Restaurant Finds: Your questions answered

By biteclub
Recently folks have been asking me where to find some very specific foods they’ve been craving. Here’s installment one…

Boudin Sausage: Franco Dunn, Chef Emeritus of Santi Restaurant serves up different salumi each week at area farm markets (Santa Rosa, Healdsburg and Sebastopol: 1st/3rd Sundays). Sign up for his weekly email to find out what he’ll be selling. Recently he’s done chorizo, ciccioli and Tuscan chicken liver pate. http://www.tavernasanti.com/sausage.htm#

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Ethiopian/Eritrean: Downtown Santa Rosa’s Abyssinia serves up spicy, earthy, stew-ish African cuisine that’s eaten without utensils. Instead beef, lentils, chicken and veggies are scooped up with giant pieces of injera (a plate-sized, tart crepe/pancake). 913 4th St
Santa Rosa, (707) 568-6455. You can also find Ethiopian food at the annual Glendi Festival, which usually happens each September. www.saintseraphim.com
Vietnamese Sandwiches: If you’re not familiar with Bahn mi, then you should be. This delicious grab-no-go meal is simply a fresh baguette piled with pickled carrots, daikon, cilantro, cucumber, hot chilies, sliced pork and some sort of mystery meat that you try not to think about too much (most often head cheese). Both sides of the bread are spread with a sweet mayo and fish or soy sauce. The crunchy veggies, soft bread and combination of meats makes for a sweet, salty, savory bit of heaven on a bun.Once you’re hooked you’ll never look at tuna salad or turkey on white the same again. Lee’s Noodle House, 1010 Hopper Ave., Santa Rosa, 707.523.2358. Get it with a side of Durian shake. 
Southern Cooking: There are two great southern cooks in Sonoma County. Jeff Mall of Zin often has Southern-inspired dishes at his Healdsburg restaurant, including a jambalaya I recently tasted and Sunday night fried chicken. Call ahead to see what’s on the menu. Maria Vieages, a New Orleans transplant is the other. She’s been working at local wineries, but you can taste her food at cooking classes she teaches around town. On June 16, she’ll be teaching at the Glenelly Inn doing Oysters Bienville, Andouille Stuffed Chicken Breast, Dirty Rice, Smothered Sonoma Greens and Cherries Jubilee and frequently teaches at Sur La Table. Craving Chicken and Waffles: Red Rose Cafe 
Norwegian Food: BiteClub hasn’t found any restaurants serving up the smorgasbord, but on Wednesday, June 24th you can learn how to make it at the Glenelly Inn with Kristi Hallamore Jeppesen.  “Norwegian Food with a California Twist” with  Marinated Cheese; Festtorsk (Party Cod); Agurk Salat (Cucumber Salad); Ertestuing (Stewed Peas); Potet Salat med varm dressing (Potato Salad with a warm bacon dressing); Soet fondu (Sweet fondue for desert). Class info. 
Fried Plantains: El Coqui Puerto Rican cuisine is scheduled to open in the coming weeks, and a sneak peek at the menu shows there’ll be plenty of plantains on the menu. 400 Mendocino, Santa Rosa.
Polish Pierogies: Mother Xcena is the force behind A Divine Affair’s handmade Ukranian style dumplings ($16) filled with either potatoes and cheese, slow roast pork, oxtail or sauerkraut.  Daughter (and owner) Kahleen Nowak’s mans the stove, pan searing them with plenty of butter and onions — an upscale version of my Ohio favorite. Decorated with little ribbons of sour cream. 
Potato Pancakes: Best bet is Cafe Europe, an out-of-the-way little spot that’s quietly been serving up wiener schnitzel and spatzle for years. Their potato pancakes are the best in Sonoma County. Also try Chicken Paprikash at Little Switzerland in Sonoma, 401 Grove St, (707) 938-9990.
Have more questions? Let me know.

News & Gossip: GG’s, Corks, Fro Yo & “Vegilantes”

By biteclub

dish.jpgGG’s: Closed?
Though there’s still no confirmation from owners on the fate of GG’s Earth and Surf, things are looking bleak. The restaurant’s furniture and interior fixtures have begun to be moved into a temporary storage system set up in a parking spot in front of the Third Street eatery. BiteClubbers reported seeing the restaurant furniture stacked and moved out yesterday, and it appears to be continuing today.  Currently, OpenTable.com not accepting reservations for the restaurant and a voicemail says that the restaurant still remains “temporarily closed.” Last week BiteClub reported that the restaurant had gone dark with an enigmatic sign saying “Closed due to Technical Difficulties”.

Olive Oil with your FroYo?
If there’s anything from the 80’s that we’re glad to see make a triumphant return, it’s frozen yogurt. Not that it ever really went away, but the low-fat treat is getting a very 2009 facelift with the addition of savory toppings — like the sea salt and olive oil drizzle BiteClub recently saw at Healdsburg’s Snow Bunny Yogurt ( 312 Center St., Healdsburg, (707) 431-7669). Move over gummy bears.

Calling all “Vegilantes”
Bounty Hunters in Petaluma want you to join their Food Posse. Volunteers for the program help round up surplus fruits and vegetables from backyard gardens, orchards and farms for local food programs.  Collecting unwanted produce that would otherwise go to waste is called “gleaning” and is becoming an increasingly popular movement around the country. Want to learn more? Meet the Glean Team at the Petaluma Library, June 17 and 7pm. And stay tuned for more details on local foragers in BiteClub.

Corks Chef Departs
Chef Greg Hallihan, formerly of Elmo’s and Stella’s, has parted ways from his recent gig at Corks Restaurant at Russian River Vineyards. Owners say they’ll continue on, at this point, without an executive chef, using the same folks who’ve been working in the kitchen. With the departure, though, the restaurant will adjust its Thursday through Sunday “fine dining” menu to focus more on pairing wines from their vineyards — including new Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer being released this month. The restaurant, co-owned by Pasta King Art Ibleto, features pasta and sauces on Monday; bbq babyback ribs, chicken and oysters on Wednesday and will begin Sunday brunch this week from 11am to 3pm. 5700 Gravenstein Hwy N, Forestville, (707) 887-3344.

Scream for Ice Cream: SoCo’s best gelato, frozen yogurt and ice cream

By biteclub

gelato.jpgPrepare your pucker and put your licker on alert, because it’s ice cream season in Wine Country. Whether you prefer your scoops in a cup, cone or piled high in a sundae, we’ve rounded up the tastiest frozen treats around.

Best Bets

Bovolo/Zazu: “If you can’t make good vanilla, you can’t make good gelato,” says John Stewart, part of the duo behind Zazu and Bovolo Restaurants. With a flair for Italian, John and wife, Duskie Estes, are committed to doing gelato authentically. Starting with Clover milk, they don’t use a pre-made base like many others, but create the dense flavors with just cream, sugar, seasonal fruits, chocolate or other flavorings (including local wines like pinot noir). There are between 10 and 12 varieties at their Healdsburg cafe, changing up as they experiment with different ingredients. Most recently, a flavor gone wrong (Thai coconut milk) became a candy-lover’s delight: Almond Joy studded with coconut and almonds. What is gelato? This soft, creamy Italian version of ice cream is actually made with less butterfat than normal American ice cream, but less air — giving it a richer quality. Bovolo, 106 Matheson St, Healdsburg, (707) 431-2962.

Continue reading “Scream for Ice Cream: SoCo’s best gelato, frozen yogurt and ice cream”

Local CSAs: Your little piece of the farm

By biteclub

csa.jpgThe kind of glee that CSA bags can instill in even the most jaded of fast-foodies is rather remarkable to watch. Just ask my children, who before last summer eyed anything green or leafy with serious suspicion. They now clamor for kale, organic carrots and fresh apples. Miraculous.

For the uninitiated, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), is a sort of subscription to an individual farm. You pay somewhere between $10 and $30 (sometimes more) per week directly to the farm, and in return are delivered a weekly box or canvas bag stuffed with a surprise selection of freshly harvested fruits and vegetables. One week it may be greens, apples, peaches and onions; the next something completely different. Various CSA’s also include fresh eggs, cheese, bread, meat and even flowers. Call it one stop shopping with a conscience.

And though paying up-front for your subscription (which helps the farmers with crop planning and expenses) can be a bit paralyzing to some, working out the math over the long-haul makes the deal comparable — and even cheaper in our case — to weekly grocery bills.

Not to mention the thrill of discovery at what the farmer left for us this week.
Continue reading “Local CSAs: Your little piece of the farm”

Syrah does Zin?

By biteclub

Josh Silvers of Syrah Bistro in Santa Rosa is Wine Spectator’s “Zinfandel” issue cover-boy (actually, it’s his rack of lamb, but he makes several appearances inside) for the upcoming June 30 issue. Wait, what?

zin.jpgNever one to be too constrained by labels, Josh got tapped by writer Harvey Steinman to create a zinfandel-friendly menu for readers that includes a salad of grilled squid with warm potato, arugula and chorizo; a sumac and zin-marinated rack of lamb and blueberry compote with buttermilk ice cream. Each course gets paired with lusty sips from the likes of Pedroncelli, Quivira, Seghesio and Sapphire Hill (among others).

But why Syrah on Zin? They’re both big, lush, daring wines that go well with food. Kind of like Josh. Says Steinman, “Silvers’ cooking style fits easily with the rustic, energetic flavors of the wine, favoring as he does local ingredients and direct preparations.”

BTW: For those wondering about Silvers’ new restaurant, Jackson’s — August is the new hoped-for opening date. These things take time, but BiteClubbers will be the first to know.

Mystery closure at GG’s?

By biteclub

ggsclosed.jpgBiteClub is among a host of folks confounded over why GG’s Earth and Surf has been closed with an enigmatic sign on the door for several days.

In late May, owner Suzan Fleissner sent me a personal email discussing her plans to expand, which I shared with you. Apparently others in the community got the same email.

Not long after the lights went dim in the restaurant.

A sign on the door simply says, “Sorry, We Are Closed Due To Technical Difficulties.”

Many readers have written in to ask what’s up and so far, no official word — though the rumor mills are buzzing. Fleissner has not responded to email and phone inquiries and folks involved with the business’ are remaining tight-lipped. The voicemail at the restaurant does not give any indication that the restaurant is closed, leading to even more confusion.

BiteClub’s gotten word, however, that locks were changed. The restaurant opened in early March 2009. Stay tuned for details about when and if the restaurant will re-open.

Zin’s Secret Brownie Sundae

By biteclub

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For seven years of their marriage, Susan Mall kept a secret from her husband. 
Each time she’d make a pan of brownies he’d unsuccessfully try to cajole it out of her — the closely-guarded recipe for her gooey, chocolately brownies. But some secrets are just too good to let go of, especially when your husband is a chef.
The good news: Jeff finally got the recipe three years ago, and with a few modifications (he won’t say exactly what), Susan’s top-secret brownies became the “Can’t-Take-It-Off-The-Menu” centerpiece of Zin Restaurant’s ultimate brownie sundae.
And though I was afraid to ask what finally got Susan to cave, the resulting dessert — one that’s a perennial comfort-food fave at this haute home-cookin’ restaurant — could pistol whip spineless creme brulees and berry compotes any old day. And maybe that’s why it continues to remain a family secret.
Here are the stats: Homemade coffee-chocolate chip ice cream layered with bits of Susan’s fresh-baked brownies, Callebaut chocolate sauce, crunchy maple pecans, real whipped cream, a French brandied cherry. Plus a hefty wedge of more brownie just daring you to eat it. 
Take on the challenge. We’ll keep that our little secret. Zin Restaurant, 344 Center St., Healdsburg, 707.473.0946.
Want more brownie deliciousness? Read on…

Continue reading “Zin’s Secret Brownie Sundae”

On the Eat Beat: News and Gossip

By biteclub

News of a new Puerto Rican eatery in Santa Rosa has had the unexpected result of bringing together a proud but, as one BiteClub commenter stated “hidden” community of people with roots on the island.

About-to-be-opened El Coqui owners (the paper is down and final inspections are happening) recently said,

We too have been pleasantly surpised at how many Puerto Rican have been coming out of the woodworks!! Many have come by to knock on the door and wish us luck or even bring us a sample of their own favorite dish. Saturday we were there working late and almost felt like we were having an open house with the people who stopped to wish us luck!!

While they’re putting the final touches on the Mendocino Ave. spot, check out the menu Tina and Jackie dropped in my inbox. (PDF1/PDF2) Yum.

Or follow the whole thread: https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/2009/03/el-coqui.html

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StarChefs.com has named some of our favorite Napa and Sonoma Chefs as their 2009 Rising Stars. Among them, Eric Korsh and Ginevra Iverson of Restaurant Eloise; Chris Kostow of Meadowood; Nick Ritchie of Bottega; Matt Spector of JoLe; Jesse Mallgren of Madrona Manor; John Toulze of Estate and girl and the fig; John Stewart and Duskie Estes of Zazu/Bovolo for sustainability; and Geoff Kruth as sommelier for the Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant. See the full list.

A celebration and ceremony takes place from 7-9:30pm June 17 at Charles Krug Winery. Culinary students are invited to a discussion with the chefs on Tuesday and an afterparty for industry folks will be on Wednesday night at Bottega.

Get all the details: http://www.starchefs.com/chefs/rising_stars/2009/napa_sonoma/index.shtml

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Recently opened GG’s Earth and Surf may be expanding…
From owner Suzan Fleissner

I am working towards opening the side area of my restaurant.  It faces the west side, across from Ale Works.  We will be incorporating outdoor seating to allow our guests to enjoy the beautiful California weather.   I intend to have available a healthy offering of grab-n-go type food and smoothies, while maintaining GG’s high standards for local organic goods and creative recipes.   We will also have adult beverages for those who want to hang out.  We do this knowing downtown could use an easy way to get a meal to take back to the office, home and  a unique, casual spot to dine-in.   My bartenders are putting together a fabulous cocktail menu for the patio, so happy hour will be…happy.   

The live music we recently had in the restaurant sounded so good we have decided on live music every Friday night starting in June. “

She’s currently looking for testimonials from people who love the restaurant for her SBA loan. If you’re a fan, email her directly: ibeesuz@comcast.net
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Odyssey closing

By biteclub

rudy.jpgBiteClub has learned that Odyssey Restaurant in Windsor will be closing in July. It’s a bummer, though not totally unexpected, since chef-owner Rudy Mihal’s been hinting at a change for several months now. After two and a half years manning the stove pretty-much single-handedly, he’s ready for a break.
From Rudy, ” I’m going to go to New York for two months then Europe. I’m going to take some time off…Don’t know where I’ll reopen but it…won’t be Windsor,” he told BiteClub.
BiteClub hopes he’ll return to Sonoma County, since he’s a much-needed young chef willing to take risks — not always in abundance in the North Bay. Mihal’s talked about opening an authentic pit-bbq spot in the future. The Gramercy Tavern alum bolted out of the gate, impressing chefs and diners, but the out-of-the-way location, tiny kitchen and down-turning economy proved challenging.
Odyssey will remain open Thursday through Saturday, closing for good the second weekend of July. Rudy says he sold the business to the owners of Bangkok Villa on Yulupa Ave. in Santa Rosa.

Carneros Heritage Fest

By biteclub

Carneros Heritage Fest & Chef Throwdown: Napa v. Sonoma

janine.jpgBiteClub plans to be on hand tomorrow, May 30, as Napa and Sonoma
chefs go head to head in a competition between 10 Emerging Chefs at the
Carneros Heritage Festival.

Among SoCo’s culinary gladiators: Stark’s Steakhouse’s Tracy Shepos,
Zoi Antonitsas of Zazu, Ryan Pollnow of La Crema and Reese Heffington
of Mondo, Brandon Guenther of Rocker OyseterFeller’s is heading up the
BBQ, including lamb tostadas, chili-rubbed lamb and much more.

In addition to the food, there’ll be a falconer, sheep herders, stunt
kites, live music, cheese and of course plenty of wine. The fest is
family friendly as well.

Click here for tickets and more details

Photos courtesy of Stuart Locklear – C Stuart Locklear Photography