Page 523 – Sonoma Magazine

Get Pickled

September 2013

By biteclub

Fried pickles have officially become a thing. Seems you can hardly turn around without this Southern-fried specialty showing up on appetizer menus. But BiteClub’s been generally underwhelmed by soggy, limp pickle chips smothered in too much cornmeal batter and fried within an inch of their lives. With ranch sauce from a tub. Whine no more. Viola Pastry Boutique and Cafe (709 Village Court, Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa) takes housemade bread and butter pickles with a hint of sweetness, fries ’em up in a light batter, then serves them with a side of zingy buttermilk sauce. You’re gonna fall in love with this, uh, dillicious side.

Napa News: Press, 2nd & Brown

August 2013

By biteclub

Press Restaurant (courtesy Press Restaurant)

Napa is bustin out all over. Press Restaurant (587 St. Helena Hwy.) in St. Helena has turned over the stoves to former sous chef Jason Toji with the departure exec chef Stephen Rogers. Rogers and his wife (who was Press GM) are returning to Dallas to open a new restaurant called Gemma.

Opening in late September is 2nd & Brown, the “boozy sister restaurant/bar” to Carpe Diem Wine Bar in downtown Napa. The cocktail spot will feature an abbreviated Carpe Diem menu with faces like the ostrich burger and “Quack and Cheese”, macaroni and cheese with duck confit.

West County News: Guerrillas, new owner for Henweigh, Chef Rooney’s move

August 2013

By biteclub

Berry Salinas and friends Jason Azevedo and Chris Hanson at the 2011 Handcar Regatta

There’s a new owner at the former Henweigh Cafe. Butcher Berry Salinas is taking over the 4550 Gravenstein Hwy. location with plans for a “classic roadhouse”, beer and wine bar. Salinas, with partner Sheldon Rosenberg III, had planned a Santa Rosa chicken shack, but plans fell through after several months of work. Don’t worry, though. We’ll bet the farm that her famous fried chicken will show up on the menu. Look for a November opening for Red’s Apple Roadhouse.

Seems there are Guerrillas in the midst. Zinfandel enthusiast and winemaker Bruce Patch has opened the Wine Guerrilla tasting room in Forestville, showcasing estate-grown wines from around the region. The winery (6671 Front Street, Forestville) will feature box lunches from nearby Twist (6536 Front St., Forestville), a popular weekday lunch counter and weekend dinner cafe.

Nearby Corks (5700 California, Forestville) has had another chef shuffle with the departure of Chef Dominque Rooney. She’s moved into an exec chef position at Bodega Bays’ Sandpiper Restaurant(1400 N. Highway 1, Bodega Bay). Rooney is also appearing on Sept. 8 on the Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen, putting her in good company with the other local chefs who’ve gained national TV attention for their kitchen skills.

Winery taking over old Zazu space

August 2013

By biteclub

The former Zazu roadhouse photo Charlie Gesell

The quirky Santa Rosa roadhouse recently vacated by Zazu’s Restaurant owners Duskie Estes and John Stewart is already under serious rehab by nearby Walter Hansel Winery with plans for a full-service bistro.

Slated to open in October, the Walter Hansel Wine Bistro will be a casual eatery that mixes “fine dining and fun”, according to winery owner Stephen Hansel. Hansel’s in the midst of interviewing for kitchen staff, so no word on a chef yet, but food won’t play second fiddle to the wines. “The French have it right. They understand that food and wine really need to go together,” said Hansel. “Food is the main course, and wine the accessory,” he said.

The restaurant will feature Hansel’s Russian River wines along with those of nearby wineries, in addition to California and a few French Bordeaux. So why would a car dealer-turned winery owner want to open a restaurant? The lack of a tasting room at the winery, his desire to work directly with customers and, well, the restaurant is practically within throwing distance.

“It’s a mile away from us,” he said. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been nearly so interested.”

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend 2013

August 2013

By biteclub

It’s a star-studded–or maybe fork-studded–weekend of wine and top chefs during the annual Wine Country Weekend. Festivities start Friday with the sold-out Sonoma Starlight Dinner, hosted by girl and the fig’s Sondra Bernstein and John Toulze. Saturday is the main (eating) event at Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Ranch. More than 100 wineries and restaurants gather under circus-sized tents with haute bites and top-flight sips.

On the roster is a who’s who of Sonoma dining: Kendall-Jackson’s Justin Wangler with cabernet spiced lamb sliders, Chalkboard chef Shane McAnelly serving hamachi tartare, Taverna Sofia’s rotisserie lamb and beef, crispy duck tacos from the Green Grocer (a BiteClub fave), Rocker Oysterfellers’ gridled pimento cheese and heirloom tomato sandwich, Viola Pastry Boutique’s corn panna cotta with crispy pork belly and Viva Cocolat’s chocolate mousse, to name just a few stand-outs. The annual Steel Chef competition pits four local chefs in a grudge match royal, while the Bubble Lounge serves up, well, bubbles.

Sunday’s wine auction has a Brazilian theme, gathering top local chefs serving dishes including olive oil guacamole tacones (Mateo’s Cocina Latina), fried potato cakes (coxinha) from KJ’s Justin Wangler, and a three course dinner prepared by Barndiva’s Ryan Fancher, Dry Creek Kitchen’s Dustin Valette and John Toulze of girl and the fig. Details and tickets for the weekend’s events [online](http://www.winecountryweekend.com/).

Listen for Change. With Belly.

August 2013

By biteclub

“Come Around,” the annual fundraising event to benefit Listening for a Change, will be in Santa Rosa on Saturday, September 7^th from 4:00-7:30 pm at the beautiful DeTurk round Barn. Hearty appetizers from Belly—Left Coast Kitchen & Tap Room, fine local wines, jazz, lively auctions, and more all blend to create a spectacular late summer experience. This year’s Connie Codding Humanist winners are Liz & Mario Uribe.

“Come Around” is a benefit for Listening for a Change, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting acceptance and inclusion of all in our schools, workplace, and community. Tickets are from $60-$120 and are available by calling 707-578-5420 or emailing info@listeningforachange.org to RSVP. For further information about the event or programs, visit www.listeningforachange.org Video interviews by students of participating local school for the Neighborhood Listening Project are posted for the entire community to view.

Naughty Tomato!

August 2013

By biteclub

On the hunt for some authentic Indian snacks? A friend recently turned Biteclub on to a secret gem in Larkfield — at the Valero gas station (4856 Old Redwood Highway, Santa Rosa). Part convenience store, part ethnic grocery, you’ll find imported snacks, rice, chapati, spices, masala-flavored potato chips, and bags of “Naughty Tomato” puffs, a funky flavor fusion that taste like ketchup-flavored Cheetos. I mean, if you’re into that.

Check out this ad…

Wunderkammer

August 2013

By biteclub

This Sunday is the first Wunderkammer event in Railroad square, a take off from the long-running Regatta featuring hand-car races, a punk circus, and fried chicken, hush puppies and pickled green tomatoes from butcher Berry Salinas in the VIP tent. The fun is highly family-friendly, but come in costume to enjoy the fun to the fullest. 11a.m. to 6p.m., Railroad Square, $10 at the gate.

Taste of Petaluma

August 2013

By biteclub

Top Petaluma chefs put on a city-wide spread this Saturday during Taste of Petaluma, from 11:30-4pm. More than 30 eateries serve up tasty bites along with area wineries and breweries. Don’t miss Andy’s Sushi with the samurai roll, Pub Republic’s pork belly tacos, and Hen House Brewing, who will hopefully serve up some of their saison and oyster stout, which uses oyster shells in the brewing process.

Napa restaurant news

August 2013

By biteclub

Lots of news this week in Napa. 1313 Main has announced the opening of Lulu’s Kitchen specializing in farm to fork small plates (where have we heard that before?) Located in the northside district of downtown Napa, the kitchen is part of the 1313 Main tasting lounge and will served late afternoon bites and dinner Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday from 4-10pm and on Friday and Saturday until 11pm. On the menu: braised pork belly, abalone wontons and the Burgundian inspired Oeufs en Muerette, poached eggs in pinor noir. 1313 Main St., Napa.

Also, news broke this week that chef Sean O’Toole (formerly of Bardessono and Hopper Creek Kitchen, will take over the long-empty vegetarian restaurant and yoga studio, Ubuntu, at 1140 Main St. in downtown Napa.The restaurant will be called Torc.