Wandering into Space XXV, you can’t help but feel like you’re in someone’s living room. Scratch that: Someone with amazingly good taste and very expensive furniture’s living room. There are crystal chandeliers and faux fur throws on velvet chaise lounges for goodness sakes. Are we still in Santa Rosa? The lovechild of a designer showroom and a chef-driven cafe, this spanking new downtown lounge seems almost too good to be true, as does its refreshingly earnest chef, John Lyle.
Nestled into a narrow strip of space between the new La Rosa Tequileria and the local police outpost in Courthouse Square, owner Kendrick Rustad’s concept for XXV was for a relaxing, upscale lounge where folks could chill, read, sip and eat really good food. Mission accomplished.
Lyle (formerly a personal chef and Fresh by Lisa Hemenway alum) has taken the mantra of good food to the extreme, handpicking produce at his favorite local farms at 4:30am, getting Della Fattoria bread deliveries at 5:30am, then concocting salads and sandwiches to match the luxe decor (but at refreshingly reasonable prices…most everything is under $10).
On the menu is a whole leaf Caesar (using the original recipe from Caesar Cardin, $8.95); a seasonal roasted beet salad that turns root vegetables into jewels of sweet candy ($8.95); roast beef sandwich with black truffle aioli; ($8.95) a reuben with local kraut and Russian dressing ($10.50); Umami Grilled cheese with St. Georges cheese, bacon, tomatoes and mushrooms ($8) and, wait for it…a BLT on soft white bread with a snap of crispy chicken skin. If you get it, you get it. If you don’t, well, just move along.
“I just want the best food, and it’s all from here,” said Lyle, who literally gushes about his favorite local purveyors without a hint of irony or pomp. “What brought me to Sonoma County? St. George Cheese. Really,” he adds.
For dessert, Lyle does a trio of sorbets using Nancy Skall’s Middleton Farm strawberries and two types of melon. But expect the menu to change up with Lyle’s most recent farm finds — meaning what you loved one day may not be on the menu the next. Breakfast pastries, coffee plus beer and wine. Open until 10pm daily.
Space XXV, 25 Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa, 284-3120.
“I’m fueled by Crack!” Brass Knuckle’s Crack Bar from 2011
"I'm fueled by Crack!" Brass Knuckle's Crack Bar
I left my heart at Outside Lands. And most of my cash, a pair of sunglasses, approximately 18 beer cups, and whatever shred of caloric discipline I may have once possessed. Three days afterwards, I’m only barely entering back into reality (so cold! so harsh!) and I won’t lie to you — the wheels fell off my cart more than once, so bear with me while I recount the tale.
One of the largest music festivals in the Bay Area, the three day event packs and estimated 130,000 fans into Golden Gate Park August 13-15, 2011. But along with the music, food is becoming an increasing part of the draw. So why do you care? The food-ing of major events from the upscaling of Infineon to the upcoming Handcar Regatta (which I will host an entire homestead area and a number of local trucks/mobile vendors will be featured), Maker Faire (which included a number of SoCo trucks and vendors) is a hot trend in the culinary world, and we’re the better fed for it.
At the heart of it are mobile-friendly vendors which include food trucks, restaurant spin-offs and up-and-coming food purveyors provide local flavor instead of the bland, institutional eats we’re usually subjected to.
Snoop Dog at Brass Knuckle
At this year’s Outside Lands than 50 Bay Area eateries fed the hungry masses with everything from buttermilk fried chicken to bacon-topped funnel cakes. Farms were represented, hawking seeds, fresh melon and fruit. Spread out into distinct areas — Chocolands for sweets, The Food Truck Forest and WineLands — the hunt for killer comestibles was nearly as fun as running the length of the park listening to favorite bands.
For certain, it wasn’t a dieter’s dream, but BiteClub put in some serious time at pigging out, sating the munchies and generally stuffing my face (trust me, there was plenty of exercise walking from one end of the festival to the other) over two days.
Check out some of the faves. You might recognize some. Others are worth a trip to Off the Grid, a collection of some of the Bay Area’s best mobile vendors.
Food Cost: Around $120 for food. At least that’s what I’m telling myself. I kind of lost track. Beers Consumed: 14 Eateries Visited: 22 of 52 Crack Bars Consumed: 4 Funnel Cakes Consumed: 2 Wine Consumed: 2 glasses (Claypool Cellars’ Pinot Noir & Medlock Ames’ Sauvignon blanc)
Favorite Food Truck: Brass Knuckle (SF)
If return visits are any gauge, this San Francisco based truck has mobile eats down cold. McNibs and I were regulars at this Food Truck Forest staple. Owner Shellie Kitchen ups the ante on everything, adding sriracha ketchup, a dose of cilantro cream or jalapeno apple slaw to her already ridiculously sandwiches. With names like the Snoop Dog (a bacon wrapped 4505 dog with spicy teriyaki mao, furikake, slaw, radish sprouts and bonito flakes) or the Fryin’ Maiden (a spicy fried chicken sandwich with the aforementioned slaw and cilantro cream), they’re both naughty and nice. What had me coming back over and over was the Crack Bar, a ridiculously addictive confection of shortbread, peanut butter cream, salted carmel and a dusting of cocoa powder.“I’m fueled by Crack!” was my Outside Lands mantra. (Watch for them at Off the Grid)
Best Munchie Buster: Regardless of what gets your tummy a rumbling, gourmet funnel cakes from Endless Summer Sweets were our go-to in moments of desperate food weakness. The key, real whipped cream slathered atop a crunchy fried funnel cake. In between the two, bacon, organic agave syrup, strawberries and/or syrup. Funnel cake vendors take note…it’s time to step it up. Coming in a distant second was Straw’s “Flying Saucer”, peanut butter mousse with a chocolate fudge crust, candied bacon and caramel.
Longest Continual Line:Those Fabulous Frickle Brothers were mobbed from opening to well past sundown for their fried pickles and fried green tomatoes. So worth it. Soooo worth it.
Biggest Trend: Korean tacos seem to be losing ground to the barbecue zeitgeist. Every other vendor had pulled pork, ribs, or beef smoking on the ‘cue. Our favorite was Carolina Pulled Pork Sammie from Southern Sandwich Co. We didn’t dare brave the line at Memphis Minnie’s, though we’re assured it was amazing.
Best Vegan Gluten Free Food I Really Loved: Azalina’s Penang Braised Tofu Buns
Most Disappointing: I wanted to love Straw, I really did. The carnival-themed restaurant had several stands hawking sweet potato tots with blackberry sauce and delish desserts. Now, I’m not going to cast aspersions to pointedly (it was a massive festival, and feeding hundreds of thousands isn’t easy) but I’m sorry to say I recognized those tots. Now I’m not saying they were from Sysco, but I will say they bear a strong resemblance to the ones from Sysco. Which is fine, but not necessarily inspiring.
Most Sorry I Missed: Loving Cup’s Rice Pudding, Memphis Minnie’s and The American Grilled Cheese.
Other favorites… Andalu: Crispy mac and Cheese Asqew Grill: Cilantro lime chicken skewers
Farmer Brown’s Little Skillet: Fried Chicken, mac and cheese, slaw, bourbon pecan pie
Full of Life Flatbread: Mushroom, caramelized onion flatbread
Kara’s Cupcakes: Buttercream. ‘Nuff said.
Maverick: Pulled pork sandwich
Namu: Korean short rib taco on nor
Nombe: Fried rice balls
Pica Pica: Arepas
Sataysfied: Mi Tek Tek Fried Indonesian Noodles
Southern Sandwich Co: Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich
Three Twins: Organic Ice Cream
Frickle Brothers: Fried Green Tomatoes
4505 Meats: Chicharrones!
Ask me the music lineup at this weekend’s Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, and you’ll get a mostly blank stare. Uh, I think Arcade Fire is playing?
But ask me which food vendors will be filling my belly the next 48 hours and I’ve got both a laundry list of menu items and a map to which vendors I’m most excited about.
Following a trend of bringing great local food trucks, chefs and eateries to large music and entertainment festivals, Outside Lands hosts a lineup of 52 vendors including The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, Brass Knuckle, Full Belly Farms, Memphis Minnies, Namu, Nombe, Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, Sabores Del Sur, Senor Sisig, Tacolicious, Three Twins Ice Cream, 4505 Meats and Woodhouse Fish Co.
If the names don’t mean a lot to you, consider the dishes: Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwiches, Shrimp Po’Boys, seasonal melon; Korean tacos; fried rice balls, Hawaiian Poke, lumpier, schwarma snow cones(?), cupcakes; gourmet funnel cakes; fried plantain, filet mignon sliders, chicharrones, salumi and bacon-studded hot dogs.
There’s also a 2011 Wine Lands area featuring many SoCo and Napa wineries including Ridge, Gloria Ferrer, Hess Collection, Navarro (Mendocino), Peay, Hrsh, Lioco, Wind Gap, Long Meadow Ranch, Medlock Ames, Natural Process Alliance and Claypool — some of my absolute fave winemakers.
It’s an embarrassment of food and drink riches to be mined repeatedly. Num num. And I’m sure the music will be a delightful backdrop to my ongoing mantra of eat, drink, repeat.
Outside Lands, August 12-14, 2011 in Golden Gate Park.
Grocery store sushi doesn’t usually blow my skirt up, but when Takeshi Uchida’s behind the tobiko, well, that’s a different story entirely.
The former Go Fish and current Hana Japaneseitamae will be serving up his own freshly-made sushi from 11:30am to 2pm Monday through Friday at Fresh by Lisa Hemenway (5755 Mountain Hawk Way, Santa Rosa, 595-1048), an upscale gourmet market that features both prepared and fresh foods, a casual cafe and coffee shop.
Takeshi-san will be moonlighting behind the counter during lunch for eat-in orders and will prepare pre-mad takeout sushi for the late afternoon and evening crowd. With more than 20 years in the biz, Uchida’s skills are as sharp as his knives, putting him (at least in my book) in a similar league with the venerableSam Ogura of Yao-Kiku; Ken Tominaga of Hana Japanese and Hiro Yamamoto of Hiro’s in Petaluma.
Cindy Pawlcyn’s fish-centric Go Fish recently changed format, dropping sushi from the menu and reopening in late Augustas a Mediterranean bistro called Brassica. Pawlcyn’s reasoning: “It was important for me to transition from a purely seafood-centric menu as an advocate for (the aquarium’s) Seafood Watch program, supporting sustainably sourced seafood,” she said.
Uchida, you may remember, was an early BiteClub find years ago when he was doing a pop-up sushi stand each week out of the Oddfellow’s Hall in Santa Rosa. We’ve missed our daily lunch visits, so Uchida’s take-out is a welcome return to memories of his Secret Sushi past.
Lots of folks have been peeping into the former Arts Council space on Mendocino Avenue wondering what exactly will be going into its place. Mystery solved: Sift Cupcake and Dessert Bar will be expanding.
Owner Andrea Ballus tells BiteClub they’ll be renting out the event space as a private party venue for “adult cocktail parties” birthdays, company holiday parties, wedding receptions and decorating classes. The expanded venue will hold up to 70 people — considerably larger than their current 404-A location.
Now, since you’re now thinking about cupcakes and other goodies, may I mention as well that Sift is now offering three flavors of ice cream sandwiches for the summer. The frozen treats mash up cookies and Three Twins ice cream (from Petaluma) as Ooh La La – red velvet cookies, madagascar vanilla ice cream; All for the Cookie – chocolate cookie, cookies n cream ice cream; and Pink Limonatta – raspberry cookie, lemon cookie ice cream. Sift has also created two more frozen treats: Cake Shakes, a drinkable blend of cake, milk and ice, as well as and fudgsicle and orange creamsicle push up pops.
Devilishly decadent.
Sift Cupcake and Dessert Bar, 404-A Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa, 240-4004; Cotati @ 7582 Commerce Blvd, Cotai, 792-1681; Napa and the new Mobile Cupcake truck.
Word has just come in that Coddingtown Mall will be adding a BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse near the mall’s renovated North Entrance. The restaurant is slated to open in 2012 when renovations on the 49-year-old Santa Rosa mall are complete.
According to representatives of Coddingtown, “The new BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, planned for the North exterior side of the mall near the main entrance, will be approximately 9,500 square feet. It will have a capacity for approximately 280 guests, and will feature BJ’s extensive menu including BJ’s signature deep-dish pizza, award-winning handcrafted beer and famous Pizookie(R) dessert. BJ’s highly detailed, contemporary decor and unique video statement, including BJ’s 103″ plasma display as well as several high-definition flat panel televisions, will create a high energy, fun and family-friendly dining environment for everyone to enjoy.”
A sketch of the new restaurant space shows it located east of the new north entrance, which faces Guerneville Road. Coddingtown publicist Julia Rachlin said no current tenants are vacating to make room for the restaurant. “As far as BJ’s, the restaurant will mostly be new build and then the mall is shifting some space inside to accommodate part of the restaurant, but no current tenants will be leaving, including Sweet River Grill.”
Ernesto Olivares, the mayor of Santa Rosa said, “This is great news for Santa Rosa and the Coddingtown area. It not only stresses our commitment to redevelopment investment in public infrastructure to expedite the re-tenanting of vacant space, it also reinforces that our community remains a desired destination for key restaurant and retail uses.”
“We are very excited about BJ’s Restaurant and what it means for Coddingtown Mall,” said John Phipps, senior vice president of development at Simon. “The mall’s agreement with the City will facilitate utility upgrades that are necessary to support both a signature restaurant like BJs and other key tenants interested in Coddingtown Mall. We greatly appreciate the City’s support of our efforts to attract new business to the Santa Rosa community.”
“The opening of a quality restaurant like BJ’s is important in many ways for Sonoma County, including the creation of approximately 200 jobs during construction and then another 220 positions when the restaurant opens. As the tenant mix at Coddingtown continues to strengthen, we are thrilled to see new interest from other high quality retail and restaurants for the mall,” said Lois Codding of Codding Enterprises.
In April, Simon Property Group and Codding Enterprises announced the planned renovation of the 841,000 square foot regional mall, anchored by JCPenney and Macy’s.
Adding to the downtown Santa Rosa food and lounge scene, Space XXV is slated to open Friday, offering up a modern chill space with chef-driven local plates, live entertainment, art and a bustling cafe scene. Long awaited in Courthouse Square, owner Kendrick Rustad and Chef John Lyle have been working on the lounge since early May and hosted friends and family parties throughout last week. 25 Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa.
It’s been a bittersweet year for Nancy Prebilich and the Gleason Ranch family. Beloved by discerning local chefs for her pasture-raised chickens, lamb and pork, the West County rancher was featured in both Food & Wine magazine (where her lamb made the cover) and on “Meat in America” on The History Channel this spring.
But behind the scenes, Prebilich has struggled to keep her family business alive after the recent death of her parents, losing her space at the Santa Rosa Farmer’s Market, the weather-related devastation of her chicken flock and the closure of Fulton Valley Farms, a custom meat processing plant that catered to small-scale ranchers in the North Bay. She now has to drive more than three hours to the nearest USDA plant.
“My sister and I are just strung out. We’re having to make up for lost hands combined with a serious financial impact. We just haven’t been able to get our chicken production back up,” she said. Though they do still have enough chickens to fulfill their CSA orders, their signature slow-growing heritage breed chickens are still in short supply and the ranch has been unable to wholesale to grocery stores and restaurants. “We’re plugging along and trying to get it back in the cases and on restaurant plates,” she said.
Despite the shortage, the local food community has rallied behind Prebilich. This spring, Stark Restaurants made a significant pre-payment to the ranch, committing to using the Gleason’s goats for their Monday night goat roasts at Monti’s Rotisserie as well as suckling pigs, rabbit, lamb and pork for catering events. “They’ve really helped me get through some tough times,” said Prebilich.
Most recently, Oliver’s Markets has made a financial commitment to the ranch by purchasing Gleason pork for their house-brand sausage. Hot Italian and Sweet Italian sausage is selling for $8.99/pound, a price that helps her continue to keep the ranch afloat and raise her Duroc pigs.
Though she still has a long road ahead, Prebilich is determined to continue her family’s nearly 100-year legacy in Sonoma County. “I tell people if you want my chicken tomorrow, please buy my pork today.”
Similar in concept to the popular Cochon 555, which features chefs competing for the best pig-based dish, Lamb Jam taps local chefs to show off their best lamb dish.
Competing this year were chefs from throughout the Bay area, including Jeff Mall of Zin in Healdsburg and Josh Silvers of Petite Syrah and Jackson’s; Jefferey Lunak of Morimoto Napa as well as chefs from SF’s Tacolicious, Fifth Floor and Wente Vineyards in Livermore.
Mali’s award-winning recipe was a Braised Lamb Shank with lemon-stewed cannelini beans, and a lavender-mint gremolata. He will compete in New York City in September with chefs from throughout the country.
Braised Lamb Shank, Lemon Stewed Cannellini Beans, Lavender-Mint Gremolata
Chef Adam Mali, Nick’s CoveIngredients
4 Shanks
1 Yellow Onion
2 Carrots
3 Ribs Celery
10 Cloves Garlic
1 Quart Zinfandel or Syrah
2 Quarts Veal Stock or Beef Broth
1/2 Cup Sherry Vinegar
1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Bunch Thyme
1 Sprig Rosemary
2-3 Bay Leaves
1 Bunch Mint
1 or 2 Sprigs Lavender
1 Cup Honey
Salt to TasteIn a dutch oven, brown the lamb shanks evenly. Remove the lamb, and discard most of the fat, and add a drizzle of olive oil; caramelize the carrots, onion, celery, then add the garlic. Add the wine, and reduce by 1/3, then add the stock. Put the lamb shanks back into the dutch oven, bring liquid to a simmer, cover and cook in a 350 degree oven for about 4 hours. The lamb should almost fall off the bone, but still hold its’ shape. Add salt little by little to the lamb and stock, and mix until the salt is to taste. Let sit, and remove the fat which will rise to the top. Cool, take the lamb shanks out of the liquid, and reduce the liquid by half. Reheat the lamb shanks in the stock.
For the Beans:
2 Quarts Cannellini Beans
1 Sprig Rosemary, minced
1 Small Bunch Thyme, minced
Juice and Zest of One Lemon
2-3 Cloves of Garlic, Finely Minced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Bay Leaves
Kosher Salt to Taste
Soak the beans in water the night before you are ready to cook them.To cook: Add the beans and the water they soaked in to a pot. Bring to a simmer, and test the beans every 20 minutes or so. When the beans are soft, but are not falling apart, they are ready. Take off heat. Add salt to taste (little by little to bring up the salt level, but don’t over salt), microplane or grate lemon zest into beans, then squeeze lemon juice. Sauté garlic, but do not brown. Add a little white wine to stop browning, and reduce a little bit. Add whole mixture to beans and stir. Add herbs last. Let sit for an hour. To reheat, add beans and liquid to a pan, with a little really good olive oil, and a little butter on a medium heat. Cook until liquid thickens.
For the Gremolata:
1 Bunch Parsley, finely minced, put on a kitchen towel and slightly dried
1 Bunch Mint, finely minced
1 Bunch Lavender, finely minced
Zest of Two Lemons – zested, put into boiling water for 30 seconds, dried on a towel, and minced
3 Cloves of Garlic, put into boiling water for 30 seconds, dried, and finely minced
When the above ingredients are allowed to dry for about 30 minutes, mix together. Sprinkle on lamb shank, which is sitting on the cannellini beans.
Excuse Sebastapolians if they aren’t all that impressed with the latest farm-to-table philosophies and precious produce gracing the tables of local restaurants. Located at the crossroads of some of the richest Sonoma County farmland, a stone’s throw from acres of fruit orchards and minutes away from the riches of the coast, Sebastopol has come to expect the first pick of the local bounty at their tables.
As a trickle of greens and fruits turns into a torrent of perfectly ripened produce, it’s worth taking a look at the bustle of new restaurants and locally-focused menus from the apple capital.
Zero Kilometro at Peter Lowell’s
Locals have been flocking to this weekly three-course dinner made with ingredients sourced from within a few miles of the restaurant. Consider this the ultimate in “eating locally”. Many of the ingredients come from the restaurant’s own farm (Belly Acres), from trusted neighbors who drop choice fruits and veggies from their own farms and meat from nearby ranches. It’s easy to forget — assuming you ever knew — what food straight from the garden can taste like, especially as the bounty of summer kicks into full swing. It’s transcendent. Expect to find dishes like a polenta cake made with corn from the Summerfield Waldorf school, Beekind Honey and Sebastopol Berries; Laguna Farms lettuces; Stuffed Squash with Mycopia Mushrooms, Rainbow’s End goat milk panna cotta or local Bodega Bay Wild King Salmon. But don’t get your heart set on any one dish, because chef Daniel Kedan often shoots from the hip based on what comes into his kitchen that day. What makes these dinners even better are wine pairings from nearby wineries including Radio-Coteau, Wine gap, Porter Creek, and Dehlinger. $35 for dinner, add $25 for wine pairing with each course. Wednesday nights only. 7385 Healdsburg Avenue, Sebastopol, 707-829-1077.
Hole in the Wall
After stints at the French Garden and Village Bakery, Chef Adam Beers recently opened his own cafe near the Firecrest Market. Early reports rave over crepes, shortrib hash and biscuits and gravy. 972 Gravenstein Hwy S, Sebastopol.
Gypsy Cafe: Taking over the Pine Cone Cafe location in downtown Sebastopol, Chef John LIttlewood is promising “comfort food with a twist.” The former Westerbeke Ranch chef is promising dishes like a candied bacon BLT, jalapeno cornbread, fried chicken and burgers, along with “the best coffee in town”. Already the food sounds better than the odd fusion of Indian, tempeh and turkey dishes that never quite gelled in the spot before. Westerbeke is teaming with local restaurant designer Shawn Hall, so expect a revamp on the interior before a late summer opening. 162 North Main Street, Sebastopol, 823-3102.
P/30 takeover: After about six months of darkness the former P30 roadhouse cafe on Bodega Highway seems to be sparking to life again. Cafe Claudio — rumored to be an Italian-style trattoria — is slated to open in the coming months.
The Barlow: Boasting a roster of top-notch restaurants before ground has even been broken, the forthcoming Barlow center is set to be a local foodie’s paradise. If you’ve missed out on the saga, the former Barlow Apple Factory is set to be transformed in the coming year to a mixed-use space that will include both retail and food-processing venues, wine and beer production, as well as a new home for the Sebastopol farmer’s market. Signed on currently: Kosta Browne Winery, Village Bakery, Taylor Maid Farms coffee, Guayki Yerba Mate, Wind Gap Wines, Acre Coffee, Mama Tina’s Ravioli, Woodfour Brewing and bistro; Via Giusti olive oil, Bliss gluten-free bakery, Rosso Pizzeria and Whole Spice.
Pasta Bella: We’re Still Here
News that natural foods business Amy’s Kitchen was taking over this Holli Jordan’s Gravenstein Highway restaurant may have been a bit premature. According to Jordan, it’s true that Amy’s made a great offer for the space. However, the deal fell through after the city declined Amy’s request to use the drive-through portion of the building for a”healthy fast food” restaurant. “The powers that be have spoken and we are staying put,” said Jordan. The restaurant has long been a popular gathering spot for salads, pasta and lunchtime sandwiches. “We had a very emotional response when people thought we were closing, but we want people to know we’re continuing on,” said Jordan. 796 Gravenstein Ave., Sebastopol, 824-8191.
Brined chicken at Peter Lowell’s
Smokehouse catering: Smoked tofu?
If Larry Vito isn’t the most dedicated pit-master in Sonoma County, I’d be hard-pressed to tell you who is. The classically-trained chef has turned all of his attentions toward the art of the ‘cue, using real hardwood, specialty smokers and creating his own authentic sauces from barbecue regions around the country. “And then it happened. On a paper plate. In a strip mall, somewhere in East Texas. I knew I’d found my calling,” Vito says on his website. What makes Vito unique, however, is his ever-expanding menu. In addition to Carolina pulled pork sliders, Memphis BBQ, barbecued tri-tip, Texas Beef Brisket, southern barbecued chicken, collard greens and cowboy beans, Vito now offers smoked tofu and a barbecued portobello mushroom for the less carnivorous among us. Don’t miss his brandied bread pudding and monthly Smokin’ Saturday where Vito roastings everything from a whole hog to goat. 6811 Laguna Parkway, Sebastopol, 575-3277.
Totally Truckin’ Thursdays at O’Reilly
Every Thursday from 11:30am to 2pm, a rotating convoy of food trucks pulls up to the O’Reilly parking lot at 1005 Gravenstein Hwy North (O’Reilly headquarters). Headed up by Fork’s Sarah Piccolo, the lineup may include Street eat, Karma Bistro, Dogs from Chicago, Ultra Crepes and a host of others. You never know what you’ll find, which is part of the fun — along with rubbing elbows with the brain trust at O’Reilly.
Still Hungry? There are plenty more terrific eats throughout Sebastopol. Here are a few of my favorites… French Garden: The restaurant has finally hit its stride with the addition of Chef Patrick Quillec. Classical French dishes incorporate incredible produce from the restaurant’s own garden, and bistro lunches are on the sunny patio are one of the county’s most under-rated gems. 8050 Bodega Ave, Sebastopol, 824-2030.
Sushi Tosaki: Sebastopol hosts a number of sushi spots, but for my money, Tosaki is one of the best not only in West County, but in all of Sonoma County. 799 Gravenstein Hwy S, Sebastopol, 829-0892.
El Colonel: Solid Mexican eats with a trained chef in the kitchen. 1015 Gravenstein Ave., Sebastopol, 829-7010.
K&L Bistro: This longtime French bistro has had staying power for a reason. Classic bistro fare, great burgers and a welcoming staff. 119 South Main St., Sebastopol, 823-6614.
Pizza Vino 707: Classic woodfired pizzas and a full bar in downtown make this a popular watering hole that’s welcoming to families as well. 6948 Sebastopol Ave., 829-9500.
Woodruff’s Artisan Fine Foods & Cafe: Breakfast, lunch and brunch from a trio of chefs make this quiet little market cafe well-deserving of a stop. Part take-out, part restaurant, the french toast souffle, steak au poivre and daily specials are a impressive. 966 Gravenstein Hwy S., Sebastopol, (707) 829-2141
Say goodbye: If you’re looking for Thai Issan, the space has recently be razed.
On the menu is a whole leaf Caesar (using the original recipe from Caesar Cardin, $8.95); a seasonal roasted beet salad that turns root vegetables into jewels of sweet candy ($8.95); roast beef sandwich with black truffle aioli; ($8.95) a reuben with local kraut and Russian dressing ($10.50); Umami Grilled cheese with St. Georges cheese, bacon, tomatoes and mushrooms ($8) and, wait for it…a BLT on soft white bread with a snap of crispy chicken skin. If you get it, you get it. If you don’t, well, just move along.
