GM David Sisler and Sommelier Evan Hufford have been hired for the forthcoming Single Thread Farm Restaurant in Healdsburg. (courtesy photo)
The lineup at the upcoming Single Thread Farm Restaurantin Healdsburg just keeps getting more extraordinary. Chef Kyle Connaughton and his wife/head farmer Katina have added restaurant heavyweights David Sisler,Evan Hufford and Matthew Siciliano to their team.
Sisler is the former general manager of San Francisco’s Michelin-starred Saison. Sommelier Evan Hufford also is a Saison alum and has worked at Michael Mina in San Francisco and Joë l Robuchon in Las Vegas. Siciliano will lead the pastry program, working with Connaughton and chef de cuisine Aaron Koseba. Koseba, most recently from Aubergine restaurant at L’Auberge Carmel, was tapped in early 2016.
Chef Kyle Connaughton and his wife, Katina Connaughton, will open Single Thread Farms and Inn in Healdsburg. Photo courtesy of Sally Egan.
If you’ve been sleeping through all the excitement about this Healdsburg restaurant on the horizon (called the most important opening of 2016 by Eater), the plan is for a 54-seat fine dining restaurant with a “bespoke hospitality experience” in the center of Sonoma Wine Country. Eleven-course meals will be created around of-the-moment seasonal ingredients, including items from the rooftop garden, greenhouse and Healdsburg farm, and will include wine pairings and tours of the garden and greenhouse. Five luxury hotel suites also will be included in the Single Thread building, designed by the New York firm AvroKO.
The restaurant will issue tickets for each evening’s dinner, with a limited number of seats and an expected tab of $225 per person. This high profile undertaking won’t be for every wallet but it is aimed at diners looking for a one-of-a-kind luxury experience. Leading up to Single Thread’s early summer opening, Connaughton and his team will be guest chefs at several dinners, including a series with Dominique Crenn of Atelier Crenn on April 12 and 13. Each meal will cost nearly $400 per person and will include a multi-course menu featuring live sea urchin, gin-smoked steelhead and a dessert tasting co-created by Siciliano.
P .S. Reservations for the restaurant’s opening go online in the coming weeks through the Tock, an online reservation site.
As if a day off from kitchen duty isn’t enough for mom (or dad), bottomless mimosas, grilled lamb and chicken and waffles should pretty much seal the deal. Here are our top brunch picks for Easter Brunch in Sonoma County for March 27, 2016.
Jimtown Store: Take a trip out to the Alexander Valley to pick up your Easter brunch at the Jimtown Store. Menu includes Green Goddess salad kit, smoked salmon rillettes, ham, Swiss and caramelized onion quiche; white veggie lasagna, hot cross buns, roasted beet salad, lemon bars and more. Order by March 24, pick up on March 26th.
Mark West Lodge:The newly reopened Mark West Lodge is offering a champagne brunch from 11a.m. to 3p.m. including a prime rib carving station, raw oyster bar, waffles, country potatoes, biscuits and gravy, mac and cheese and plenty of kid-friendly additions. Indoor and outdoor seating with bocce ball, $35 adults, $17 kids 5-11. 2520 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa.
Della Fattoria:Special orders for hot cross buns, coconut egg cakes, lemon olive oil coffee cake, cookies and tarts, along with custom-made chocolate eggs are taken until March 24.
French Garden:Easter Brunch Buffet from 10a.m. to 3p.m. with deviled eggs, applewood smoked salmon, eggs Benedict, grilled prawns, baked honey mustard ham, leg of lamb and more. $42 adults, $21 kids 12 and under, 8050 Bodega Highway, Sebastopol.
Easter Bunny Camp: Crafts, egg hunt, face painting and an Easter egg hunt in the garden for kids 3-7, $10, reservations required. Bunny Brunch in the main dining room includes breakfast bunny pancake, egg and cocoa for kids, and plenty of goodies for adults too. 7751 CA-1, Little River.
Sante at Sonoma Mission Inn: Money may not be able to buy happiness, but it can buy you access to a brunch whose sheer magnitude and luxury will at least put a smile of contentment on your face for a few days. The Michelin-starred resort restaurant gilds every lily with an all-you-can-eat spread that includes Liberty duck foie gras, Loch Duart salmon, charcuterie, artisan cheeses and four salads to start. Chefs carving stations wield six kinds of smoked fish with caviar; filet mignon, leg of lamb. Entrees include eggs Benedict, artisan breakfast meats, quiche Lorraine, mushroom ravioli with black truffle in addition to grilled vegetable platters, a bread station and nearly 20 desserts (passion fruit creme brulee, Meyer lemon custard, honey caramel and pistachio eclairs, carrot cake torte, chocolate truffles, white and dark chocolate dipped strawberries). A hefty $99pp, $49 for children keeps it classy, but even high rollers may need to loosen their belts a few notches to accommodate the bounty of good eats. Live entertainment, 10a.m. to 2p.m. Reservations required. 100 Boyes Blvd, Sonoma.
Mateo’s Cocina Latina: With a new bar area and one of the best outdoor eating areas in Healdsburg, Mateo’s is a great Easter Brunch choice. The casual a la carte menu from 11:30a.m. to 4p.m. includes ceviche, Huevos Rancheros, braised pork in black beans, yellow corn pancakes, and Cochinita Pibil (marinated pork wrapped in banana leaves and slow roasted). 14 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg.
John Ash and Co.: One of the most popular spots, reservations are highly recommended. Easter brunch a la carte menu includes rock shrimp omelette, steelhead salmon gratinee, grilled lamb chops, chicken fried steak, crayfish tail and spinach crepes. 10a.m. to 3p.m., 4330 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa.
Ramekins: Family-friendly Easter buffet brunch with homemade waffles, dijon marinated pork loin, rosemary potatoes, muffins, scones and an Easter egg decorating station for kids. Two seatings at 10a.m. and 12:30p.m., reservations required.
El Dorado Kitchen: Three course prix fixe, $45 per person, includes Dungeness crab cake, carrot soup, Wagyu beef carpaccio, eggs Benedict, rack of lamb, lemon pudding cake. 405 First St., West, Sonoma, eldoradosonoma.com.
Zazu Restaurant and Farm:Sour cream pancakes with strawberries, fava and mushroom risotto, shrimp and grits with bacon fat collard greens, maple glazed donuts, $29 per person. 6770 McKinley St., Sebastopol (at the Barlow).
Beverage director Jordan Nova selects a bottle from the many featured wines at 1313 Main in Napa on Friday, October 11, 2013. (Conner Jay/The Press Democrat)
Pat Henderson, chief winemaker of Kenwood Vineyards.
Winemaking is the perfect blend of Mother Nature, science and art.
That’s how Pat Henderson sees it.
Henderson, 53, is the chief winemaker behind our wine-of-the week winner, the Kenwood Vineyards 2012 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon at $19.
The cabernet has enticing aromas of black raspberry and currant. On the palate, the wine is weighted to concentrated black fruit, with notes of herbs and pepper in the mix. It’s a smart pick for the caliber of cab.
“With our Kenwood style of cabernet, we want a wine that has a lot of complexity and intensity of flavor,” Henderson said. “It should be well-balanced so it complements food rather than fighting with it.”
Bottling comes only after some serious tastings.
“When the wines are ready to come out of barrels, we taste them and spend a lot of time determining what the most flavorful combination will be,” Henderson said. “After we get the cabernet portion figured out, we start tasting it with small amounts of other Bordeaux varietals to improve the balance and complexity.”
The 2012 Sonoma County Cabernet has 2 percent cabernet franc, 2 percent malbec, 2 percent petit verdot and 1 percent merlot.
“(The additions) make for a much more interesting wine,” Henderson said.
The winemaker began crafting wine in 1981 when he was 19. His first vintage at Kenwood was in 1983, when he was still going to school at UC Davis. He returned as chief winemaker in 2003 when founder Mike Lee retired.
“I had big shoes to fill,” Henderson explained. “Mike was a great winemaker, as well as my mentor and friend.”
Endeavoring to fill those shoes, Henderson acknowledges his strengths and weaknesses.
“I think my main strength as a winemaker is knowing how much I don’t know,” he said.
“There are so many variables in growing grapes and making wine, you have to keep your mind open and never stop trying to improve your product. We have a great team of winemakers at Kenwood, and I also know to listen to them and take advantage of their skill.
“As far as weakness goes, I think my biggest regret is not being able to speak Spanish.”
Henderson said he likes to teach students about wine almost as much as he likes to make it. He is the author of a textbook for culinary students called “About Wine.”
He said the most gratifying part about wine is the celebration of uncorking it.
“Wine makes good food and good company even better. I love to think that there are people all over America enjoying the wine that we make every day. They are having it while they are on first dates, having an anniversary dinner and family holidays, as well as just having a glass with pizza in front of the TV on a weeknight.
“If we’re doing things right, it makes each of those occasions a little more special.”
Enticing aromas of black raspberry and currant. On the palate it’s weighted to concentrated black fruit, with notes of herbs and pepper in the mix. It’s a smart pick for the caliber of cab.
Tasty ALTERNATIVES
Louis M. Martini, 2013 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.8%, $20. ★★★★: A smart, layered cab. Aromas and flavors of currant, black cherry, herbs and cracked black pepper.
Bogle Vineyards, 2013 California Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.5%, $11. ★★★1/2: A tasty cab with notes of cherry, tobacco, tea and black pepper. Firm tannins. Easy drinking.
Pedroncelli, 2012 “Wisdom” Dry Creek Valley Estate Vineyards, Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.4%, $36. ★★★★: A solid cab with notes of cherry, plum, herbs and spice. Soft tannins. Nice length. A smart value.
Rockpile 2013 Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.6%, $50. ★★★★1/2: A striking cab with generous fruit. Aromas and flavors of black raspberry, black cherry and cracked black pepper. Seamless texture. Ripe tannins. Lingering finish. A standout.
Four years ago, Jon Bixler and Cynthia Buck didn’t know a thing about coffee, but they did know David Greenfield. A bear of a guy with a shaggy gray goatee, piercing hazel eyes and a penchant for welding together brilliant contraptions for roasting coffee, Greenfield had a million-dollar idea without a home.
David Greenfield of Bella Rosa Coffee Company. (Heather Irwin)
With more than 30 years in the java business, this quirky Coffee Whisperer had a plan to revolutionize industrial roasting. Well, not exactly a plan, which is where Bixler and Buck came in, with a solid business model and entrepreneurial experience. The three joined forces in 2012, and Santa Rosa’s Bella Rosa Coffee Company was born. Specializing in organic, fair-trade and shade-grown coffee, the trio are forging a new path to your cuppa joe, one bean at a time.
“We’re doing this from scratch and evolving,” said Bixler.
After three years of explosive growth, the artisan coffee company is on track this year to roast 200,000 pounds of coffee. By comparison, Starbucks will roast an estimated 400 million pounds, while tiny micro-roasting businesses may do as little as 10,000-30,000 pounds per year. Bixler said they have more than 120 accounts and growing in Sonoma County, with restaurants, grocery stores, hotels and cafés.
“There’s a renaissance in artisan roasting,” said Bixler, sipping a latte in the small café Bella Rosa operates in front of its manufacturing area. “We’re seeing in coffee what has happened to craft beer in the last few years.”
But it hasn’t always been a bed of roses. The trio is admittedly a bit different than the usual coffee magnates, forging a very personal path for the company. “We are unabashedly who we are,” said Bixler, who rarely minces words. “We want to have fun, and we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”
Bella Rosa Coffee Company Cafe in Santa Rosa, California (Heather Irwin)
With mismatched chairs and hand-drawn signs strewn about (including one over the recycling bin that touts itself as “The Most Ineffective Sign in the World”), it’s not a place for plugging into your Wi-Fi and tuning out the world. Instead, the Bella Rosa crew, who purposely don’t offer Wi-Fi, encourage having an actual conversation over your cup. Adding to the homey atmosphere, the son of Bixler and Buck, Giacomo, colors and makes Play-Dough shapes in the corner while an oven full of bacon perfumes the café .
“It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay,” said Bixler.
Giacomo in the Bella Rosa Coffee Company Cafe. (Heather Irwin)
Giacomo in the Bella Rosa Coffee Company Cafe (Heather Irwin)
The coffee also reflects their unique perspective. In a world where bitter, acidic coffees are often the norm, Bella Rosa uses a unique hot air roasting method, rather than conventional metal plates, that creates a balanced blend they call “Sweet Medium.” Think air-popped popcorn versus popping it in a pan.
“We believe the sweet spot is right between dark, smoky coffees and light, acidic coffees,” said Bixler.
They also won’t give you the stink eye if you choose to personalize your order with creamer, Splenda, agave, sugar or CoffeeMate.
Jon Bixler of Bella Rosa Coffee Company in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin)
“I want people to put their two hands around a mug and say, ‘Ahhhhhhh, coffee’,” he adds, “not, ‘That tastes like lemon grass and burdock root’.” But selling their coffee around the globe isn’t the goal. Bixler said his primary focus is Sonoma County. “I don’t want to ship coffee to Florida,” he said, referring to buyers who would like to wholesale his product. “It isn’t eco-friendly or supportive of their local businesses.”
Bella Rosa lavender white chocolate mocha at the cafe in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin)
The next step for the business is to build and license versions of their roaster, which has a tiny footprint, a state-of-the-art-computer and can be adjusted to specific parameters (and checked for consistency) via an internal computer network. The new energy-efficient models are in prototype and will be able to roast 60 pounds of coffee in four minutes.
“Artisan production doesn’t have to stop at larger production,” he said. The new roasting technology will ensure a consistent product, consistent temperatures and consistent quality no matter what the amount produced, he said. It’s an ambitious plan, but one Bixler said his team is ready for.
“Either it will work or it won’t, and that’s fine as long as it’s on our own terms,” he said.
Bella Rosa Coffee Company, 5491 Skylane Blvd, Santa Rosa, 542-6220.
Hours are 7 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays. Coffees also are available online in 10-ounce cans; 1-, 2- and 5-pound bags.
Naked Pig owners Dalia Martinez and Jason Sockach will open Flour and Bone in summer 2016 (heather irwin)
The owners of Santa Rosa’s popular Naked Pig Cafe have a new project in the works called Flower and Bone, slated to open in Santa Rosa in summer 2016.
Partners Dalia Martinez and Jason Sokach are converting an early 20th century mercantile building at 5th St. and Humbolt into unique restaurant that’s going to feature a “preserve-centric menu”, according to Martinez. That means expanding out the couple’s passion for canning, pickling and fermenting, much of which is already on the Naked Pig’s breakfast, brunch and lunch menus.
“There are only a handful of restaurants in the world that are doing what we are with food preservation and we are happy to give Santa Rosa that edge,” said Martinez, who is an avid forager and gardner.
The menu concept, according to the couple, will be international; inspired by ancient traditions and techniques and feature clay oven cooked, local pasture-raised meat, handmade dumplings, bone broths, dainty starters with house made spiked sodas & punch, farm fermented ciders and low-proof vegetable juice cocktails. The restaurant launch with a series of dinners.
A collection of preserved products will be featured in a large utilitarian library-esque cabinet complete with a wooden ladder, she said. The expanded commercial kitchen at the restaurant (the kitchen at Naked Pig is impossibly tiny) will allow them to increase production of certain preserves for sale, with the rest reserved for the restaurants.
“Our intention is to continue providing Sonoma County and all it’s visitors with pure food—handmade, small batch and unique,” said Martinez.
Here are a bevy of Leprechaun-approved spots to get your green on for Sonoma County’s St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2016. Have a favorite spot we missed? Add it in the comments below.
Healdsburg is ground zero for the local St. Pat’s celebrations, starting early with a parade, and ending late with plenty of Guiness and Irish coffee.
Pat Davis died his beard green for the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Healdsburg, on Tuesday, March 17, 2015. (BETH SCHLANKER/ The Press Democrat)
B&B Lounge: A parade and corned beef feed that started as a lark more than 15 years ago has become a Healdsburg tradition. Corned beef and cabbage starts at 1p.m., drinking starts at 6a.m.1239 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg.
John and Zeke’s Bar: Corned beef and cabbage start at 4p.m., drinking at 6a.m., 420 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg.
Healdsburg Bar and Grill: Drink for the Dogs, to benefit Greendog Rescue Project from 11a.m. to 9pm., 345 Healdsburg
Costeaux French Bakery Cafe: Green eggs and ham until 3p.m., 417 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg
Spoonbar at the H2 Hotel: A toast to bartender Fred Dagnino of SF’s famed Buena Vista Cafe who served up SF’s Buena Vista’s legendary Irish Coffee for over 43 years. Dagnino died recently, but at last count had served over 4 million Irish Coffees. Corned beef and cabbage, Irish trivia, benefit for Healdsburg Education Foundation, 5-8p.m.
SEBASTOPOL
Jasper O’Farrell’s Pub: Irish entertainment and beers a’plenty. Food from Barley and Hops’ Kyle Gray. 6957 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol, 829-2062.
Woodfour Brewing: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day right with a new beer release: Nurple the Gnome’s Sack of Secret Herbs, as well as the new St. Patty Melt and other menu items 6780 Depot St., Sebastopol.
Leila Paine, 9, left and Bree Tyler, 9, arriving in festive attire for the St. Patrick’s Day 5K run held at Juilliard Park in downtown Santa Rosa Sunday. Proceeds from the race benefit the Santa Rosa Recreation & Parks Scholarship Fund. March 13, 2016. (Photo: Erik Castro/for The Press Democrat)
SONOMA
Murphy’s Irish Pub: You can take the high road or the low road, but all roads lead to Sonoma when it comes to annual St. Paddy’s parties. Just off the town square, this pub has one of the rip-roarin-est parties in the county, with plenty of Emerald Isle brews, whiskeys and cock o’tails. Bagpipes start at 1:30p.m., 4:15p.m. features a performance by the Kennan School of Dance geared toward kids. Live music. 464 First St. East, Sonoma.
COTATI
Friar Tuck’s Pub: Costumed bagpipers belt out Danny Boy and other Irish tunes throughout the day, green beer flows and nearly 1000 pounds of corned beef steam at this Cotati pub. Family-friendly fun from 11a.m. to 9p.m., over 21 after 9p.m. . Open until 2a.m., 8201 Old Redwood Hwy, Cotati, 792.9847
PETALUMA
Maguire’s Pub: The former Finbar Devine’s Irish Pub opens early and will serve Corned Beef and Cabbage all day. Kingsborough kicks off the live music at 8p.m., Keenan Irish Dance School at 5:45p.m., Outdoor service, four open bars will have Guinness beer and Jameson Irish whiskey “flowing like water”. 145 Kentucky St., Petaluma, 762-9800.
CLOVERDALE
Ruth McGowan’s Brewpub: On the menu, corned beef and cabbage and carrot cake, lunch 12-2, dinner 5-8p.m., $15.99. 131 E First St., Cloverdale, 894-9610.
SANTA ROSA
The Nutty Bar and Restaurant: Each St. Patrick’s Day, the shamrock-hat and beer-goggle crowd overrun this usually-quiet local bar to the bemusement of regulars. Menu includes a corned beef sandwich, corned beef and cabbage and “jacked potatoes” with melted cheddar, jack, bacon, green onions and ranch. Bar open until 2a.m., Kitchen from 11a.m.-8p.m.995 Piner Rd., Santa Rosa, 544-1447.
Stout Brothers: This cozy faux-tiqued public house will still be packed to the rafters with whiskey and beer-drinking revelers on St. Pats. 527 4th Street, Santa Rosa, 636-0240.
Toad in the Hole Pub: Corned beef and cabbage, outdoor beer garden, bagpipes and live music. No cover. 116 Fifth St, Santa Rosa.
Willie Bird’s Restaurant: Corned beef and cabbage abounds, 1150 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa.
Mushroom and Truffled Bruschetta cream canapes at Bistro 100 in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
From new to well-aged, where to eat right now in Sonoma County
Delhi Belly Indian Bistro
It was a bold move to name this restaurant after a term sometimes used for an exotic travelers’ affliction (to put it gently). But the food and vibe here are nothing but delightful. Focused heavily on Northern Indian cuisine, Dehli Belly’s menu has a familiar lineup including palak paneer, daal and naan, and tandoori and tikka masala for traditionalists. But the real buzz is about the less-familiar dishes: roti and paratha (wheat breads), hariyali mali kofta (a cheese dumpling with spinach and vegetables in tomato sauce) and butter chicken. Often confused with tikka masala, butter chicken has a little more spice, a little less cream and a lot more butter. It’s tikka masala’s classier cousin.
520 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-343-1003, visit on Facebook
Hana Japanese Restaurant
For 25 years, this unassuming little sushi restaurant has served the North Bay’s most authentic Japanese meals. Working with fish flown in weekly from Toyko’s famed Tsukiji market, chef and owner Ken Tominaga is something of a sushi legend, despite the rather cramped quarters his restaurant had long occupied in Rohnert Park. Tominaga, however, recently doubled the space, adding a casual sake bar that serves some of the region’s finest sakes from throughout Japan. Hana is one of the few restaurants with its own sake sommelier, and flights of the rice wine are popular. Maybe the highest praise is that this is a trusted source for fresh uni (sea urchin) and ankimo (steamed monkfish liver), delicacies that can go very wrong in untrained hands.
101 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-586-0270, hanajapanese.com
Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro
The menu is Wine Country French featuring de Gaulle-era classics such as Coquilles St. Jacques (scallops with a white-wine truffle cream sauce, naughtier than a night at the Moulin Rouge); Julia Child-worthy boeuf Bourguignon, lobster bisque en croute, and a proper tarte tatin (apples in a flaky crust) with homemade caramel. Prices are steep, but the large wine selection (including many Walter Hansel wines) is impressive. Service is spot-on at this restaurant. It’s perfect for a romantic splurge.
Caribbean meets Salvadoran at this Healdsburg jewel box. The tiny kitchen at the former Ravenous can be slow, but the food is made with love. Jamaican jerk chicken with mango and pineapple salsa makes for tasty tacos; the Salvadoran take on the Cubano sandwich offers pulled pork marinated in citrus, with Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. Heartier fare includes pescado con coco (fish sautéed with coconut) and slow-braised pork ribs. Don’t miss the pupusas stuffed with pork, chicken or vegetables and topped with elotitos — sliced pieces of corn roasted in jerk, butter and garlic. Save room for the quesadillita con helado, a mashup of rice and cheese bread with vanilla ice cream and hibiscus sauce.
A sizzling pot of rice that continues to cook while you eat it? That’s bibimbap, a Korean comfort food. Meaning “mixed rice,” bibimbap is so hot you can cook an egg on it. It’s a signature dish at Soban in Petaluma, a recent entrant to the restaurant scene that locals say is as authentic as it gets, with homemade kimchi, pan-fried Korean pancakes, beef and pork bulgogi (marinated meats in a spicy sweet sauce), and the bibimbap made in a sizzling stone pot with pickled vegetables, seafood, kimchi, beef or chicken. Soban Chicken was just as good as a midnight snack as it was right out of the bowl.
Mushroom and truffled bruschetta cream canapes at Bistro 100 in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
Comfort classics with a French twist are the signature of this cozy Petaluma bistro. Everyone knows everyone here, and if they don’t, the bistro tables lend themselves to casual conversation and knowing nods of approval as lusty plates of short ribs arrive. Most of the ingredients (and wine) are sourced from within 20 miles, giving diners a true taste of the county. Best bets include mushroom and truffled bruschetta cream canapés, Sonoma County terrine, and Cabernet-braised short ribs.
This “obsessively Italian” Napa newcomer focuses on authentic regional specialties. Travel through Italy with grilled rock octopus with lemon vinaigrette, inspired by Venice’s seafood bounty; imported burrata cheese from Puglia with roasted vegetables and olive oil; and oxtail stew with tomato, rigatoni, soffritto, pine nuts and raisins from the pastoral Lazio region surrounding Rome. Spaghetti is offered only “alla bottarga,” a briny dish that gets a shaving of cured fish roe — a specialty of Sardinia. Certified-authentic Napoletana pizza is cooked for exactly 90 seconds in a 900-degree wood-burning oven, dressed with simple toppings of San Marzano tomatoes, garlic and oregano, or more luxurious porcini mushrooms with white truffle cream and basil.
This new trattoria comes from the owners of Cucina Paradiso in Petaluma. The menu is very similar, with a nice antipasti plate, exceptional beef tartare, fresh pastas and swoonworthy gnocchi with Gorgonzola-walnut sauce. Even if you’re not a veal fan, it’s worth trying the scaloppine al Marsala — a thin cut of tender veal with porcini mushrooms and Marsala wine sauce. The room can be loud and crowded with locals on weekends, but that speaks to its popularity and approachable dishes.
Seared tuna with avocado salad at Sonoma Grille. (Heather Irwin/ The Press Democrat)
With a nod to its past as Meritage Oyster Bar and Grill, the menu at this reborn surf and turf restaurant features many of the same dishes fans craved before. That also means a slog of more than 30 items (fewer than the previous menu) from which to choose. From fresh oysters and hefty seafood platters to pasta, roast chicken and steaks, there’s something for every taste. A new kitchen, bar and beer garden bring fresh vigor to this venerable spot.
Marrying his own Tuscan culinary traditions with the best of Sonoma’s farms and fields, chef Francesco Torres has created a menu that’s both rustic and refined, capturing the best of west county’s bounty. In winter, hearty braised boar, local mushrooms and chestnut-flour gnocchi with cauliflower sauce shine. In warmer months, dishes include zucchini and mint over ricotta goat cheese and vegetable sugo with housemade pasta. Canneti boasts one of the most enchanting outdoor patios in Sonoma. Word is now out that this Forestville spot, with its modern interior and chatty bar, is worth the drive.
Jon Bixler, Cynthia Buck, GIacomo Bixler and David Greenfield of Bella Rosa coffee company (Christopher Chung/PD)
Four years ago, Jon Bixler and Cynthia Buck didn’t know a thing about coffee, but they did know David Greenfield. A bear of a guy with a shaggy gray goatee, piercing hazel eyes and a penchant for welding together brilliant contraptions for roasting coffee, Greenfield had a million-dollar idea without a home.
David Greenfield of Bella Rosa Coffee Company. (heather irwin)
With more than 30 years in the java business, this quirky Coffee Whisperer had a plan to revolutionize industrial roasting. Well, not exactly a plan, which is where Bixler and Buck came in, with a solid business model and entrepreneurial experience. The three joined forces in 2012, and Santa Rosa’s Bella Rosa Coffee Company was born. Specializing in organic, fair-trade and shade-grown coffee, the trio are forging a new path to your cuppa joe, one bean at a time.
“We’re doing this from scratch and evolving,” said Bixler.
After three years of explosive growth, the artisan coffee company is on track this year to roast 200,000 pounds of coffee. By comparison, Starbucks will roast an estimated 400 million pounds, while tiny micro-roasting businesses may do as little as 10,000-30,000 pounds per year. Bixler said they have more than 120 accounts and growing in Sonoma County, with restaurants, grocery stores, hotels and cafés.
“There’s a renaissance in artisan roasting,” said Bixler, sipping a latte in the small café Bella Rosa operates in front of its manufacturing area. “We’re seeing in coffee what has happened to craft beer in the last few years.”
But it hasn’t always been a bed of roses. The trio is admittedly a bit different than the usual coffee magnates, forging a very personal path for the company. “We are unabashedly who we are,” said Bixler, who rarely minces words. “We want to have fun, and we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”
Bella Rosa Coffee Company Cafe in Santa Rosa, California (Heather Irwin)
With mismatched chairs and hand-drawn signs strewn about (including one over the recycling bin that touts itself as “The Most Ineffective Sign in the World”), it’s not a place for plugging into your Wi-Fi and tuning out the world. Instead, the Bella Rosa crew, who purposely don’t offer Wi-Fi, encourage having an actual conversation over your cup. Adding to the homey atmosphere, the son of Bixler and Buck, Giacomo, colors and makes Play-Dough shapes in the corner while an oven full of bacon perfumes the café .
“It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay,” said Bixler.
Giacomo in the Bella Rosa Coffee Company Cafe (Heather Irwin)
The coffee also reflects their unique perspective. In a world where bitter, acidic coffees are often the norm, Bella Rosa uses a unique hot air roasting method, rather than conventional metal plates, that creates a balanced blend they call “Sweet Medium.” Think air-popped popcorn versus popping it in a pan.
“We believe the sweet spot is right between dark, smoky coffees and light, acidic coffees,” said Bixler.
They also won’t give you the stink eye if you choose to personalize your order with creamer, Splenda, agave, sugar or CoffeeMate.
Jon Bixler of Bella Rosa Coffee Company in Santa Rosa (Heather Irwin)
“I want people to put their two hands around a mug and say, ‘Ahhhhhhh, coffee’,” he adds, “not, ‘That tastes like lemon grass and burdock root’.” But selling their coffee around the globe isn’t the goal. Bixler said his primary focus is Sonoma County. “I don’t want to ship coffee to Florida,” he said, referring to buyers who would like to wholesale his product. “It isn’t eco-friendly or supportive of their local businesses.”
Bella Rosa lavender white chocolate mocha at the cafe in Santa Rosa (Heather Irwin)
The next step for the business is to build and license versions of their roaster, which has a tiny footprint, a state-of-the-art-computer and can be adjusted to specific parameters (and checked for consistency) via an internal computer network. The new energy-efficient models are in prototype and will be able to roast 60 pounds of coffee in four minutes.
“Artisan production doesn’t have to stop at larger production,” he said. The new roasting technology will ensure a consistent product, consistent temperatures and consistent quality no matter what the amount produced, he said. It’s an ambitious plan, but one Bixler said his team is ready for.
“Either it will work or it won’t, and that’s fine as long as it’s on our own terms,” he said.
Bella Rosa Coffee Company, 5491 Skylane Blvd, Santa Rosa, 542-6220. Hours are 7 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays. Coffees also are available online in 10-ounce cans; 1-, 2- and 5-pound bags.
Celebrity Chef Michael Chiarello is being sued by two former female employees alleging serious sexual harassment by Chiarello’s restaurant management and the chef, himself.
Chiarello, who lives in the Bay Area, is best known for his television appearances on Top Chef, Food Network and ownership of restaurants in the Bay Area including Yountville’s Bottega and Coqueta in San Francisco.
The lawsuit, filed March 15, names Chiarello, his hospitality group and several individuals who worked as chefs and management at SF’s Coqueta in the lawsuit. The complaints for damages in the lawsuit include a variety of salacious allegations about sexually charged incidents at Coqueta. A separate class-action lawsuit includes allegations of labor code violations including falsification of time and attendance and failure to pay into required employee health funds.
The two female defendants were high-level servers assigned to wait on high profile VIP guests including Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Russell Crowe.
According to the suit, Coqueta chefs and managers have engaged in “a pattern and practice of inappropriate sexual comments, touching and other sex-related abuse towards Coqueta employees…management either participated in the sex harassment directly or allowed it to continue unabated,” the suit said.
Chiarello is specifically named for making inappropriate statements (we’ll let you read them below rather than getting gritty here) including allegedly holding a baguette to his crotch and making “stroking motions over the bread with his hands in an overtly sexual manner.” (And that’s the tame stuff.)
The suit goes on to describe inappropriate touching and staring at women (including restaurant guests) within the last 12 months preceding the complaint. Coqueta’s chef is also named in the suit for allegedly using both racist and misogynistic language.
The suit is disturbing to read, with allegations that including requiring the women to take care of menstrual hygiene issues in stairwells and openly hostile comments with demeaning terminology toward females and minorities.
“Sexual harassment and abuse of employees is so endemic at Coqueta that multiple female managers have resigned as a result of the oppressive work environment…stating she could not tolerate (the executive chef’s) disrespect for women and view of female employees as second class citizens,” the lawsuit states.
The Mercury News reports that Chiarello’s attorneys have released a statement saying Chiarello is upset by the allegations and that neither Coqueta or Chiarello had seen the lawsuit before the media was notified. The lawyers statement to the Mercury News also said that Chiarello planned to “defend himself, his reputation and his team against these unfounded claims in a court of law”.
Mr. Chiarello is very upset by the allegations made by two former employees. The allegations are not only upsetting to him, they are also against his core beliefs.
Mr. Chiarello strongly believes that a great restaurant cannot really be great without an outstanding team. Throughout his career, he has served as a mentor to the people who work with him and helped them climb the ladder in their careers. This claim flies in the face of who Mr. Chiarello is and how he has lived his life. Mr. Chiarello is the son of immigrant family, a true American success story, who became the acclaimed chef he is today by using the skills he learned from watching his mother cook when he was a young boy and caring about the people with whom he worked.
We are also disappointed that neither Coqueta nor Mr. Chiarello were provided a copy of the lawsuit prior to the former employees’ attorneys sending it to the media. Mr. Chiarello intends to vigorously defend himself, his reputation and his team against these unfounded claims in a court of law.
This lawsuit, if founded, is not an isolated case, or even the worst I’ve heard of.Restaurants are notoriously hostile work environments for women, and sexual harassment (often disguised as “joking around”) is endemic. Maybe epidemic is more appropriate.
Restaurants can be high stress workplaces with high demands. Anyone watching Hell’s Kitchen has a window into the histrionics that some chefs can display. Kitchens have very clear hierarchies, which are often enforced with bullying and boys’ club put-downs. Lower ranking employees (including servers) often take the brunt of the kitchen’s stress, and an accepted tradition of smack-talk and misogynistic/racist epithets often go on without recourse.
It’s horrifying to know this goes on in restaurants we patronize, and unacceptable in modern society. If nothing else, I hope that this high profile lawsuit will shine a light on the abuse that women and other minorities often face in the restaurant industry and elsewhere.
Note: While I appreciate discourse and comments about the suit, anonymous comments regarding hearsay that could be construed as libelous toward Chiarello or his restaurants will be deleted. Fair is fair. Reporting on publicly filed lawsuits against public figures is standard practice in journalism, and (as written) all of the statements in the lawsuit are allegations at this point.
The Mamy, an In-N-Out Double Double and The Amy from Amy’s Drive Thru (Matt Brown)
In an act that goes against all things holy, Matt Brown, managing editor of our sister paper, the Petaluma Argus-Courier, sends this fast-food missive that merges the Double Double and The Amy Burger from Amy’s Drive Thru. Here’s his email to me, in all its glory. What’s your dream food mashup?
Behold “The Mamy,” a meat-infused vegetarian burger made by combining The Amy from Amy’s Drive Thru with a Double Double from the In-N-Out next door.
To make this awesome concoction, order The Amy, go next door and order a Double Double, then swap one patty on each burger. This will make two distinct burgers. To make only one burger, order the single from both Amy’s and In-N-Out, and then Mr. Potato Head the parts together. I prefer the Amy’s top bun, Amy’s veggies and one Amy’s patty atop an In-N-Out patty, In-N-Out sauce and bottom In-N-Out bun.
Why do this? Did anyone question Mr. Reese when he (I assume) bought the peanut butter plant next door to his chocolate factory and mashed the two together? Probably, but now he is enshrined in the North Central Pennsylvania Hall of Fame as one of that region’s top five most innovative thinkers. My point is, it’s delicious.
Heather, I don’t have a food blog. But you do. Please, tell the world that this exists.
