Shrubs at Shed Modern Grange in Healdsburg

Shed Modern Grange in Healdsburg
Shrub at Shed Modern Grange in Healdsburg
Shrub made from vinegar and berries at Shed Modern Grange in Healdsburg

Belly up to Shed Modern Grange’s Fermentation Bar in Healdsburg

I declare the official drink of summer 2013 to be the shrub, an old-is-new thirst-quencher with the most unlikely of ingredients: Vinegar.

Far better tasting than it sounds, this Colonial-era cocktail combines fresh fruit puree (think rhubarb, strawberries or raspberries) with sugar and a light vinegar for a tart-but-sweet refresher that’s kickier than lemonade and far more refined than soda.

Already, fans are raving about Jordan Lancer’s Fermentation Bar at the newly-opened Shed Modern Grange in Healdsburg to get a taste of his homemade fruit shrubs in summer-licious flavors like blueberry red wine vinegar and pear apple cider vinegar ($4). Lancer’s also got kombucha on tap, lemon and ginger kefir water (from Sebatopol’s Kefiry) and hard ciders from Murray’s in Petaluma and Tilted Shed in Sebastopol.

Not to mention dozens of beers and wines on tap and in the bottle (I’m especially fond of the Bodkin Muscat Cannelli from Lake County). With plenty of outside seating and light plates and sandwiches from the indoor cafe (chicken liver toast with capers was a fave) folks are already flocking to this hyper-local food and drink hotspot.

25 North St., Healdsburg, 707-431-7433.

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Davies leaves Corks

Chef Todd Davies
Chef Todd Davies
Chef Todd Davies
Chef Todd Davies

Chef Todd Davies has left Corks Restaurant in Forestville and will be replaced by Ruben Gomez, formerly of Applewood Inn and Iron Horse Vineyards. Davies plans to spend some time with his family while seeking out new opportunities. Gomez has also worked at the Mayacama Golf Club.

Rasta Dwight’s Barbecue in Rohnert Park

Rasta Dwight's Barbecue Ribs and Macaroni
Rasta Dwight’s Barbecue Ribs and Macaroni
Rasta Dwight's Barbecue Ribs and Macaroni
Rasta Dwight’s Barbecue Ribs and Macaroni

BiteClub stopped in for a few (okay like four) plates of barbecue at Rasta Dwight’s new barbecue spot inside Quincy’s Pub in Rohnert Park.

After all the hubbub from longtime fans, expectations were set high, but started sinking when we didn’t see or smell a smoker anywhere and got a cold corn muffin wrapped in plastic.

Rasta Dwight's Barbecue Jerk Chicken
Rasta Dwight’s Barbecue Jerk Chicken

The takeaway? While we can’t say we were blown away by the ‘que (or the service), we did enjoy the tangy mustard greens ($2.25, homestyle mac ($2.25) and barbecue tri-tip ($10.50) enough for a possible return trip.

But purple sweet potato pie ($6.25)? That one still has us perplexed. What’s your take?

Rasta Dwight’s Barbecue at Quincy’s Pub and Cafe, 6590 Commerce Blvd  Rohnert Park, CA 94928
(707) 393-1626. Open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 3pm. Available for dine-in or takeout.

Rasta Dwight's Barbecue Sweet Potato Pie
Rasta Dwight’s Barbecue Sweet Potato Pie
Rasta Dwight's Barbecue Menu
Rasta Dwight’s Barbecue Menu

 

BottleRock eats

bottlerockMusic isn’t the only thing rocking this May in Napa. Valley toque Cindy Pawlcyn’s team will manage the nearly 40 chefs and restaurateurs participating in the 26-acre rockfest slated for May 9-12.

On the roster so far from Sonoma: Awful Falafel, Fork Catering, Traxx BBQ, The Girl & the Fig and Backyard Restaurant in Forestville.

Napa represents with Mustards Grill, Oenotri, ZuZu, La Condessa, The Thomas, Mark’s The Spot food truck, Napa Valley Biscuits, Dim Sum Charlie’s, Eiko’s, Tarla, Kara’s Cupcakes, Kitchen Door, Ca’ Momi, Grace’s Table, , Azzurro Pizzeria and Enoteca, Tra Vigne, Fish Story, Farmstead, The Model Bakery, C Casa, Barbers Q, La Toque and Gott’s Roadside in addition to chef-appearances from Masaharu Morimoto, Todd Humphries and Ken Frank of La Toque. Pouring at the event (this is Napa, after all) are some 50 wineries and artisan brewers. The event, which has caused massive buzz with the inclusion of top-billed bands including Kings of Leon, Jane’s Addiction, The Shins, The Black Keyes, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and the Alabama Shakes. More details online at bottlerocknapavalley.com.

Guys Can Cook Event

guyscookThe 15th Annual Guys Can Cook Too! wine and food extravaganza proves what most of us already know: That there is some serious amateur culinary talent in Sonoma County. More than 25 home cooks and 20 restaurant chefs plan to participate in the Rotary Club of Sebastopol’s annual fundraiser. The May 4 event will be held at the Santa Rosa Junior College’s Shone Farm from 4-8p.m.. Tickets are $75 per person, details at guyscancook.com.

Rasta Dwight’s Back

Rasta Dwight Jones from 2003
Rasta Dwight Jones from 2003
Rasta Dwight Jones from 2003

BiteClub’s got word that Sonoma barbecue legend Rasta Dwight Jones has returned. Old timers may remember his lovingly crafted Carribean-inspired jerk pork, spare ribs and tri-tip along with Burn Your Face hot links from the days before his Cotati ‘cue shack closed. He’s set up shop in Rohnert Park at Quincy’s Pub and Cafe (6590 Commerce Blvd.) and is currently serving up lunches only.

Sneak Peek at Chalkboard’s Menu

BiteClub got an exclusive peek at the forthcoming menu for Chalkboard, the casual dining restaurant that’s replacing Cyrus in Healdsburg’s Les Mars Hotel. The menu will source much of its produce from the legendary Chalk Hill Gardens (part of Les Mars owner Bill Foley’s portfolio), so expect lots of seasonal specialties on the menu like microgreens, squash blossoms, stinging nettles, nasturtium greens, peas, leeks and asparagus this spring.

Chef Shane McAnelly does a mix of low and high-brow comfort plates that range from warm pretzels with cheddar cheese and “stadium mustard” ($6) pork belly buttermilk biscuits ($8), veggies with Green Goddess dressing ($7) and marinated sardines ($9) nest to tonier beef tartare with a quail egg ($11), duck confit pasta ($12) or buttermilk fried quail with fava beans ($14). When it comes to his Dungeness crab tater tots with creme fraiche?

We’re ready for a taste-testing tot-off with Stark’s Steak House, who also offer the crabby bites. Chalkboard is slated to open in early May.

‘Wich Hunt in Photos

IMG_9103_2The best thing since sliced bread? Winning the second annual Battle of the Brews ‘Wich Hunt, of course. Judged to be the best of breed at last week’s cheflebrity-studded event: John Ash & Co’s “What the Duck”, a duck meatball slider with caramelized onions made especially for the competition. In second place (again) was Awful Falafel, a local food truck and catering biz who wowed voters with fried chicken and bacon nestled between two waffles. Healdsburg Bar and Grill took a solid third with a coffee-infused pork slider with fried onions.

For the Peoples Choice: The Farmers’ Wife with a homemade chorizo, cheddar and egg sandwich took first, La Rosa Tequileria got a commendable second with their Sloppy Jose (a crowd fave) and John Ash & Co won third.

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Crop Mobbing Sonoma County

A Crop Mobbed box
A Crop Mobbed box
A Crop Mobbed box

Bloomfield Farms’ Nick Papadopolous holds a perfect head of baby lettuce in his hand. Grown organically on his family farm with patience and care, its crop-mates have gone to some of the best restaurants in the Bay Area. But like most farmers, Papadopolous ends up with boxes of perishable produce — including the baby lettuce —  that go unsold after farm markets and pick-ups each week.

The clock is ticking on these perishables, which often end up being fed to livestock instead of people. So Papadopolous created CropMobster — a social-media alert system that instantly connects locals with food-gleaning events, “flash sales” and work-trade opportunities to take advantage of produce (and plants) in need of an immediate home. On a recent Monday, I nabbed a box loaded with kale, greens, herbs and seed potatoes for $25 after a friend picked up a pallet from Bloomfield.

Papadopolous is working to bring more farmers and ranchers into the fold as well as social agencies (which are often too overwhelmed to pick up and use large amounts of left-over produce each week). Want to get in on the Mob Alerts? Check out CropMobster.com.

Sante Reopens at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn

sante rendering
Artist rendering of the new dining room

After a lengthy renovation, Michelin-starred Sante Restaurant (at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn) reopened Friday. Expect to see more natural light and “sleek, minimalist design” as well as 56 additional outdoor seats. A new lobby bar is expected in early July.

The re-opening menu is a mix of new and old dishes including poached Maine lobster, braised rhubarb duck breast, bacon-wrapped rabbit loin, Niman Ranch beef “tasting”, warm donuts and strawberry shortcake for dessert.

100 Boyes Blvd., Sonoma, open nightly from 6-9p.m., reservations at 939-2415.