Are you Grateful? Are you Charistmatic, Sassy, Golden or Abundant? Prepare to be all of them…and much moremore when SF’s Cafe Gratitude opens in Healdsburg in mid-September.
Are we ready for all this raw, vegan, healthful positivity? The restaurant has been a whirlwind success elsewhere in the Bay Area with its combination of rejuvenating foods, lifestyle affirmations and social conscience. Want a side of spicy olive tapenade, you’ll need to order, “I am Extra Opulent”. Pesto Pizza made with hemp seeds goes by the moniker “I am Sensational”.
Aside from their jazzy names, all items on the menu are “live” foods — meaning nothing is actually cooked (but can be warmed slightly). That means lots of salads, smoothies and shakes, but Gratitude also has a plan for soups (Pho Miso, carrot avocado, etc), pizza, lasagna and grain bowls. No meat, no animal proteins, no heat, no gluten, all the rage.
Prepare to feel “abundant” with you wallet, however. Appetizers run upwards of $8.50, salads $12-$15 and entrees around $15. Feel-good fare doesn’t come cheap.
Cafe Gratitude, 206 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. Expected to open in mid-September 2008.

After two weekends of judging Iron Chef-style smackdowns — first at the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend and most recently at Kendall Jackson’s Heirloom Tomato Festival — I’m stuffed, exhausted, dehydrated and thoroughly impressed. From the haze that is my addled brain, some juicy tidbits I wanted to share with BiteClubbers.

– The big winner during Saturday’s KJ event was the winery’s own chef, Justin Wangler. Consider the fact that Wangler was competing against some of the biggest names in California cuisine — three of Food & Wine’s Top New Chefs, including previous winner Sean O’Brien (formerly of Myth, but opening a new SF restaurant called Zinnia), E. Michael Reidt (another former winner of LA) and Suzanne Tracht of LA’s Jar.

I’ll have to admit that Pop Rocks and ceviche from Reidt nearly won it for me, but Wangler’s incredible use of summer ingredients put him over the top. Well, that and the Coors & tomato juice coolers he sent to all the judges. Nice touch. If Wangler ever decides to open a restaurant, look out.

– If you’ve never had tomato creme brulee, I’m truly sad for you. On Saturday dozens of local chefs served up tomato creations for the annual Heirloom festival. John Ash restaurant’s creamy, savory brulee was the runaway crowd favorite, served by Chef Thomas Schmidt (though we hear it was a longtime recipe of former JA chef, Jeffrey Madura). Other fascinating ‘mater dishes included tomato cotton candy (Kendall Jackson) and tomato macaroons (better than they sound).

– Seen on the scene: Restaurant magnate Pat Kuleto, most recently of Nick’s Cove and John Ash (a fellow judge and recent winner of the IACP’s 2008 Cooking Instructor of the Year).

– Saturday’s event was a serious steamer, so imagine my shock at seeing none other than Chef Douglas Keane, the multi-starred Cyrus chef manning a fryer most of the day. The restaurant was serving up fried green tomatoes and Keane sweated it out over hot grease for hours without complaint. And even an occasional smile.

– Keane wasn’t the only chef manning his station, Zin’s Jeff Mall was serving up “not your grandmother’s tomato aspic” with his wife, Susan Dunphy Mall. Regina Silvers manned Syrah’s station while hubbie Josh MC’d the chef competition with local celeb Marcy Smothers (of the Food Guy & Marcy radio show on KZST Sundays at 6pm).

– Speaking of Food Guy (who is local celeb Guy Fieri), Smothers told me that fame hasn’t changed her co-host a bit and that he’s every bit the same cool guy he was when they started the show. Such a love fest.

– Restaurant Eloise fans will be excited to hear that the Sebastopol restaurant will be open for lunch starting this week. Chef Ginevra Iverson, who was serving up tomatoes on Saturday as well, says they’ll be doing a fixed-price menu to keep things simple. I also talked to the folks at Bistro 29 in Santa Rosa and they’re hoping to start doing lunch in the near future. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

– Looking way back to Labor Day weekend, if you haven’t already heard, it was last minute entry Thomas Schmidt, the new chef at John Ash, who reigned supreme. I can say that all of us at the judges table were blown away by his precise European preparations. I saw him again this weekend at the tomato festival and he let me know that he’s been working hard on the new menu and has been in the kitchens there for about a month or so. Kudos to the other chefs who all worked tirelessly and impressed greatly — Janine Falvo, Carlo Cavallo and Jeff Mall.

I’m stuck between a food coma and a philosophical mind meld after spending part of the weekend at Slow Food Nation ’08 in San Francisco. Not surprisingly lots of locals were represented at the events including (and this is hardly comprehensive) Cowgirl Creamery, Ecco Caffe, Medlock Ames, many Mendocino Wineries, Nana Mae Organics, Valley End Farms and on and on.

I’m drinking from the well, Slow Foodies, so stay tuned for more. But before I head out for a sparkling wine-filled day in Wine Country, check out some of my favorite photos from the weekend, both from a stroll through the Victory Gardens near City Hall (with an incredible Slow Foods market) and from the Taste Pavillions — a tasting experience like no other. Sante!

Four chefs, one winner. Who will reign supreme at this weekend’s Steel Chef competition? Check out the trash-talkin’ smackdown videos where Zin’s Jeff Mall, Sonoma Meritage’s Carlo Cavallo, Carneros Bistro’s Janine Falvo and new kid on the block Thomas Schmidt get serious about their craft.

Let’s just say there’s some serious produce-abuse involved. And meat hammers. And really big knives. Awwww yeah. Can’t see the video? Click here.

Best place for beer!
Imbibe magazine has named The Black Rose Irish Pub in Santa Rosa one of its “Best Irish Pubs” in America. That’s a huge honor for the neighborhood watering hole owned by Will Roll. Cheers to one of our favorite spots for pub grub and pints. Black Rose Irish Pub, 20074 Armory Dr., Santa Rosa, 707.546.7673.

Sonoma Wine Country WeekendThis is definitely an event not to miss. Yours truly will be schlepping through every tasting she can (in addition to being a judge at the Steel Chef competition) on Saturday. If you’re there, search me out and I’ll take your picture for a BiteClubber photo album to be posted next week. Check out all the details on WineTravel.com! See you there!

New Sushi
Paris1880 writes in to let BiteClubbers know about a new sushi restaurant that’s opened in Sebastopol called Tosaki Sushi (the restaurant renaissance continues!). It’s the third sushi spot for the town (there’s also Sushi Tozai and Sushi Hana), so clearly there’s some stiff competition. Only about two weeks old, it’s located in the Sebastopol Shopping Center. Other early birds report that the menu has some interesting items including a sashimi salad and nice desserts. Stay tuned for more details. Tosaki Sushi, 799 Gravenstein Ave., Sebastopol, 707.829.0892.

Chef change
Also in Sebastopol, a chef change-up for Peter Lowell’s. Steven Peyer has departed. Taking his place is Seamus Guevara whose local resume includes stints with Tracey Shepos at of the Stark’s Group and at Santi in Geyserville. Owner Lowell Sheldon also tells me that a new hot yoga studio is going in next door — a good match for the casual, farm-to-table vibe of the nearly one-year-old restaurant. 7385 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol, 707.829.1077.

Late-breaking
Two other re-opened spots to check out. First off, Katie M. tells BiteClubbers that Triple S on Petrified Forest Road has recently reopened with a southern-style menu. This under-the-radar spot in Calistoga recently revamped its hungry-man style steak and potatoes menu which was a favorite of locals. 4600 Mountain Home Ranch Road, Calistoga, 707.942.6730. Also, we’ve gotten word that the French Garden Restaurant has completed its revamp and is open for biz with their new chef, Didier Gerbi. The addition of a bistro menu (all items $10, including skirt steak and fries, duck confit and a mushroom burger) is a great way to check out how the kitchen’s doing for a great price. French Garden, 8050 Bodega Ave., Sebastopl, 707.824.2030.

Food made with hate can leave a nasty taste in your mouth. Especially eggs, according to Joshua Norwitt of the recently opened Humble Pie in Penngrove.

It’s a sort of mantra that he and fiance Miriam Lee Donaldson (the chef) have repeated to themselves for the six weeks or so since opening the homestyle eatery attached to the Black Cat Bar. Food made with love just goes down a whole lot better than food that isn’t. He says the couple came up with the idea for Humble Pie while sitting in a diner in Southern California. “You could just tell the food there was made with hate. The chef was back there sweating and cursing,” he told BiteClub. When their eggs arrived, the couple suddenly lost their appetite. “You could just taste the hate,” Josh said.

After working in restaurants up and down the coast (Josh is a Petaluma native and worked at Della Fattoria), they decided to take over the tiny kitchen at Penngrove’s famously eccentric bar when its chili-making owner recently retired. Armed with a handful of family recipes and some serious sibling togetherness (his sister Brook McCann and her chef husband Dan are also helping out), they’re serving an opening menu of locally sourced comfort food with an emphasis on pie–from tater tot to banana cream.

Everything is made from scratch, from the ketchup and hand-formed tots to the wontons. It’s a labor of love that may end up too big a challenge for the small staff in the long-term, but endearing nonetheless. The tot pie is a motherhood classic, done with shredded taters and cheese. Despite needing a bit more seasoning, it brings a huge smile of childhood familiarity. Fry Babies ($6) are homemade wontons stuffed with veggie cream cheese sitting in a pool of smackingly good honey ginger sauce. They need a goosing in the crispy department, but have solid potential. Also for starters, Blue Balls (local beef and pork stuffed with Point Reyes Blue cheese ($7) and prosciutto wrapped melon.

BiteClub fell in love with The Fungus Among Us ($12) — two buttery baked polenta cakes slathered with shitake ragu and a side of refreshing sesame draped greens. It’s dead-on delish. We caught a whiff of the potato-topped Shepard’s Pie ($12), but McNibs was feeling carnivorous and dove into a Steak Sandie ($12) piled with rare tri-tip, horseradish cream and red onions. Also on the menu, the ZucCanoe — a zucchini stuffed with cheese, crumbs and herbs ($9) and Lasagne pie ($10).

Dessert is, not surprisingly, pie. Homemade banana cream was the dessert of the night, though we caught a fleeting glimpse of peach. Early birds get the pie, here. The wine list is compact, but the kitchen has come up with some unique fruity beverages made with a mix of wine, strawberries and champagne.

Sitting in the tiny candlelit restaurant feels a lot like sitting in someone’s dining room. You can hear every joke in the kitchen. An old record player belts out scratchy vinyl, the plates and tables are adorably mismatched and every so often the chef steals a zucchini or two from the centerpieces for her creations. You can’t help but love the folksy vibe.

The menu is set to change up frequently depending on the chef’s whims and what’s in the garden. Like mom’s kitchen, not every dish is perfect, but all are made with a reassuring amount of butter and love. You’ll be hard-pressed to leave Humble Pie’s table hungry or unsatisfied.

Humble Pie, 10045 Main St., Penngrove, 707.664.8779. Open Wed. through Sunday 5pm to late (12ish). Friday and Saturday, 5pm to 2am.

If you go: Unlike mom’s kitchen, the restaurant is open late–until 2am on Friday and Saturday. You can get the full menu at the Cat’s bar (including tater tots if you ask nice), so you don’t have to miss a second of whatever country-punk, banjo-playing, wig or lingerie show that happens to be happening. (Which I say with nothing but love, cause the Cat rocks my world on a regular basis). Bonus!

The first annual Taste of Railroad Square happens Saturday, Aug. 23 from 12-4pm in, uh, you guessed it, Railroad Square. What exactly does the square taste like? For $40 (this is a benefit for the 6th Street Playhouse), you can find out by stuffing your face with gourmet goodies from the likes of Syrah, Stark’s Lococo’s and more. In addition to the tasty bites, the event alos features wine, beer, live music and other fun.

But you know, we’re all about the food, so here’s some of the lineup:

– Josef’s Restaurant: Curried salmon cake, vegetarian lavosh, spanekopita with cheese and spinach, prosciutto with melon

– Starks Restaurant and Kendall Jackson Winery: Mini Kobe Beef Sliders with Black Truffle French Fries, paired with Kendall Jackson wine.

– LoCoco’s Cucina Rusica: Crusini with prosciutto, figs marscapone and/or homemade ricotta & spinach ravioli

– Pizzio’s Cucina Italiana: Gnocchi with Gorganzola sauce, Penne con Salsicce (a Double Gold Winner at the Harvest Fair), Pesto with Chicken, Shell pasta with Ricotta Sauce and/or a hearty cheesy red sauce.

Syrah Bistro: Deep dark chocolate brownies

Mmmm. Brownies. Also in the house will be future resident Jack & Tony’s Restaurant & Whisky Bar (which isn’t set to open until later this year) serving up tri-tip; Wine Spectrum and others.

Check out the details at tasteofrailroadsquare.org.