It’s the summer of berries: Black raspberries, purple raspberries and the dearest ones of all, golden raspberries, sunshine yellow with a just hint of blush.
Golden raspberries are delicate with a bit more sweetness than their more familiar red cousins. They have the shortest season, too; when late summer and early fall temperatures soar, golden raspberries quickly fade away.
Find them at farmers markets and produce stands, including Petaluma’s Stony Point Strawberry Farm. You’ll want to either buy way more than you think you’ll need, or hide them in the trunk so they don’t get devoured on the drive home — they’re that irresistible.
A simple pureed raspberry sauce is perfect when drizzled over ice cream, and the whole berries are delicious in tarts and salads. Golden raspberries are wonderful in summer drinks, too, from classic lemonade and iced tea to mocktails and cocktails.
Get up close and personal with Sonoma County’s bounty at seasonal and year-round markets from Healdsburg to Occidental. Shown here are an assortment of raspberries, including sweet golden ones, from the Sebastopol Berry Farm. (BETH SCHLANKER/ The Press Democrat)
Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade
Makes 6 to 8 servings
2 cups fresh golden raspberries, pressed through a strainer or sieve
2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 sprigs of basil
¼ cup simple syrup, plus more to taste, see note
4 cups sparkling water, chilled
Ice cubes
Whole golden raspberries, for garnish
Press the raspberries through a strainer or sieve set over a glass bowl. Discard any remaining seeds or solids. To the processed berries, add fresh lemon juice and basil and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and as long as overnight.
Discard the basil sprigs. Add the simple syrup to the berry-lemon mixture. Stir well, taste, and add more to taste. Stir in the sparkling water.
Fill glasses with ice cubes, pour in the lemonade, top with 3-4 whole raspberries, and enjoy right away.
Note: To make simple syrup, put 4 cups of granulated sugar into a heavy saucepan, add 2 cups of water, and set over high heat. Do not stir. When the mixture just starts to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the syrup is transparent. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to cool. Pour cooled syrup into a clean glass jar, and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 months.
There was a time when escaping to the great outdoors almost guaranteed sleeping on the ground. Then came glamping and getaway possibilities for outdoor enthusiasts who value a good night’s sleep.
“We started Wildhaven to make it easier for people to spend more time in nature, to disconnect from our normal stressful lives,” said Wildhaven Sonoma co-owner Ken Barber.
When Wildhaven Sonoma opened in summer of 2020 — in the midst of the pandemic — the Healdsburg “glampground” checked a long list of boxes for travelers in search of affordable ways to vacation close to home.
Stairs lead down to the Russian River at Wildhaven Sonoma in Healdsburg. (Wildhaven Sonoma)
With the Russian River just steps away, and Wildhaven’s quick and easy access to Healdsburg’s buzzy wineries, tasting rooms and restaurants, the concept took off. Platform tents with windows and high ceilings, beds, chairs, electric outlets and USB ports made camping easy and enjoyable.
Over the past few seasons, the 10-acre riverfront property has grown to include 30 tents, four cabins, an outdoor kitchen and a store stocked with wine, beer, picnic items, ice cream and more. When the company decided to expand operations, the area surrounding Yosemite National Park was an obvious choice.
“The valley and surrounding areas have a severe shortage of campsites. Campgrounds book up six months in advance, and there are still very few glamping options, preventing many people from being able to visit,” Barber said. “It was a perfect location for glamping.”
This spring, Wildhaven Yosemite welcomed its first guests. The 36-acre property, located a mile from the gateway town of Mariposa, features 30 platform tents and a dozen cabins. The tents are similar to those at the Healdsburg location, however, at the Yosemite location some are built into a forested hillside, resulting in better views and a more tree-house feel.
All 12 cabins at Wildhaven Yosemite feature well-stocked kitchenettes. (Dana Rebmann)
The cabins received the biggest upgrade, and feedback from Wildhaven’s Healdsburg guests helped drive the changes. Available in both studio and one-bedroom models, the new tiny home accommodations feature electricity, heat and AC, making them comfortable year-round. They also boast well-stocked kitchenettes, bathrooms and large picture windows that frame panoramic views of the surrounding rolling hillsides. Each of the cabins has an outdoor sitting area with a fire pit, picnic table and hammock.
Just under an hour’s drive from the Arch Rock Entrance to Yosemite National Park, Wildhaven Yosemite is less than 10 miles from another well-known name in Sonoma County’s glamping scene, AutoCamp. The brand’s flagship shiny Airstream-studded property opened in Guerneville in 2016; AutoCamp Yosemite followed in 2019. Other locations now include Cape Cod, Joshua Tree, Catskills and Zion, with additional properties in the works, including one near Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
As for Wildhaven, lessons quickly learned in Yosemite will soon make sleeping under the stars in Healdsburg even more luxe. Similar tiny homes are in the works for Wine Country, and new communal areas with fire pits will be added along the Russian River. And with the company actively searching for a third location in another popular west coast locale, there may soon be even more dreamy options to consider when planning a getaway in the great outdoors.
Starting rates for glamping tents is $99; cabin rates begin at $199.
La Gare French Restaurant at Historic Railroad Square in Santa Rosa. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat)
“Check, Please! Bay Area,” KQED’s Emmy and James Beard award-winning restaurant review program, will feature Santa Rosa’s upscale French restaurant La Gare in an upcoming episode of its 19th season.
The episode — one in a series of four, each of which will explore three locals’ favorite restaurants in the Bay Area with host Leslie Sbrocco — will air at 7:30 p.m. July 24 on KQED 9.
The program’s announcement of the late July episodes described La Gare as “A romantic hideaway that stays true to its Swiss-French roots, serving decadent European fare since 1979.”
Swiss-born Marco Praplan, a former San Francisco chef, and his wife Gladys invested their life savings into building a new restaurant in Santa Rosa’s Historic Railroad Square District in the late 1970s. La Gare, or “the station” in French, opened in July of 1979.
Chef Roger Praplan fires a to-go order just before pick up at the La Gare French Restaurant in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Today, their children Jackie and chef Roger Praplan, who’s also an instructor in Santa Rosa Junior College’s Culinary Arts Department, co-own the restaurant, continuing the family tradition of serving classic French and European cuisine.
Roger said he was honored to have the popular KQED show feature La Gare, though he regarded it as “just a regular day.”
“We treat everybody the same,” he said. “It’s what our customers expect.”
Roger said his favorite part of the experience — which entailed cooking frog legs, beef Wellington and rack of lamb as the TV crew filmed from 1-8 p.m. — was the nostalgia he shared with his sister Jackie as they recalled serving now four generations of customers, many of whom they know by name.
“La Gare has been our family’s passion and joy for 45 years and counting. And it’s this genuine love that we share with our community that truly makes the La Gare experience genuinely unique in such a wonderful way,” Jackie said.
She noted that restaurant staff form connections with guests through personable service and keeping old traditions alive, such as fruit flambés, steaks carved for two and Caesar salads prepared table-side.
Beef Wellington with carrots and green beans at La Gare restaurant in Santa Rosa. (Chris Hardy/The Press Democrat)
La Gare is among Sonoma County’s oldest continually operating restaurants, Roger noted, adding that the “traditional, Old World restaurant” is one of the last places around to include soup and salad with every meal.
The restaurant fed evacuees during the county’s wildfires, bridging Roger’s respect for his customers with his enjoyment of giving back to the community. He said the restaurant also forms that local connection through sourcing wines from small, family-owned businesses.
Roger was awarded “Best Chef” in Sonoma County by The Press Democrat readers in 2022 and 2023, and the restaurant was voted as the “Best Dining Experience” by readers in 2023.
The July 24 episode featuring La Gare will also include Berkeley breakfast go-to Eggy’s Neighborhood Kitchen and San Francisco Laotian spot Lao Table.
La Gare is open from 5-9 p.m. daily. Al fresco dining is available and the restaurant is dog-friendly. Takeout and curbside service is also available. Make reservations through OpenTable or by calling the restaurant.
Chef Willer Larreal prepares a topping for his escolar sushi at Sushi by Scratch in Healdsburg, Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. (Christopher Chung / The Press Democrat)
Watching pristine slices of raw Japanese sushi-grade fish sizzling under a high-powered brûlée torch at Sushi by Scratch in Healdsburg is either squeal-producing entertainment or an oceanic horror show.
I’m somewhere between the two camps, amused and aghast at the same time as three inches of concentrated blue flame scorch tiny blisters onto wild-caught escolar.
An A-list celebrity favorite, Sushi By Scratch is a growing empire of 10-seat sushi speakeasies offering a carefully choreographed meal that’s both interactive theater and 13-course omakase. An outpost of the Los Angeles-based restaurant chain opened a permanent space inside The Matheson restaurant last January to effusive reviews. But is it all it’s cracked up to be?
Chef Willer Larreal prepares a topping for his escolar sushi at Sushi by Scratch in Healdsburg, Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. (Christopher Chung / The Press Democrat)
At $185 per person, it’s an investment, not an everyday adventure. The two-hour pageant of luxurious imported fish and overwrought ingredients — not to mention the kitchen torch — plays out one piece of nigiri at a time. Rice is shaped by hand, topped with thin slices of raw fish and often cringe-inducing additions like corn pudding, serrano chile or chimichurri, and ceremoniously handed to each guest sitting around a U-shaped bar.
It’s cool, for sure, sitting in a darkened room with just a handful of other guests eating bespoke bites adorned with freshly grated wasabi, dashi reductions and pickled tidbits to cleanse the palate. Petite brushes paint delicate lines of aged soy sauce or yuzu while tiny pots of salt stand ready for careful sprinkling.
I have no qualms about the Hokkaido scallops — sweet, tender and only mildly tarted up with a bit of uni and trendy salts. The uni, imported from Japan, was like butter.
But I can’t help but wonder, why all the food theatrics? Why not just let expensive imported fish like akamutsu (a deep-sea, cold-water fish) or akami shine like the jewels they are? Why is a cut of A5 Japanese Wagyu torched onto sushi rice? And, while I love bone marrow, is it really nigiri?
The frequent torch moments left me cold. Go ahead and reduce cheap, gassed-up grocery store salmon cinders if you must, but what did that poor wild-caught escolar ever do to you, chef?
Chef Willer Larreal uses a torch while preparing escolar at Sushi by Scratch in Healdsburg, Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. (Christopher Chung / The Press Democrat)
Sushi by Scratch is both fun and delicious for a certain audience (my compatriots loved it) and the staff are charming. But in Sonoma County, ingredients like flavored salts, yuzu, aged soy sauce and fresh wasabi aren’t jaw-dropping to any regular fine diner. Good and even great sushi is readily available here.
Omakase means the “chef’s choice” of what’s the best, freshest fish at the moment — but Sushi By Scratch offers a fairly standardized menu that doesn’t seem to have much variation by day, week or season.
Maybe I’m a snob, since any sort of nigiri or roll with ingredients like fried onions, mango sauce or mayonnaise screams “cheap, gassed fish” louder than a tantrum-throwing toddler. Don’t even get me started on why spicy tuna rolls should be avoided at all costs.
In the end, I’d still return to Sushi By Scratch, with more managed expectations of a cooking show rather than Japanese omakase, but I’ll probably hit up some other local favorites first.
Reservations are required with a $25 per person deposit and an automatic 20% service charge for seatings at 4 p.m., 6:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
Yellow outdoor seating at Molti Amici in Healdsburg. (Adahlia Cole and Colin Peck)
Just weeks before the announcement of California’s 2024 Michelin star awardees, Healdsburg’s Molti Amici restaurant has been named among 13 culinary gems throughout the state considered “too good to keep secret” by the renowned restaurant guide.
Though the recognition will not necessarily translate into a coveted star or Bib Gourmand award (for value-priced restaurants) at the Aug. 5 ceremony in Half Moon Bay, it’s a nice feather in the cap. Molti Amici will now be included in the “recommended” section of the 2024 Guide.
“The Molti team couldn’t be more excited and honored to receive this recognition. (We) are very thankful for everyone who has been a part of this special journey, past and future staff, guests and our community. We’re looking forward to a bright 2025,” said owner Jonny Barr.
Also included in the recent list of notables were restaurants in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Oakland (Burdell) and San Francisco (Azalina’s, Hed 11, Tiya). Ten other restaurants — primarily in Southern California — were added to the guide in March and five in May. This is the first nod to the North Bay this year.
A wood-fired pizza at Molti Amici in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin)
“Wine Country certainly has no shortage of this sort of casual Italian eatery, with a menu featuring the expected wood-fired pizzas and housemade pasta — but few of them manage to hit their mark quite so dead on as they do here,” said Michelin Inspectors in a news release Wednesday.
“They may not be reinventing the wheel, but those pizzas are ideally blistered and feature simple but compelling toppings like squash blossom with fontina and balsamic, and the pasta, like a satisfying take on bucatini amatriciana topped with crunchy breadcrumbs, offers an ideally al dente chew,” the press release continued. “On one of Healdsburg’s not-infrequent balmy days, the enclosed patio, complete with bocce court, is indeed an excellent spot to gather with ‘many friends,’ as suggested by the name.”
Molti Amici opened in the former Campo Fina space last July with former SingleThread employees Jonny Barr and chefs Sean McGaughey and Melissa Yanc at the helm. McGaughey and Yanc, who are married, own Healdsburg’s Quail & Condor Bakery, Troubadour and Le Diner, a prix-fixe dinner hosted at Troubadour.
The restaurant was named among sonomamag.com’s “Best of 2023 Openings” for its stellar lineup of woodfired pizzas, fresh pasta and craft cocktails.
An Italian style family villa on 35 acres in west Petaluma is currently listed for $12,500,000. The four-bedroom, five-and-a-half bathroom estate is named Terra Rosa in honor of the late owners, Terry and Rose Collins who built the Papa Murphy’s take and back pizza chain. (Peter Lyons)
Papa Murphy’s founders, Terrence and Rose Collins, built a business in the 1990s that made take-and-bake, restaurant-quality pizzas accessible to millions via the company’s compact takeout stores.
The couple topped off their accomplishments by building an Italian-style villa crowning a hilltop on 35 acres in west Petaluma. The four-bedroom, five-and-a-half bathroom estate — named Terra Rosa in honor of the late owners — is on the market for $12,500,000.
The grounds include bridges, water features and an olive grove. A variety of shrubs and plants dot the terrace.
The 11,000-square-foot dwelling has stately stone walls and arched doorways. Limestone floors throughout were harvested from a French monastery.
In line with their foodie inclinations, the Collinses included a chef’s kitchen with a large island, an outdoor dining room and a temperature-controlled wine cellar.
The grounds include bridges, water features and an olive grove. (Peter Lyons)
Entertainment amenities include a pool, bocce ball court, billiard room and movie theater. Add to the dream home checklist private access to the fifth hole at the Petaluma Golf and Country Club, which borders the estate.
The primary suite has a gym, copper soaking tub, a spa-like bathroom and a seating area.
According to the estate’s co-listing agent, Nicole Marzo, the home housed friends and four generations of family in summer and on holidays. The property’s one-bedroom, one-bathroom casita no doubt helped accommodate their guests.
The property includes five parcels, two of which are zoned for development. The remaining two are protected open space.
Co-listing agent Abe Matar says that “attempting to replicate such a marvel…would prove futile, given the scarcity of land of comparable size and in such a prime location.”
For more information about 11 Mount Rose Lane in Petaluma, contact listing agents Nicole Marzo, 707-217-1386, Compass Real Estate, and Abe Matar, 650-670-0890, Avenue 8 Inc., villaterrarosa.com
A four-bedroom, six-bathroom estate on 268-acres of the revered Chalk Hill viticultural region is currently listed for $6,495,000. (Nic Meerholz / SeaTimber Media)
A four-bedroom, six-bathroom estate on 268 acres of the revered Chalk Hill viticultural region in Healdsburg is currently listed for $6,495,000.
The property is fertile ground for someone wanting to lean into Wine Country living. There’s a 13-acre vineyard and a horse barn with a caretaker’s apartment and office. Adjacent to the garage are guest quarters and a worker space — perfect for winemaking, woodworking or exercising. For cooling off, there’s a pool and pool house.
The lot is made up of two parcels, opening up the potential to develop the area further. The current home’s parcel is zoned for renting.
The light-drenched, open-concept interior warmed by honey-hued beams and wood floors throughout. (Nic Meerholz / SeaTimber Media)
The home is a 1995 build, with a light-drenched, open-concept interior, warmed by honey-hued wood floors throughout and beams lining the great room’s cathedral ceilings. Plentiful windows offer views of the Mayacamas mountains.
There are many spots to gather, such as the circular seating of the turreted living room or by one of the home’s three wood-burning fireplaces. There’s also an outdoor firepit, spa and a rounded nook of the pool, which seem to say, grab a glass and gather.
The Potato Chip Extravaganza at Silver Trident Winery in Yountville features five wines paired with five different artisanal potato chips. (Silver Trident Winery)
The wait is finally over. Summer is here and with it, a good reminder of why Wine Country is a top getaway spot.
Warm, sunny days make it oh, so easy to spend more time outside. From lingering on winery patios, to watching movies under the stars, there’s a plethora of fun reasons to add Napa Valley to this summer’s must-do list. If it’s been a bit since you visited the county, here are a few of our favorite new spots to sip, eat, and call it a night.
Summer Sips
Back and Better Than Ever
After more than six years of planning and construction, the new Signorello Estate winery is open for daily tastings. Destroyed by the 2017 Atlas Fire, the new state-of-the-art winery is virtually fireproof, built into a hillside and is constructed of steel, concrete and glass. Solar-powered, it now operates entirely off-the-grid. Open daily by appointment. 4500 Silverado Trail, Napa, 707-255-5990, signorelloestate.com
Silver Trident Winery is settling in to its new location on Washington Street in Yountville. (Silver Trident Winery)
Just Down the Block
Small production winery Silver Trident is settling in to its new digs on Washington Street in Yountville. The new location is just a short walk from the original, next to the Yountville Visitors Center and across the street from another recent newcomer, Thomas Keller’s RO Restaurant and Lounge.
Guests can choose from a traditional, sit-down wine tasting experience, or crunch their way through a flight of five wines paired with potato chips in Silver Trident’s Potato Chip Extravaganza tasting. The tasting room also carries a wide range of Ralph Lauren products, olive oil, coffee, tabletop goods, artwork and more. Open Thursday through Monday; reservations required. 6484 Washington St., Yountville, 707-945-0311, silvertridentwinery.com
Casual, Walk-In Wine Tasting
Wine label Adaptation now has a dedicated space to call its own at Odette Estate Winery in Napa. Part of the PlumpJack Collection of Wineries, the new tasting space is geared toward folks searching for a casual wine tasting experience.
The Adaptation Experience features four wines, including two vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Odette Reserve Chardonnay. Each wine is paired with a different flavored potato chip.
Cost is $60; bottle service is also available. 5998 Silverado Trail, Napa, 707-690-1213, odetteestate.com
New Look
The historic stone barrel room at St. Helena’s Ehlers Estate is fresh off a redesign. Dating back to 1886, the updated tasting room interiors showcase the building’s rich Napa Valley history. 3222 Ehlers Lane, St. Helena, 707-963-5972, ehlersestate.com
Owner Robert Jones shaking things up behind the bar at Robert’s Tropical Table in Calistoga. (Robert’s Tropical Table)
Fresh Eats & Drinks
Grand Opening
If you needed another excuse to head to Calistoga, Robert’s Tropical Table is it. The outdoor space, located next to the Mount View Hotel on Lincoln Avenue, features tropical-inspired specialty cocktails and bites, including jerk chicken and a jerk pork belly slider. Raised in Jamaica, owner Robert Jones, has been a mixologist in Napa Valley for more than seven years with stints behind the bar at nearby Solage, and most recently Brasswood Bar & Kitchen in St. Helena. 1457 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, robertstropicaltable.com
Mother Nature’s Flavor
You’ll happily eat your veggies at the Grange Harvest Dinner Series at Stanly Ranch, an Auberge Resorts Collection hotel in Napa. Celebrating local ingredients and the farmers that grow them, dinners are held at the property’s onsite chef’s garden, The Grange. July’s theme is tomatoes. Yum! 200 Stanly Crossroad, Napa, 707-699-6200, aubergeresorts.com
Now through mid-October, a pizza pop-up at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia will feature a number of award-winning pizza chefs, including chef Leah Scurto, owner of PizzaLeah in Windsor. She’ll be in Napa preparing her signature pizzas Aug. 2 – 3. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Endless Summer of Pies
Pizza pies, that is. Now through November, The Grove restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia is hosting a pizza pop-up.
Diners will be able to try a variety of pizzas from around the world, including Napoletana, Siciliana, Okonomiyaki, New York, Chicago (deep-dish), California Neapolitan and more. Featured pizza styles will change every two weeks and guest chefs will drop by through mid-October to make pizza on The Grove’s outdoor terrace. Chef Leah Scurto, owner of PizzaLeah in Windsor, will be on hand Aug. 2 – 3. 500 First St., Napa, 707-967-2500, ciaatcopia.com
Celebrating 25 Years
2024 marks a quarter of a century for Gott’s Roadside and the eatery is celebrating with monthly seasonal specials. July choices include a wild coho salmon sandwich, wild coho salmon Nicoise salad paired with grilled street corn, and watermelon wedges with feta and mint. There’s also a rotating selection of milkshakes, with blueberry on the menu for this month.
Since its founding, Gott’s has grown from one restaurant to eight locations throughout the Bay Area. Along with the original location in St. Helena, there’s a second Napa Valley location in Oxbow Public Market. 933 Main St., St. Helena, 707-963-3486; 644 First St., Napa, 707-224-6900, gotts.com
Hotel Happenings
Calling All Art Lovers
Local artists have a new venue to showcase their talent. Hosted by Napa’s River Terrace Inn, the monthly Art Along the River series will feature a diverse selection of work, including ceramics, jewelry, oil paintings and other handmade items. It’s free to attend; artists will have their work available for sale, and food and drink will be available for purchase.
The Art Along the River series will be held along the River Terrace Inn’s riverwalk from 1 to 7 p.m. on select Saturdays, July 13, Aug. 17, Sept. 7, Oct. 12 and Nov. 9. 1600 Soscol Ave., Napa, 707-927-2217, riverterraceinn.com
Moonlight Movies
The lush lawn at Carneros Resort and Spa is doing double-duty as an outdoor movie theater during the month of July. Onsite restaurant Farm will be offering seasonal small plates inspired by each featured movie. Moonlight Movies on the July calendar include Ratatouille (July 5), The Devil Wears Prada (July 12) and Wine Country (July 26). All movies start at sunset, between 8:30 to 8:45 p.m. Admission is complimentary; outside food, drinks and chairs are not allowed. 4048 Sonoma Highway, Napa, 866-860-2328, carnerosresort.com
The Double Trouble Clarified Margarita with El Mexicano tequila blanco, coconut washed rum, Cointreau, lime, watermelon juice, Coco Lopez and rosé-mint-watermelon water with a plate of oysters from Arandas Friday, June 28, 2024 in Healdsburg. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Update: Nieto is no longer at the restaurant and quality has declined
The smell of dried chiles toasting in his mother’s kitchen is one of chef Adrien Nieto’s favorite childhood memories. As she prepared her homemade salsa with spicy chile de arbol, he would wake with a coughing fit, a sure sign that breakfast was ready.
“Basically, the stuff was pepper spray,” he said.
It’s also one of the most nostalgic recipes on the opening menu of Healdsburg’s Arandas restaurant. Located at the former Chalkboard restaurant space inside Hotel Les Mars, the new Mexican-inspired eatery is part of entrepreneur Bill Foley’s business portfolio, which includes Healdsburg’s Goodnight’s Steakhouse and Chalk Hill Winery, The Farmhouse Inn and restaurant in Forestville, sports venues, the Vegas Golden Nights hockey team and hotels.
In a town already rich with Mexican cuisine, Nieto focuses instead on creating dishes that express the complexity of being American-born while straddling his Mexican family’s history, culture and identity.
“I grew up with this duality, which is a really interesting experience for lots of us who grew up Chicano,” said Nieto, describing an identity that also encompasses his food.
“We say, ‘It’s ni aqui ni alla,’ not from here or there. It’s the soul of our family and our experiences as Americans.”
Executive Chef Adrien Nieto from Arandas Friday, June 28, 2024 in Healdsburg. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)La Pera Perfecta, front, an alcohol-free cocktail with prickly pear, lemon juice, agave, kiwi and egg white. Rear, a Churro-tini with brown butter washed rum, borghetti, espresso, cinnamon simple sugar topped with Drambuie cinnamon whipped cream from Arandas Friday, June 28, 2024 in Healdsburg. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
From server to celebrity
In 2011, Nieto was the runner-up on “MasterChef,” besting 16 home cook contestants on the Gordon Ramsay reality show. At the time, he was a 28-year-old server and vowed to keep cooking despite the loss.
The near-win catapulted Nieto into culinary jobs in Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, with his most recent stint in Dallas with “MasterChef” alums Jennie Kelley and Ben Starr at a private, invitation-only dinner party called Frank.
A web of chef connections landed him a tryout for the Arandas job in May, followed by a whirlwind month that included hiring staff and creating an entirely new menu after wowing the Foley team. The former Chalkboard restaurant was remodeled into a cozy, modern cantina with dramatic lighting, leather Equipal chairs and low, vaulted ceilings that enhance the warmth of the space.
The Cerdo Tacos are served deconstructed with green chorizo, radish, chili, artichoke, white bean & guajillo salad from Arandas Friday, June 28, 2024 in Healdsburg. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
The menu
Just over a month after Nieto was hired, Arandas is a beautiful work in progress. The young kitchen staff are quickly jelling into a cohesive team. Nieto encourages them to contribute to the menu, meaning every dish has a backstory that only makes the experience of dining at the restaurant more charming.
Nieto’s sous chef, Felipe Hurtado, created one of the restaurant’s simplest dishes, Frijoles, $18. The preparation of heirloom Rancho Gordo beans cooked in dashi and piled onto local sourdough bread is an elevated version of a sick-day dish made by Hurtado’s mother. It’s incredibly comforting with a combination of mashed and whole beans topped with cheese.
“I want you to feel like you’re at my family’s house,” said Nieto, who expresses that sentiment on the menu.
“When you visit my family’s home, my relatives will ask you if you are hungry or thirsty, and if you shake your head ‘no,’ they will bring you a plate and tequila anyway. It’s that kind of soulful experience, of feeling you’re in our home, that I want to create here, at Arandas.”
Best bets
Guacamole Y Mas, $28: Fresh guacamole served with crispy chicharrones, pickled vegetables (escabeche) with mango and pineapple, and homemade tortilla chips made with Masienda heirloom corn masa. Served with Salsa de Alma, Nieto’s mother’s salsa made with tomatoes, tomatillo, onion, garlic and chile de arbol.
Ostiones, 3/$14, 6/$28: Nieto has a flair for presentation, and these oysters are a showstopper. Simple oysters get dolled up with tart, sunset-orange leche de tigre sauce with pops of turmeric, ginger and lemongrass.
Papas, $18: A can’t-miss dish. Nieto poaches baby potatoes in dashi broth and then roasts them to crispy perfection. Served with chili salt, avocado crema, chives, sesame seeds, furikake and topped with smoked trout roe.
Esquites, $18: A riff on the creamy corn street food, but, er, without corn (at least until corn season). It’s a flavor bomb of fresh vegetables from Chalk Hill Farm with huitlacoche emulsion, sumac tajin, guajillo-kimchee mayo and cheese. You can try to figure it all out or just enjoy the layers of sweet, savory, salty deliciousness.
Cerdo Tacos, $32: Nieto’s taco game is still evolving, but these green chorizo tacos with artichokes and white beans are the best of the bunch, a DIY affair with stunning blue corn tortillas.
Aztec Chocolate Terrine, $15: Leave ample room for Arandas’ desserts. A rum crème Anglaise is the base for a wedge of creamy chocolate flavored with cinnamon and smoked chiles. It’s inspired by spicy hot chocolate made by chef Felipe’s grandmother but takes it up a level with ground, spicy Takis and a cacao tuile.
Panna Cotta, $15: This button-cute dessert has layers of flavor, starting with a saffron horchata panna cotta topped with strawberries, almond granita and rose water crema.
Dillicioso Cocktail, $16: We were wary about this “savory” cocktail, but it’s a refreshing delight with gin, tomato-dill shrub, cucumber, celery bitters and coriander flakes. Trust us.
The menu also includes a large selection of tequila, mezcal and several Latin American wines.
Open daily for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m., happy hour at the front bar from 4 to 6 p.m. 29 North St., Healdsburg, 707-473-8030, arandashealdsburg.com.
The end of an era for Chicago’s Cock Robin burger chain signaled a new beginning for Barlow owner Barney Aldridge. Now, he’s bringing the childhood memories of burgers and shakes to Sebastopol with the help of chef Jared Rogers of Petaluma’s Easy Rider.
The fast-casual, value-oriented restaurant replaces Seismic Brewing at the 12-acre outdoor marketplace. Seismic moved into the Golden State Cider tasting room in 2022 after vacating the high-profile, 4,000-square-foot space at the corner of Highway 12 and Morris Street.
Chef Jared Rogers from Easy Rider will consult on the new menu for Cock Robin in Sebastopol. (The Press Democrat)
A healthier spin
Though Chicago’s Cock Robin restaurants were known for artery-clogging burgers, milkshakes and ice cream, Rogers wants to put a healthier spin on the menu while keeping the family-friendly vibe.
“I want it to be as healthy and organic as possible,” Rogers said. Though the final dishes are still in development, he plans to include salads, sandwiches, plant-based dishes, and old-school classics with a modern spin.
“The staples will all be there,” he said, including the signature “One-in-a-Million” milkshakes and malts. Aldridge purchased the brand after the last Cock Robin closed in 2008 with hopes of recreating the same magic in Sebastopol.
Rogers will continue his work at Easy Rider, so fried chicken dinner lovers need not panic.
Restaurant designer Doug Washington will bring the Barlow space to life with a large, open kitchen and family-focused details, including an expansive outdoor patio. A September opening is anticipated.
Plus, a smoothie and juice bar
Rogers is also behind the menu at the recently opened Purple Acai smoothie and juice bar at the Barlow.
The health-conscious walk-up kitchen features hefty bowls filled with frozen, fair-trade acai, a South American berry hailed for its antioxidant qualities. Toppings and mix-ins include peanut butter, chia seeds, cacao nibs, flax seeds, coconut and protein powder.
If you go: Try the Mango and Greens Smoothie ($12) with mango, cashew milk, orange juice and spinach; the Toasty Rice Tea Fusion ($10), cold-pressed juice with a green tea and ginger kick; or the Nutty Bowl ($14) with acai, candied peanuts, peanut butter, almonds, flax seed, banana, honey and bee pollen.
6760 McKinley Ave., Suite 130, Sebastopol, 707-503-6412, purpleacai.net. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
