, $5 bottled beers and cocktails like the Tres Pedros with tequila, hibiscus tea, fresh lime and simple syrup are casual favorites. Daily specials like Margarita Monday, tequila Tuesday and Noche Oaxaquena with handcrafted cockails keep things fresh. 8465 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor, 838-9511, elgallonegrowindsor.com. Also owned by the Diaz family, Tu Mole Madre featuring multi-course Oaxacan dinners and classes by reservation. Their grand-opening experience happens March 29. tumolemadre.com.

KS Tian Yeun Asian Cuisine: Recently opened in the Town Square, it’s one of the few Chinese spots in Sonoma County offering dim sum. The list is comprehensive and includes bao (steamed buns), shrimp dumplings, shiu mai, marinated tofu and a few more exotic offerings like chicken feet, turnip cake and pork intestines. They’ve also got both traditional and American Chinese food ranging from orange chicken and fried rice to sizzling clay pots filled with rice or vermicelli, veggies and barbecue. 610 McClelland Dr., Windsor, 892-2968, tianyuen.squarespace.com.

Castanedas Marketplace: The El Supremo Breakfast Burrito starts with a layer of griddled Oxacan cheese,followed by meat, eggs, tomatoes, avocado, bacon and a mess of other goodies. If you can eat the whole thing (or even if you can’t) you’ll be good to go for the day. Don’t miss giant chicharrones, fresh paella, tacos and wraps at crowd-friendly prices. 8465 Old Redwood Hwy., Suite 601, Windsor, 838-8820. facebook.com/castanedasmarket

Eat Cake All Night: ‘Art of Dessert’ Event in Santa Rosa Heaven for Sweet Tooths

By biteclub
This stunning entry was donated by Costeaux Bakery. The Annual Art of Dessert Gala, an event to generate funding for programs that educate thousands of local students each year, was held at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts Saturday April 7th, 2018. (Photos Will Bucquoy/For the Press Democrat)

Let them eat cake! Then let them eat some more cake. Have they eaten enough cake? Celebrating all that is frosted with fondant and perfectly crumbed is the annual Art of Dessert at the Luther Burbank Center on March 30.

This delightfully decadent fundraiser for the Luther Burbank Center’s arts programs features seventeen pastry chefs from the likes of Costeaux French Bakery, Criminal Bakery, Dry Creek Kitchen, Sift Dessert Bar, Oliver’s Markets, Flower and Bloom Cakes, Tomales Bakery, IMA Cake Couture and Your Sweet Expectations competing for a year-long dynasty as the county’s best cake baker.

Winning in the category of 'Best Tasting' was this Myer lemon and blueberry filled creation by Sweet Expectations. The Annual Art of Dessert Gala, an event to generate funding for programs that educate thousands of local students each year, was held at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts Saturday April 7th, 2018. (Photos Will Bucquoy/For the Press Democrat)
Winning in the category of ‘Best Tasting’ was this Myer lemon and blueberry filled creation by Sweet Expectations. The Annual Art of Dessert Gala, an event to generate funding for programs that educate thousands of local students each year, was held at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts Saturday April 7th, 2018. (Photos Will Bucquoy/For the Press Democrat)

In a blind tasting, each will submit their best cakes to a panel of celebrity judges (hint: Mark Stark, Charlie Palmer and Dustin Valette and Biteclub) to determine the best in taste, creativity and originality, presentation and overall awesomeness. If you want to sit with a celebrity judge — and really who wouldn’t — you can purchase tickets for their table. It’s for the kids!

The evening whole evening of wine, music and desserts from around the county that’s for one of the best causes in the county. And I’m not just saying that because they’re promising cake. Tickets are $250 per person, details, and tickets at lutherburbankcenter.org.

Sweet T’s Opens in Windsor: Welcome Home

By biteclub
Fried chicken at Sweet T’s in Windsor. Heather Irwin/PD

Last summer, my daughter had a single request for her first dinner back at home from wilderness camping: A juicy mac and cheese hamburger from the Cheesecake Factory.

Don’t judge, because sinking her teeth into the juicy tower of fried macaroni, beef, tomatoes and lettuce became a delicious daydream over the miles of trail. Three weeks of eating mostly summer sausage, peanut butter and tortillas in the drizzle of the Olympic Peninsula can do strange things to a person. Day after day, she came closer to that hamburger. It was a beefy beacon of all that is good in civilization.

Sense memories of food evoke powerful emotions. Smelling cinnamon can transport us to grandma’s kitchen table, eating warm apple pie. Spending 20 years looking for a mozzarella that holds a curd to the stuff you used to get in Brooklyn? Totally reasonable. Finding emotional closure in a piece of fried chicken? At Sweet T’s you can.

One of several Santa Rosa restaurants demolished in the 2017 wildfires, Sweet T’s quickly became a symbol of hope as owners Dennis and Ann Tussey began working on their new Windsor location at the Lakewood Village shopping center. Fans watched as construction commenced, a kitchen was built and Pitmaster George Ah Chin fired up the smoker for the first time.

Now, as friends and Fountaingrove neighbors congregate at the rebuilt restaurant, eating ribs and toasting to rebuilt homes, it’s become a symbol of healing.

Deviled eggs at Sweet T’s in Windsor. Heather Irwin/PD
Deviled eggs at Sweet T’s in Windsor. Heather Irwin/PD

But is the food as good as everyone remembers it?

The ribs sure as sugar are. The cocktails are. The hush puppies and mashed potatoes? Yup. The fried chicken? Wonder-fowl.

Like our memories, not everything can be perfect. Rebuilding takes time, and we’re all still finding our new normal.

As the sweet smell of wood smoke drifts through the parking lot like a siren call, noses sniff the air toward the long-cooked slabs of meat scenting each breeze. It’s a sense memory we’ve long missed enjoying. It’s the smell of Sweet T’s — and so many fire survivors– finally coming home again.

Best Bets
From the Smoker, Ribs: These are the Goldilocks pork ribs we’ve been seeking for years. Yielding without falling apart, smoky without being bitter, soft with a nice chew. You can see the craft in a perfect pink smoke ring around all of Sweet T’s smoked meats. Ribs done absolutely right.

Mixed BBQ plate at Sweet T’s in Windsor. Heather Irwin/PD
Mixed BBQ plate at Sweet T’s in Windsor. Heather Irwin/PD

Smoker Plates: Beef Brisket is so tender, it’s almost hard to get it on a fork. We like asking for a mix of meats, because the pulled chicken and pulled pork are also worth trying.

Memphis BBQ Nachos, $8/$14: House made white cheese sauce is the secret to this tasty mess of tortilla chips with your choice of smoked meat with a barbecue sauce drizzle and pickled jalapeños.
Smoky, creamy, sweet and ridiculously good, they’re a crowd pleaser so order enough for the table.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts, $9: People who don’t like Brussels just haven’t had them cooked right. These roasty, crispy, salty little critters will turn even the biggest sprout haters into converts. Dipped in garlic lemon aioli, they’re even better.

Hush Puppies, $8: Required. Slather with honey butter at will.

Rib Salad, $16: Get the best of both worlds with a meaty pile of veggies. Ribs are pulled from the bone, tossed in vinaigrette and added to tasty mixed greens, spinach, cucumber, avocado and blue cheese.

Gumbo at Sweet T’s in Windsor. Heather Irwin/PD
Gumbo at Sweet T’s in Windsor. Heather Irwin/PD

Cajun Shrimp Gumbo, $19: Louisiana-style with shrimp, smoked chicken, andouille sausage, veggies and rice. It’s far lighter in color and flavor than one might expect from a traditional gumbo, but there’s still plenty of rich, smoky flavor. Though the green pepper is a little forward in this dish, overall, gumbo lovers say it’s the perfect stew.

Shrimp N’ Grits, $21: Everyone has an opinion about grits in the South, and pretty much no one agrees on what makes a perfect batch. Sweet T’s makes’em almost perfect, with plenty of creamy, cheesy, buttery goodness.Though we like ours just a squeak softer, topping them with sweet corn, house-made tasso ham and shrimp gravy makes them down-home-tastic. Southern Fried Chicken, $24: Though it takes about 20 minutes for this dish, the wait is worth it. A thin, crispy shell keeps the chicken moist, steamy and tender.

Like the ribs, this chicken is extra special and extra worth ordering. Served with the world’s best mashed potatoes (with just a hint of garlic), slaw and a biscuit.

Sides: Like any southern restaurant worth its grits, sides are what really make the meal. Sure, they’re mostly a lovely shade of beige — from mashed potatoes to creamed corn, mac ‘n cheese, French fries and potato salad. Skip the rainbow of veggies for a moment (unless you’re hankering for some okra or braised greens) and turn up your comfort-food-o-meter to eleven.

Key Lime Pie, $6: Another signature dish, this creamy, tart pie is a refreshing belly bomber. Take a slice to go. Want to drink your dessert? The Key Lime Pie Martini comes with a graham cracker rim and tastes every bit as tasty.

Key lime pie at Sweet T’s in Windsor. Heather Irwin/PD
Key lime pie at Sweet T’s in Windsor. Heather Irwin/PD

Libations
Red-Headed Mule, $11: A low-proof cocktail that’s dangerously refreshing and addictive. Jardesca Red Aperitif is a quintessentially Californian fortified red wine mixed with botanicals like cardamom, ginger and tangerine. Mixed with ginger, lemon and soda it’s a refreshing, lightly alcoholic sipper.

Texas Margarita, $13: It’s a margarita on the rocks with a pop of cayenne.

George Peach Martini, $13: The only fruit martini that I’d actually drink without shame. Made with peach vodka, peach puree and sparkling wine, it’s like drinking a fresh peach instead of eating a bag of peach-flavored candy.

Sweet T’s is at 9098 Brooks Road S, Windsor, 707-687-5185, sweettssouthern.com. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Barley and Bine: Secret Windsor Taproom

By biteclub

We love hidden restaurant gems that take a little work to find. This one takes a whole lot of work to find, but it’s well worth the screaming match with your GPS. The well-tucked away Barley and Bine is the newest addition to Windsor’s Artisan Alley — a collection of artisan wine, spirit and cider producers that are a boozy interjection among commercial tile makers, auto body shops and the Windsor Gymnastics Center.

Almost invisible behind beefy pickup trucks and stacked harvest bins, Barley and Bine’s entrance is a completely unimpressive door surrounded by concrete bricks and aluminum siding. Don’t be put off, because inside you’ll find a charming spot to grab a table or a seat at the bar and peruse the 32 beers, cider and kombucha on tap. I can pretty much guarantee there will be at least three bearded guys sitting at the tap room at any given moment doing the same thing you are.

As reticent beer drinkers, we obviously reach first for the food menu. Which is a solid idea, because you’ll need a Tot-Tine as a solid base for the forthcoming suds. Yes, Tot-tine—the lovechild of Ore-Idea Tater Tots and Canadian poutine (brown gravy, cheese curds, and fries), this hot mess of deliciousness isn’t exactly a looker, but bacon, melty mozzarella, green onions with gravy soaked tater tots has loads of personality. I dare you not to fall a little in love with them.

The small kitchen also serves up simple flatbread pizzas, like the Hawaiian-inspired Hula and a tasty prosciutto and fig version. There’s simpler fare for kids — and yes, kids are welcome here with a little corner filled with toys and a chalkboard to keep them occupied while you kick back a couple brews.

Several computer screens above the bar show the dizzying selections, but if you’re overwhelmed, just ask the bartender for a little guidance. As a reticent beer drinker, we were thrilled to try 5oz. pours of Russian River’s Supplication (a sour brown ale aged in pinot noir barrels with sour cherries) and a raspberry lambic beer. I almost liked a couple of IPAs, but ti’s still a taste I’m acquiring.

Take a minute to check out their neighbors, Tilted Shed Ciderworks, Sonoma Brothers Distilling and Two Shepherds and Colagrossi Wines, most of whose products you can also find in the taproom.

If you get lost, just follow the bearded guys who look thirsty.

Open 11a.m. to 10pm. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. 11a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Closed Tuesdays. 7765 Bell Road, Windsor, 707-657-7774, barleybinebeercafe.com.

Best Late Night Restaurants in Sonoma County, 2019

By Heather Irwin

March 2019. We may not be New York or Los Angeles, where plenty of late-night eats are available until the wee hours. We do, however, have a heaping handful of spots in Sonoma County that stay open until 10p.m. — some even later.

Click through the gallery above for all the details.

As always, call ahead if you’re really starving, because late-night eats aren’t always consistent depending on days of the week and different seasons.

Josephine Clements and Maci Martell contributed to this article. 

10 Stunning Centerpieces from Sonoma Artisans

By Karen Kizer

With spring gatherings popping up all over the calendar pages, it’s time to think about how to punctuate the brunch or dinner table with an inspired centerpiece. Plant-growing knowhow and stunning, uncontrived style are so much a part of the Sonoma vibe. Naturally, the area’s farmers, designers and shopkeepers have lots to bring to the table — click through the above gallery for details.

Local Theater Company Launches New Arts Festival This Weekend

By Karen Kizer

Fire Circle Theater, a new Sonoma County-based theater company, wants to give everyone some time in the spotlight.

Formed by four friends, who met as theater students at the Santa Rosa Junior College, the nonprofit’s mission is to empower people of different backgrounds to “reflect on their lives and express their perspectives artistically.” On March 23, they will host the ReVerberation Festival at Spreckels Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park.

In keeping with Fire Circle’s mission, the inaugural festival will feature performances by Alchemia, an arts program for adults with developmental disabilities, and SRJC’s Second Chance Club, a program for formerly incarcerated students. Other acts run the gamut from NPR’s Snap Judgement’s performer of the year, Jamie DeWolf, to a dramatization of two Coffey Park residents’ experience of the Tubbs Fire and its aftermath.

To further include festival-goers in the event, there will be an interactive pre-show with live music, poetry writing- and comic drawing workshops, art exhibits and open mic. The aim with the festival, as with all of the theater company’s endeavors, is to bridge communities through artistic expression.

NPR’s Snap Judgement’s performer of the year, Jamie DeWolf, will host the ReVerberation Festival.

Community-building is a central theme for the four founders of Fire Circle Theater – Rush Cosgrove, Matt Cadigan, Brett Molik and Kevin Bordi. In seeking to engage with contemporary issues, such as political division and the effects of modern technology on communication, they draw inspiration from the fire circles of early civilizations – traditional gathering places where people would come together to tell stories, sing and dance.

Fire Circle co-founder Rush Cosgrove, who holds a doctorate in education from Cambridge, grew up in rural Tomales and experienced the social dynamics of living in a smaller community.

“In the online space, you can unfriend and never hear from someone again. In a small town, you literally can’t do that,” says Cosgrove. “The ability for redemption is greater here.” He adds that our tech-driven connectivity makes people “hyper-focused” yet, at the same time, “tuned out” and “sniping at each other over nothing.”

In addition to providing a name for the theater company, the fire circle also serves as a model for their creative activities – in Fire Circle productions, everyone is allowed a turn to share their thoughts and be at the center of attention.

Dre aka Duke the Bossman will perform at the ReVerberation Festival.

The group also offers workshop programs to schools as well as businesses. The business workshops usually explore how a company’s values might align with those of employees. This is done through creative exercises using writing prompts, improvisation or movement that tease out the voice and perspectives of each participant.

While some workshop participants might choose not to perform, they are often “open-minded enough to observe,” says co-founder Matt Cadigan, improv comedian, actor, director, educator and a graduate of the Meisner Technique Studio of San Francisco. “There’s incredible value in watching colleagues do that work—people often see something they can empathize with,” he adds.

The founders of Fire Circle Theater believe that this shared creative experience, be it in a theater or workshop setting, is the best way to foster healthy communities. While great art might of course come out of these endeavors, the main focus, according to Cadigan, is to invite and inspire people to “investigate their own lives and find strength in the ways others articulate their own experience.”

What: Reverberation: A Festival of Community Voices
When: March 23, 2019, doors open at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park.
Tickets: Tickets, $10, are available at reverberation.brownpapertickets.com
More information: firecircletheater.org.

Fire Circle Theater’s advisory: The themes and language of the performances may be uncomfortable for some. The minimum age for performers is 16. Parents with questions about whether this show is appropriate for their child may contact Fire Circle Theater at general@firecircletheater.org

From Designer to DIY: 5 Shops to Check Out in Geyserville and Cloverdale

By Karen Kizer

Northern Sonoma County has a blissful far-from-everything feel. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to explore here – on the contrary. In addition to the countryside charm, wineries and restaurants, the towns of Cloverdale and Geyserville boast carefully curated main street shops with offerings that range from designer textiles to vintage finds (in a tasting room!). With a Sculpture Trail connecting the two towns, a trip up north makes for a fun off-the-beaten-path excursion. Click through the gallery for details.

Sonoma County Events and Festivals to Check Out This Spring

By Shana Bull & Dan Taylor
Gloria Ferrer Brut Rosé
Toasting with sparkling wines at Gloria Ferrer

March 2019

There are plenty of reasons to get outdoors and enjoy springtime in Sonoma. As the weather warms up, several events celebrate local food, wine, beer, nature and community. Click through the gallery for local events not to miss in March, April and May. And don’t miss our upcoming lineup of film festivals to visit.