…Lobster Shack Santa Rosa?
The popular Lobster Shack restaurant in Napa recently closed, but rumors are swirling that owners of the chain (with outposts in San Francisco and Redwood City) may be scoping out real estate in Santa Rosa. Nothing confirmed so far, but calls to the restaurants indicated that there may be some interest.

…Former Lolo’s chef Michael Quigley has recently landed at the Duck Club in Bodega Bay.

…More on Eloise at the former Bistro V space…I spoke with co-owner and chef Ginevra Iverson this morning who originally hails from Marin. The couple recently moved from New York with their young daughter and have been rehabbing the spot since April. Plans are to open in late Julywith what she’s calling a Southern French-Mediterranean-Farmhouse menu. The couple are classically trained, but want the feel of the spot to be very easy-going and community-based. They’re already reaping sorrell, lettuce, tomatoes and fruit from the backyard garden they’ve been working on. More to come.

…Worth our Weight, Santa Rosa’s culinary apprenticeship program recently moved into the former Chippery space behind O’Sake in Santa Rosa.

…The former Seaweed restaurant in Bodega Bay has reopened as Terrapin Creek Check out the menu here: http://www.terrapincreekcafe.com/menu.html

…Just in case you hadn’t heard, Sassafrass restaurant’s Jack Mitchell plans to open a restaurant and whiskey bar in Railroad Square (at the former Capri space) later this year called Jack and Tony’s.

…Reader call out: A reader recently asked if BiteClub knew about a bakery serving “Lobster Tails”, a pastry filled with whipped cream. If you’re in the know, let us know.

As a confirmed meat and dairy-lover, I’ve been fascinated by the idea of Seed — a raw foods vegan restaurant, which opened in the former Cafe Saint Rose space. I thought, however, it might be more fitting for one of my colleagues — a devoted vegan– to be the first to check out this new eatery for BiteClub. Many of you have been asking about it, so here’s the scoop from online producer Katy Lieber.

The North Bay’s meat-free-set have a new place to rave about in Santa Rosa thanks to the addition of Seed, a month-old vegan restaurant on Sebastopol Avenue.

The 7-table restaurant, on the east side of Highway 101, offers a menu completely void of meat and dairy–ravioli “flowers” made with macadami nuts, sausage pizza made wtith nut cheese and even a brownie sundae. In addition to the lack of meat and cheese, everything on the menu is organic and most is raw and wheat free.

Vegan owner and chef Jeri Hastey opened restaurant because she was simply hungry. “There aren’t a lot of options for vegans,” she said. After many years as a vegetarian, she became a vegan a year ago, inspired by one of her five children. But the food lover found there weren’t many places for her to eat out.

Her menu, which includes everything from nachos to her version of the “Frito Boat” (chili, cheese and chips) has been warmly received by vegans and nonvegans alike.

“I’m honestly surprised how welcome I have been made to feel in the vegan community,” and said news of the restaurant has spread mainly through word of mouth.

The menu is full of vegan versions of familiar dishes including burgers, pizza and egg salad. Desserts include cheesecake, key lime pie and a brownie sundae with caramel.

Popular items, according to Jeri, include a corn and red bell pepper tostada ($14) and sloppy seed ($10.50), a vegan version of sloppy joe’s and a stuffed mushroom appetizer topped with zucchini hummus ($8).

A longtime vegan and macadamia nut fan, I sampled the ravioli flower, macadamia raviolis with tomato basil marinara served with brushetta crackers and caesar salad ($13). It was light and filling. My dessert, chosen with the help of my server, a chocolate caramel pie ($6.50) was rich, chocolately and delicious.

Jeri formerly ran a healing center in Sacramento and trained with a raw-food chef in Austin, Texas before opening Seed. Her many repeat customers keep her motivated and happy despite long hours as the solo chef.

“I have a lot of customers who come back six, seven, eight, 12 times.”

Seed: 463 Sebastopol Avenue, Santa Rosa. 707-546-7333. Open Wednesday through Saturday 11 am – 9 pm and Sunday for brunch 10 am-2 pm. Also, to-go food available next door.

CLOSED
As a confirmed meat and dairy-lover, I’ve been fascinated by the
idea of Seed — a raw foods vegan restaurant, which opened in the
former Cafe Saint Rose space. I thought, however, it might be more
fitting for one of my colleagues — a devoted vegan– to be the first
to check out this new eatery for BiteClub. Many of you have been asking
about it, so here’s the scoop from online producer Katy Lieber.

The North Bay’s meat-free-set have a new place to rave about in
Santa Rosa thanks to the addition of Seed, a month-old vegan restaurant
on Sebastopol Avenue.
The 7-table restaurant, on the east side
of Highway 101, offers a menu completely void of meat and
dairy–ravioli “flowers” made with macadami nuts, sausage pizza made
wtith nut cheese and even a brownie sundae. In addition to the lack of
meat and cheese, everything on the menu is organic and most is raw and
wheat free.
Vegan owner and chef Jeri Hastey opened restaurant
because she was simply hungry. “There aren’t a lot of options for
vegans,” she said. After many years as a vegetarian, she became a vegan
a year ago, inspired by one of her five children. But the food lover
found there weren’t many places for her to eat out.
Her menu,
which includes everything from nachos to her version of the “Frito
Boat” (chili, cheese and chips) has been warmly received by vegans and
nonvegans alike.
“I’m honestly surprised how welcome I have
been made to feel in the vegan community,” and said news of the
restaurant has spread mainly through word of mouth.
The menu
is full of vegan versions of familiar dishes including burgers, pizza
and egg salad. Desserts include cheesecake, key lime pie and a brownie
sundae with caramel.
Popular items, according to Jeri,
include a corn and red bell pepper tostada ($14) and sloppy seed
($10.50), a vegan version of sloppy joe’s and a stuffed mushroom
appetizer topped with zucchini hummus ($8).

A longtime vegan and macadamia nut fan, I sampled the ravioli
flower, macadamia raviolis with tomato basil marinara served with
brushetta crackers and caesar salad ($13). It was light and filling. My
dessert, chosen with the help of my server, a chocolate caramel pie
($6.50) was rich, chocolately and delicious.
Jeri formerly ran a
healing center in Sacramento and trained with a raw-food chef in
Austin, Texas before opening Seed. Her many repeat customers keep her
motivated and happy despite long hours as the solo chef.
“I have a lot of customers who come back six, seven, eight, 12 times.”
Seed:
463 Sebastopol Avenue, Santa Rosa. 707-546-7333. Open Wednesday through
Saturday 11 am – 9 pm and Sunday for brunch 10 am-2 pm. Also, to-go
food available next door.

Okay, mystery solved as to who’s moving into the former Bistro V space in Sebastopol. It took some digging, but after a couple of tips from BiteClubbers and a few phone calls, BiteClub has found out that former New York hot shot chefs Eric Korsh and Ginevra Iverson (who also happen to be married) will be opening Restaurant Eloise later this summer. Korsh and Iverson are both alums of the much lauded Prune. Oh joy. Oh elation. Stay tuned for more details.

The former Vivere space in Santa Rosa is being overhauled once again and will soon be home to Le Saigon restaurant. Fourth time a charm?

Lots of action on the 400 block of Mendocino. The former barcode space has is being renovated as well and will remain a bar and lounge.

UPDATE: With regard to some twittering I’ve been hearing about Sky Lounge at the Sonoma County Airport, here’s the scoop straight from owner Jim Goff. He tells BiteClub that Ed Metcalfe (of Shisho in Sonoma) who had a hand in the opening has not been part of the restaurant since early on. In addition, Goff says there are no plans to change or modify the current restaurant citing his 15-year long-term lease. So, there you have it.

When someone says cheap and Indian food in the same breath, it’s usually a recipe for indigestion, if not worse. You just don’t want to play roulette with bargain-basement goat meat and lamb slathered with curry sauce. Hence my slight trepidation when BiteClubbers turned me onto Masala Jack’s which recently opened in Cotati, featuring a menu full of curries under $7–many under $5.

Instead, BiteClub found one of Europe’s largest curry chains come to America. The new Cotati restaurant (which we hear may be branching out to Santa Rosa’s downtown soon) is slick and clean, upscale Indian dining on a daal budget. Though I’ve only begun piecing the details together, it appears that Masala Jacks is an offshoot of Masala Jak’s–a popular Indian restaurant from Glasgow, Scotland. That alone gives the spot cred, as legend has it that tikka masala (one of the most popular curry dishes ever) got its start on the British Isles. Suffice to say Brits (and Scots) know their curry.

So here’s the deal. The menu is packed with Indian delights both familiar and exotic. With prices so low, feel free to explore outside your comfort zone. Palak Pakora ($2.95) are deep fried spinach fritters that come with tamarind and mint dipping sauce and are nearly enough for a meal on their own. Chicken Tikka Masala ($6.95) is a spicier, hotter version that you’ll find elsewhere in SoCo, but filled with big chunks of chicken. Palak Paneer, a fresh homemade cheese cooked in creamy spinach sauce ($5.95) has plenty of heat as well, cranking up the fascination factor on a dish that sometimes crosses into Gerber-like mush.

Tandoor dishes, cooked in a clay oven, include the usual chicken and kababs, but also include Batakh Achari ($9.95), a pickled duck served with mango chutney. Karayla Ghosht ($5.95), a combination of bitter melon and lamb studded with spices or Bengan Bharta ($5.95), a mesquite smoked eggplant cooked with onions, tomatoes and spices that’s a perfect match with jasmine rice.

Everything is prepared to order, so expect to cool your heels and kick back with some Bollywood on the flat screen if you’ve got a big order. Bets bet is to chillax with a glass of mango lassi and order up some naan. The clay-oven baked flatbread comes in a variety-pack of flavors, from plain to garlic, onion, cherry-stuffed and (BiteClub’s fave), chili cheese.

The one drawback to Jack’s is the fervor with which they spice, well, everything. You’ll find whole cloves, cardamom and other herbal goodies in everything from curries to rice. It’s not a fun thing to bite down on any sort of whole spice, so be aware. Heat can also be eye-wateringly intense on some dishes, so ask your server ahead of time if you’d like things cooled down.

It’s fairly amazing that Masala Jack’s can keep prices so low while serving up tandoor and curry that’s on par with some of the better Indian restaurants in town. Maybe its better not to ask too many questions. And just go with the Bollywood vibe.

Masala Jack’s Original Good Ol’ Indian Curryhouse. Open daily 11:30am to 9pm; 7981 Old Redwood Hwy, Cotati, 707.795.2251. Order ahead if you’re planning to take out.

Kevin McKenzie’s isn’t the first crepe stand to hit the local market scene. From elegant French buckwheat to a few missteps that were more reminiscent of funnel cakes than actual, well, crepes, there have been more than a few comers to the party. Consider them a nothing more than a warm-up to the serious flipping and filling skills of one of the county’s best-kept secrets.

Secret because only a handful of insiders have so far discovered McKenzie’s portable creperie at the Saturday (Veteran’s Building) Santa Rosa farm market. And secret because McKenzie isn’t just your average farm stand hand. You’ll get right away that despite the paper plates and t-shirted kids helping him out, it takes a serious chef to pull of cloud-light crepes filled with pulled pork, creamy polenta and doused with bechamel on propane burners. Or slow-cooked apples bathed in vanilla mascarpone from inside a tent.

Despite the market grubs and farm hat, McKenzie’s spent most of his life in chef’s whites, working with some of the best in the biz up and down the West Coast. But the crepes were calling. And so in addition to his consulting work (he’s done recent cooking programs with Relish Cooking School), his food writing and catering, McKenzie mans the crepe stand at the Sebastopol and Santa Rosa (Veteran’s Building) farm markets.

It’s fitting that you’ll find him in Santa Rosa near Mateo Granados’ stand — the former Dry Creek chef who’s made a killing in tamales and haute Mexican catering. Both have elevated market breakfast/brunching to something truly destination worthy. In other words, you’ll be hard-pressed to decide whether to get one of Kevin’s savory crepes or a plate of haute huevos rancheros from Mateo as you fuel up for a long morning of squeezing fruit.

Then again, you could always do both. I would.

Chef Kevin McKenzie, Pan for Hire, Santa Rosa Veteran’s Building, Saturdays until noon.
Chef Mateo Granados, Santa Rosa Veteran’s Building, Saturdays until noon. Elsewhere, check out his site, www.mateogranados.com.