Jessica Yau dodges the three dogs who race past as she surveys the grounds of Garden Valley Ranch. She and her brother, Justin Yau, have called the ranch home for a little over a year now, after falling in love with the rose farm despite their minimal experience with farming or gardening.
“We come from a real estate background,” Jessica says with a laugh. “So we see potential.” It’s been a steep learning curve, she acknowledges, and on occasion, a challenging one.
When the Yaus first saw the place, it was in sad disrepair. The rose bushes hadn’t been thinned in a decade, and Jessica knew that they might “never win the battle against the mint.” But they vowed to create a thriving ecosystem, using Neem oil to combat rust on the leaves, and backwash from the koi pond to supply nitrogen. They let certain weeds with shallow roots overwinter to feed pollinators and attract good predators.
The Yaus’ shared mission was to make Garden Valley Ranch both a destination and a place to educate people about roses. This spring, they’ll host several public workshops and events, including First Friday tours of the gardens starting May 4 and a Mother’s Day open house, as well as ongoing floral workshops with top North Bay designers on hand to instruct on everything from compote arrangements to hand-tied bouquets.
The Yaus sell their cut flowers to visitors as well as wholesale, but the biggest part of their business is the potted roses. “Rose fanciers aren’t like regular gardeners. They are more like collectors,” Jessica explains. “We had a woman drive all the way from Washington to pick up one of our rare specialty roses called Honey Dijon.”
As for Jessica’s own favorites? She loves Classic Woman, a champagne-colored rose roughly the size of a peony; Lavender Simplicity, a Floribunda with “a lovely, citrusy scent”; and Black Baccara, a hybrid tea “with these blood-red, velvety petals.”
Nursery hours are Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., or by appointment. Five-gallon roses run $35-$45; 15-gallon or tree roses run $50-$60. 498 Pepper Road, Petaluma, 707-795-0919, gardenvalley.com
Sweet potato at Taco Lab in Windsor. Heather Irwin/PD
Everyone has an opinion about tacos. Especially in California.
Carnitas versus carne asada, soft-shelled versus crispy, dribbled with sour cream and guacamole or simply dressed with a couple of radish slices, onions, and cilantro? Whatever you choose, one wrong order can land you in a minefield of food credibility. Family members have been known to come to blows–or at least throw out a few derogatory statements about someone’s mother — over how to eat this simple street food. Trust me, friends, I’ve even been on the receiving end of nastiness about my affection for overusing pico de gallo on tacos.
Frankly, we’re ready for a taco truce. Let’s stop our bickering over queso fresco and raise a cerveza to taco inclusion.
The recent opening of Taco Lab in Windsor is just the place to do that. It’s sort of a taqueria, but also an experiment in thinking outside the shell.
Owned by Superburger’s Bill Cordell, the casual spot just off the square features an ever-changing lineup of proteins that range from super-tasty carne asada and carnitas to globally-inspired flavors like Brazilian beef with chimichurri, Indian-spiced chicken, the meatless Imposter ground “beef” (it’s really good, promise), jerk chicken and other daily Protein Specials.
“Think of a menu without cultural borders, where the biggest rule is that it has to fit in a taco, burrito or bowl,” said Cordell. Inspiration comes from Mexico, Brazil, Puerto Rico, China, India and beyond, he added.
Instead of tortillas, choose from a burrito, burrito bowl, quesadilla, loaded baked potato or yam, or salad bowl. Each is $10 and include chips and salsa.
You can add various toppings to your “experiment”, from corn to queso. We also really liked the esquite, a street corn salad ($3.75) and are craving Taco Lab’s freshly made agua fresca, margaritas, and sangria.
The Lab opened May 1, and there are still a few R+D issues being ironed out, but the large outdoor patio and lineup of flavors is one experiment we’re willing to keep testing.
9238 Old Redwood Hwy, #128, Windsor, tacolabrestaurant.com. Open daily from 11a.m. to 8:30p.m
Don’t sweat the arrival of the blistering sun! Get cool (and look cool) in or by the water. Here are swimsuits, sandals, sunglasses and more for a hot Sonoma summer – because your fashion sense doesn’t have to take a holiday just because you do. All are available in local stores – click through the above gallery for details.
As the old saying goes, behind every good wine is a great woman. Ok, we just made that up – but, in Sonoma Wine Country, it’s true. Click through the above gallery to get to know five amazing local women, producing some of the best wines in the world. (And check out our article from last year on women in wine.
6/20/2013: B3:
PC: Ben Jenkel, left, and Brittany Latorre ride the Super Slide at the Sonoma-Marin Fair, in Petaluma, on Wednesday, June 19, 2013. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)
Looking for some family-friendly fun in June and July? Click through the gallery above for some of our favorite picks.
Here comes graduation season with all its heart-tugging beginnings, endings and looking forward. Send the graduate in your life on the path to “the next chapter” in style with these tokens of your affection. All items are made or sold in Sonoma – click through the above gallery for details.
Mom deserves a day off from any cooking duties. Take her out to one of these great breakfasts or brunches, serving delish dishes for Mother’s Day 2018. Click through the above gallery for details. Make sure to call ahead and check if there are still reservations available. Did we miss a favorite? Let us know in the comments below.
It’s time to fuss over dear ol’ Dad. Here are some great Sonoma-based finds for Father’s Day, which together make a good argument that Dad’s not THAT hard to shop for. Click through the above gallery for details.
Tommy Chong, Chef Chris Cosentino, Cheech Marin and emcee Liam Mayclem the Foodie Chap at BottleRock 2016. Heather Irwin.
Country star Trisha Yearwood is a Food Network star and New York Times best-selling cookbook author? Apparently we’ve been living under a rock, because Yearwood will be joining Chefs Giada De Laurentiis, Napa restaurateurs Masaharu Morimoto and Charlie Palmer, Dominique Crenn and Michael Voltaggio on the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage at this year’s BottleRock.
Steph Curry joins Ayesha on the Williams-Sonoma Culinary Stage in 2017 at BottleRock. Will Bucquoy
For the last three years, the small culinary stage has been a star attraction at the Napa music festival, featuring big names like Martha Stewart, Snoop Dog and last year’s surprise appearance of the Warriors’ Steph Curry during wife Ayesha’s cooking demo. We also pretty much loved seeing Tommy Chong light up a couple years ago, too. The matchup of celebrity chefs and music, television, sports and movie celebrities has resulted in a oddly fascinating and eminently watchable lineup — often just to see the oddball antics.
Other culinary stars appearing on the stage include Top Chef Jr. host Graham Elliot, Top Chef Richard Blais,Aarón Sánchez, chef/owner Johnny Sánchez, Travel Channel star Adam Richman, Top ChefMasters Hubert Keller, Food Network star ChefDuff Goldman, actress, host and cookbook author Tiffani Thiessen, and Bay Area favorite chefs Tony Cervone, Tyler Rodde and Aaron Meneghelli. KCBS “Foodie Chap” Liam Mayclem keeps the whole circus together as emcee.
Joining them onstage, look for a weird and wonderful gathering of names like Halsey, Snoop Dogg, actor/comedian George Lopez, Olympic Gold Medal Winner Shaun White, Mike D, Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., MLB all-time home run king Barry Bonds, Harlem Globetrotters, boxing great and cookbook author Laila Ali (does literally everyone have a cookbook these days?) Michael Franti, Tré Cool of Green Day, Gary “Baba Booey” of The Howard Stern Show, E-40, Shakey Graves, future NFL Hall of Famer Charles Woodson, Warren G, NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Tank and the Bangas, Joe Kwon of the Avett Brothers, Dan the Automator, KTVU Sports Director Mark Ibanez, The Alive and City of Napa Mayor Jill Techel.
Sadly, if you don’t already have tickets to the three-day event, May 25-27, you’re out of luck, since they’re long sold out. You can enter Williams Sonoma “Ultimate Trip To BottleRock” Sweepstakes which includes deluxe accommodations at Napa Valley’s Silverado Resort and a pair of three-day passes to the festival. Or just watch your friends’ Instagram accounts to see what you’re missing.
If you’re wondering, the nosh lineup is pretty much the same as previous years, with a handful of additions and includes: Morimoto Napa, Bouchon Bakery, Estate Events by Meadowood, La Toque, Mustards Grill, Oenotri, Torc, La Taberna, Cole’s Chop House, The Q Restaurant and Bar, Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ, Angéle, Boon Fly Cafe/FARM, Goose & Gander, Bistro Don Giovanni, Tarla Mediterranean Bar & Grill, Redd Wood, Miminashi, Napa Palisades Saloon, Stone Brewing Co., Southside Café, Jax White Mule Diner, Taqueria Rosita, Il Posto Trattoria, Eight Noodle Shop, Kara’s Cupcakes, Bui Bistro, Foodshed, The Farmer’s Wife, Ristorante Allegria, Ben & Jerry’s and Sweetie Pies along with food trucks from around the Bay Area.
Snacks and sticks from Duke’s Common in Healdsburg. Heather Irwin/PD
We’re definitely spoiled for choice when it comes to good restaurants and interesting food options in Wine Country. From an Old World-inspired modern bistro in Windsor to a small Santa Rosa breakfast-and-lunch spot where everything is made from scratch, we’ve rounded up a tasty selection to put on your “must-try” list for spring and summer dining. Click through the gallery above for more info and dishes to order at each restaurant.
Tisza Bistro, Windsor
Kale salad with pomegranate, Parmesan, wine-soaked currants and walnut vinaigrette at Tisza Bistro in Windsor. (Photo by Heather Irwin)
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 he isn’t a German chef, he says in a heavy Hungarian accent — and he doesn’t want his new restaurant, Tisza Bistro in Windsor, to be pigeon-holed as an ethnic dining experience.
Trouble is, he already has fans coming in weekly for a plate of the breadcrumb-topped veal. It’s just that good, which anything cooked in pork lard tends to be.
The restaurant has gained quick momentum with a mix of Old World comfort food (with lots of roasting) and fresh, California-inspired ingredients that make for an intriguing menu ranging from brown-butter artichokes with tarragon and lemon aioli (not lemon and mayonnaise, he specifies), duck confit with brandied cherries, spaetzle mac and cheese, and smoked bratwurst and braised sauerkraut.
Not a single dish misses the mark. Not one.
“Food has to taste good first,” Karkus says, “and look good second.” He’s achieved both, with perfectly cooked greens and beans, clever touches like balsamic “pearls” (a molecular gastronomy technique) that aren’t overly precious, deeply flavorful infusions of spices and herbs, and perfectly crisp salmon and duck skin.
Tisza is named after a meandering Hungarian river and its menu is awash in a love for the flavors of Sonoma County and Eastern Europe. Plus, the schnitzel ain’t bad.
Especially worth a try is the roasted Castroville artichoke with tarragon brown butter and preserved lemon ($10) — a huge artichoke bathed in nutty butter with creamy lemon aioli. We’re never quite sure about the proper way to eat an artichoke, but you’ll find the meatiest bits on the bigger petals, though we’d rather just spoon the aioli into our mouths when it comes right down to it. There’s no getting around the calories here, but it’s intensely worth sharing around the table.
And as for that wiener schnitzel ($23), this version has no relationship to a sad piece of dry pork dropped in a deep-fat fryer — which is the sibling of chicken-fried steak, something no one should eat willingly. Instead, this dish of veal is rolled in bread crumbs and fried in butter and pork fat. Add a squeeze of lemon, and life suddenly seems a lot better.
Lamb can be a tough sell, but Tisza’s braised lamb shoulder ($26), a long-cooked cut, is tender and beefy. It’s served with Bohemian yeast dumplings, which are a bit like steamed bao, a sticky sort of dough ball whose only purpose is to soak up au jus. Similarly, there are so many ways preserved duck leg can go wrong —they’re either greasy or fatty, and often a bit gray inside, with a rubbery skin. But with his roasted Liberty Farm duck confit ($18), Karkus again gets a super- crispy skin (“I love it to be crispy,” he says) by searing off the deep red meat. Brandied cherries are, well, the cherry on the confit.
Finally, the undersell of the menu is the rolled crepe with walnut cream ($6). It’s a treasured Hungarian dessert called palatschinke, and Karkus notes that the soft, papery crepe puts any French buckwheat imposter to shame. “You should be able to eat it like this,” he mimes, pressing his lips together. No teeth needed. Rolled instead of folded into a triangle, palatschinke is filled with a walnut cream surrounded by rum raisins (boozy fruit is a popular theme) and swooshes of real chocolate ganache. Nutella be damned.
Tisza Bistro is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 8757 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 707-838-5100, tiszabistro.com
Duke’s Common, Healdsburg
Snacks and sticks from Duke’s Common in Healdsburg. (Photo by Heather Irwin)
Bridging the gap between front of house and back of house, restaurant, or bar, lofty versus unpretentious, Duke’s Common in Healdsburg is the halfway point — literally and figuratively — between the classic American cafe dining of Brass Rabbit (109 Plaza St.) and unfiltered farm-to-table booziness of Duke’s Spirited Cocktails (111 Plaza St.).
Housed in the former Scopa space, the Common is an eat and drink spot where everyone’s welcome (something not always easy to find in the ’Burg) — with 30-somethings balancing toddlers on their hips while sipping Prosecco, the pre-dinner crowd can grab a quick nibble and glass of wine, and after-hours revelers can stuff down some Disco Fries before boogieing home to bed.
Keeping in that unruffled spirit of hale and hearty bites like fries doused with gravy and tubs of shrimp and grits, it’s clear to see that Duke’s Common doesn’t take itself the least bit seriously. There’s a brief but eclectic lineup of things on skewers (mushrooms, chicken, corn dogs), small bites like the insanely popular McChicken sandwich, and slightly larger bites that include slices of pizza for $4 or a burrito stuffed with falafel, along with cocktails, wine, and beer. We ordered just about the entire menu for under $100, much to our surprise.
Duke’s Common has arrived in the right place at the right time — a place for all of us to gather, whether we’re plastic dish or white tablecloth kinds of diners. Nothing on the menu is more than $10. Don’t miss the Maple Bacon Donut ($3), which is actually more of a mapleglazed beignet. Big flavors make up for the tiny size. Recommended: Catch all bacon and glaze crumbs into waxed paper, then upturn into your open mouth. Refuse to acknowledge you just did that.
Petaluma BBQ spot features barbecue chicken, ribs, fresh salsas and tortillas. (Photo by Heather Irwin)
Petaluma is going gonzo for What A Chicken!, a budget-friendly barbecue spot, which specializes in — you guessed it — chicken.
You’ll smell it before you see it, with a massive grill perfuming the entire block with mesquite smoke and grilling chicken. Prepare to drool a little. Once you’ve passed through the mist of sizzling poultry, it’s an order-at-the- counter affair. Choose from mixed-grill plates, as well as tacos, fall-off-the-bone ribs, and so-so-sides like potato salad, coleslaw, and Spanish rice. Instead, get the freshly made corn tortillas and spend some time at the salsa bar. There’s usually a line, so you’ll have time to ponder the menu.
We found the chicken to be wonderfully flavored, but a bit dry. Doused with fiery pineapple salsa and wrapped in a warm tortilla, it’s easier to see why folks are so impressed. That and the prices: You’ll get a two-item, two-side plate and a drink for $7, hearty tacos are $3, and burritos around $7 as well. Super plus: A selection of icy aguas frescas are delightfully cool and sweet, taking some of the bite out of the spicier salsas.
708 E. Washington St., Petaluma, 510-776-7615.
The Grove Cafe, Santa Rosa
Grove Cafe in the Redwood Credit Union headquarters in Santa Rosa. (Photo by Heather Irwin)
It’s time for a little lunchtime dignity at the office. So long to sad brown paper sacks, desiccated Lean Cuisines warmed up in a dirty microwave, and worst of all, whatever stinky thing you had for dinner last night that’s making us all retch at our desks. I make it a practice to publicly humiliate anyone with the chutzpah to bring a steaming plate of fish stew, garlic curry, or god forbid, tuna salad near my workstation.
That’s why I’m convinced that Redwood Credit Union’s new Grove Cafe is the future of the office lunch.
Simple daily menus are placed near the entrance to the bright, modern space and include dishes like blackened chicken flatbread with sweet corn and red onion ($6), roast cauliflower and pear soup ($3.50), Korean barbecue chicken in lettuce cups ($8), a grilled veggie sandwich with sun-dried tomato pesto and goat cheese ($6), fresh beet salad with arugula ($6.75), made-to-order sandwiches, and burritos (all under $9).
There are no servers or waitstaff. Instead, diners simply pick a dish or two on the touchscreen monitor, pay with a credit card and sit down. Minutes later, your number is called and your order ready for pickup at the counter. No muss, no fuss, no lost time when your lunch hour is ticking quickly by.
While the cafe isn’t locally owned or Michelin-starred (it is part of international food service conglomerate Compass Group, which operates cafes and food services for businesses, schools, and hospitals, including Bon Appetit Management and Wolfgang Puck Catering), the simple idea is efficient, inexpensive, and what office drones (myself included) could really use on days when simply putting food in our faces is something of a luxury.
Open Monday-Friday. Breakfast, 8:30-10 a.m.; lunch, 11:30 a.m-1:30 p.m.; snacks, 1:30-3 p.m. 3033 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa
Zoftig, Santa Rosa
Philly sandwich with fried chicken breast, provolone, oven roasted tomatoes and broccoli rable. (Photo by Heather Irwin)
Former owners of Calistoga’s acclaimed JoLe restaurant have brought their talents to Santa Rosa with a breakfast and lunch spot that’s truly zoftig.
“My grandmother always said live life with zoftig,” said co-owner Matt Spector. A Holocaust survivor, she often used the Yiddish term that roughly translates as “fullness” that comes with being well-fed.
Focused on simple yet well-made sandwiches, salads, and bowls, the concept doesn’t sound particularly fascinating at first pass. Until you realize that Matt makes everything from scratch — from the roasted chicken and Diestel turkey to oven-roasted tomatoes, and fresh porchetta for his own take on a Vietnamese banh mi.
It’s a grab-and-go lunchtime spot near downtown Santa Rosa that’s far better than it actually needs to be, featuring bread from their next-door neighbors at Goguette, fresh chicories, kale from FEED Sonoma, and salad add-ins including paprika roasted cauliflower, goat Gouda, and grilled Crimini mushrooms. Must-tries include the roasted chicken ($11.50) and the banh mi ($12).
Tamarind cocktail, chips and salsa trio at Cascabel Mexican restaurant and grill in Santa Rosa. (Photo by Heather Irwin)
It’s hard not to get enthusiastic about Cascabel, the newest addition to Santa Rosa’s Montgomery Village restaurant lineup. We found several menu standouts at this casual tequila bar and grill, including a sweet-and-savory Oaxacan mole, meltingly soft barbacoa, spicy shrimp ceviche, and homey arroz con leche.
For the barbacoa pancakes ($10), Cascabel uses a low-temp sous vide technique to slowcook meats overnight, then a pan fry to caramelize and crisp. In the case of barbacoa, the sweet shredded beef is butter-soft, but propped up with an intense mole sauce that commands respect. Piled atop a soft potato latke with crema and red onion, it’s a menu favorite. Also worth a try are the chicken tinga enchiladas with mole poblano ($13) and the Cocoyoc salad ($13). With achiote-marinated chicken, pineapple relish, red onion, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a pumpkin seed-serrano chile vinaigrette, the Cocoyoc is a lighter way to enjoy the intense flavors of Cascabel in a calorically virtuous way.
