Chef Francesco Torre (formerly of Fish in Sausalito) has been transforming the cozy West County restaurant for nearly six months, rehabbing the kitchen, sandblasting walls, repainting, and adding tons of charm with rustic tables and chairs, rebar barstools, and a primo pasta-making machine from Italy. The menu’s still under wraps, but Torres promises some solid Tuscan-inspired eats.
The restaurant is taking a few restaurants per night, but according to Torre, he’s still training staff. “I just wish to make sure everything is perfect when I open for the big public,” he said.
We’ll have more details on the menu in the coming days.
You’ll soon be able to get a slab of bacon with your broccoli at Community Market — at least in Sebastopol. The historically-vegetarian grocer will add pork, lamb, duck, rabbit, grass-fed beef and locally-raised chickens from Victorian Farmstead Meat Company when it opens its second location this summer at The Barlow.
Called The Chop Shop, local meat-purveyor Adam Parks has struck a deal with Community Market to operate an independent butcher counter within the grocery store.
“It will be a full service counter with all the meats we currently have as well as our own sausages, bacon and charcuterie,” said Parks.
“We’re really excited,” said Nica Poznanovich, assistant general manager of Santa Rosa Community Market. “This is a dream partnership,” she added. “We want to be known as having one of the most extraordinary and ethical meat departments in the country. Adam is so well-connected in his ability to achieve the quality that we want, so it was a really easy decision,” said Poznanovich.
Parks, who runs a small butcher counter at his Sebastopol ranch as well as selling at numerous farm markets throughout the Bay Area, has garnered a strong following for his sustainably-raised meats. Though he’d long been rumored to be “The Butcher” alluded to in marketing materials for the Barlow, Parks said the cooperative venture was more financially viable than a stand-alone business.
A small, but vocal collection of customers have voiced dissent over the addition of meat to the nearly 40-year-old grocer’s decision to go omnivore. “Our mission is to be an educational resource in Sonoma County. We can no longer ignore the want and need for extraordinary meat from local ranches,” she said. The Santa Rosa location, however, will remain meat-free for the foreseeable future.
Parks has been busy with other ventures as well. He told BiteClub that he’s also planning to take over the butchering area of Petaluma’s Agius Grocery for a USDA-certified “cut and wrap” facility. While most consumers might yawn at the news, the service would be a boon to other small-scale, artisan meat producers who have few other options for legally packaging their products for sale in the North Bay. In short, more locally-raised, locally-slaughtered and locally-packaged meat is a good thing for all local carnivores.
Are you up for the job of Murphy-Goode’s Grill Sergeant? Are you willing to wear a viking helmet?
Are you up for the job of Murphy-Goode’s Grill Sergeant? Are you willing to wear a viking helmet?
Murphy-Goode winery is seeking a military veteran with serious grilling skills to be its official Grill Sergeant.
You’ll need to be able to fight grill flare-ups, season like you mean it, engage on the competitive barbecue circuit and pair wine and recipes with precision.
“Our Grill Sergeant will barbecue and create Murphy-Goode recipes, all while encouraging a GOODE time,” says the winery on its Craigslist ad for the gig. Not to mention able to endure a lot of really bad puns and the shame of wearing a viking helmet during daylight hours.
Pop-up restaurateur Berry Salinas will open a brick and mortar fried chicken and barbecue shack at the former Greyhound bus stop on Santa Rosa Avenue (near Dierk’s Parkside and Las Palmas and the growing SOFA arts district).
“The location was just a golden opportunity,” said Salinas. The “Butcher” of Butcher and Cook, she’s looking toward a May opening featuring local farm produce, take-out fried chicken dinners, barbecue, and house-cured meats made on site.
Salinas is planning to partner with local artists and metalworkers to beautify the space, and looks to be open for lunch and dinner Thursday through Sunday. Stay tuned for more details.
Chef Jennifer Puccio guest chefs at La Toque on March 7.
Chef Jennifer Puccio guest chefs at La Toque on March 7.
To celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, Chef Jennifer Puccio of San Francisco’s celebrated Marlowe and Park Tavern restaurants will team up with Chef Ken Frank of the Michelin-starred La Toque at The Westin Verasa Napa for a special five-course dinner on Thursday March 7, 2013.
On the menu: Cauliflower panna cotta, uni and caviar; venison carpaccio, classic Angus beef tartare, capers & crispy bone marrow and “Callie Noir” a dish made with black truffle, cippolini onions & crispy Parmesan stuffing. The dinner is $200 per person, with wine pairings included and reservations are required. 1314 McKinstry St, Napa, (707) 257-5157.
The dinner is a kick-off for the Westin’s Somm Sister Soiree Getaway Weekend featuring a collection of events showcasing women in wine, including a Grand Tasting with 30 female winemakers on Friday March 8th. The Tasting event is $50 each. Details about the entire weekend online.
The Baz Luhrmann film adaptation of The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Isla Fisher opens May 15.
The Baz Luhrmann film adaptation of The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Isla Fisher opens May 10.
Channel Nick, Daisy and the rest of the Great Gatsby cast at Madrona Manor’s 20s-style lawn party Sunday May 5th, 2013 from 2-5pm.
The Healdsburg inn’s first “Great Gatsby Soiree” pays homage to the forthcoming movie adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel with live music, dancing, cocktails, and lawn games in addition to a luncheon inspired by passages in the novel.
Michelin-starred chef Jesse Mallgren’s menu includes crispy oysters in spiced ham, Waldorf salad, suckling pig pork pie, lobster hash with caviar and cold fried chicken with goat milk biscuits and dark ale mayonnaise.
Tickets are $65 per person for the event with special rates for overnight accommodations. 1001 Westside Road, Healdsburg. For reservations call 800-258-4003.
More than 3.8 million folks submitted ideas for a new Lay’s potato chip flavor (some of which, like peanut butter and jelly, were mercifully left on the drawing board).
However, the three finalists are now on grocery store shelves: Chicken and Waffles, Sriracha and Cheesy Garlic Bread.
So far, the chicken and waffles is a sort of “love it or hate it” thing, though they grow on you. Like an untreated fungus. Sriracha is, well, kind of srirach-y. Then again, I’m bitter because my entry of “Sriracha Aioli” was not considered. It would have been good. I couldn’t find a bag of the cheesy garlic bread. They were all out. Bummer.
Snap up these limited edition flavors fast, however, because they’re, well, limited editions. The contest’s most popular chip will snag $1million for the person who suggested it.
Sure, its all a big marketing ploy, but at least it’s a tasty one.
You don’t often find dim sum, braised beef with celery root puree and Tarte Tatin on the same menu, but somehow it all works at the Santa Rosa Junior College Culinary Cafe.
The student-run kitchen and restaurant is still one of the best values in Wine Country with dishes ranging from sunchoke soup and goat cheese stuffed pears to homemade pizzas, duck confit with cherry sauce or a plate of steamed pork buns and shumai–not to mention amazing fresh local produce from their own Shone Farm for a fraction of the cost of what you’d pay elsewhere starting at $4 and topping out at $11.
But don’t get your heart too set on any one item. Menus are ephemeral, changing up weekly to give students a chance to practice different preparations.
Which brings us to the (kinda) bad news: The current session ends March 18th (but don’t worry they’ll be back after spring break on April 3) and the restaurant is frequently booked solid, so you’ll need to call in advance for a reservation, 522-2796. 1501 Mendocino Ave. at Carr Ave., Santa Rosa.
Hold onto your shortstack. The wildly popular breakfast, brunch and lunchery, Dierk’s Parkside Cafe in Santa Rosa, will be opening a second location in April.
Owner Mark Dierkhising tells BiteClub he’ll be opening Dierk’s Midtown Cafe at the former Midtown Cafe (1422 Fourth Street) this spring. The vibe and the menu will feel familiar to regulars of Dierkhising’s Santa Rosa Avenue location with breakfast, lunch and brunch. And speaking of brunch, it will be served all day.
What will change are some lunch additions in the sandwich and salad department, but the menu’s still a work in progress.
Mark’s brother, Roger (also a chef) will manage daily operations at the new location.
