Marin’s favorite hamburger is headed for Santa Rosa. A sign on the former Heavenly Hamburger restaurant on Route 12 says that the burger joint will soon open in that spot.
Well-loved in counties south, the burgers are giant, juicy monsters that have lines wrapped round the block. Plus, ciabatti burgers, cheesesteak. And fries. Delightful fries. Should Mike’s be worried? Time will tell.
Just know BiteClub will be the first in line.
Adding to its urban-meets-rural cache, Napa’s tony Carneros Inn recently opened its second restaurant, FARM. The popular Boon Fly Cafe, which easily swayed locals with its casual brunches and upscale roadhouse dining, has been open since 2004.
Now heading the two kitchens is Executive Chef Kimball Jones, a former sous-chef at SR’s Campton Place with Bradley Ogden. Be impressed. Having also done a stint at Wente Vineyards, Jones has the Wine Country thing down cold, while bringing some urban glitz to the table.
With more name-dropping than a Paris Hilton cellphone conversation (Redwood Hills, Liberty Duck, Sonoma Direct Lamb, Fulton Chicken, Pozzi), FARM is all about giving props to “the bounty of the Carneros and surrounding farmers and ranches.” Um, most of which (judging by the sample menu I saw) come from the western reaches of Sonoma County. Call it Carneros-adjacent.
Regardless, the menu looks solid. Among the sample dishes (which of course change frequently, so don’t get your hopes up too high) were a butternut squash-apple soup with Chanterelles and fried sage; Redwood Hills Goat Cheese potato terrine; Ahi tuna tartare (yawn); Liberty Duck with Katz honey, lemon and thyme; Mishima Ranch Wagyu Coulotte Steak, Fulton chicken with oven roasted apples, onions and fingerling potatoes with mushroom giblet sauce.
At $24-$32 per entree, the price point is clearly in line with Napa’s high-end restaurant scene and may prove a bit spendy for locals. But nestled deep within the Carneros compound, its likely that visitors will be the bread-and-butter of the Plumpjack empire’s newest restaurant.
Along with a few of us Carneros-adjacent folks.
FARM, 4048 Sonoma Highway, Napa, 707.299.4900
Thanksgiving hangover? Yeah, me too. But here are some tasty morsels I’ve been saving up.
2 Crows
Michele Jordan and I stumbled on 2 Crows (9890 Bodega Highway, Sebastopol), the re-opened roadhouse between Sebastopol and Bodega Bay just about the same time–as it was opening. She’s got some details here in a recent article she wrote.
I stopped in a couple weeks ago to check out the menu…which is simple and straightforward (nothing fancy here, mostly sandwiches and the like), and will likely attract locals and ocean-goers looking for a nice warm cup of coffee and some pastries.
60 minute savior
No matter where you stand on the Rachel love-hate-o-meter, her recipes do come in handy from time to time. Inspired by her 60-minute Thanksgiving, I churned out some tasty Stuffin-Muffins and Herb Turkey breasts for a last-minute save of the family meal. And, I’m not the only one who loves her.
Fast Food Nation
After seeing the flick, I’m seriously considering becoming a vegan.Okay, I’m done. However, many of the gory meat-processing scenes in the movie put me off my chow until, er, I had a big fat steak later that same evening. One big question, however: What’s with all the gratuitous product placement? I honestly thought this would be a movie with a message. But not about buying linens on Overstock.com. Yuck.
Mark your calendars
Coming up Thursday:
– Dining out for Life: Eat out for a cause. On Thursday night, 25% of your food bill goes to Food for Thought, the Sonoma County AIDS Food Bank. Find out who’s participating and how you can get involved.
– John Scharffenberger is at Copperfield’s Books in Montgomery Village at 7pm to discuss his new book, The Essence of Chocolate. Yum.
Stilton Alert
After a weekend in Oregon wine country, where I tasted some amazing Stilton, I’ve been on a mad hunt throughout the Bay area for something to match the chunk from Portland’s renowned Provvista. I grabbed a nice hunk at Cowgirl Creamery in the Ferry Building on Saturday from Neal’s Yard (a British creamery).
So, here’s the weird discovery–Stilton French Toast. Leftover Acme bread, sliced up and dipped in egg. Fry up and top and melt over the top a wee bit of Stilton. Syrup? But of course. Would you DARE try it? Trust me. It’s delish.
Sel du Whole Foods
Among the changes, additions at the Santa Rosa Whole Foods, a collection of unique sea salts from around the globe, in an array of hues and textures. Check them out at the cheese counter.
More soon.
You had one job. Bring the pie.
And you forgot, didn’t you?
Okay, don’t panic. BiteClub is here to help-
Best bet: Mom’s Apple Pie
Chance of actually getting one: Dream the impossible dream.
For you sorry slackers, Mom is staying up late Wednesday and opening early Thanksgiving morning. And these are, without a doubt, the biggest, baddest, yummiest fruit pies in town. Now, here’s the deal, there will only be a few non-reserved pies available, so you’ll need to get there bright and early. Doors open at 9am, and its purely first-come, first-serve-so get your pie-shoving elbows sharpened.
Mom’s Apple Pie: 4550 Gravenstein Hwy. North, Sebastopol, 707.823.8330
Solid second choice: Marie Callender’s
Chance of actually getting one: Good
Here’s the inside scoop: Marie’s got a whole back-room full of pies just waiting for last-minute folks to swoop in on Thursday morning looking for pumpkin, apple and, well, any of the dozens of pies they make every day. They won’t reserve pies, but we’re assured that there’s plenty of pumpkin. Again, go early.
Marie Callender’s : 2460 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa, 707.547.0747
In a pinch: Kozlowski’s Fruit Pies
Chance of actually getting one: Fair
Pecan-crumb top made right here in Sonoma County. You can find them at Pacific Market (Santa Rosa), Fiesta (Sebastopol) , Big John’s (Healdsburg) and Oliver’s (Santa Rosa).
Not bad for a supermarket: Whole Foods
Chance of actually getting one: Fair to good
Of all the supermarkets, Whole Foods’ pumpkin pie is actually pretty dang good. Nice and spicy, rich, and with a crumbly, rich crust. Quite possibly better than homemade. At least when some of you are cooking.
Whole Foods: 1181 Yulupa, Santa Rosa; 6910 McKinley, Sebastopol; 621 E. Washington, Petaluma
It’s 2pm and I seriously can’t find a pie: Safeway-but grab some whipping cream
Chance of actually getting one: Good
I honestly can’t begrudge Safeway’s bakery. They make a solid bagel. They’re even doing some cute little gourmet treats these days. So, if you find yourself stuck, grab a pumpkin pie and some fresh whipping cream. No, not the stuff in the can. The stuff that’s in a carton. Whip it up, add some sugar, a little cinnamon and plop it on the pie liberally. It will cover a multitude of sins. Even the fact that you forgot the pie.
Safeway: Multiple locations
PS: Where you won’t get a pie, cake or anything else? Michelle Marie’s Patisserie (yeah, I was thinking of getting one there, too) is closed on Thanksgiving
He smokes. He drinks. He cusses. He once ate a still-beating Cobra heart. And suffice to say that his after 2am antics are, uh, legendary in the foodie world.
If ever a chef approached rock-star status, Anthony Bourdain…well, he’d probably give them a good smack down and spit in their food. (Of Jamie Oliver, the babeish ‘Naked Chef’, Bourdain once said, “That guy is neither naked nor a chef.” Ouch.)
Once the venerated chef of New York’s Les Halles (and the best-seller Kitchen Confidential), Bourdain has all but given up his chef’s whites to travel the world in search of food, trouble (you can see his show ‘No Reservations’ on the Travel Channel)…and fawning fans.
Tonight, Bourdain graces Sonoma to regale a sold-out audience with tales of eating and excess in his contribution to the new collection of chef essays, ‘How I Learned to Cook’.
If you can’t make the show, don’t worry. Chances are Bourdain will be searching out pig snouts, chicken feet or some other equally strange delicacy around our parts well into the wee hours of the morning. At least, we hope so. (Tony, feel free to call me. Anytime.)
Anthony Bourdain: 7pm, Andrews Hall, 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma
$5, EVENT SOLD OUT, but a limited number of tickets available at the door.
Good judgment can be such a burden. At least that’s what I hear.
Unrestrained by such things, my going 30 miles for a crab sandwich seemed like a perfectly sensible thing to do on a Wednesday afternoon…
…in the beating rain
…while I was supposed to be at work
…at speeds which may have, at one point or two, exceeded the legal limit.
Because (and here is where I justify everything) it was the first day of Dungeness Crab season.
Destination: Spud Point Crab Co.
Why bother? Mounds of hand-picked, feathery light crab piled onto a warm French roll, slathered with Thousand-island (ish) dressing. Fresh crab cakes. Eating chowder on the docks among hundreds of colorful crab pots while fishermen literally run to their boats in the opening days of the season.
Suddenly, thirty miles suddenly doesn’t seem quite so far. Or so crazy.
Spud Point Crab Company: 1860 Westshore Road, Bodega Bay, 707.875.9472. Open 8am to 5pm, 7 days a week
Need to kick it up a notch this Thanksgiving? Bam! The brand-spankin’ new Popeye’s Chicken in Rohnert Park (ca c’est bon) is offering pre-cooked Cajun fried turkeys (about $49 for a 10.5 pounder) all week. Yep. Fried turkey.
Spicier than a busload of sorority girls headed for Mardi Gras, this bird is gay-ron-teed to keep your tastbuds tingling through halftime, Aunt Lizzie’s slideshow and little Annabelle’s performance of ‘Oklahoma!’
Yes, laissez les bon temps roulez and stuff your face with sides of sweet potato casserole, oyster cornbread casserole, a handful of biscuits and honey…and, oh my god yes, the world’s best red beans and rice (the secret’s in the bacon fat).
Because hey ya’ll, even us Californians like to get our cajun on from time to time.
Popeye’s Chicken: 3 Padre Parkway, Rohnert Park, 707.588.8340
PS: Post holiday, there’s plenty of fried crayfish and Boss sauce to keep your belly humming like a Zydeco band on Friday night. Eye-eee!
You could wake up at 4am and stick your hand into the backside of a frozen turkey. You could slave away in the kitchen all day just to have your mother tell you the potatoes are lumpy and the gravy lacks her special touch. And, you mostly likely will find yourself beneath a pile of dishes reaching to the ceiling as the last guest bids a fond farewell.
Or, you could make Thanksgiving reservations. And remain sane.
Now, I’m not knocking aprons and pumpkin pie and spending all day obsessing about whether the turkey is the exact right shade of brown. (Okay, I am.) But like most of you, I’ve been there, done that and got the dressing-stained t-shirt to prove it. This year, let someone else to the cooking.
Here are some of the North Bay’s best bets for Turkey Day, from restaurants to complete meals ready for pickup. Get ready to be thankful.
EATING OUT
* El Dorado Kitchen
405 First St. West, Sonoma, 707.996.3030
High-end dining on the Sonoma square, serving an a la carte menu from 3 to pm. Chef Ryan Fancher is a French Laundry alum, and his meticulous dishes show it. (* items are BiteClub picks)
* The Lodge at Sonoma
1325 Broadway, Sonoma, 707.931.2042
Three-course prix fixe dinner from 2 to pm featuring roast Sonoma Willie Bird turkey, sugar pumpkin and Gruyere soup. Reservations required, $50 per person, $25 for children 4-12. See the menu
*Hurley’s Restaurant and Bar6518 Washington St, Yountville, 707.944.2345
Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings, plus regular menu items. A favorite with locals, Hurley’s has a Mediterranean flair and is one of the few spots in town open past nine (they have a 9pm to midnight menu).
*John Ash
4350 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa, 707.575.7350
Luxurious setting at a restaurant that has become a SoCo institution. Few openings are left, so you’ll need to call ahead. Both traditional and non-traditional choices. $58 per person
Etoile Restaurant at Domaine Chandon
One California Dr., Yountville
Prix-fixe 3-course menu featuring butternut soup, turkey (along with other options) and dessert, plus Chandon wines. $85 per person including wine pairing, $65 per person without pairing. Special menu for children. Chris Manning is a promising chef, but hasn’t yet risen to the status of other Napa super-stars. But, come on, that’s a tall order. See the menu
Napa Valley Grille
6795 Washington St., Washington Square, Yountville, 707.944.8686
Family-style Thanksgiving dinner at this casual-dining chain. Plus: Promises of plenty of leftovers to take home. $65 per person. The Grille offers casual Wine Country dining with a terrific patio. On Thanksgiving, a limited menu will be served in the main dining room.
The Inn at the Tides
800 Coast Highway One, Bodega Bay, 800.541.7788
Thanksgiving Day feast from 1 to 8pm. Traditional Roasted Turkey, Seafood Fettuccine, Pacific Halibut, Grilled Filet Mignon, Roasted Lamb Shank and much more. Reservations strongly suggested.
Safari West
3115 Porter Creek Road, Santa Rosa, 707.579.2551
Celebrate Thanksgiving in Africa, well sort of. The local animal refuge offers dinner amidst giraffes, lemurs and possibly a few anxious-looking wild guinea fowl. Reservations essential, $35 for adults and $15 for children, 11am
Nectar Restaurant
3555 Round Barn Boulevard, Santa Rosa, 707.569.5525
Thanksgiving buffet from 11am to 3:30pm. $29.95 for adults, $14.95 for kids. Hey, it’s a buffet, and what could be bad about that?
Seafood Brasserie
170 Railroad St, Santa Rosa, 707.636.7388
Three-course prix-fixe menu: Willie Bird turkey, pear and baby spinach salad, seafood bisque, crab cakes and more. $32 per person
Willie Bird’s Restaurant
1150 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707.542.0861
Family-favorite serving up delightful Willie Birds. Full holiday turkey dinner along with other menu items. Reservations required.
Closed on Thanksgiving: Syrah Bistro, Flavor Bistro, Cyrus, Zazu.
TAKE IT HOME
* Pearson & Co.
2759 4th St., Santa Rosa, 707.541.3868
Must order by Monday the 20th. A la carte Thanksgiving menu ready for pick up Wednesday or Thursday morning. Creative flavors done by one of SR’s best caterers. See the menu.
*TURDUCKEN!!
Martindale’s Quality Meats & Deli
5280 Aero Dr, Santa Rosa, 707.545.0531
Haven’t tried a Turducken? Martindales does a solid job of this Southern favorite “a turkey stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken. Guaranteed to make an impression. $6.99 per pound. Order in advance.
*Zazu3535 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa, 523.4814
Restaurant-prepared Thanksgiving sides available for pickup Tuesday and Wednesday. Just like having Duskie and John in your kitchen.
Whole Foods Market
1181 Yulupa, Santa Rosa, 707.575.7915
Holiday table: Full turkey dinner or a la carte. Whole Foods meat is typically juicy and well-seasoned, sides can be a little bland, soup is delightful, and pumpkin pies are usually pretty darned good. Overall, a solid choice. Order in advance.
Oliver’s Market
560 Montecito Ctr, Santa Rosa, 707.537.7123
Complete turkey dinner for $99.99
Pacific Market
1465 Town and Country Dr, Santa Rosa, 707.546.3663
Complete turkey dinner, $119
Do you have a favorite? What about non-traditional choices like Chinese or Thai? Tell me.
Got a tip? Email me at biteclub@pressdemo.com.
Truffle season is here, and with it, some of the strangest antics known to the food world. Like, say, paying $160,000 for a giant white truffle?
Reports say an anonymous bidder in Hong Kong coughed up the money for a 3.3 pound whopper at the annual Worldwide Alba White Truffle Auction in Italy this week. What’s next? The truffle will be shaved, sliced and pressed into an array of dishes at the Hong Kong Ritz-Carlton hotel for a charity dinner. No word yet on how much a plate will set you back.
Unfamiliar with the insanity that is truffle fever? The long and short of it is that, like stinky cheese and many other malodorous things we gourmands enjoy sticking in our craws, a big part of the satisfaction is in the smell. In the case of truffles, it’s a sort of leafy, dirty scent-though it can vary depending on when and where it was found. Some people love it, others loathe it. But regardless, you’re gonna pay for it.
Also astonishingly hard to find (usually dug up by specially trained pigs or dogs), a single ounce can go for hundreds of dollars. In fact, some local chefs we talked to said the price has gone so high this year, they frankly can’t afford to sell it.
But don’t give up, truffle lovers. Local restaurants are celebrating the season, regardless of the pricetag:
– Cyrus (29 N. Healdsburg St., Healdsburg, 707.433.3311)
Seven dishes on the current menu are served with truffles as a “supplement”. In other words, you’ll pay extra, but the chef highly recommends you make the splurge.
– Dry Creek Kitchen ( 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg,707.431.0330)
Staff say at least one item on the menu includes truffles, currently
– Rumored to have truffles (though yet to be confirmed): Poggia in Sausalito; La Toque in Napa.
– And, the biggest and best: Truffle dinners at Oliveto (5655 College Ave, Oakland, 510.547.5356). Nov. 14-17! I haven’t done the truffle dinner, personally, but I have eaten my way through the Whole Hog dinner, and frankly, Paul Canales doesn’t do things half way. Call ahead for reservations, as this event usually sells out.
Did I miss any? Do you have a favorite? Let BiteClub know…
Yak cheese is big news.
Having just returned from a week in Italy where he commiserated with thousands of farmers and chefs, local poultry king Jim Reichardt (the Liberty Duck guy) gave BiteClub the download on this year’s big event–which included a plan to boost imports of Tibetan yak’s milk cheese.
(Lost in translation? Terra Madre, as uber-foodies will be glad to discuss at length, is a conflagration of great minds from around the world thinking in unison about food, farming, pesticides, indigenous cultures and all manner of issues regarding what we put in our mouths. Think of it as the UN of Edibility.)
Now, in the whole scheme of things, what’s so important about yak milk’s cheese? Plenty, if you’re a Tibetan yak farmer. In recent years, the surplus of milk from their herds has been aged into gourmet cheese for the European and US market. That, in turn means some cold, hard cash for Tibetan herders who view indoor plumbing as exotic. And that, in turn, means a little help for a 10,000 year-old nomadic culture which has fallen on some pretty hard times.
So, a little idea (yak milk cheese) is actually a pretty big idea: Preserving native cultures. Literally.
Other Terra Madre 2006 issues: The increasing prevalence of genetically modified foods; how to feed millions of indigenous people who are losing their crops and food culture; or why it might be a good idea to process (ie: slaughter) drought-stricken animals in Africa as a valuable food source for people. Phew.
Part of the whole Slow Foods movement, Terra Madre is all about bringing together different cultures and viewpoints, cultivating ideas, letting them germinate, and hopefully having some sort of impact on what we put on our plates.
Don’t be surprised, then, if you get an earful from one of the 25 local folks (mostly chefs and farmers) who went with Reichardt to the conference and are now pretty much brimming with ideas and inspiration on how to change how we eat.
Just offer them a little yak cheese while they do.
Learn more about Terra Madre http://www.terramadre2006.org/terramadre/welcome_eng.lasso
Learn more about Yak cheese http://www.cowsoutside.com/yak_cheese.html
Order Yak cheese
http://www.igourmet.com/shoppe/prodview.asp?cat=&subcat=&prod=1270
