Along with ballet slipper flats and safety pin fashion, frozen yogurt has resurfaced as one of the summer’s hottest recycled ’80s trends. Like totally. But hold onto your mall bangs, sister, we’ve evolved way beyond TCBY. Enter Pinkberry.

Raging through SoCal like an acidophilus-fueled wildfire, Pinkberry has elevated fro-yo to an art form by, well, making it actually taste like yogurt. And at only 25 calories per ounce (before topping it with Fruity Pebbles and Cap’n Crunch, that is), it’s a sweet treat that is gentle on the waistline. Unlike that carton of Ben & Jerry’s you’re hiding in the freezer.

Only two flavors of the hip soft serve yogurt are available–plain and green tea–and reports from rabid fans describe it as creamy, tangy and absolutely dream-like (the Le Klimt designed space doesn’t hurt those happy feelings, either). A particular obsession is the shaved ice Pinkberry, intermingling condensed milk, fresh fruit and a “top hat” of plain frozen yogurt. Commence salivation. Fork over something like $7.25.

Sadly, no Pinkberry stores are slated for NoCal in the near future (NYC and Europe get first dibs), though knock-offs abound. Local Chowhounders report that Mangoberry at Michelle’s Yogurt on Durant Avenue in Berkeley is a close approximation and Honeydoo is slated to open this fall in SF. Meanwhile, some say the Pinkberry craze was actually pilfered from Korea’s Red Mango, now building their own West Coast fleet of shops in SoCal, Washington and Nevada. (We’ll cross our fingers they get here soon.)

Need your fix, now? Golden Spoon frozen yogurt recently opened in West Santa Rosa (in addition to the location in Windsor), offering a mind-numbing number of flavors and toppings in a more traditional bent. Styling itself as a flavor-twin to soft serve ice cream (and only 17 calories per ounce!), Golden Spoon comes in vanilla and chocolate as well as an ever-changing line-up of monthly tempations including cake batter, pumpkin pie, boysenberry, coconut and root beer float.

Like, totally awesome.

Golden Spoon Santa Rosa, 1791 Marlow Rd., Santa Rosa, 707-523-1119
Golden Spoon Windsor, 8828 Lakewood Dr., Windsor, 707-836-1119. Open daily 11am to 10pm.

Are you an addict? Can’t understand all the fuss? Wikipedia Pinkberry

Chefs are a notoriously fickle bunch to feed. Anyone worth their whites can sniff out undercooked
pasta at 100 yards and won’t hesitate to dress down a fellow cook (usually behind
their back) with devastating candor if the fries are frozen or the spinach
wilted. Suffice to say it’s not just their knives that are razor
sharp.

So, when word gets out that local toques have been frequenting Windsor’s new Odyssey Restaurant
after-hours, my foodie feelers start tingling. When I find out that the chef,
Rudy Mihall, cut his teeth at Gramercy Tavern, spent two years in Italy and, according to
an email from Jeff Mall “won’t be under the radar much
longer”, my wheels are pretty much smoking in the rush to get there.

Nestled into the tiny space formerly occupied by L’Assiette, Odyssey has just 10
tables and a long, glowing bar that dominates the space. There’s little room to
maneuver, but proximity can have its benefits–like the ability to chum up
to your neighbors and pilfer a little nibble from their plate. Not that I’m
suggesting you do this uninvited. But when a ridiculously huge foie gras burger
comes to the table, the urge is, well, irresistible.

In the six weeks since opening, Odyssey has breezed past the nervous tension and bungling that are the hallmark of first-timers and settled
comfortably into wowing the locals. Mihall has clearly mastered the confines of his small kitchen (allowing more time for his creative coiffures) while
friend and SF restaurateur Tom Gordon manages the front
of the house.

The menu changes up daily, with house favorites like the pizza, burger and beet
tartare as staples. Despite not having a wood-fired oven, Mihall cranks out
impossibly thin and crispy pizzas, topped with arugula, pancetta and fresh
mozzarella ($13-$15). And no, he won’t tell you the secret to how he makes
them. Starters show off Mihall’s flair for the dramatic: Beet tartare
($10) with sunflower greens is a jewel-toned vision almost too pretty to
eat and chilled pea soup with poached lobster (with, get this, pickled ramps) is packed with bits of meat that
make its $12 price tag seem a bargain.

Capping off the food frenzy, you’ll want to check out the foie gras burger ($21), if
just to say you’ve done it. It’s a layer upon layer of flavor (and
cholesterol): black truffles, braised short ribs and foie gras encased by beef
sirloin. It’s not an easy thing to pull off–keeping the exterior from drying
out completely, while making sure the inside isn’t blood raw. Mihall gets it as
close to right as anyone possibly could, searing the outside and finishing the
whole affair in the oven. Roasted tomatoes and a brioche bun just add to the dedadence. Thing is, the burger’s far too large to actually fit in your mouth, so just split one round the table.
I don’t want to be responsible for any of you keeling over in coronary arrest if you brave it alone.

Dessert hasn’t quite worked itself out yet. Considering the sweet teeth of local clientele and
late(ish) hours, we’ll look forward to some creativity in this department to cap off the meal. No worries. Just ask the chef sitting at the end of the bar for a few ideas.

If you go: The spot is a little hard to find, hidden in a
far corner of the Town Green and signage is minimal. Considering the buzz, you
may want to call ahead for reservations. The restaurant has a considerable wine
list featuring many local wines, in addition to a large selection of Italian
reds and whites.

Odyssey Restaurant, 426 Emily Rose, Circle, Windsor, 707.836.7600. Open Tuesday through
Thursday, 5pm to 10pm; Friday and Saturday, 5pm to 11pm.

When a friend recently told me he never eats fast food, I couldn’t help the look of shock and horror that came over my face. I called him a liar.

Because in the year 2007 if you have any sort of normal life, hitting the drive-through at 11pm after everything else closes is pretty much unavoidable. Even the most conscious parents eventually succumb to the pleas of Happy Meal-crazed children. Even BiteClub isn’t above scraping together pennies from under the car seat at the end of the month in search of a dirt-cheap meal. And, there’s always the issue of pleasing out-of-town guests who think Outback is the absolute height of gastronomy (especially when it’s your mother-in-law).

Come on. You do it. We all do it. It’s awful, but let’s just admit it and move on. **

Recently, Zagat’s–the little red restaurant guides that are pure gold when it comes to honest reviews–came out with a survey and guide to fast food and chain restaurants around the country. Stuff like McDonald’s, Wendy’s and, yep, Outback. Great, right?

They actually got hammered for it by smug foodies who swore they’d rather turn in their forks than ever eat at Applebees. Funny thing is, I’ll bet there are a whole lot more of you who actually want to know which giant chain has the best burger, the best shake, the crispiest fries and, overall, the healthiest food than where to get the most sustainable foie gras or which completely over-rated restaurant is worth spending $250 on.

Frankly, I find the whole thing brilliant. Because while I usually devote my energy to talking about local restaurants and chefs with noble ideals, sometime a girl just needs to grab a quick bite and get on with it.

So, whatever your socio-political-economic stance, here are a few outtakes you may want to consider on your next Micky D’s run. I mean, if you’re into that kind of thing-

• Wendy’s wins overall for their burgers and generally popularity. (BiteClub is a huge fan of the Frescata sandwiches, though the décor and sometimes wacky clientele at the Santa Rosa Ave. location leave something to be desired)
• Outback Steakhouse: Number one full-service chain (Come on: Who can touch the Bloomin’ Onion?)
• McDonald’s was rated tops for fries and child-friendliness (Only fast food fries I’ll eat, uh, willingly.)
• Dairy Queen has the surveyors’ favorite milkshakes, followed by McDonald’s and Sonic. (Why, oh why don’t we have a Sonic nearby?)
• Find more details here: http://www.zagat.com/promo.aspx?pn=37

Interestingly enough, the survey (Zagat’s asks real people for their opinions) also found that 93% of their readers were very concerned about things like trans-fats and 96% said they’d actually eat MORE fast food if the industry would actually ban them.
Take it for what it’s worth.

And uh, see you at the drive-through.

What’s your take? Evil empire or fact of life? And, what’s your favorite fast food?

**First off, the fact that my friend is Italian and has a wife who is a killer cook gets him off the hook. I also realize there is a rather small contingency of people who staunchly eschew fast food/restaurant chains for a whole myriad of reasons that have all sorts of social and ecological merit. Finally, I admit that most fast food is horrible for you and makes you fat. But sometimes a bag of burgers are a fact of life. Talk to me when you’re a single mom on a budget trying to feed two young children three decent meals a day, seven days a week while working a full-time job.

Seafood lovers might want to think twice before biting into that shrimp, tilapia or catfish. China, the world’s leading seafood supplier, has come under serious scrutiny by the FDA for exporting several types of farm-raised fish and shellfish that have been found to contain significant amounts of carcinogens and contamination.

How do you know if your seafood is from China? Well, you may not. According to the FDA, no current law or regulation requires that fish offered for sale to U.S. consumers be labeled regarding the products’ country of origin. “However, FDA believes that consumers need not be concerned about whether or not the seafood they purchase is from China, because the agency’s import alert will prohibit the entry into U.S. commerce of violative seafood products from China.“

Officially, the Food and Drug Administration has issued an “alert”, though not an outright ban, on farm-raised catfish, basa, shrimp, dace and eel from China. Any shipments of the seafood will have to be proven to be free of drugs and residues not approved in the US.

“We’re taking this strong step because of current and continuing evidence that certain Chinese aquaculture products imported into the United States contain illegal substances that are not permitted in seafood sold in the United States,” said Dr. David Acheson, FDA’s assistant commissioner for food protection. This includes, according to the FDA, unapproved veterinary drugs. “We will accept entries of these products from Chinese firms that demonstrate compliance with our requirements and safety standards.”

Though there have been no reports of illnesses from these imported seafoods, the FDA has concerns that continued long-term exposure could be dangerous.

Here are some statistics you may want to consider:

– 90% of the total US supply of shrimp is imported, 11.5% is from China
– 99% of the total US imports of catfish is from China
– 100% of US supply of basa is imported, 8% of the total US imports of basa is from China

Read more at the FDA FAQ site.

 
Heather,
I thought I would drop you a line and let you know about a new spot in Windsor that is incredible. Maybe you have already heard about Odyssey. It is in the former spot of L’Assiette, kind of hidden away just off the town green, but it’s soul is 1000’s of miles away. It is hip and modern, and shows Fellini films on the wall like Foreign Cinema in SF. It is to Windsor what St. Rose Cafe is to S.R.
We started off mixed olives and rosemary flatbread, $5. I can’t really describe how great it was other than to say it is right out of Italy. Grilled local sardines with fennel and arugula sauce. Awesome!! Seared tuna with fava bean tortelli and white bean puree, could have been a plate from Cyrus!! Pizza Margherita could have right out of Da’ Michele in
Naples. The prices are right too.
Maybe you can tell I am very excited about this place. I just heard about it this morning from two different people and just got back from a late dinner. They will serve until 10 weekdays and 11 on weekends. It reminds me of the hip small bar/restaurants that you see in Italy. The chef, Rudy, worked at Gramercy Tavern in NYC, then moved to Southern Italy after 9/11 and lived/worked there for several years.
They have been open 5 weeks, but will not fly under the radar much longer.
Just Go!!!
Jeff Mall,
Zin Restaurant
BiteClub has heard about Odyssey (from several of you) and made a couple of trips up, only to find it closed. Drat! They’re not open for lunch and are closed on Sunday and Monday. Stay tuned for more details. I’m on my way!

Odyssey, 426 Emily Rose Circle, Windsor, (707) 836.7600. Get directions
 

Okay, it’s time for the ultimate coffee vote-down. Tell BiteClub the spot that you can’t miss in the morning. Who’s got the best beans, the best baristas, the best morning nibbles and the absolute-can’t-miss macchiato? Cast your vote for the best spot in SoCo and we’ll feature the top bets for when you’re jonesing for java.

Leave your comments below, or email me at biteclub@pressdemo.com.

My faves: Can’t miss my non-fat raspberry latte at Holy Roast (490 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.523.3137). But for the best nibbles, I’ll walk a mile any day for an espresso and an ‘everything bagel with butter’ at Grateful Bagel (1015 4th St., Santa Rosa, 527.7530).

Quick update on the status of Anatolia and the space’s new resident, Stout Brothers Pub.

Jeremy Crone, a partner in the new Irish pub and restaurant says that they’ll be working on refurnishing the spot through the summer and are looking at a Sept. 1 opening date. Stay tuned.

Meantime, fans of Moose Jamal’s Mediterranean cafe, Anatolia are wondering just what happened. Jamal, reached at his Cotati restaurant, Cafe Salsa, says that the rent just got too high for the restaurant in downtown SR. Though he promised regulars he’d be re-opening soon, the deal seems to have fallen through, and he’s still looking for another location in Santa Rosa.

Jamal continues to run Cafe Salsa (Cafe Salsa 8230 Old Redwood, Cotati) and is a partner in the Redwood Cafe (8240 Old Redwood Hwy, Cotati, 795.7868).

Meanwhile, if you’ve got an absolute hankering for pitas and hummus, BiteClub recently stopped by the new East West Cafe (2323 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa, 707.546.6142). The interior has been transformed from rustic BBQ joint to a bright, bubbling oasis. We tried several dishes, including the hummus and babah ganoush which were reasonably tasty (though crying out for more spice). The chicken schwarma plate, which is a pita stuffed with grilled chicken, hummus, grilled tomatoes and onions, was on the right track, but again–and I fully admit this is a recurring issue I have with ‘healthier’ restaurants–just kind of lacking in the Uumph! department. And here’s the rub: The basil vinagrette dressing on my side salad was incredible, tasty, zingy and alive. So I know flavor is possible. Am I crazy? Taste buds overly stimulated? Or right on track?

Tell me your take on East West

Tons of great stuff this weekend-where to start? You’ll find BiteClub and Co. milling around at least a few of these. Come say hi!

Saturday:
– Matanzas Creek Winery Days of Wine and Lavender: If you love lavender, this is the place to be. Sadly, the event is sold out, so hopefully you already have your tickets. If not, just drive by the winery and breathe deeply.

– Build a Better Burger Fire-Up at COPIA: Console yourself by indulging in all things ground-beef at COPIA today as Burger Judge and cookbook author James McNair answers your every question about how to make a truly spectacular burger. Plus cooking demos and a luncheon. Check out copia.org for more details.

– Check out the Grand Opening of the Peterson Winery tasting room in Healdsburg. With the motto, No Soul-Less wines, Peterson’s place is simple and rustic and his wines, well…see what you think. Chef Dan Lucia pairs appetizers with the new wine releases. 4791 Dry Creek Rd, Bldg #7, Healdsburg, 707-431-7568

Sunday:
– Sonoma-Marin Fair: Okay, call me disappointed, but still hopeful. After pretty much getting shut out of the Ugliest Dog Contest (local and national media were pushed about 15 feet away from the stage by security, but the intrepid Crista persevered!) and finding the “Sustainable Agriculture: Farm to Table Showcase” was a group of about five vendors shoved into a tiny, almost un-navigable hallway (kudos for the idea, but BiteClub certainly hopes the execution will improve “check out Frances Rivetti’s coverage, which was a bit more optomistic), I’m headed BACK to the fair on Sunday with food blogger Meloni Courtaway for some fried twinkies and a trip to the Wine Garden to check out Chris Sawyer’s chat on the Petaluma Gap wines (2:30). Oops. I see a conflict already…

– Also in Petaluma, don’t miss the book-signing and meet-and-greet with my awesome buddy, Heidi Swanson at Copperfield’s Bookstore, 3 pm, 140 Kentucky Street, Petaluma, 707.762.0563. Okay, I won’t pretend to be objective here, but this is one event you don’t want to miss. Heidi’s the author of Super Natural Cooking, a gorgeous cookbook filled with her photography and recipes that incorporate unusual and highly nutritious grains, alternative sugars and lots of fruits and veggies. Forget what you know about natural cooking–Heidi is a hip, amazingly informed author who’ll have you using quinoa, wakame and black turtle beans in no time.

Youngstown, Ohio is not known as a hotbed of culinary culture, unless you really love
pierogi and well, pretty much anything batter-dipped and fried. Not to demean
its myriad other wonderful qualities (vague mob connections, corrupt
congressmen and hearing about the good old days of steel), but as a 23-year-old
foodie stuck on the cops and courts beat for the Youngstown Vindicator (yeah,
seriously), I spent a fair amount of time in search of things like Brie and
Camembert. In glamorous places like Cleveland, Akron and Pittsburgh.

Suffice to say, I love cheese. Enough to drive miles for the
good stuff.

Inspired by local cheese goddess, Laura Werlin’s recent naming of the world’s
best cheeses–The World!–in Aspen,
BiteClub was on a hunt to find all nine here in SoCo. Even the really rare
stuff, like a truffled cheese from the small town of Bertagni, Italy.

Mission
accomplished (mostly). Tucked quietly into a Center Street mini-mall, Doralice
Handal’s Cheese Shop in Healdsburg (423
Center Street, Healdsburg, 707.433.4998) is a
dark, cool cheese sanctuary that hits you with a blast of unmistakably funky
cheese smell when you walk in. Yep. This is the place. Piled high on the
counters and in the refrigerator are dozens of slices–from runny and gooey to
blue, truffled and wine-soaked. I try not to swoon.

Doralice, who’s a bit reserved, opens up when you start talking cheese. She’s
just one of those people who just adores what she does, having cut her teeth in
the restaurant biz and most recently working with the rock star cheese gals at
Cowgirl Creamery.

She blasts through Werlin’s list. Most of the cheeses (or very close facsimiles) are in-store. Fortunately, it’s cheese season, she tells me. Cheese has a season? Apparently goat cheese is at
its prime and many of the other cheeses just happen to be at their best at this
time of year.

Whatever Doralice doesn’t have, she’ll special order in her constant search for new discoveries from around the world–from Healsburg’s Pug’s Leap goat’s milk cheese, to Rogue Creamery’s “Oregon Blue” to
insanely small-production artisan cheeses from France, Italy and Portugal.

All this with, thankfully, no trips to Cleveland.

Grab your cheese basket and get munching. Werlin’s “Best Cheese” list and local availability…

–
Brillat-Savarin: An indulgent French triple-cream Brie.
I ate an entire wedge on the ride back from Hburg and don’t regret it for an
instant. Cheese Shop: In stock, $20lb.

–
La Tur, Caseficio Dell’Alta Langa, Italy: A soft
goat’s milk cheese. Cheese Shop: Doralice suggests the Robbiolo, a cow, goat
& sheep’s milk cheese. $30lb

–
Lincolnshire
Poacher: One of my absolute favorite cheeses, this is a cheddar-style English
cheese that has an intense, sharp flavor like browned butter. Cheese Shop: In
stock, $28lb.

–
Comte: A rare French cheese that has some similar
qualities to Gruyere. Nice for melting. Cheese Shop: Currently out of Comte,
but comes in regularly. Several cave-aged Gruyere’s in stock, $17lb.

–
Formaggio al
Tartufo, Bertagni, Italy: A soft cheese infused with
black truffles. Cheese Shop: Try a Sardinian truffled sheep’s cheese, $30lb

–
Testun al Barolo: Love this cheese that’s aged in
Nebbiolo and Dolcetto grape must, giving it a purple sheen and a little crunch
on top. Cheese Shop: Testun Ubriaco from Verona,
$24lb

–
Queijos Serra de Estrela, Matias, Portugal: A sheep’s
milk cheese with incredible flavor. Cheese Shop: Try Torta La Serena, a similar
cheese from Portugal,
$24lb

–
Cayuga Blue, Lively Run Goat Dairy,
US: A soft, pungent blue from
New York.
Cheese Shop: Doralice recommends one of her favorites, the Bayley Hazen Blue
from Vermont
at $21lb.

If you go: Don’t miss the June Taylor Gravenstein Apple Butter ($11). Made in Berekley, it’s heaven with cheese. Doralice also has some great local Rose wine to pair with your cheese.