As the holiday shopping season gains momentum, many find themselves dreading the to-do list, the crowds and the expense of showing our love and appreciation for others. Creating “holiday magic” can take a behind-the-scenes toll on even the most chipper of shoppers. I’ve asked local retailers, Christa Williams, marketing director of Santa Rosa Plaza Mall, and Jessica Burnett, general manager of the Petaluma Premium Village Outlet Mall, for their advice on how to tame the tasks of holiday shopping. Click through the above gallery for information.
Evening entertainment at Lagunitas Taproom in Petaluma. (Jeremy Portje)
With so many high-quality breweries, taprooms and beer venues to choose from in Sonoma County, a beer lover can easily get overwhelmed. To help our fellow beer geeks out, we’ve decided to pick out a few of our favorite local spots – town by town. First out is Petaluma – click through the gallery for all the sudsy details.
San Francisco Magazine’s Best of Wine Country 2017 winners have been announced and while nominations come from as far north as Lake Country and far south as Carmel, Sonoma and Napa Counties were the big winners. Click through the gallery above for all the details, and read about the awards below.
Every year San Francisco Magazine recognizes the best of Northern California Wine Country. The public is invited to submit nominations for 14 categories and cast their votes on their favorites. After over 5,000 votes were cast, a review panel of industry professionals selected the winners from the final nominees.
Safari West, a wildlife sanctuary in Santa Rosa, has reopened in the wake of the Tubbs Fire that ravaged the surrounding area less than six weeks ago.
The Tubbs Fire threatened not only the 1,000 animals that reside on the 400-acre property, but also the over 100 employees and many overnight guests who were evacuated from the property as mandatory evacuation orders were put in place.
Safari West’s owners remained on site, putting out hot spots with garden hoses and keeping watch over the animals, the majority which remains on site, including the many giraffes the sanctuary is known for.
In total, two safari vehicles and two buildings were destroyed. Remarkably, none of the animals were harmed.
The parks’ owners and founders, Peter and Nancy Lang, lost their home, and so did many staff members.
As of November 20, Safari West is back open, offering their daily safari tours. Thanksgiving festivities will also take place, during which guests can dine surrounded by the gardens and the wild animals that reside in the sanctuary. They have yet to reopen their overnight, glamping experiences.
Safari West tours operate daily. Cost ranges from $45-$93 per person. (800) 616-2695, 3115 Porter Creek Rd., Santa Rosa, safariwest.com.
Before the days of farmers market ubiquity, farmers relied on onsite visits as a means of connecting with customers. Sonoma County’s 44-year-old Farm Trails is a biannual mapped tour of several farms opening their doors to the public to foster this relationship.
With our present-day busyness and the convenience of farmer’s markets everywhere, Farm Trails has become a bit of a road less traveled. But with this year’s devastating fires forcing a cancellation of their annual fall tour, the organization of 200 members is trying something new: opening their farms every weekend during the holidays. Visitors can get a glimpse of farm life and shop their stands and stores for holiday foods and gifts. Click through the gallery above for more information.
November 18 to January 1, Holidays Along the Farm Trails, PO Box 452, Sebastopol, 707-837-8896. To receive a free map of farms, register here.
Before all the Thanksgiving dishes have been cleared in many households, Black Friday sales get their signature Thursday start, online and in the big stores. If you’re inclined to take part in the spending frenzy in the days that follow the feast, consider taking a detour into the shopping hubs of locally-owned stores. The time might be right to embrace a lesser known retail tradition, Small Business Saturday, which this year is November 25.
Sonoma County has no shortage of unique finds in locally-owned stores, and with the call to recovery after the fires, there’s truly no time like the present to steer your shopping in the Go Local direction. Click through the above slideshow to see events and offerings taking place on Small Business Saturday and through the holiday season.
Kimchicken sandwich — fried chicken with kimchee and Korean hot sauce — at Chicken Pharm restaurant in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
Note: Since this review, there have been kitchen staffing changes. 12/05/2017
Here’s an idea: Open a poultry-focused restaurant in a town once known as “The Kingdom of 10,000,000 White Leghorns. Seems like a pretty solid idea when you’re smack dab in the heart of the former Egg Capital of the World, where the chick incubator was created a century ago and a poultry pharmacy once treated ailing hens.
Adding to Petaluma’s feathered history is Chicken Pharm, an eatery that pays homage to the deliciousness of a perfectly spatchcocked chicken, and fried chicken, popcorn chicken, grilled chicken and chicken wings. But its the spatchcocked chicken we’re, well, crowing about.
Spatchcocked chicken at Chicken Pharm restaurant in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
What’s spatchcocking? Think of it as a roast chicken without much backbone. Literally split open and laid flat, the spatchcock technique is also known as brick or butterflied chicken, exposing the bird to more even heat and making for super crispy skin. Plus, it’s just more fun to say spatchcock, especially around chefs like Adam Mali, a Petaluman heading up the Patio Group hospitality company’s new kitchen.
Once a top toque at SF’s swanky Mandarin Oriental, Mali says the last thing his hometown needed was another fine dining establishment. Instead, he put some local, comfort food twists on the San Diego restaurant group’s first NorCal establishment. So, rather than practicing his culinary tweezer skills, Mali now wears a tee-shirt and an apron while frying chicken, cooking cowboy beans and baking chocolate chip cookies.
Rancho Gordo Beans with Black Pig Bacon at Chicken Pharm restaurant in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
Simple isn’t always so simple, he says. “Making cornbread, seems easy, but it isn’t always,” says Mali during a busy Sunday brunch. Nor is making coleslaw that isn’t too soupy, or too mayonnaise-y, or too vinegar-y, and he’s worked on that for a long while.
That’s what elevates Mali’s meals. Fried chicken is fried chicken, but the side dishes (cheddar cornbread, Rancho Gordo beans with Black Pig bacon and just a hint of fennel) and bold flavorings (Korean gojichang and kimchee) bring the heart to the Pharm.
Which isn’t to say that Mali’s buttermilk fried chicken, which is a menu staple, isn’t excellent. But so are about four other comparable versions of chicken waffles or fried chicken sandwiches within a four block radius. We’ve eaten a lot of fried chicken in Petaluma lately, and it’s popular because, hey, who doesn’t like fried chicken? Our stayed crispy even after hours in our fridge when we gave it a late-night taste test again. Fried chicken, however, isn’t exactly a requirement for graduating from the Cordon Bleu.
Speaking to that, Chicken Pharm’s non-chicken options aren’t a menu afterthought. Mali has made it a mission to get his Fallon Hills Ranch burger right, using a range of cuts for a hearty tomato jam-topped beauty. Simpler eaters will like the griddled pb&j with whole grain bread and a side of Clover milk. Vegetarians can get into roasted cauliflower “wings”, clever salads and beer-battered pickle chips. Need a nip with that? Full bar, beer, wine and bottomless mimosas at brunch.
With a family-friend vibe and excellent brunch menu, Chicken Pharm is a great addition to Chickaluma. Come to roost at the former Tuttle Drug store (hence the Pharm moniker), Adam Mali’s menu features comforting roast chicken, spectacular side dishes and plenty of local flavor.
Best Bets at Chicken Pharm
Crispy cauliflower “wings” with Sriracha sauce at Chicken Pharm restaurant in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
Crispy Roasted Cauliflower “Wings”, $11: I’ve never gotten the whole “dip transport” excuse for using a gristly chicken wing to spoon blue cheese into your face. Spoons actually taste better. So I say ‘where have you been all my life?’ to crispy cauliflower as a transport for Marshall Farms honey sriracha sauce. Way better than a spoon.
Kimchicken, $12: The whole fried chicken paradigm needs disruption, and this is how you do it. Loaded with spicy gojichang sauce, pungent kimchi inside a sweet Hawaiian roll it’s a sweet heat treat.
Cage-free kale, $10: This kale is definintely free range, with shaved carrots, hazelnuts, Bellwether Carmody and a eye-popping turmeric citrus vinaigrette.
Spatchcocked Roasted Chicken, $11/$21: Half a bird is enough for two, but for a family, go all the way. Thyme and sage perfume this roasted bird beautifully presented in a skillet.
Fallon Hills beef burger at Chicken Pharm restaurant in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
Fallon Hills Ranch Beef Burger, $13: Thick and juicy, this patty is “whole cow”, meaning it blends different cuts of meat, not just sirloin (and not offal). An 80-20 fat ratio gives it plenty of moistness, cooked medium rare with tomato jam, caramelized onions and a brioche bun. Top 10 burger for me.
Baked Rancho Gordo Beans with Black Pig Bacon, $8: Yes, there is a lot of namedropping going on in this humble cowboy dish, but these two purveyors also happen to be two of the best in the biz. It also happens to one of my favorite bean dishes, with ketchup and tomatoes (mom-style), plus molasses, brown sugar and a hint of fennel.
Petaluma Creamery White Cheddar Mac N’ Cheese, $8: My only caution on this one is to parents, because this version actually tastes delicious, though your kids may disagree. White cheddar brings a some uptown funk to an otherwise suburban blend of cheese and macaroni.
Cheddar cornbread ($6): Yes, if only for the whipped orange mascarpone butter.
Petaluma Slaw, $5: Almost an umami quality, which means not too sweet, not to salty, not too sour, not too creamy. Just right.
Chicken feed dessert with Three Twins salted caramel ice cream, chocolate chip cookies and caramel corn at Chicken Pharm restaurant in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
Crack of Dawn, $12 (brunch only): Grits are the thing here. They’re surrounded by over-easy eggs, grilled chicken sausage and roasted new potatoes. But the grits, with plenty of butter and thyme are Southern comforting.
If you go…
Brunch Gold: The spot is ultra-family friendly and good for large groups, with massive oak tables, several side rooms and a seasonal patio.
Bringing it Home: Family fried chicken meals (or spatchcocked chicken) are available for pick-up, serving four with two sides, a salad and dessert for $47, making it a wings-down winner for nights when no one wants to cook.
Breakfast tacos at Chicken Pharm restaurant in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
Chicken Pharm: 132 Keller St., Petaluma, 707-543-1278 (for pick-up orders), chickenpharm.com. Open 11a.m. to 9p.m. Monday, Thursday; until 10p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sunday 9a.m. to 9p.m., brunch served until 2p.m. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
So much great food and serveware, so little room on the table. Click through the gallery above for a few suggestions to inspire your menu and manner of serving. All are available at beloved local businesses in Sonoma County, many of which might appreciate the patronage following the loss of business during the North Bay Fires.
21-Day Dry Aged Bone-On Tomahawk for Two ($130) with Hen of the Wood Mushrooms ($12) and Charred Broccolini ($
Charlie Palmer might have gotten his start in New York City, but it is in Sonoma County where he made his Bay Area mark with Dry Creek Kitchen.
Over the past few years, he has expanded his “Progressive American Cuisine” empire into Napa County and now the latest addition is open: Charlie Palmer Steak Napa.
This is his fifth Charlie Palmer Steak and the first in California (even Reno beat us to it with a casino-based location). Palmer has lived in the Bay Area for over 15 years and was asked by the soon-to-open boutique Archer Hotel, in downtown Napa, to open a flagship restaurant on property.
The 4,000 square-foot restaurant includes a lounge, circular bar, and patio. Jeffrey Russell serves as executive chef.
Falling into the “special occasion” or “I really need to impress a client” category of dining, Charlie Palmer Steak’s prices range from $12-20 for appetizers, $25-$80 for entrees (the $80 dish being a surf & turf with a filet mignon and stuffed Maine lobster), and $12-$15 for desserts.
Oh, and the steaks? They start at $33 for a 5 Dot Coulotte (A.K.A. sirloin strip) and top off at a $100 4 oz A5 Waygu steak imported from Japan. The real deal. You can also share a porterhouse ($125) or bone-on tomahawk steak ($130) for two. Add on foie gras (while you still can) for an additional $22.
Budget-minded diners don’t lose hope: happy hour is served daily from 4-7 PM in the bar, featuring discounted wine, beer (including their house made CP IPA) and snacks from $4-$7. You can also save a few bucks by bringing a bottle of Napa Valley wine – the first bottle corkage is free. They also offer a bar menu that offers a luxury bent at a reasonable price point (lobster corn dogs anyone?).
Charlie Palmer Steak is currently open only for dinner starting at 5:30 PM but will expand to offer breakfast, lunch and brunch (don’t miss the “donut wheel”) in December. (707) 819-2500, 1260 First St., Napa, charliepalmersteak.com.
Chef Dustin Valette and his brother, Aaron Garzini at Valette in Healdsburg
Restaurants are finding unique and creative ways to support fire relief efforts in Sonoma & Napa Counties. Dining reservation website OpenTable is no exception. This week they launched “Let’s Raise the Glass” to raise money for the Sonoma County Resilience Fund & Napa Valley Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund.
It started with Charleston, South Carolina, based restaurant the Charleston Grill. General manager Mickey Bakst and sommelier Rick Rubel began donated a portion of all California wine sold by the glass and bottle to fire relief efforts.
The concept expanded to include other restaurants, such as New York’s Daniel, owned by Daniel Boulud, and Suzanne Goin’s Los Angeles restaurant, Lucques.
Now it’s a nationwide program with a cute name: Let’s Raise the Glass.
It’s easy to participate: visit one of the restaurants on the Let’s Raise the Glass website and order California wine, either by the bottle or the glass. A portion of the proceeds from your wine purchase will go towards fire relief efforts. This effort continues through December 31.
The first to do so in Sonoma County is Healdsburg’s Valette(707-473-0946, 344 Center St., Healdsburg, valettehealdsburg.com).
OpenTable is currently looking for more restaurants to join the program. Other Bay Area restaurants include:
-Bistro Jeanty, (707) 944-0103, 6510 Washington St., Yountville, bistrojeanty.com
-Cliff House, (415) 386-3330, 1090 Point Lobos Ave., San Francisco, cliffhouse.com
