Faction Brewery beer sampler. (Photo by Tim Vallery)
Faction Brewery beer sampler. (Photo by Tim Vallery)
This Saturday, The NorCal Beer Geeks Festival returns to Petaluma for its third consecutive year, serving up beers from 20+ Northern California breweries and live music. This is a great opportunity to taste new brews while supporting a good cause – proceeds from the event will be donated to Sonoma County Vet Connect, a Veterans helping Veterans nonprofit organization.
Here are 5 reasons why you should spend your Saturday afternoon with the NorCal Beer Geeks:
Faction Brewery in Alameda brews an IPA just for the Norcal Beer Geeks. The NorCal Beer Geeks IPA will only be available at Faction Brewery after the event.
Faction Brewery beer sampler. (Photo by Tim Vallery)
The Pat Jordan Band is playing live, nuff said. For those of you who know Pat Jordan, you’ll understand. For those who don’t: Pat Jordan is amazing, energetic and humorous; he immediately wins the crowd over and steals the show. His sound is electrifying; it’s one of a kind.
Pat Jordan Band playing at the Trione Halloween event. (Photo by Tim Vallery)
The folks from Sacramento’s New Glory will be at the event. The Sacramento beer scene is exploding with unique, well made beers and New Glory is among the top producers in town. On Saturday, they’re coming in hot with their Farmhouse French Saison and Greenergy Double IPA.
New Glory beer sampler.
There will be plenty of local flavor:Bear Republic will be bringing their popular Racer X IPA and their Great American Beer Festival silver medal winner: Pace Car Racer. Thousands of beers from breweries all over the US are entered into the GABF each year and the Pace Car Racer was the only Sonoma County beer to take home a medal. Cooperage Brewing never disappoints. Expect something hop forward, clean, and cleverly named like the “Curt Don’t Hurt” and “Trimcoe IPA”. St. Florian’s is keggin up “Fresh Hop on the Engine” as well as some other fun surprises.
Ryan, the bar manager at Bear Republic pub pouring beers for the locals. (Photo by Tim Vallery)
Proceeds from the event will be donated to Vet Connect. The non profit assists veterans in locating the services they have earned during their military service. 100 percent of proceeds from raffle tickets will go to the non-profit; a portion of event proceeds will go directly to the organization.
Sonoma County Vet Connect volunteer veterans. (Photo courtesy of Sonoma County Vet Connect Facebook)
NorCal Beer Geeks Festival
When: Saturday, November 5, 2016 1:30-5:00 PM
Where: Petaluma Veterans Building, 1094 Petaluma Boulevard South, Petaluma, CA 94952
Tickets: Tickets are $20-$45 per person. General admission includes unlimited beer tastings, a tasting glass and an entry into the raffle. Food is available for purchase. VIP ticket holders are granted one hour early access to the event. Buy your tickets here
It’s not just the ladies who enjoy a getaway weekend with their friends – guys do, too. Whether it’s reconnecting with college comrades, buddies who’ve moved, or celebrating a milestone like a promotion or engagement, it’s always a treat to get together with those who know you best.
Here are three hotels in Sonoma County to book when it’s time to catch up:
Bodega Bay Lodge – Bodega Bay
Bodega Bay Lodge. (Image courtesy of Bodega Bay Lodge)
Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Bodega Bay Lodge is a great destination for guys who enjoy ocean views, deep sea fishing, and a good game of golf.
View of the beach. (Image courtesy of Bodega Bay Lodge)
The Bodega Bay coastline is rugged and ready for some on-shore adventure: see local fisherman getting the catch of the day, watch surfers angle for an incoming wave – maybe even catch sight of a whale or two. This is the area where Alfred Hitchcock filmed ‘The Birds’ – the drama definitely remains in the landscape.
Room at the Bodega Bay Lodge. (Image courtesy of the Bodega Bay Lodge)
Rooms: The rooms at the Bodega Bay Lodge create a comfortable spot for some downtime – nothing beats being able to relax by a fireplace after a day of sea air activities.
The lobby at Bodega Bay Lodge.
The spacious lodge lobby comes with a warming fireplace, deep and comfortable couches and leather armchairs. This is a good place to start your day – or end it, with a glass of whiskey in hand.
The course at the Links at Bodega Harbour. (Image courtesy of The Links at Bodega Harbour)
Adventure: Start your day with a round of golf at The Links at Bodega Harbour, take in the views and chat between swings.
Boats parade by the Fisherman Festival out of Bodega Harbor for the Blessing of the Fleet in April. (Photo by Crista Jeremiason)
If fishing is more your game, visit Nor Cal Fishing Adventures. This Bodega Bay business offers a wide array of boats to charter for the day.
Heated pool at Bodega Bay Lodge. (Image courtesy of the Bodega Bay Lodge)
Relax: If you’re a bit sore after your daytime adventures, the pool, whirlpool and sauna at the lodge are available from 7:30am – 11:00pm.
Drakes Sonoma Coast Kitchen chef Jeffrey Reilly crab cioppino. (Photo by Christopher Chung)
Food:Drakes Sonoma Coast Kitchen, formerly The Duck Club, is located at the Bodega Bay Lodge and is known for serving up the freshest local food; much of the seafood is caught in Bodega Bay. One of the added services the restaurant provides is a to-go box lunch to take on any adventure you may be heading off to for the day. Or try the clam chowder at Spud Point Crab Company, or the oysters and crab sandwich at Fisherman’s Cove.
At Fisherman’s Cove, enjoy a crab sandwich with some local crafts beer at one of the communal tables overlooking the bay. (yelp.com)
Reserve your epic guys weekend: Bodega Bay Lodge 103 CA-1, Bodega Bay, CA 94923, (707) 875-3525. bodegabaylodge.com
Farmhouse Inn – Forestville
Farmhouse Inn. (Image courtesy of the Farmhouse Inn)
If countryside is more your style than seaside, The Farmhouse Inn in Forestville will hit the spot. This inn, opened in 2001, features just the right balance of rustic and refined for gentlemen who like the outdoors, but still appreciate amenities like jetted tubs – and high thread count sheets.
Patio outside a Barn Room.(Image courtesy of the Farmhouse Inn)
Rooms: The rooms at the Farmhouse Inn have feather beds with European linens and down comforters, but the real draw is being able to sit outside and watch the game on a flat screen TV while sipping on some local craft beer.
Spa at the Farmhouse Inn.
Relax: Fellas, enjoying a spa treatment isn’t just for the ladies. The Spa at the Farmhouse Inn features “A Man’s Turn” 90-minute treatment that includes an extremity massage with hot towel compresses as well as a steamy hot towel facial experience with products designed for a man’s skin. To follow up the treatment, you’ll receive a personalized DIY shave kit to take home. Go ahead – enjoy.
Adventure: Explore the local landscape the way author Jack London did, on horseback. Triple Creek Horse Outfit in Glen Ellen offers tours of Jack London State Historic Park, with riding trails through Jack’s Beauty Ranch, across oak woodlands and under shady groves. See the ruins of Wolf House, Jack and wife Charmian’s dream home which burned down the day before they were to occupy it in 1913; visit London’s boulder gravesite, writing cottage, and Charmian’s House of Happy Walls. At tour’s end, enjoy a wine tasting at neighboring Benziger Family Winery, included in the tour.
Or you could just spend the day floating down the Russian River…
People float down the Russian River by various methods of transport towards Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville. (Photo by Alvin Jornada)
Food: Farmhouse Inn houses an upscale, but surprisingly low-key, Michelin-starred restaurant. The ambiance is sophisticated yet cozy, the Cal-French cuisine delicious yet unpretentious, the decor chic and the service snappy. Try the Snake River Farms Beef: pan-seared New York strip loin, with potato-spinach pie, corn pudding, bluefoot mushroom, and blistered sungolds.
Steaks coming up at Backyard in Forestville.
For a mid-range option, check out Backyard in Forestville. The chefs at this popular downtown restaurant source the menu from their own backyard: meats from local ranchers, fish from local fishermen, fruit from local orchards, vegetables from local farms, wine and beer from local producers. Be sure to try the Buttermilk Onion Rings first with their signature hot sauce. You won’t regret it.
Reserve your epic guys weekend: Farmhouse Inn, 7871 River Rd, Forestville, CA 95436, (707) 887-3300. www.farmhouseinn.com
Northwood Lodge & Resort – Monte Rio
Pool at Northwood Lodge. (Image courtesy of Northwood Lodge & Resort)
Sometimes, when you get together with the guys, you don’t care about spa treatments or Michelin stars…you just want to go to a lodge, play some golf, and have a few beers (or nice Cabernet). The Northwood Lodge knows this, and they don’t veer too far from the original idea of a lodge being simply a place to rest your head after a day of doing more exciting things, like golfing, hiking, kayaking, or fishing.
Room: The rooms are not fancy, but nicely appointed. If you’re traveling with a group, you could even reserve the ‘Two Double Bed Rooms, Bunk Beds’ special that has space for up to 6 people. This can save everyone plenty of money for the golf club and drinks at the Northwood Restaurant – happy hour starts at 3pm, and if you’re in the mood, you can usually catch some live music in the evening.
Amenities: If you’d like to spend an afternoon barbecuing with your buddies, there’s an outdoor barbecue and picnic facilities for guests to use. If you’re sore after an afternoon of golf, a few laps in the swimming pool might do the trick.
Kayakers on the Russian River. (Photo by Beth Schlanker)
Adventure: Looking to pump up the adrenaline? Rent all the equipment you need for river rafting, stand up paddle boarding and kayaking on the Russian River at Rubicon Adventures, in nearby Forestville. Rubicon also has friendly and skilled tour guides.
Northwood Golf Club course. (Image courtesy of Northwood Golf Club)
For a little less adventurous – and more relaxing – day, head to Northwood Golf Course. This course in the Monte Rio redwoods was designed in 1928 by golf architect Dr. Alister MacKenzie, and has been rated by Golf Magazine as one of the top five MacKenzie courses in the world. Even with such a pedigreed background, you can choose from an array of tee times that won’t break the bank.
Craving a chowder? Seaside Metal in Guerneville serves up superb seafood. (Photo by Alvin Jornada)
Food: Make next-door neighbor Guerneville your dining destination. This eclectic and hip town serves up a variety of top-notch restaurants, including California cuisine bistro Boon Eat + Drink and seafood and raw oyster bar Seaside Metal.
If you’d prefer to stay in Monte Rio, the Village Inn is a traditional restaurant on the Russian River worth a visit. Scenes from the 1942 musical film “Holiday Inn,” starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, were filmed here (with a little help from some artificial snow). When dining at the Inn, experience the glamour of its Hollywood past while enjoying “real food” grown by the community’s finest farmers to the accompaniment of Sonoma County wines.
Reserve your epic guys weekend now: Northwood Lodge & Resort 19455 Highway 116, Monte Rio, CA 95462, (877) 865-1655. northwood-lodge.com
Lengua tacos at La Texanita in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
Put down the burrito and just say no to the chimichanga. Here in Sonoma County, taqueria fare is as familiar as pizza or burgers, but have you really delved deeper into Latin cuisine?
Way beyond tamales and tacos is a world of authentic flavors from the unique regions of Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
Each has evolved from the Spanish mother cuisine, an eclectic collection of flavors from Europe, Africa and the Middle East. But these Latin siblings have each incorporated indigenous ingredients and preparations with the food traditions of settlers, colonizers and slaves, creating an entirely new culinary canon.
So, for anyone who’s wanted to go beyond everyday fare and fully experience the exotic, enticing flavors of Latin culture, we’ve collected a few of our favorite dishes to get you started, or maybe just expand the borders of your palate.
Sazon Santa Rosa, Ceviche Mixto (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
PERUVIAN
Ceviche: If you like sushi, you’ll love ceviche. Chunks of raw tilapia or tuna is “cooked” in lime juice and salt, served cold, often with other seafood (prawns, clams, squid) and a side of Cuzco corn, sweet potato, onion and “Leche de Tigre,” the deliciously sour marinating liquid. Unlike Mexican ceviches which tend to have jalapeño and smaller dices of fish, we love the clean, light flavor of the Peruvian-style. Sazon Peruvian Cuisine, 1129 Sebastopol Rd., Santa Rosa, 707-523-4346.
Causa Colonial: Mashed yellow potatoes are another staple of Peruvian cuisine. Served cold with fried octopus on top and a crave-worthy sauce made with Aji amarillo chiles, cheese and a small slice of Heaven. Quinua Cocina Peruana, 500 Petaluma Blvd. South, Petaluma, 707-981-7359.
Quinua Cocina Peruana Causa Colonial (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
CUBAN
Picadillo: Because Cuban cooking can be rare on the West Coast, it’s worth seeking out. A mix of Spanish, African, Caribbean and even Middle Eastern influences, richly spiced adobo, mojo and chimichurri sauces are more about flavor (citrus, chiles, garlic) than heat. While traditional roasted pork and beef are favorites, less well-known is picadillo, a savory ground beef entree with onions, peppers, olives, wine and tomato sauce. Served with rice and sweet plantains, it’s a homey, Sunday afternoon kind of meal to be savored rather than devoured. Rumba Cuban Kitchen, 8750 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor, 707-687-5632.
Picadillos at Rumba Cuban Kitchen in Windsor, (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
PUERTO RICAN
A similar style of Caribbean cuisine, though with its own unique personality, is Puerto Rican, which also heavily depends on rice, beans, beef and plantains. Try the Canoa Con Carne Molida, a whole sweet plantain filled with ground beef and topped with cheese. El Coqui, 400 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-542-8868.
MEXICAN
Menudo, posole and birria: Friday night through Sunday afternoon, you’ll find entire families bent over bowls of steaming stew that promise to cure everything from homesickness and hangovers to the common cold. If you’re new to the genre, however, there’s a learning curve. You’ll want to start out with posole, made with hominy (dried corn), pork, onions and broth, and reminds me of a heartier, earthier version of chicken noodle soup. Next up, venture to birria, which is often served on Sunday mornings. Made with goat meat (or beef), dried chiles and plenty of garlic, it’s served with cilantro, lime and corn tortillas. Menudo is a tougher sell for the non-initiated, with tripe (beef stomach) and pig’s feet being key ingredients in this brothy soup. You love it, or you don’t. La Texanita, 1667 Sebastopol Rd., Santa Rosa, 707-525-1905.
Lengua tacos at La Texanita in roseland, California. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
Lengua, pig stomach and cabeza tacos: Using the whole animal is an art. The leftover bits like tongue, head meat, tail and feet need a little extra TLC in the kitchen, but the hours of braising, seasoning and spices make offal highly prized in Latin cultures. It can make lots of folks squeamish, but you might be surprised at how tender and delicious this meat can be. Or, you may decide it’s not for you. Either way, it’s a fun culinary adventure. Available at most taquerias. Try the pig stomach at El Roy’s Mexican Grill and taco truck, 210 Edith St., Petaluma, 707-241-6534.
Mole Negro: With Aztec roots, this mystical black-brown sauce has somewhere between 12 and 30 ingredients, depending on the recipe. Passed down through the generations, it includes several types of dried chiles, garlic, peanuts, cinnamon, raisins, bread, tomatoes and Mexican chocolate. Most restaurants don’t have the time or expertise to make it by hand, but Octavio Diaz has a secret weapon — his mother’s recipe. Agave Restaurant & Tequila Bar, 1063 Vine St., Healdsburg, 707-433-2897 serves it over chicken. You can buy it at the nearby Casa del Mole, 434 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-433-4138 to take home.
Molcajete at La Texanita in Santa Rosa (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
Fresh Tortillas: You haven’t had a tortilla until you’ve had a fresh, handmade tortilla. One of the most passionate advocates for the iconic corn tortilla is Karen Waikiki, the founder of El Molino Central, 11 Central Ave., Boyes Hot Springs, 707-939-1010. She’s become renowned for revitalizing traditional methods of stone-grinding corn into masa, an art all but lost in Mexico. Each morning, around 11 a.m., staff members feed soaked corn — grown by a single farmer in Nebraska — into the specially-made grinding machine for the day’s tortillas and tamales.
Elote at Guiso Latin Fusion Kitchen in Healdsburg (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
Elote: Once you taste corn on the cob with a swipe of mayonnaise, butter, chili powder and cojita cheese, you’ll never be satisfied with it any other way. The best is from the Delicias Elanita Taco Truck, 799 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, where they’ll pull a steaming hot ear from a small cart, slather it with deliciousness, then wrap it in foil to take home or eat right there under the awning. We love the upscale version at Healdsburg’s Guiso Latin Fusion, 117 W. North St., Healdsburg, 707-431-1302. Its elotitos are small slices of corn in Jamaican jerk seasoning with butter, garlic and chive crema.
Tamarind candy in Roseland (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
Tamarind Candy: This sweet, sour, salty, spicy candy is dangerously addictive. Made with the pulp of the tamarind fruit (a very sour legume popular in Indian, African, Asian and Latin cooking), it’s mixed with sugar, salt and chili powder as a candy. We love the soft Palebola Tama-Roca pops best of all. Dulceria Las Tapatias, 1630 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, 707-536-9543.
Pupusas and curtido at Homemade Tortilla in Santa Rosa, CA. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
SALVADORAN
Pupusas: When you hear the slap, slap, slap of masa from the hands of abuelas, you know you’ve arrived at a Pupuseria. These little fried corn cakes are stuffed with cheese, vegetables, meat, beans and other goodies, arriving piping hot at the table with a side of cortida (a fermented slaw). Everyone has a favorite spot, but we’re really partial to Don Julio’s Rincon Latin Grill and Pupusas, 217 Southwest Blvd., Rohnert Park, 707-242-3160.
BRAZILIAN
Rodizio: Brazil is cattle country, so it’s not a shock that much of its cuisine is based around beef. Lots and lots of beef. Rodizio is an all-you-can-eat show, where skewers of meat are brought to the table (filet mignon to pork, lamb or chicken) and sliced onto your plate. If you go, make sure to also get some Pao de Queijo, Brazilian cheese bread. Brasil BBQ, 5306 Old Redwood Hwy, Petaluma, 707-665-0644 or Brasa Churrascaria & Brewpub, 505 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-623-9382.
Grab a fork and put on your fat pants because it’s restaurant opening season in Sonoma County. Or at least, it seems that way as more and more eateries swing open their doors this fall to eager eaters. Here are four we can’t wait to try…
Crocodile French Cuisine: Husband and wife team Michael Dotson and Moira Beveridge have opened a new French bistro in Theatre Square at the former Bistro 100. The couple own Martin’s West Gastro Pub in Redwood City, but recently relocated to Sonoma County with their young daughter. The focus is on authentic French cuisine influenced by local ingredients from nearby farms and ranches. They’ll also have a curated wine list with both French and small production regional California wines. On the menu: Carmelized onion tartine, steak frites, duck confit, lamb tongue with coco beans, charcuterie and a plum clafoutis with lemon verbena Chantilly cream. Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday from 11:30a.m. to 10p.m., 140 Second Street., Suite 100, Petaluma, 981-8159, crocodilepetaluma.com.
Trading Post Market and Bakery: This long-anticipated Cloverdale restaurant is yet another feather in the cap of this emerging dining north county destination. Though the small bakery has been open more than a year, the main dining room officially opened Friday with a hearty Sonoma County-inspired menu that includes a house-ground burger on their own brioche, fried chicken thighs, Liberty Farms duck confit over seaweed, Blue Leg Farms roasted chicken, and porchetta. We love the “daily toast”, which on the soft opening menu was smoked avocado with grilled beef tongue and fermented chili relish. At the helm is Erik Johnson, former J Vineyards chef and Dry Creek Kitchen alum. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 6p.m. 102 S. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, 894-6483, thepostcloverdale.com.
Handpies from Whole Pie in Santa Rosa
Whole Pie: We’ve been cheering for farm market baker and Zazu server Trishia Davis as she’s documented the build of her dream pie shop over the last year. Now open, Whole Pie features lunch or dinner in a crust, with sweet and savory slices and hand pies (along with whole pies, of course) including the “Sweet Tooth” made with butterscotch pudding and a dash of curry; “Holy Moly” with chicken mole in a cocoa crust; “Mister Crunchy” with prosciutto and Emmentaler cheese in a Dijon bechamel or “Beer Belly” with beer-braised short ribs, onions and aged English cheddar. Beer, cider and wine along with coffee and craft soda. Open from 11a.m. to 7p.m. Wednesday through Monday, closed Tuesday. 2792 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 843-4365, thewholepieshop.com.
Slam Burger: Opening in November, Slam Burger in Petaluma. The organic, locally-sourced, non-GMO burger spot will feature nearly a dozen burger options including beef, lamb, bison, turkey, chicken, ahi, and multiple vegetarian patties. The family-focused fast-casual restaurant will also include beer, wine, hot dogs, salads and milkshakes. 5 Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma, theslamburger.com.
Still on the horizon: Healdsburg’s Single Thread Farms (no official opening date), 2 Tread Brewing in Santa Rosa.
A Big Bottom biscuit with butter and jam at Big Bottom Market in Guerneville, California on Wednesday, October 26, 2016. (Alvin Jornada /
Lifestyle guru Oprah Winfrey has selected Guerneville’s Big Bottom Market biscuits for her annual holiday shopping guide “Favorite Things,” released Thursday by O, The Oprah Magazine.
“Biscuits and I go way back,” Winfrey says in her notes on the Big Bottom product, a gift box containing the mix and locally sourced, organic orange-blossom honey. “These bake up moist yet crumbly, taste homemade though they’re from a mix, and are heavenly served with this honey.”
At Sonoma Magazine, we have been fans of the Big Bottom biscuits since day one… Read what we wrote about them earlier this year:
Our Favorites: Guerneville’s Big Bottom Biscuits
If we could celebrate our love for the biscuits at Big Bottom Market in an interpretive dance we would, but seeing how this is print, we’ll just tell you that they’re worth the trip to Guerneville.
Fluffy, yummy and just a hint of sweetness makes these so awesome — in a California way. Because no self-respecting Southerner would do what comes next. The new Biscuit Bar features these glutenous little pillows with pulled pork, mascarpone and honey, berries and whipped cream or (our fave) smoked salmon and pickled onions. Delish.
Big Bottom Market’s artisanal biscuit mix at Big Bottom Market in Guerneville, California. (Photo by Alvin Jornada)
The focus on biscuits is just part of the update that co-owners Crista Luedtke, Kate Larkin and Michael Volpatt have given the gourmet general store just in time for summer. They’re adding a new culinary director (Cole Mayfield), along with a Muffuletta Sammie (hello, NOLA), bbq pulled pork sandwich and a mezze plate. Market faves like the Hangover, Parson Jones, soups and salads will remain, along with frozen biscuits to take home and cook.
FYI: New Yorkers are about to get a taste of BB’s biscuitry, when they open a biscuit bar at Osteria Cotta on Columbus Ave. A little bit of SoCo in NYC ain’t a bad thing.
Coconut chicken soup at Thai Time in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD
No matter what the cuisine, there’s something you’ll find in the kitchen of every good restaurant: A massive pot of stock bubbling away on a back burner. Skimmed and simmered for up to 24 hours, it’s a literal melting pot for for roasted bones and vegetable trimmings that comprise the foundation of a hearty, flavorful, steaming bowl of soup.
Though it isn’t until the weather starts turning nasty and noses get sniffly that we really start looking for a warm cup of minestrone, posole, French onion or beef barley. Which is unfortunate, because a well-crafted soup says a lot about the temperament, creativity and patience of a chef. In fact, learning to make a basic stock is one of the first (and most important) things a chef learns. Fail that, and you fail in the kitchen.
So, on the heels of a particularly nasty cold (and subsequent search for healing soups), we asked readers for some of their recommendations, adding in some of our own favorites along the way. Here are some of the best results…
Pork shoulder posole from La Rosa Tequileria in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD
Pork Posole, La Rosa Tequileria: If nothing else, you’ll ward off vampires and anyone wanting to sneak a smooch with this garlicky soup made with tender pork shoulder, hominy and chiles. Served with lime, red onion, cilantro and jalapeño, you can make it as spicy or tame as your palate can tolerate. A huge serving for $8, and a serious sniffle stifler. 500 Fourth St., Santa Rosa., 523-3663.
Matzoh ramen from The Bird and The Bottle in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD
Matzoh Ball Ramen, The Bird and The Bottle: Barbecued chicken thighs, homemade ramen broth, maitake mushrooms and schmaltzy matzoh balls are surprisingly perfect together. Maybe that’s because both come from granny-approved soups in the Jewish and Japanese tradition. 1055 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 568-4000.
Chicken Coconut Soup, Thai Time Asian Bistro: Best known to Thai fans as Tom-Kha, this creamy coconut milk soup is infused with lemongrass, ginger and kaffir lime leaves. Before slurping, lean over for a fragrant facial steam, then dive in. 402 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 526-7777.
Corn chowder at Trink’s Cafe in Gualala. Heather irwin/PD
Corn chowder, Trink’s Cafe: Straddling Mendocino and Sonoma County, the tiny seaside hamlet of Gualala only has a handful of eateries, but Trink’s is truly destination-worthy. Though soups change up according to ingredients and seasons, the pureed corn chowder with micro-greens we tried was outstanding, and was featured for lunch and a special Friday night dinner. 39140 S. Highway One, Gualala, 884-1713.
Minestrone, Fiori’s Grill: There’s a reason this mighty minestrone recipe has been passed down through the years as a staple of the Fiori family restaurants — it’s plain delicious. Made with plenty of beans, tomatoes and Parmesan on top, it’s a locally-famous soup tradition. 722 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 843-7831.
Soft tofu soup at Tov Tofu
Soft Tofu Soup: Tov Tofu: Soup is even better with an element of danger! Sizzling stone bowls keep soup piping hot — enough to cook a raw egg cracked atop the soup, in seconds. Silky tofu, vegetables and a flavorful broth get a kick from the addition of kimchee and chile sauce. 1169 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, 566-9469.
Onion Soup, Bistro 29: They call it Soupe des Johnnies. We call it one of our favorite French onion soups on the planet. Made with onions and cider with Gruyere cheese. 620 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 546-2929. We also had a terrific version at Sonoma Cider Co., made with beef bones, caramelized onions, Sonoma cider and a float of French bread and melty Gruyere. 44F Mill St., Healdsburg, 723-7018.
Hot and Sour Soup, Kirin: A number of Chinese restaurants got nods from readers for their hot and sour soup, though for our money, Kirin gets it right consistently with just the right amount of heat and pucker, loaded with bamboo shoots, mushrooms, egg and and a flavor-packed chicken stock. This is a sure-fire cold beater in our book, loaded with garlic, chile paste, vinegar, ginger and chicken broth. 2700 Yulupa, Santa Rosa, 525-1957.
Butternut squash soup in a bread bowl at Boudin Bakery. Courtesy Yelp
Butternut squash, Boudin Bakery: This fall favorite is on the menu throughout the year, making it one of our consistent go-tos when we’re feeling cold and blue. It’s not fussy, but a workhorse soup served up in a bread bowl (should you want it) or a la carte with a few slices of sourdough. 2345 Midway, Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa, 303-4100.
Cauliflower and Apple with Curry Oil, Wishbone: Chef Miriam Donaldson’s current favorite is a sweet-savory cauliflower puree with a kick of curry. Though her soups change up with the seasons and available ingredients from nearby farms (including her own), her beef bone broth and cheesy toast are a standard.
Wonton Soup, Chinois Asian Bistro: Slippery pork wontons in a clear broth make for a hearty but simple soup that many readers say is best at Chinois in Windsor. “Wor” won ton gets added chicken breast and prawns. 186 Windsor River Rd., Windsor 838-4667.
More from BiteClub Readers:
Clam chowder, Cafe Aquatica, Jenner
Tomato bisque with fresh crab, Cucina Paradiso, Petaluma
Clam chowder, Spud Point Crab Co., Bodega Bay
Pho, Simmer, Petaluma
French Onion, Underwood Bistro, Graton
Spicy coconut chicken, Cafe Zazzle, Petaluma
Wild game chili, Bear Republic, Healdsburg
Caldo Verde, Portugal’s National Soup, Tasca Tasca, Sonoma
Here’s the rest of the list from BiteClub readers.
At chef Manuel Azevedo’s Tasca Tasca in Sonoma, the menu is true to Portugal’s tapas tradition.
The green and grape-purple walls are now bright white. Most of the tabletops are re-purposed Port and Madeira wine boxes, others are painted Mediterranean blue. A recently installed wood bar seats nine. The glowing Sousa’s Restaurant sign above the upgraded kitchen lets locals know the space that was once the Epicurean Connection gourmet food shop off the Sonoma Plaza is now something entirely different, and entirely Portugal.
Portuguese Mac & Cheese at Tasca Tasca Portuguese Tapas Restaurant & Wine Bar in Sonoma.
It’s Tasca Tasca, Manuel Azevedo’s just-opened interpretation of a Portuguese tavern, with savory and sweet bites served with Portuguese wines, beer and cocktails.
Recreating a tasca (pronounced toshka) from his native Azorean island of São Jorge, he offers 40-some appetizer-sized servings of traditional Portuguese dishes, delivered on butcher-block platters laden with tins, crocks and ramekins filled with goodness.
Drop in for a Sagres beer or refreshing glass of vinho verde wine, and stay for the Azorean mac and cheese, goat stew with fingerling potatoes, linguica (pork sausage), caldo verde (Portugal’s national soup) and fried potatoes with piri piri pepper seasoning.
Tasca Tasca fronts West Napa Street, just off the Sonoma plaza.
Patrons of Azevedo’s LaSalette Restaurant in Sonoma, and Café Lucia in Healdsburg, which he owns with his sister, Lucia Azevedo Fincher, know not to be afraid of Portuguese cuisine. To the uninitiated, though, it can seem to be all sardines and salt cod, and dicult-to-pronounce names.
Yet, Portuguese cuisine is similar to that of Italy and Spain, based on seafood, pork, beef, charcuterie, vegetables and glorious cheeses. Tasca Tasca offers an opportunity to taste authentic food for a minimal investment: most items are $5, and orders of five and seven items are discounted.
The kitchen crew serving up a variety of tapas on small wooden boards at Tasca Tasca Portuguese Tapas Restaurant & Wine Bar in Sonoma.
The menu translates each item from Portuguese to English. It includes bacalhau (salt cod cakes) and sardine paté, of course, but also pleasantly salty lomo embuchado — pieces of cured and dried pork loin. Mussels top a salad dressed with a tangy saron vinaigrette. The crunchy kale salad with anchovy dressing is not at all fishy, instead bright and lemony.
The fava bean soup is served cold, smoked duck gets a glaze of Moscatel wine, and the braised octopus comes with “villain’s sauce,” made of shallots, garlic, vinegar, oil and hot sauce. Queijo do São Jorge is a creamy cheese imported from Azevedo’s home island and served with quince marmalade.
Steak tartare with marinated vegetables, left and a kale salad in an anchovy dressing at Tasca Tasca.
LaSalette has been a success since it opened in 1998, and Café Lucia followed in late 2012, with Azevedo the executive chef at both locations and Lucia managing her namesake eatery. Each is a fine-dining restaurant, but Tasca Tasca is the casual place Azevedo has longed for, one he hopes will be a neighborhood hangout and a destination for visitors.
“I’ve wanted to do this for 10 or 12 years, to have a place as comfortable as a pair of shoes, but with service that’s Sunday shoes,” he said. “When Sheana Davis moved the Epicurean Connection from this space last year, it was the perfect spot for me. Small enough that I could a ord the lease and on the plaza.”
He equates the Tasca Tasca concept to that of Chinese dim sum: “With two or three little bites with lots of flavor.”
Chef and owner Manuel Azevedo at Tasca Tasca Portuguese Tapas Restaurant & Wine Bar in Sonoma.
Azevedo’s parents, Raimundo and LaSalette Azevedo, came to California in 1968 from Santo Antão Topo on São Jorge. Raimundo sold two oxen and a milk cow to finance the trip, “to achieve the American dream,” his son said. Azevedo was 2 when he arrived in Sonoma, along with younger brother Luis. Sister Lucia and youngest brother William were born in Sonoma. Manny learned to cook from his mother when he was young, and returns to Portugal every other year to cook, source ingredients and find inspiration.
The walls of Tasca Tasca Portuguese Tapas Restaurant & Wine Bar in Sonoma are decorated with large photos of Manuel Azevedo’s family when they lived in Azores, an autonomous island region of Portugal.
At “TT,” as Azevedo refers to Tasca Tasca, he honors his parents with blown-up prints of them and their relatives on São Jorge. He salvaged the Sousa’s Restaurant sign from a well-known Azorean restaurant in San Jose before it closed a year ago.
Huge wheels of São Jorge cheese and antique milk cans represent his father’s career as a dairyman. A wide-screen TV plays European soccer, beckoning fans to belly up to the bar; at 11 p.m., the channel switches to bloodless bullfights. A large rooster sculpture in a high corner of the room watches over diners and imbibers.
“Every Portuguese restaurant has to have a rooster,” he said. “It symbolizes honesty and integrity.”
The nine-seat bar at Tasca Tasca draws a crowd ready to savor the tavern’s large selection of Ports, or a speciality cocktail such as Soju vodka mixed with Tawny Port and orange bitters and served with an orange twist.
Servers wear gingham shirts and jeans. Flatware and large toothpicks for spearing lupini beans and marinated olives are stored in tin cans placed on tables. Wines, including an impressive collection of Port, are all from Portugal and poured into tumblers, not stemware. Cocktails are served in frosted saucers, poured at the table or bar from glass bottles. Olympiabeer is served, because it’s what Raimundo drank, but there is also is a selection of local and other American beers, and Portugal’s Sagres.
Open daily from noon to midnight, TT welcomes folks leaving the Sebastiani Theatre after an evening movie or performance, and those knocking off work at nearby restaurants and hotels.
“Until now, there hasn’t been a place in Sonoma for workers in the industry to stop in for a beer and a snack,” Azevedo said. “And I want people to walk in and think that this restaurant has been open for years. I want it to feel like Portugal, so that immigrants and the descendants of immigrants feel at home here.”
Cobblestone road ice cream and passion fruit mousse with mango.
General Tso chicken is not Chinese food. Nor are fortune cookies, walnut pineapple prawns, the pupu platter or, well, pretty much anything else you’d order at a Chinese restaurant in Sonoma County. Even the little folded boxes with the red pagoda aren’t Chinese. They’re all American inventions.
But that doesn’t mean we love our Friday night sweet and sour pork, fried rice and crab Rangoon any less. In fact, Chinese-American food is the number one takeout food in the country, just edging out Mexican and Italian, according to the National Restaurant Association, and most of us eat it at least once a month.
We’ve all got a favorite neighborhood spot that makes the perfect Happy Family, hot and sour soup or mu shu chicken, whether it’s a nondescript hole in the wall or a cozy little pan-Asian bistro. Sichuan (spicy), Cantonese (sweet) and Hunan (hot and sour) inspired dishes are the most common types of Chinese-American cuisine in Wine Country.
Here’s a handy guide to a few of our favorites, all of which have pick-up options unless noted, and most have lunch specials.
Hang Ah Dim Sum: Focused on dim sum (small plates of bite-sized food), this Santa Rosa restaurant is about as authentically Chinese as Sonoma County gets. You’ll find dozens of curious steamed, fried and barbecued bites ranging from chicken claws in black bean sauce to shiu mai dumplings, crispy shrimp balls, steamed barbecue pork buns, rice wrapped in lotus leaves and my personal favorite, bean curd skin roll in broth, priced from about $2.50 to $6.50 per plate.
There are plenty of head-scratchers on the menu, but most have little pictures. Take a few risks for just a few dollars, a small investment if you end up not being a fan. The menu also includes Chinese entreés. 2130 Armory Drive, Santa Rosa, 576-7873.
City Chopsticks: One of the more elegant Chinese spots, this Petaluma restaurant was highly recommended by locals. The Princess Chicken (spicy fried pieces of chicken breast with honey garlic sauce, $10.75) is a kid favorite, along with Hong Kong Style crispy noodles with stir-fried veggies ($9.95).
Lily Kai: Lily Kai is the kind of place where everyone leaves happy. Mo shu ($7.50 to $10.75) is a specialty, with crepes that hold meat or veggies, with chopped cabbage, carrots, onion and other goodies. Choose from Kung pao tofu, with deep-fried tofu in a hot, spicy sauce ($8.75), a small selection of dim sum, or the don’t-miss wrapped chicken or green onion pancakes on the appetizer menu, both under $7. lilikaipetaluma.com, Adobe Creek Center, 3100 Lakeville Highway, Petaluma, 782-1132.
Kirin: Like many places in Bennett Valley, Kirin is a family go-to spot. Try the hot and sour soup ($7.50 to $14.95), crab meat and cheese puffs ($6.50), lemon chicken ($10.50) and broccoli beef ($12.25). kirinsr.com, 2700 Yulupa Ave., Suite 3, Santa Rosa, 525-1957.
Ting Hau: Sweet mango walnut chicken ($10.55) and a nice selection of solid vegetarian items for lunch and dinner. 717 Fourth St., Santa Rosa., 545-5204.
Eight Dragons: A brand-new, much-needed Chinese restaurant in Healdsburg with a contemporary twist on classic favorites. Pork belly bao ($8), orange chicken, General Tso’s chicken (both $14) and honey walnut prawns. It’s in a renovated space with potential to be a neighborhood fave. 1047 Vine St., Healdsburg, 395-0023, 8dragonsrestaurant.com.
Goji Kitchen: Goji isn’t specifically a Chinese restaurant, but definitely gets Chinese right. Owners Ben and Jennifer Chang have created a pan-Asian menu that includes Vietnamese and Thai dishes, all made fresh, with non GMO rice oil, organic tofu and fresh ingredients. Favorites are walnut pineapple prawns ($16.50), a whole fish with ginger and scallions ($36), and spicy Szechuan green beans ($14.50). The goat cheese spring rolls with tamarind sauce are a California take on this Chinese classic. gojikitchen.com, 1965 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 523-3888.
Walnut pineapple prawns at Goji Kitchen in Santa Rosa.
Fantasy Hong Kong Style BBQ: This spot isn’t for everyone, but it is for anyone desperate to find authentic Chinese roasted duck, roasted pork belly, honey pork and spare ribs cut to order. This is true Chinese barbecue. 1520 E. Washington St., Petaluma, no phone.
Chinois Asian Bistro: Another not entirely Chinese-inspired spot, this Asian bistro sometimes gets overlooked. Their food is eat-in only, with fresh takes on classics like wok-tossed lemongrass prawn lettuce cups, and an extensive noodle menu with BBQ pork egg noodles ($14.95) and fried rice noodles with dried Chinese pork and bean sprouts ($14.95). chinoisbistro.com, 186 Windsor River Road, Windsor, 838-4667.
Sakura Bistro: This new Chinese-Japanese restaurant has replaced Formosa Bistro in Sebastopol and is garnering pretty solid raves from locals. 799 Gravenstein Highway South, Sebastopol
Dim Sum plate.
Royal China: Royal China is one of the swankest Asian eateries around, with a lush, dark interior. Mu shu ($10.88) is a favorite, and portions are large. 3080 Marlow Road, Suite 4, Santa Rosa, 545-2911.
Happy Garden: Locals say this is a top Chinese spot for Chinese standards like Mongolian beef, walnut shrimp and chow mein. happygardensonoma.com, 201 W. Napa St., Sonoma, 996-6037.
There are as many small, independent food and drink producers in Sonoma County as there are dreams, and that’s a good thing for all of us. Inspired by our plethora of flora and fauna, these artisans are on the road to hitting it big. Or at least making a splash in the local market. Either way, these producers and their products are worth seeking out at local grocers or through online stores.
Clearly there are hundreds of amazing artisans to choose from, but here are a few that have really piqued our interest.
Mama Baretta
Inspired by the delicious Italian cookies of her father’s bakery but concerned about her son’s many allergies, Debra Baretta began a baked goods business focused on gluten-free, non-GMO, organic, allergy-friendly foods her family and friends could eat without a guilty conscience or health problems. She has expanded to include scones, multi-seed breads, cookies, cupcakes and special occasion cakes. Selected products are available at Oliver’s or Pacific markets, and Saturdays at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market at the Luther Burbank Center.
A selection of fresh baked bread by Eli Colvin, owner of Revolution Bread. (Photo by Erik Castro)
rEvolution Bread
Stenciled imprints of a raised fist holding sheafs of wheat are a trademark of baker Eli Colvin’s loaves, as well as a philosophy. Using whole grains including heirloom eiknkorn and emmer wheat, his breads have an old world quality and rustic appeal that foodies love. Find rEvolution breads at the Petaluma East-side farm market, 501 N. McDowell, Petaluma.
Sonomic Red “Almost Vinegar” by Sonoma Portworks is a far less acidic vinegard with a sweet, balsamic-like flavor. (Photo courtesy of Sonoma Portworks)
Sonomic
This almost-vinegar made by Sonoma Portworks is far less acidic than vinegar, with a sweet, balsamic-like flavor. The idea is to drizzle it over salads or use it for cooking, but we love the idea of splashing a bit atop ice cream or even adding the light Muscat-based “Gold” Sonomic to club soda as a sweet shrub. Available online at sonomaportworks.com.
Sea of Change Trading Company’s selection of new seaweed chocolate bars at their office in Windsor. (Photo by Alvin Jornada)
The Great and Wonderful Sea of Change Trading Company
There are more than 400 types of edible seaweed in the ocean, and this Windsor-based company is hoping you’ll be willing to try at least a few of them — especially if its in chocolate. Cole Meeker, his wife Anastasia Emmons and business partner Courtney Smith are the inventors of Sea Bakin, a salty snack available in flavors like Thai BBQ, maple and garden veggie (seriously addictive) as well as their new line of seaweed chocolate bars made with wild seaweed, dark chocolate and coconut sugar. Available at Community Market and online at seafochangetrading.com.
A selection of probiotic beverages from The Kefiry in Sebastopol. (Photo courtesy of The Kefiry)
The Kefiry
Thousands of years ago, the story goes, a shepherd filled his leather water pouch with cool, crisp water from a high mountain stream in the Caucasus Mountains. In the water were grains of kefir, which naturally fermented in the water, creating a beverage rich with good bacteria — what we now call probiotics. At least that’s how the story goes.
Tom Boyd, owner of The Kefiry in Sebastopol ferments and sells his naturally-fermented kefir-water sodas, called Enlivened, along with frozen kefir pops. “We are the first live-cultured soda sold in America,” says Boyd. Like dairy kefir which has been popularized as a health tonic, water kefir is a fermented food that is thought to promote digestion and healthy flora in the digestive system.
Like dairy kefir, which has been popularized as a health tonic, water kefir is a fermented food that is thought to promote digestion and healthy flora in the digestive system. Unlike dairy kefir, water kefir grains are lactose free. But it’s a lot easier just to explain water kefir as naturally fermented soda that contains no alcohol and only a small amount of sugar. Flavors include Holy Basil, Dragon’s Blood (with hibiscus), lemon-ginger and Tulsi Kola (which tastes somewhat like Coke). Available at 972 Gravenstein Hwy South, #120, Sebastopol and on tap at SHED, 25 North St., Healdsburg.
Chocolate from Sonoma-based Cocoa Planet.
Cocoa Planet
Someone just answered your prayers. Rich, creamy, dark chocolate with “pearls” of flavor (mint, mandarin orange, vanilla espresso, salted caramel, deep dark truffle. Turns out you can get incredible flavor without all the sugar and just 96 calories per disk. This is a Chocolate Revolution! Available at CocoaPlanet Chocolate Factory and Tasting Room in Sonoma, 921 Broadway, Sonoma, CA 95476, and Oliver’s Market, 461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa, (707) 284-3530 or at cocoaplanet.com.
Apple Cider Caramels with Toasted Almonds from Little Apple Treats. (Photo courtesy of Little Apple Treats)
Little Apple Treats
Using organic apples from their West County farm, Dan Lehrer and Joanne Krueger have become well-known for their Rose and Cocoa nib caramels, awarded top honors at the prestigious Good Food Awards in 2016. Using a 1906 candy wrapping machine they’ve affectionately named Virgil (who can be very temperamental), Dan and Joanne are part of a new food movement based on simple, honest, handmade food we can all celebrate. Their other products include apple biscotti, apple cider caramels, apple granola and apple cider vinegar. Available online at littleappletreats.com.
Firefly chocolate bar. (Photo by Heather Irwin)
Firefly Chocolate
Producer Jonas Ketterle pays homage to the old ways of chocolate-making with his Windsor-based chocolateria Firefly Chocolate. Inspired by the chocolate-making traditions of the Zapotec town of Teotitlan del Valle, Ketterle learned how the locals fire-roasted and hand-peeled the beans “within sight of their sacred mountain,” stone grinding and sweetening the powder with honey. 85% cocao (that’s really dark), the resulting organic chocolate bar is more like a fine wine than a Hershey Kiss. Bitter tannins are mellowed by the perfumed flavors of rose and orange, making this a bar you’ll savor rather than snarf in a single sitting. Available at Sebastopol Farmer’s Market on Sundays 10am-2pm, Community Market in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa, and online fireflychocolate.com
Jeff Phillips, left, and Sherry Soleski serving up their Comet Corn popcorn during Pick of the Vine wine tasting and auction gala held at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa. (Photo by Erik Castro)
Comet Corn
This mom and pop start up based in Santa Rosa was inspired by an evening around a campfire when owner Sherry Soleski’s partner, Jeff Phillips, served a bowl of seasoned popcorn to some friends while watching the Hale-Bopp Comet whiz by in the night sky. Now the couple hawk their ever-growing lineup of flavors (Bloody Mary, Maple Syrup, the super-popular Hippie Dust, Coconut Curry) at local grocers and, after a stellar Kickstarter that raised more than $20,000, at various Northern California events including the Sonoma County fair, National Heirloom Expo, Kate Wolf Festival and annual Earlefest. Available at Community Market in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa, and at Oliver’s Markets.
Selection of olive oils from The Smoked Olive in Petaluma. (Photo courtesy of The Smoked Olive)
The Smoked Olive
When you can count Chefs Tyler Florence, Emeril Lagasse, John Ash, Ming Tsai, and a certain President of the United States among your culinary fan-base, you know you’re onto something. But the owners of The Smoked Olive in Petaluma still say they often have to get people to stop and taste their pungent olive oils before they fully understand — and appreciate — the unique flavor.
Co-owner Al Hartman is the “smoke whisperer”, able to smoke just about anything. Partner Brenda Chatelain explains their unusual smoke-infused extra-virgin olive oil as “a marriage of two primal things: Smoke and oil. It just creates a taste that’s a combination that I think strikes something from our cave days.” Their Whiskey Smoked Brown Sugar is a newer addition, used for meat marinates or baking. Available at Sur La Table, 2323 Magowan Dr., Santa Rosa.
Olives from the DaVero Dry Creek orchard. (Photo by Kent Porter)
DaVero Olive Oil
Ridgley Evers has some strong opinions about olive oil and is never shy about sharing them. Evers and his wife, chef Colleen McGlynn, are among the handful of olive growers behind Sonoma County’s artisan oil boom. They have made a career out of meticulously understanding the nuances of flavor, balance and timing involved in making exceptional oils that have captured the attention of Chef Mario Batali, among others.
The 4,500 trees on their Dry Creek property trace their heritage from a handful of saplings imported from Lucca, Italy, a Tuscan region with weather much like Sonoma County. Their flagship EVOO has all the qualities of a great California olive oil — fresh grassiness, a mild bitterness and a sneaky pungency. “Three coughs are a compliment,” Evers said with a laugh.
The couple also produces a line of jams and preserves that includes gingered pear, plum, meyer lemon marmalade and quince jam. Available at local grocers and at the DaVero tasting room (766 Westside Road, Healdsburg). Available at local grocers and at their Healdsburg tasting room, 766 Westside Road, Healdsburg.
Want to tell us about your favorites? Continue the conversation in the comments section…
Chef Crista Luedtke. (Beth Schlanker/Sonoma Magazine)
Crista Luedtke hasn’t figured out yet how to marry her famous Big Bottom biscuits with Cambodian culture. But following a spring visit to the Southeast Asian country, the Guerneville entrepreneur is surely thinking about it.
“I’m not sure if there’s a biscuit link,” Luedtke said with a laugh about the extraordinary appeal of her from-scratch baked goods, which she introduced with the opening of her Big Bottom Market in 2011 and recently rolled out on menus at two restaurants in New York.
If she does come up with a connection — perhaps stuffing biscuits with fish from the Mekong River instead of cured salmon, crème fraîche, capers and pickled onion for her signature biscuits — few who know Luedtke should be surprised. When there’s a challenge, she’ll tackle it, and lately, it seems she can do no wrong, with a mini Guerneville empire that includes a hotel and spa, restaurant, market cafe and cocktail lounge, all within a half mile of each other.
Crista Luedtke, owner of: Boon Hotel + Spa, Crista Ludtke and Boon, her dog, at the pool area of Boon Hotel. (Chris Hardy/For Sonoma Magazine)
In 2008, Guerneville was a sleepy hideaway best known for its Russian River resorts and gay-friendly community. Flash forward to 2016, and the self-proclaimed “gayberhood” is now a hip dining destination and a burgeoning resort retreat for straight folks, too. By many accounts, much of the metamorphosis is attributed to Luedtke, 42, a spitfire with a rumpled side-swirl shock of blond hair, a tattoo reading sawat (Thai for boon: a gift or blessing) on her right arm, and a dog named Boon, rescued at 14 weeks from Anderson Valley Animal Rescue in Boonville and now 12 years young.
Luedtke’s dog, Boon, for whom she named both her restaurant and hotel, walks down the hotel’s front entry path. (Chris Hardy/For Sonoma Magazine)
“Crista’s accomplishments were a large influencing factor in our decision to move forward with the deal to buy the iconic Johnson’s Beach,” said Daniel Poirier, who met Luedtke four years ago and last March took over the century-old resort in the heart of Guerneville. “My partner, Nick Moore, and I had done a lot of soul searching. Then we did a reality check and looked at what was happening in town — what she was doing couldn’t be ignored. The town was, and still is, seeing a resurgence.”
Beets with goat cheese and hazel nuts at Boon Eat + Drink. (Chris Hardy/For Sonoma Magazine)
Eight years ago, Luedtke and her then-wife, Jill McCall, purchased the former Retreat Resort & Spa on Armstrong Woods Road just north of downtown Guerneville. They revamped the old buildings, doing much of the design themselves, and opened boon hotel + spa in 2008. Luedtke debuted boon eat + drink restaurant on Main Street a year later, followed by Big Bottom Market in 2011. Her latest project, El Barrio tequila, mescal and bourbon bar, served its first drink in September 2014.
“It was all doing great, even with the recession,” said Luedtke, who built her businesses with her investment partner, Scott Dunckley of San Diego.
“But other small businesses were struggling on Main Street, so I just kept thinking, ‘What does this town need to keep locals happy and get visitors coming?’” Guerneville was once a logging village that morphed into a popular resort town in the late 19th century, when wellheeled San Franciscans took the train to its redwoods-lined riverbanks. But by the 1950s, automobile and air travel took crowds elsewhere, and in the 1960s, the town suffered massive flooding. Things declined to a run-down, Bohemian river-rat locale.
“Why couldn’t we be lumberjack chic?” Luedtke wondered.
The shelves at Crista Luedtke’s Big Bottom Market are stocked with grab-’n’-go food, wine and gifts.
Such vision is what attracted another business partner, Michael Volpatt, who co-owns Big Bottom and splits his time between running Larkin/Volpatt Communications in New York City and enjoying the Guerneville home he bought five years ago.
“Crista was an urban pioneer for the town,” he said. “She was the first to see a longer-term vision for what the town could be, and recognized the opportunity to take advantage of the river, the redwoods and the proximity to the coast. She also realized, along with others, that we really needed to start fixing the broken windows in town — which is my figurative way of saying we needed to open new businesses — to help bring people back and change the economy.”
In her earlier career, Luedtke had been a biotech sales representative, then a Bay Area mortgage broker. Guerneville was her summer escape, and in 2007, she decided to sell her two bedroom San Francisco home and join the Russian River burg.
“I had reservations when I first looked at the hotel,” she said of the 14-room enclave of former mercury miner’s cabins tucked into the forest. Previous owners had renovated, but the place still needed work to become the sexy, eco-friendly hideaway with saltwater swimming pool it is today.
“I also wondered if an LGBT theme was too narrow,” she said. “I didn’t want it to be a gay hotel; I didn’t feel I needed to plant a flag. But I wanted to do something on my own, and Healdsburg was priced out.”
The saltwater pool at Luedtke’s boon hotel + spa. (Chris Hardy/For Sonoma Magazine)
On Luedtke’s first night at her hotel, she was startled awake after midnight, just in time to watch Fife Creek overflow its banks and flood the compound.
Now, she shrugs and grins. “Who knew I had a lakefront property?” Luedtke said. “It gave me lessons for digging channels and installing fences.”
Today, occupancy runs 80 to 100 percent in the high-summer season, and 50 to 85 percent in winter, with room rates averaging $185 to $275. Four years ago, Luedtke was able to buy out McCall and Dunckley and is now sole owner.
Hotel guests need to eat, and Guerneville didn’t offer much. When Bob ’n Boy Burger on Main Street became available, Luedtke and Dunckley purchased it.
Luedtke’s signature Big Bottom Biscuits served at her market cafe are also available as a mix to make and bake at home.
“The business is brutal; it broke up our family, but it was still what I wanted,” said Luedtke, whose parents had owned restaurants. Her brother is a chef. So she polished her cooking skills, and boon eat + drink was born as a 36-seat, contemporary bistro emphasizing Sonoma ingredients, including those from the hotel garden.
Visitors also wanted gourmet grab-’n’-go food, wine and gifts, and Luedtke was tired of sending them to Safeway. So she and Volpatt dreamed up Big Bottom for their modern-day general store, naming it for the alluvial flood plain upon which Guerneville sits. For El Barrio, Luedtke drew on her talents as an interior designer to create a bold, Latin American mood with serape fabrics, cactus art, tile and Our Lady of Guadalupe candles. The menu romps from local goat cheese-nopales dip to mescal flights, inspired by a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico.
Through it all, Luedtke continually seeks ways to make Guerneville better, serving on the Russian River Chamber of Commerce and offering assistance to others with their own dreams.
From serape-fabric pillows to cactus art and the horned steer’s skull behind the bar, Luedtke went for a bold, Latin American mood at her latest project, El Barrio tequila, mescal and bourbon bar.
“When we first took over Johnson’s Beach, she consulted us in hotel management and helped us develop the theme for our renovated cabins and the lodge,” Poirier said. “She just gives and gives, and is always supportive of new business in town.”
Luedtke added three glamping tents to the hotel grounds this spring, redesigned Big Bottom for more grab-’n’-go counter space, and with her partner, Kim Holliday, designed and decorated their new home on the river. In 2015, Luedtke won an episode of Guy Fieri’s “Grocery Games” TV show, creating flat iron steak with polenta, arugula salad and fish tacos with chorizo.
Could Cambodian fare be next?
Photography by Chris Hardy.
boon hotel + spa, 14711 Armstrong Woods Road, 707-869-2721, boonhotels.com
boon eat + drink, 16248 Main St., Guerneville, eatatboon.com
Big Bottom Market, 16228 Main St., Guerneville, 707-604-7295, eatatboon.com
El Barrio, 16230 Main St., Guerneville, 707-604-7601, elbarriobar.com
