Top Thai Eats in Sonoma County

By biteclub

vanessa.jpgSomeone has to say it: Pad thai has become as exotic as American cheese. And even that’s a stretch.
The culinary rebound to our national breakup with Chinese food, we rushed into a love affair with Thai cuisine in the early 1990s. In those heady days, it seemed so fresh and exotic after years of MSG migraines. There were recognizable vegetables, perfumed rices, steaming curries. But the bloom’s off the lemongrass.
Now the fodder of food courts and craft fairs, the sticky, gooey, brown sugar, peanut butter and ketchupy mess that usually passes for Thai food these days is downright shameful. So is there any “authentic” Thai to be had? The journey is the destination…
Aroon Thai Market (2770 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 576-0256): Ask a native Thai which restaurants they’d actually eat at and wait for the fireworks. “Oh, its all just too sweet. Thai food isn’t not supposed to be that sweet,” says Pui Maliwan, an Aroon employee, wrinkling her nose when I ask where the best Thai food is found. Walking the aisles of the tidy southeast Asian specialty store, she points to native ingredients — tamarind paste, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, and delicate fish sauces — that are too often absent or substituted in Americanized Thai cuisine. “Sometimes restaurants try to get creative, and not in a good way.” So, where does she eat? Maliwan points me to…
Continue reading “Top Thai Eats in Sonoma County”

Jeffrey’s Hillside Cafe | Santa Rosa

By biteclub

blintz.jpg
Jeffrey's Hillside Cafe blintz

Tthe curtains have opened on the second act of Chef Jeffrey Madura’s culinary career. There is, it seems, life after 20 years as top toque of SoCo’s venerated John Ash & Co. — slinging hash and pancakes at 6:30 am.
The eponymous Jeffrey’s Hillside Cafe is a breakfast, brunch and lunch favorite at Santa Rosa’s Hillside Inn.
Though it may seem a strange sidestep from go from foie gras to dishing up Huevos Rancheros, the breakfast-set can’t complain: Rib-sticking comfort food with the know-how of a Wine Country chef.
Top picks: Cheese blintzes made with fromage blanc (a creamier kin to cottage cheese) and topped with lemon curd and berry puree ($7.25); sauteed organic chicken livers with caramelized onions and pancetta ($10.25); rich, cheesy grits and country ham ($12.50) or crispy chicken fried steak smothered in gravy rich enough to have its own offshore bank account ($10.50).
Taking inspiration from his Vintner’s Inn Days of lavish brunches, some of the more sublime dishes include sticky bun french toast and Eggs Benedict with ham and orange-scented Hollandaise. But there’s no shame in ordering a quick side of scrambled eggs and toast at the casual cafe. Old Hillside regulars may lament the loss of the airplane theme and much-loved buckwheat pancakes — the latter of which might be worth reviving, Chef Jeff.
Jeffrey's Hillside Cafe heuvos rancherosGears shift at lunch, when the cafe begins turning out burgers,
sandwiches and salads that defy everyday diner fare. Madura’s Sonoma Onion Soup ($7.50), is swimming with soft onions and a cap of gooey Gruyere. Diana’s Favorite salad ($8.50) has butter lettuce, slices of mango, avocado, blue cheese, balsamic vinaigrette and candied pumpkin seeds ($8.50) or the already popular Shrimp Poor Boy with sauteed gulf
prawns, sliced cucumbers and green godess dressing with crisp sweet potato fries ($11.50). Other choices include pot roast, turkey chili, a half-pound burger and pulled pork sandwich with chipotle bbq sauce and potato salad. Desserts are simple: Tapioca and fruit crisps that fall in with the diner theme. Wines and beers are available by the glass, as is a breakfast/brunch Bloody Mary made with sake.
It’s food good enough to fuel your day, but inspired enough to make dinner seem downright dull.
Jeffrey’s Hillside Cafe: Open 7 days a week from 6:30am to 2:30pm. 2901 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 546-6317. Entrance to the cafe can be a little confusing if you’re heading east on Route 12. Best bet is to turn left on Farmer’s Lane and follow the curve around to the entrance of the Hillside Inn. Directions
here.
Jeffrey's Hillside Cafe on Urbanspoonjeffreymaduraport.jpg

Mama Frischkorn’s Double Gold Caramel Corn Recipe

By biteclub

Okay, this isn’t just a good caramel corn recipe. This is the best caramel corn you will ever eat.
My buddies at Kendall Jackson Winery have this on their wine and food pairing menu and it just stopped me cold. I’m like, “Okay, I need this recipe NOW.”  What’s even better? They made me a tub of the stuff to repackage as my own for the 2009 Handcar Regatta. I’m forever in debt. Now just go and make this stuff.
Mama Frischkorn’s Double Gold Caramel Corn
Serve with Kendall-Jackson Late Harvest Chardonnay
Recipe by Chef Eric Frischkorn
Servings: 3 Quarts

This is an easy weeknight dessert or afternoon snack.  This sweet and salty treat compliments the aromas of vanilla and caramel found in the Kendall-Jackson Late Harvest Chardonnay.
Ingredients:

  • ½ cup Butter
  • ¼ cup Corn Syrup (light)
  • 1 cup Brown Sugar
  • ½ tsp. Vanilla
  • ¼ tsp. Baking Soda
  • 3 quarts Popcorn (air popped)*
  • 2 tsp. Kosher salt

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 300º.
Grease a foil lined cookie sheet with non-stick spray.

In a 1-gallon, heavy-bottomed sauce pot, melt the
butter over medium heat.  Add both the corn syrup and brown sugar,
stirring to combine.  Simmer until large bubbles begin to form without
agitating the pan, approximately 4 minutes.  Once the mixture comes up
to temperature, continue cooking on medium heat and stir every thirty
seconds for the next 4 to 6 minutes**.  Turn off the heat and carefully
whisk in the salt, vanilla and baking soda.  Fold in the popped corn
and gently coat without crushing.

Transfer the popcorn to the greased cookie sheet
and bake at 300º F.  Gently stir every 5 minutes for 15 minutes, making
sure all the popcorn is evenly coated.  Remove and cool the finished
caramel corn on wax paper.  Once cool enough to handle, but not
completely cold, break apart the popcorn bunches.

*Air popped popcorn is preferred, but stove top method will also work.
** To check the color of the caramel at this point; carefully dip one
piece of the popped corn into the pot. The caramel should be amber in
color.

Boon Eat + Drink

By biteclub

fries.jpgNo matter what brings you to the resort hamlet of Guerneville, chances are you’re gonna be hungry afterward.
signpoloroid.jpgFollow the apre-swim, kayak, festival-going and cruising crowd to boon eat + drink (in the former burger & boy). New to the oft-shifting main street lineup, what the dime-sized boon lacks in diameter, it makes up for in taste — both in its pared-down decor and simply done menu of spot-on eats.
Lunch and dinner differ only in the addition of a scant handful of entrees (flat iron steak ($21), grilled halibut ($19), citrus herb chicken breast) and a meat and cheese course in the evening. Otherwise it’s both meals feature panini ($9) and salads ($7-$9) (panzanella, corn and cherry tomatoes in August) with produce from their own gardens, a beefy boon burger with garlic aioli and pickled onions ($9), and hard-to-choose-from sides. Don’t pass on the giant bowl of truffle fries ($6) with sundried tomato ketchup and garlic aoili. Consider sharing burrata with tomatoes, beet salad with goat cheese or  savory bread pudding.
trio.jpgMake no mistake. What seems almost disappointingly simple menu-wise is anything but — more remix that rehash.
boonpoloroids2.jpgDessert’s not negotiable. Anyone who brings up SF’s Humphry Slocombe ice cream in wicked flavors like Secret Breakfast (bourbon and cornflakes) has their finger on the sweet pulse. A dense fudge brownie with sea salt ($6). Come on.
Serving neighborhood wines (meaning Russian River), the spot is semi al-fresco with a ringside seat to the Guerneville scene, which depending on the day and hour can be just about anything you want it to be.
boon eat + drink: 16248 Main St., Guerneville, 869-0780.

Tomi Thai | Windsor

By biteclub
Tomi Thai Windsor

Tomi Thai Windsor Crying Tiger
Crying Tiger at Tomi Thai

The owners of Santa Rosa’s Bangkok Villa opened Tomi Thai Restaurant in Windsor (26 Emily Rose Circle, Windsor, 707.836.1422, the former Odyssey) with a menu that may be familiar to locals. Pulling from their original location, fans will recognize many of the restaurant’s signature dishes — pumpkin curry ($10.95), Crying Tiger (charbroiled ribeye with spicy garlic sauce, $13.95), Honey Duck ($13.95) and Dancing Prawns (jumbo prawns stuffed with crab and pork, $13.95), along with simpler dishes of pad thai; red green and yellow curry, drunken noodles and vegetarian entrees.
Inside, the restaurant hasn’t changed much since Chef Rudy Mihal left — the same glowing bar (which sits mostly empty, though the restaurant does serve beer and wine), a mute television screen along the back wall and open kitchen (which seems strange with a crew of cooks rather than Rudy).
Mirroring its upscale digs, Tomi Thai seems to be striving for some of the Pan-Asian flavors and high-end presentations that have been successful for Sea Thai’s Chef Tony Ounpamornchai. But the devil’s in the details. Jumbo prawns (Bangkok Dancing Prawns) are lovely to look at, but aren’t easy to eat with shells on and legs baked into the stuffing. Honey duck is beautifully plated with pickled ginger and greens, but too much fatty meat derails its simplicity. Pad Thai looks beautiful, on my visit was sticky and dry. Battered and skewered shrimp paste balls and rings of calamari are tasty, but the tiny portion-size makes $8 a bit dear for an appetizer.
Tomi Thai WindsorMore traditional dishes work better, a mild yellow curry with potatoes and chicken and fresh rolls studded with mint both satisfy. Marinated ribeye steak (Crying Tiger) is nicely done, but needs a bit more char to hit the mark exactly. Homemade peanut sauce is a solid sauce for everything from satay to fried tofu.
Attentive, thoughtful service and mostly reasonable prices ($8.95 for most entrees, $10-$15 for specialties; $4 for soup) make Tomi Thai a solid contender in Thai-scarce Windsor. But it’s all about details if they’re to overcome stiff competition from neighboring Asian kitchens Chinois, Truc-Linh, Sunju and Ume.
Tomi Thai . Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday. tomi-thai.com

Mirepoix expanding to Langley’s space

By biteclub

So BiteClub hears that Restaurant Mirepoix will be expanding their presence on the Windsor Town Green in the next couple of months, taking over the space currently occupied by Langley’s On The Green.
Details are still emerging, but word is that they’ll be opening a casual Parisian-style bistro this fall in the Langley’s space while revamping Mirepoix into a haute-er version of itself. Langley’s remains open for now, but will close after the sale finalizes. Owners have confirmed that their Italian eatery and pizzeria, De Paoli’s is remaining open.
BiteClub’s been hearing rumors that the Chef Matthew Bousquet and his sommelier wife, Bryan, have been looking around for a spot to open a second restaurant for a while now — allowing Matthew to get back to his roots in classic French cuisine rather than the simplified bistro menu they adopted several years ago (allowing them to take time off to get married and start their family.)
Stay tuned for more details.

Root Beer Floats

By biteclub

rootbeer.jpgI’ve been obsessed with root beer floats lately, mostly from the Fosters Freeze (400 4th St, Santa Rosa – (707) 576-7028) too dangerously close to my house for comfort. There’s something about that creamy soft serve bubbling together with the nip and tickle of root beer that I can’t get enough of. Seems I’m not alone: I got an email this week from a CHOW how to make your own root beer, and I know that Diane Peterson is working on her own tasting over at Kitchentalk. Everything old is new again. 

Want some seriously tasty fresh-brewed root beer? Third Street Aleworks brews their own for a house-made dessert float. It’s almost nothing like the sicky sweet stuff from the fountain — instead, their brew is a pungent, earthy, spicy flavor of true root beer. 610 3rd Street, Santa Rosa, (707) 523-3060.

A&W also makes a decent float, which you can find at 6700 Commerce Boulevard, or 6610 Hembree Lane, Windsor, (707)584-9070.

Got your own favorite? let me know.

Yogurt Farms

By biteclub

froyo.jpgWith the dog days of summer slobbering at our toes, it seems fitting to give a shout-out redux to my favorite spot to beat the heat: Yogurt Farms.

Around since the early 1980’s, this
Mendocino Avenue soft-serve emporium is cute as a cupcake inside, with
a resident plastic cow and more flavors than you can shake a spoon at.
Purists laud the tart, yogurty quality of this local frozen treat
purveyor. They also have ice cream and Hawaiian shave ice with flavors flown in from the islands. Not to mention the nicest yogurt slingers in town (despite the fact that this old-school fro-yo spot is un-airconditioned.)

Take your cup to go. Or just sit on the curb like the rest of us. Yogurt Farms: 1224 Mendocino
Ave., Santa Rosa, (707) 576-0737

Check out even more great gelato, frozen yogurt and ice cream spots >>

Top 25 Restaurants: Destination-worthy dining

By biteclub

best25a.jpgWhat sounded like a ridiculously simple task turns out to be nothing of the sort. Like choosing a favorite child, I’ve struggled with who to include and not include on this list — adding names, taking away names, re-adding names. And I’m sure I’ll be taken to task for many of my choices.

There are so many factors to include: Innovative menus, use of local ingredients, consistently good cooking, wine lists and the restaurant’s staying power. But when it came right down to having to put together a final list of names, what I came back to again and again were restaurants with a guiding forces in the kitchen. Chef-driven restaurants with a clear point of view.

In order to keep the list to 25, I’ve had to make some other qualifications. For the purpose of this list, I’ve excluded restaurants (like Chloe’s French Cafe and Dierk’s Parkside) that have limited hours though they’re clearly worthy of note.

Ethnic and cheap-eats restaurants are also in short-supply, which I’ll explain by saying that this list is primarily focused on restaurants with classic French or Italian influences that have define the California Wine Country culinary experience.

That leaves a whole lot of restaurants off the list. Restaurants like Rocker Oysterfeller’s (which I love for oysters and brunch), Peter Lowell’s (amazing pizzas, veggie-centri, conscious eating), Humble Pie (homemade pies and comfort food), Pamposh (top-notch Indian) and Bruno’s (a favorite neighborhood spot) have so much to offer, as do local taquerias like Las Palmas. These are among the restaurants that defy conventional wisdom and are re-invigorating the local culinary scene. So stay tuned for another list…

There are others that have had recent chef changes (French Garden, Barndiva) that are also worthy of attention but still need settling-in time (maybe next year!)

But at some point, I had to put a stake in the ground. Some were easy picks. Others harder. But ultimately the list has been chosen. Here are BiteClub’s 25 Top Sonoma County Restaurants for 2009… 
Continue reading “Top 25 Restaurants: Destination-worthy dining”