Antique malls aren’t supposed to smell this good.

But wafting around the crackling tables, old silverware and miscellaneous history piled up around the Sebastopol Antique Society are warm scents of butter, lemon, ricotta and all manner of things delicious.

They’re coming from the mall’s newest resident, Sfoglia. Having opened for business in the former Dolce V space just a few weeks ago, the tiny Italian bakery is easily overlooked by drivers whizzing down Gravenstein Highway–which is just fine, for those of us in-the-know. We don’t need them filling up our seats and eating our puff pastry, anyway.

And the most delightful puff pastry it is. The namesake Sfogliatella is a triangle of impossibly thin layers of crackling, buttery goodness, filled with ricotta cheese and orange zest. It may possibly bring you to tears.

Nestled in the cold case are rows of lemon and chocolate tartlets–tiny pies delicately supported by crumbly, light shortbread ill-advised for eating in the car (my stained pants as testimony). A warm sausage tart, filled with tomatoes, cheese and herbs was quite possibly the best thing I’ve eaten in weeks. I kid you not.

But that’s hardly the full extent of baker Patrick Lum’s talents. The former Mezzaluna baker (he is currently pastry chef at Sassafras in Santa Rosa) also offers up biscotti, grilled pannini, pizzetta, focaccia along with coffee and espresso from 10am through the afternoon.

Wander by and chances are good that you’ll find something fresh out of the oven. It’s easy enough to find. Just follow your nose.

Sfoglia, 2661 Gravenstein Highway South, Sebastopol, 707.829.5721 Inside the Sebastopol Antique Society.

CLOSED
They say you can never go home, but sometimes homesteads past come to you. Reeking of garlic.
Portland-based Pizzicato Pizza recently opened a small outpost in the new Whole Foods shopping plaza in Petaluma. A favorite lunchtime nosheria of my old hometown, Pizzicato is the place for a gourmet slice and a salad.
Splitting the difference between Marin’s CPK (where mango and baby eggplant pizzas are de rigeur) and your average corner pizzeria, Pizzicato offers up the standards (sausage, cheese, pepperoni) along with a few creative takes–like a roasted rosemary red potato and Prosciutto pizza; the Bianca, with spinach, sausage walnuts and Gorgonzola, or a shrimp Thai pizza. All with a thin, crispy crust.
Salads, here, are given top-billing as well. The massively-garlicky Caesar will easily stink up your car for a week–just from your breath. You can make a meal from the Chinese Chop or Arugula Pear (with candied walnuts), or size-down to a side Greek or ‘Insalata Mista’ with chevre, onions, walnuts and baby lettuce.
And, because pizza is best enjoyed in the comfort of your big screen TV, preferably with a beer, Pizzicato offers half-baked pizzas for take-out. Pop ’em in the oven for a final crisping, and you’re ready to pig out.
Get a taste of Pizzicato at their grand opening fete on Feb. 13 from 2 to 9pm, with free samples of pizza and salads. Tell them the girl from Portland sent you.
Pizzicato Pizza, 615 E. Washington St., Petaluma, 707.762.2216. Open daily for lunch, dinner and takeout.

I had high hopes. Really high hopes. The local buzz on Risibisi, Petaluma’s newest Cal-Italian eatery is good. Headed up by Chef Fabio Flagiello (formerly of Il Fornaio) and his charming front-of-the-house partner, Marco Palmieri, the small restaurant has been packed since its opening with fans of the wine bar and downtown bistro.

It’s a swell idea, really. Lots of exposed brick, funky music, light, flavorful riffs on Northern Italian dishes with a meaty wine list featuring the best of Italy, as well as California and a few French wines thrown in for good measure.

And certainly, there is plenty of potential on the menu, which changes up frequently to reflect what’s in season. Risotto is the restaurant’s namesake dish (Risi e bisi means rice and peas), there’s the requisite fritto misto (fried calamari shrimp and artichokes) and a handful of pasta dishes make for a solid lineup.

But can Risibisi ultimately deliver?

BiteClub ended up walking away from last night’s dinner unconvinced. The duck entree (served with black grapes and pearl onions on a bed of pancetta) was dry, dry, dry, and colder than the plate it was served on. The risotto, served with a portion of lobster tail was bland and the peas lacked much luster. The appetizer of grilled calamari, scallops, shrimp, arugula and tomatoes was uninspiring (and the mealy tomatoes clearly way out of season).

Adding insult to injury, our server seemed far from comfortable with the wine list, offering up, uh, a bottle of Chianti and bringing us white wine glasses with our red wine. Call me less than overwhelmed. Especially when my wallet ended up $100-plus lighter at the end of the night. Ouch.

Dessert was a late bright spot, a spoon-tiramisu served up in a martini glass. Lots of creamy mascarpone, tasty little chocolate shavings and nicely-soaked ladyfingers. You pretty much can’t go wrong with feeding your date cream and chocolate.

But it takes more than mascarpone (not much, but a little) to stay in business. Ultimately, the space and the vibe, along with the experience of the chef, make for strong potential in Petaluma. Locals love the Big Night promise of this bootstrapping Italian newcomer. But good faith only lasts so long.

Time to deliver.

Risibisi, 154 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, 707.766.7600. (Best bet; try the $12 prix-fixed lunch menu)

Ready for romance? We’ve hand-picked 10 of our favorite romantic dining spots in Sonoma County. So whether you’re popping the question, or just popping out for a first date, we’ve got a restaurant that will get both your hearts beating faster. (Plus, handy phone numbers to make those reservations. Which you’ll need, Romeo.)

Front Room Bar & Lounge at Vintner’s Inn
Ever play that game where you meet your partner at a bar and pretend to be strangers? If not, you just got a great idea for a romantic date. With luxurious leather sofas and glowing lamps around the wooden bar, the Front Room is a perfect spot to steal glances at each other, or send ridiculously pink cocktails to each other. If you’re not totally turned on within 10 minutes, at least you’ll get a good laugh (or a few phone numbers) out of the experience. 350 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa, 707.575.7350

Mirepoix
If you’re agreed that A) Anything French is romantic; B) Foods bathed in butter are equally romantic and; C) Just saying Coq au Vin makes you sexy, then this Parisian-style bistro just off the Windsor green is the key to your smooch-filled night. The space is small and intimate, the wine list extensive, and the atmosphere casual enough to not make your date feel any serious obligation. Plus, it’s run by a young husband and wife team who know a thing or two about keeping the fire burning in the kitchen. 275 Windsor River Road, Windsor, 707.838.0162

Cyrus
Champagne wishes and caviar dreams come true at Sonoma County’s most ultra-luxe restaurant. Think little carts wheeling around caviar and cheeses, waiters snapping to attend to your every need and food so pretty it seems a shame to eat. Be warned, you’ll pay a pretty penny for all that indulgence, but you did say for richer, didn’t you? (PS. Can’t afford dinner? Stop in for some dazzling drinks at the bar.) 29 North St., Healdsburg, 707.433.3311

Ca’Bianca
They say garlic is an aphrodisiac. Test out the theory with a little between-course-kissing at one of Santa Rosa’s oft-cited romantic eateries. Featuring dishes from throughout Italy, you’ll have plenty of excuses to twirl your fork suggestively or maybe even have your own Lady and the Tramp moment. Ca’Bianca, 835 Second St., Santa Rosa, 707.542.5800.

Zazu
Unassuming, and maybe even a little rugged from the outside, Zazu’s the roadhouse with a heart of gold. Serving up Wine Country comfort food with a gentle Italian flair, the menu is thick with braised, roasted, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. Expect to find fun, inexpensive local wines, elbow-rubbing banquet-seating and a smart, slow-food sensibility that can be enjoyed in everything from Birkenstocks to Blahniks. 3535 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa, 707.523.4814.

Ravenous
A little wild, a little raucous, and always packed to the hilt, Ravenous isn’t perhaps the most secluded choice for lovers. But it may be one of the best for a little candlelit googling at each other, while sitting cheek-to-cheek (and we don’t mean your faces). A great value for Healdsburg with well-executed American bistro dishes around the $18 mark. Plus a whole lot of microbrews. Call it something for both of you, and let the public affection begin. 420 Center St., Healdsburg, 707.431.1302

General’s Daughter
Wine Country with a southern drawl. The charming Sonoma Victorian has recently reinvented itself as a favorite spot (possibly the only spot) to get daily foie gras specials along side nouveau “Lowcountry” grits and gumbo. Keep the spice alive by taking advantage of cozy nooks and lovebird seating throughout. 400 West Spain St., Sonoma, 707.938.4004.

Farmhouse Inn
If the quiet country drive to Forestville doesn’t get your Romance-O-Meter going, the warm glow of the Farmhouse Inn on a dark winter’s night should at least get a patter. Intimate almost to a fault, the restaurant is cozy and homey, with snappy service and a Cal-French menu that plays to the flavors of many regional wines on their extraordinary list. Plus, you can always sneak upstairs for a little overnight nookie. 7871 River Road, Forestville, 707.887.3300.

La Gare
Everything old is, well, still pretty tried-and-true at this favorite Santa Rosa institution that’s been a favorite of googly-eyed lovers from its opening in the late 1970s . From its way-classic French menu to the cozy, dimly-lit interior, La Gare won’t be denied. And hopefully, nor will you, loverboy. 208 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707.528.4355.

Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar
Raw oysters on the half-shell are a specialty. ‘Nuff said. 403 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707.433.9191

Don’t think of this as faint praise. But after three days of sweating, coughing, sniffing and generally wishing to die, the first place that I could even think of eating was Arrigoni’s.

The downtown Santa Rosa deli is like an old friend. It’s predictably good, with an array of tasty meat-filled sandwiches (no, not yet, my stomach said). The mile-high tortes, stuffed with chicken or vegetables, also an always-solid choice (again, too soon). Salads are carefully prepared by the sturdy women behind the glass who, despite the long lunch lines, always take your order patiently. (no salad, today, please).

What drew me, after this bout of disease, was the promise of homemade soup and quiche. Call them the Dynamic Duo of Healing.

What most of us downtown regulars know is that the pot is always warm at Arrigoni’s. And though I’m never sure what exactly brings me back to this casual, red-check-tablecloth eatery, soup is probably among them. Selections change up daily, with minestrone being a pretty-much sure thing, but everything else depending on the luck of the draw. If you happen in on a lentil day, be happy.

Quiches also change up, but I can vouch for the mushroom and spinach. Despite its enormous height (overcompensation is a Arrigoni’s trademark), it’s still light and flavorful–at least to to my semi-delirious-palate. In either case, healing. Open for breakfast and lunch daily.

Arrigoni’s Delicatessen & Cafe, 701 4th Street Santa Rosa, (707) 545-1297

BiteClub is the first to admit its shortcomings. Taco trucks have never been my beat. But that doesn’t mean I’m not looking to expand my horizons.

Next week, BiteClub will feature the best mobile Mexican from throughout Sonoma County. But I need your help.

Are you a taco truck regular? Do you know the menu from Delicias Elenitas by heart? Can you suss out top tamales like a champ? Then be my guides.

Tell me your favorite stops along Sebastopol Road, Healdsburg, and the town of Sonoma. Know some hidden gems? All the better.

I’ll take your advice and hit the trucks with fork in hand. The best recommendations from you will be featured online. If you’re especially knowlegable, I may even take you with me.

Think you’re up to the job? Leave your comments below, or email me directly

And get out your hot sauce. Cause we’re gonna have some spicy fun.

Ad Hoc, Thomas Keller’s third Yountville restaurant is temporary no more.

The Chronicle reported yesterday that, after much speculation, Keller has decided to leave the homey, prix-fixe eatery intact. Sighs of relief from gushing fans were audible from throughout Wine Country. Our braised beef short ribs and pork loin aren’t going anywhere soon.

Housed in the former Wine Garden restaurant just blocks from Keller’s tony French Laundry, bistro-style Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery, Ad Hoc was to be a six-month experiment in casual, family-style dinners while he worked out the details for a Napa-style wine and burger bar.

Drawn by the $45 price-tag for dishes like roasted beet and frisee salad, braised beef short ribs (so tender you could cry), artisinal cheese plates and Americana deserts like chocolate brownies with whipped cream, Ad Hoc caught on like wildfire. You can’t go wrong with American comfort food. Critical praise only fanned the flame.

But charm isn’t just that Ad Hoc is good eats. Or that culinary wunderkind Thomas Keller is somewhere behind the scenes (he mostly consults on the menus, leaving Bouchon chef Jeffrey Cerciello to oversee the kitchen). Or that you can usually get a reservation the same week (but don’t try to walk in and get dinner on a weekend night).

It’s that even for a ‘temporary’ restaurant, everything is so Keller “so meticulously done. The wine list is an adventure, with plenty of casual wines by the glass and bottles topping out at $88. Many are under $50. The family-style plates are simple, yet utterly beautiful, nothing slopped on or thrown together. And despite the price, the staff is trained to be attentive and friendly, never to a fault, but treating diners like royalty, rather than cheapskates.

Word is that the restaurant will close briefly in the spring for a few facelifts and minor changes, but no major overhauls. And that’s good news to all of us who knew, from the very start, that the restaurant who’s name means, “For this purpose” couldn’t have be anything else.

If you go: Don’t expect French-inspired haute-cuisine or tiny plates. The portions are generous and the food is strictly home-style Americana. Also, make sure to call ahead for a reservation, no matter what you’ve heard. The reasonably-priced wine list gives diners the opportunity to experiment, so try something fun, like pairing each of the four courses with a different wine.

Ad Hoc, 6476 Washington St., Yountville, 707.944.2487

I want a recount.

In a devastating turn of events, Kettle Chips announced that Island Jerk has won the 2007 People’s Choice vote, narrowly shutting out Twisted Chili Lime and Dragon 5 Spice. As supreme chip of the year, the flavor (think barbecue meets allspice) will go into production this summer.

Call me crushed. My man, Royal Indian Curry, wasn’t even a contender.

Confused? For the past two years, Oregon-based Kettle Foods has offered a collection of limited edition potato chip flavors “this year it was jerk, chili lime, Dragon 5 Spice, chocolate and curry “through their website. Food freaks (like me) get all worked up over this and spend $20 just to taste these wacky snacks not offered to the general public. In the end, only one flavor is left standing, the rest relegated to a salty memory.

Like my man, Curry. Rest in peace, friend.

Kettle Chips at www.kettlefoods.com

Want to order your own 2007 People’s Choice Chips? Click here. Your Superbowl friends will be very impressed.

PS How come the UK gets flavors like Apple, Sage & Thyme, Crème Fraiche and Buffalo Mozzerela? Dude, I want those. Check out what our cousins across the pond like.

You locked the keys in the house this morning. A flock of birds christened the hood of your freshly-washed car. Your boss wanted that report two days ago. And your boyfriend failed to notice your new $200 hairdo.

Yes, there are bigger problems in the world, but right now, you’re not sure what they are. Time for a little tea.

Requiring us world-weary patrons to take a moment, sit back and relax, the newly-opened Infusions Teahouse in Sebastopol is an oasis of ohm. Let yourself be mesmerized by the wall of shining silver containers filled with exotic loose leaf teas. Take a seat on the puffy couch and meditate for a moment on everything from organic oolong to Earl Gray.

Overwhelmed? Owner and tea enthusiast Miki Shamir gently guides customers along, offering up suggestions and advice on the more than 100 infusions she has on hand.

But forget the tacky tea bags and paper cups. The real relaxation moment comes from infusing your own tea at the table. There’s no hurrying the steep. Breathe. Pour. Sip. Repeat. Problems dissolved.

Infusions Teahouse, 6988 McKinley, Sebastopol, 829.1181

Offering tea and small plates (many vegan) daily. Weekly music and poetry events in the evening. Check out infusionsteashop.com for more information, tea menus and events.

Get ready to bring home the bacon, it’s pork season.

Throughout the region chefs are celebrating their favorite cloven-hooved friends throughout January and February with special dinners that take advantage of, well, pretty much everything but the squeal.

Be a salumist, January 18
Chefs Franco Dunn and Dino Bugica from Santi restaurant in Geyserville will be teaching sausage, pancetta and salami making using centuries old Italian recipes at VIVA. If you can’t make the event, Santi sells its homemade sausage (given recent props by the New York Times) from its restaurant or Santi’s website. $80, 6:30 to 9:30pm, 7160 Keating Ave, Sebastopol, 824.9913.

Festa del Porco at Bovolo, January 20 and 21
Celebrating the feat of St. Anthony (the patron saint of butchers) Duskie and John host a nose to tail supper at their Healdsburg restaurant featuring their Black Pig Salumi, hogs head soup, belly and more. Again, if you can’t make the dinner, John sells his homemade salumi and bacon at the restaurant. Definitely worth a special trip. $65 per person, call 707.431.2962 to reserve your spot.

Dry Creek Kitchen’s Second Annual Celebration of Pigs and Pinot, January 24
Sample more than 50 pinot noirs paired with pork dishes, charcuterie, pates and other special creations from chefs Charlie Palmer, Michael Ellis, Corey Schreiber and Jean-David Daudet from Burgandy. $75, 6:30 to 9pm, 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg
Click for more information and other events during the celebration

Oliveto’s Whole Hog Dinners, February 6 – 9, 2007
This is THE event of the season for nose to tail eaters. From blood pudding to bacon ice cream, the restaurant pulls out all the stops with its extensive pork-tastic menu. If you haven’t done it at least once, make a point of going. This year, former Oliveto chef Paul Bertolli will be launching his new line of salumi during the event. Get the details at their website