Page 589 – Sonoma Magazine

Zazu wins Cochon 555 National in Aspen

June 2011

By biteclub

Sonoma County’s Duskie Estes and John Stewart have won the pig-centric, pork-tastic Grand Cochon 555 in Aspen on June 20, 2011. But not without a little help from their friends.

The event, which held numerous semi-finals around the country culminated in an uber-pig-off between ten winning chefs. The challenge included a nose-to-tail dinner using all the parts of ten heritage breed pigs at the 2011 Food and Wine Festival in Aspen . Estes and Stewart, who are well known in the Bay Area for their restaurants and love of all things porcine (they own Black Pig Meats), were favorites for the coveted King of Porc title.

Stiff competition included chefs from around the country including Matthew Accarrino from SPQR in SF, Brad Farmerie of Public Restaurant in NYC and Chad Colby of Mozza in LA.

“We were the underdogs,” said Stewart. Many of the other well-funded celeb chefs came with PR people, staff and even entourages. Zazu had their own secret weapon, their plumber Steve from Santa Rosa Plumbing.

Part of a group of contractors who have become part of the Zazu family, Steve paid his own way to the event and was waiting in the wings to see if he could help out during the stressful competition. It turns out that Estes, who has long helped out at the Food + Wine Event was tapped that morning to help out in a pinch and arrived at the event late. So her husband John, along with their trusty assistant chef Tara, tapped the plumber to help cut veggies and work the fry station.

The two texted BiteClub just after winning, “It’s so…coolness,” said Stewart just after the win. Estes and Stewart won the title Prince and Princess of Porc at a Wine Country Cochon 555 last spring wowing the judges with heart pork buns, head cowboy beans and bacon waffles. The duo will take part in an “All Star” Cochon event in Las Vegas on July 24, 2011.

Perhaps one of the most heartwarming parts of the story is how the restaurant’s plumber Steve Plumber Santa Rosa plumbing

“we have a whole group of con

Besides the sweet title, the two win a crown, two golden pigs, a set of Bob Kramer knives and a trip to Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.

Congrats Duskie, John, Tara and Steve!

Shed in the works

June 2011

By biteclub

Cyrus is about to get a new neighbor.

The owners of Home Farm in Dry Creek Valley are about to break ground on SHED, a 9,700 square-foot multi-use market, cafe and event center in downtown Healdsburg. Replacing the former appliance store along Foss Creek, owners Cindy Daniel and Doug Lipton hope to curate a space for local produce, kitchen and garden tools and sustainable living.

“We’ll encourage our community of neighbors to enjoy what our regional farms offer, and we’ll explore local food crafts and revive forgotten tools and skills,” says Cindy. “SHED will reflect and respect the day-to-day, seasonal blending of agriculture, food and wine in our community.”

SHED will include indoor and outdoor features: observation deck over Foss Creek, al fresco and indoor dining, wood-fired oven, communal tables, quiet corners and a room for private events and public meetings. Finished with recycled steel siding, the design is inspired by historic market halls. SHED will include green features: natural cooling, photovoltaic cells, natural lighting, rain catchment system, recycling and composting. The second floor will feature an event space available for workshops, meetings, performances and private parties. The metal building currently on site (a former appliance store) will be removed and recycled, mid June 2011.

Owners hope to have the site completed by October 2012.

Papas Taverna | Petaluma

June 2011

By biteclub

CLOSED
Come for the dolmas, stay for the belly dancing at Papas Taverna.

The North Bay can be a bit of a wasteland when it comes to authentic Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants. Finding hummus and tabbouleh seems to be easier at Trader Joe’s than in a Zagat Guide. There are exceptions, of course…

Greek to its very core, however, is Petaluma’s Papas Taverna. A wooden boat stands sentinel to a jumble of interconnected buildings that comprise this iconic Petaluma River eatery. An olive pit’s throw from Gillardi’s Landing (a small boat ramp), nearly every surface is trimmed in patriotic Greek colors — azure blue and white — leaving little question as to the heritage of owner Theodoros Papageorgacopoulos, brother to the much-loved original Papa, Leo.

Relatively sober during the week, it’s a family lunch retreat for pita, moussaka and burger spot with a view to the lazy river as it meanders toward the Bay. On the weekends, ouzo and good old Greek joie de vivre fuel an evening of live music, belly dancing and audience participation in arm-to-shoulder dance circles and general Zorba-worthy merriment. Theo’s wife, Glynnis serves as mistress of ceremonies, singing, dancing and often encouraging cringe-worthy middle age patrons to shake it on the dance floor.

On the menu, expect unfussy Greek standards like Dolmas, Moussaka, gyro, Mezze platters, Saganaki (fried cheese in Ouzo) along with Mixed Grills of lamb, chicken, sausage and beef. Burgers and fries are also on the menu for less adventurous eaters. Waits can be long on busy nights, but you weren’t really in any kind of hurry, were you?

Drinks are stiff and the company fun, but be mindful that the restaurant is located on Lakeville Highway — you’ll need your wits about you so have a few coffees and some baklava before you head out.

5688 Lakeville Highway, Petaluma, (707) 769-8545. Open Wed/Thurs from 11:30 to 2:30pm; Friday – Sunday 11:30am to 10pm; closed Monday and Tuesday. Live Music Every Friday with Local Artist starts at 7:00PM; Live Greek music and Dancing on Saturday at 7:00 PM; Live Greek Music and Dancing on Sunday starts at 3:30 PM.

Guerneville Taco Truck

June 2011

By biteclub

I’ve long sought the greatest taco truck in Sonoma County.

There have been adventures to Roseland, Sonoma, and beyond. Many outstanding. Some good. Some not so much.

But through it all has been the Holy Grail yet untried: The Guerneville Taco Truck. Set up most days in the Safeway shopping center, it needs no name other than “Authentic Mexican Food”. That, and the line that stretches sometimes 10 or 20 deep on particularly sunny days.

There is little to say aside from: I have finally seen the light, and Guerneville Taco Truck, you are my burrito hero. My carnitas champion.

When you know, you know. Dare to compare.

Don’t believe me? Ask the Yelpers.

Guerneville Taco Truck, in the Safeway Shopping Center, 869-3023.

What’s your favorite taco truck, and why?

Maker’s, Manhattans & Marinades

June 2011

By biteclub

Give dad the gift he really wants: Cooking the perfect steak, inside & out, with Chef Mark Stark of Stark’s Steakhouse.
Nobody knows steak like Chef Mark Stark. Arrange for your favorite Dad to spend an afternoon with Mark and learn the tricks of the trade. The day starts out with a lesson in creating the ultimate Maker’s Mark Manhattan. Participants will enjoy Manhattans with barbecued oysters from the grill while Mark shares his secrets to becoming a steak pro. Then, everyone sits down to dig into those steaks, served up with signature Steakhouse summer sides.

Mark will cover:

Wet vs. dry aging
How to select steak
Marinades and dry rubs
Cooking methods

Sunday, July 17, Noon to 3pm, Stark’s Steakhouse, Cost: $125 per person

Purchase online at www.starkrestaurants.com. Call (707) 576-9610 to arrange certificate pickup at the restaurant.

Where to take dad to eat?

– Steakhouses
– BBQ spots

Cheesemaking legend Ig Vella dies

June 2011

By biteclub

Sonoma County cheese making legend Ignazio “Ig” Vella has died at the age of 82 after a prolonged illness.

The son of cheese maker Gaetano “Tom” Vella, Ig is considered by many to be the godfather of the artisan cheese movement. Rarely seen without his trademark white paper cheese maker’s cap, Ig took over the family business in 1981 which included Vella Cheese Company in the town of Sonoma and Rogue Creamery in Oregon.

Having grown up in the trade, from washing vats to delivering cheese in his father’s Model A in the early 1930’s, Ig eschewed bland, mass-produced cheeses, instead championing local dairymen and small-production artisan cheeses typified by their Mezzo Secco, an Italian-style aged dry Jack similar to Parmesan. Vella cheese has been recognized by Slow Foods in its Ark of Taste as a cherished food and in 2006 Vella was given the first “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the American Cheese Society.

In the late 1990s, Ig turned his sites to the family’s operations in Oregon. Despite initial skepticism, Vella’s commitment to making world-class blue cheese in the Rogue River Valley has garnered him legions of cheese making fans, including the current co-owner of Rogue River Creamery, David Gremmels, who took over operations from Vella with a handshake deal in 2002.

“(Recently) we met with him and spent several days reminiscing and planning for the future,” said Gremmels. “He will be remembered for so many things, so many of us respect and think of him as a pillar. He affected so many cheese makers in a positive way that will be felt for generations,” said Gremmels.

Though Ig had stepped away from daily operations at the company in recent years, his reach continued to be felt throughout the community. “Truly without Ig Vella, I would not be who I am today,” said Sonoma cheese maker Sheana Davis of Epicurean Connection. “Nearly every artisan cheese maker has called on him for his experience, and he has been really helpful.”

Family remember Ig as an outspoken and opinionated part of the tight-knit Sonoma community. “You always knew where Ig stood,” said daughter Chickie Vella, who has run the company for the past several years with son Gabriel Luddy. “He did everything his own way, including how he died — on his own terms,” she added. In the many chapters of his life, Ig had also served as as a Sonoma County Supervisor and director of the Sonoma County Fair. The Ig Vella Bridge was dedicated to the cheesemaker in the town of Sonoma in 2006.

A public service for Vella will be held at 11am, Friday June 17, 2011 at St. Francis Solano Church in Sonoma. He is survived by his wife Sally; children Chickie, Ditty and Thomas Vella; six grandchildren, Gabriel, Miranda and Shaina Vella, Ross and Marius Cannard and Gia DeSoto and one great-grandchild. He is preceded in death by daughter Sara, who died in 1992. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice By the Bay or Friends of Turkana.

Bounty Hunter | Napa

June 2011

By biteclub

Pull up a saddle at this downtown Napa winebar and bbq eatery. The scent of their back-door smoker and beer-can chicken sizzling on the grill perfume the block and pay off on the promise of some sweet fusion-que. One of my favorite picks for California-style barbecue, Bounty Hunter serves up great smoky ribs, pulled brisket and pork with their own chipotle, mustard & vinegar and sweet-hot red sauce. Kind of a surprise for a winebar, but in true California style, they’ll guide to to some barbecue-friendly wines like their Broken Spur Dry Creek Zinfandel or Campfire Red.

Bounty Hunter, 975 First St., Napa, 226.3976

Catelli’s Restaurant a Geyserville Italian Favorite

June 2011

By biteclub

Nudging open the age-worn door of Catelli’s, an old-timer steps inside, blinks a few times surveying the restaurant, then smiles at his wife. “I used to eat here all the time,” he beams, gently guiding her inside toward the familiar dining room. “You know, before it went all foo-foo.”

Welcome back to Catelli’s. First opened in 1936 by Santi and Virginia Catelli as a simple Italian-American restaurant in Geyserville, the family trattoria was a Sonoma County institution for more than 50 years. Known then as “Catelli’s The Rex” (the “Rex” sign purchased on the cheap from a local sign maker whose original client never claimed it), the menu featured decidedly unfoofed fare of spaghetti, minestrone and ravioli. But after decades of checked-tablecloth service, the Catelli family shuttered the restaurant in 1986. The building was later leased to the owners of upscale regional Italian eatery, Santi, for more than a decade.

Having grown up in their grandparent’s restaurant, Domenica and Nicholas Catelli long dreamed of reopening the family business. Both food veterans, the siblings nabbed the opportunity in 2010 when the Catelli building went vacant. Nick’s front of the house experience as a restaurant manager and bartender along with sister Domenica’s stints as a celebrity chef, cookbook author and bigwig in the organic food industry seemed a solid start. Armed with generations of family photos and memories of their grandmother’s cooking, the two dove in.

Central to the old-is-new menu are Virginia’s fabled ravioli. Tissue-paper thin sheets of pasta dough are rolled daily, stuffed with a secret combination of sausage, beef, chicken, chard, sourdough crumbs, herbs and spices. “Our family never wrote down a recipe, so we recreated these from sensory memories,” said Domenica. Topped with her eponymous DC sauce (a new family secret made with organic tomatoes and local olive oil), they’re old world comfort with a new school freshness. Family friend Guy Fieri, who recently featured the restaurant on the Food Network, calls them some of the best he’s ever had. But don’t ask for them to-go, because these delicate beauties apparently self-destruct within a few minutes and don’t travel well.

The thin sheets are also used for a 10-layer lasagna that’s so light it nearly floats off the plate. “People all over the world tell us they dream about Catelli’s lasagna,” said Nick.

Of course, where there is spaghetti, follow meatballs. Made with free-range Covelo beef and homemade pork sausage, Catelli’s taste like what a meatball should — savory, rich and delightfully carnivorous. They’re especially tasty stuffed between two Franco American buns as a trio of sliders.

Domenica’s background in healthy, organic eating brings an alternative point of view to the traditional comfort-food menu. Her daily specials include dishes like organic grilled favas, pan-seared local yellowtail or a plate of fresh burrata and prosciutto with wild arugula and grilled bread. But does all this rich food jive with her good-eating outlook? “It’s about simply prepared food with prime ingredients,” she said. And that, frankly, means one of the best hamburgers in Wine Country — a mix of ground Kobe beef brisket and sirloin that’s best eaten silkily rare and with a minimum of condiments. Mind-bendingly good.

Despite a modern, whitewashed interior, the past is ever-present at Catelli’s. Sepia-toned portraits smile down from ever wall — the inimitable server Kitty Dugan astride her Indian motorcycle, bartender Lou Columbano tending bar in the 1930’s (he is still a weekly regular at the restaurant), or patriarch Santi standing stoically in the 1940s.

Comingling the past and present, Catelli’s has quietly wooed back locals, again making it part of the fabric of tiny Geyserville. Once again families, friends and old timers eat elbow to elbow in dining room that’s fed them for three generations — a fitting reminder that humble ravioli, a bowl of minestrone or a simple meatball so deeply rooted in a community’s past makes it all the more delicious today.

Catelli’s Restaurant, 21047 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, 857-3471. Closed Monday, open daily for lunch and dinner. Website

Want a hint at Domenica’s secret tomato sauce? You can find it in her book, Mom-a-licious: Fresh, Fast, Family Food for the Hot Mama in You!

Food Trucks in the Park

June 2011

By biteclub

Eat for a cause! From 3-7pm Tuesday June 7 several local food trucks (including the newly minted Charlie Bruno’s Chuckwagon) will serve up street food to help benefit County Parks. Head over to Spring Lake, near the boat dock (not Howarth park, which is a city park) to chow on food from La Texanita (seriously, the best burritos), Street-Eatz and barbecue from Bruno’s on Fourth owner Rick Bruno. Ten percent of all proceeds go directly to the parks.

A fitting way to spend the first sunny day in weeks.

There is a fee if you drive in, it’s $6 (come on, you’re helping the parks) or you can walk in for free. Map and details

Late Night Eats

June 2011

By biteclub

Wine Country isn’t known for its night-owl disposition. In fact, if you’ve ever driven north from San Francisco after 8 p.m. the landscape quickly fades into a quiet darkness. So if you’re looking for late night grub, manage your expectations. Most Sonoma County restaurant kitchens close promptly at 9p.m. and you’ll likely be sitting in an empty dining room as the clock edges toward 9:30.

But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to grab a decent bite after dark. With longer days and warmer nights, some restaurants are expanding their summer hours and offering late night menus — especially on weekends — for nocturnal noshers.

Santa Rosa
Franco’s Ristorante: Snag some late night ‘za from 11:30 to 2:30am at Franco’s on Friday and Saturday nights. The outdoor patio (next to the Chrome Lotus club) will stay open after the restaurant closes at 10pm serving up pizza until last call. The only question is, why didn’t someone think of this before? 505 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 523-4800.

Tex Wasabi’s: Though the bar vibe has been notched down slightly since re-opening in May 2011, Guy Fieri’s rock and roll barbecue and sushi eatery is thumping even early in the evening. But if you’re looking to keep the party going, it’s a solid spot for spicy apps (Szechwan green beans, bbq sliders) and 64 ounce cocktails. Kitchen stays open until 11pm, sushi bar until midnight. 515 4th Street, Santa Rosa,

Rendez Vous: Late night bar menu includes truffled pommes fries, a petite tuna tartar, crisp polenta fries, battered lobster borchettes, shimp coctail and chef’s sliders. Belly up to the bistro from 9pm to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 10pm to 2am on Friday and Saturday night. Menu 614 4th Street, Santa Rosa, 526-7700.

Third St. Ale Works: Great burgers, fries, apps and pizzas at this downtown brew pub. If the raucous nighttime bar scene on Fourth St. isn’t your thing, you’ll dig the more relaxed beard and t-shirt vibe here. Kitchen open until 10pm Sunday and Monday, 11pm Tuesday through Thursday, 11:30pm Friday and Saturday. 610 Third St., Santa Rosa, 523-3060. If you’re a Russian River Brewing devotee, the nearby brewpub (725 Fourth St., Santa Rosa) serves food until 11:30pm, but expect the small bar area to be crowded with dedicated beer devotees (Pliny is a cult favorite), and food that’s pretty secondary to the suds.

Adel’s: Many a late-nighters have found breakfast-for-dinner salvation at this midnight diner. Conveniently located within stumbling distance of a number of local bars, it’s a friendly pit stop when you’re starving after dark. Open until midnight daily. ‪456 College Avenue, Santa Rosa‬, ‪578-1003.‬

Blue Label at the Belvedere: Recent additions to the evening menu have brought about a change for the burger-ier. Owner Bill Cordell (who also owns Superburger) has spent years perfecting the perfect patty, and at Blue Label, he seems to have found a creative outlet for his more ambitious creations. Choose from a menu that includes a burger topped with duck confit or Spam, along with more down-to-earth combos like the Sonoma picnic with a stack of fried onion straws on top. Open until 10pm Wednesday through Sunday. Pop downstairs to the bar after dinner to keep things thumping. 727 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa

Also in Santa Rosa: La Rosa Tequileria & Grille (500 Fourth St., Santa Rosa): open Friday, Saturday until at least 10pm; Jackson’s Bar & Oven (135 Fourth St., Santa Rosa), open Mon-Thursday until 10pm, Fri/Sat until 11pm; Stark’s Steakhouse (521 Adams St., Santa Rosa) all day dining menu until 10pm; Flavor Bistro (96 Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa) open Mon-Fri until 10pm, Saturday until 11pm; La Texanita (‪1667 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa‬) open until 10pm Sun-Thu and 11pm Friday and Saturday. And of course, the Dogs from Chicago hot dog cart is open Friday and Saturday in Courthouse Square until 2am.

West County
Underwood Bar & Bistro: The sound of chirping crickets is about all you’ll hear in West County after dark, aside from the quirky Underwood Bar & Bistro. Tucked away in the hamlet of Graton, Underwood attracts a cross-section of the county — from winemakers and artists to dealmakers and savvy tourists. Dinner and tapas until 10pm, and a late night menu of french onion soup, pizzettas, macaroni and cheese, harissa fries and a Niman Ranch burger after 10pm Friday and Saturday. 9113 Graton Rd., Graton, 823-7023.

Barley and Hops Tavern: Locals pack into this chummy hofbrau. Beer is king, but the kitchen turns out authentic pretzels, sausages along with burgers, sandwiches and salads. 688 Bohemian Hwy, Occidental. Serving dinner until 9:30pm everyday and until 10pm Fri & Sat year-round.

Healdsburg: Despite its sleepy rural locale, urban tourists and plenty of young food and wine industry workers make for a bustling late-night scene.

Spoonbar: The two-pronged lure of Scott Beattie’s haute mixology and Rudy Mihal’s spot-on bar bites makes this a popular apres-service hangout for restaurant folk. Hearty entrees like grilled lamb loin and braised short ribs are served until 11pm, but 4/$12 nibbles of marinated quail eggs, stuffed olives and lamb meatballs, along with sharable appetizers and half-size pasta plates (porcini mushroom with duck confit and truffle raviolis). Feeling especially munchie? Head straight for the spoonbar burger ($15) with sweet onion marmalade, applewood bacon, fresh horseradish and fries with aioli. Late night menu until 11pm daily. 219 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 433-7222.

Barndiva: An abbreviated bar menu with a beefy Kobe burger, chopped chicken salad, Dungeness Crab Club and fries are served from 3pm until closing (11pm Wed, Thurs; midnight Friday and Saturday, and 10pm Sunday).
231 Center St., Healdsburg, 431-0100.

Also in Healdsburg: Baci Cafe and Wine Bar (336 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg), open Thursday through Saturday until 10pm; Willi’s Seafood and Raw Bar (403 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg) open Fri/Sat until 10pm.

Sonoma
Girl and the Fig, 110 West Spain St., Sonoma, 938-3634. Late night brasserie menu until 11pm Friday and Saturday, regular menu until 10pm daily.

Have some favorites we missed? Comment below!