Summer may be coming to a close but the Sonoma County hotel scene is only getting hotter. Celebrity chef Charlie Palmer’s forthcoming Appellation property in Healdsburg just revealed a sneak peek of a model guest room, while three popular hotels were recently named among Travel + Leisure magazine’s favorite California resorts of 2023. Click through the above gallery for the latest news from the local hotel scene.
Click through the above gallery for a sneak peek at some of the foods that will be served at the first Fork’n Good Festival.
Eaters wanted for the SoCo Market’s first Fork’n Good Festival from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, in Rohnert Park. The event, organized by The Soco Market, brings together more than 30 Bay Area food trucks and beverage vendors for a day of munching, drinking and dancing at SOMO Village (1400 Valley House Drive, Rohnert Park).
Bite Club’s favorite local eats — with a few recommended dishes — include The Real Chamoy, Galvan’s Eatery (carne asada fries), Buns y Garnachas (messy-good burgers), AdoboS N’ More (lumpia), Lila’s Streetside Eats (nachos), Dino’s Greek Food Truck (chicken gyro), Indian Village Eats (elote with Flamin’ Hot Cheeto dust), Nellie’s Oysters (oysters, of course), and Bai Cha Boba Thai (milk tea). Richmond’s D’Groback is the guest pop-up we’re most excited for, however, with much-raved-about Indonesian food.
Tickets are $5 per person, and the event is family-friendly. thesocomarket.com
Cheese curds are, admittedly, a Midwestern delicacy that horrifies most Californians. Mostly, it’s the unappealing name because what is a curd anyway?
The chewy, squeaky nuggets are unaged bits of cheese that have separated from the whey and are best eaten the day they’re made or breaded and fried with a melty center (they have them at Bird and The Bottle in Santa Rosa).
But if you’re lucky enough to walk into Sebastopol’s William Cofield Cheesemakers just as co-owner Keith Adams is making a batch of Cheddar — like I did — you might just get a warm one right from the tank.
No promises, because he’s a busy guy, but it’s an unforgettably delicious experience. They’re also for sale in the cold case at the Barlow cheese factory and shop to warm up at home.
Curds are just the cherry on top of Adams’ cheesy experience. The Davis native is living his dream of making British-style wheels of Stilton-style blue cheese (Bodega Blue) and aged Cheddar (McKinley) in Sonoma County while still operating his Alemar Cheese Company in Minnesota. Alemar makes an award-winning Camembert-style cheese and the tomme-style Saint James, both available in the Sebastopol shop.
Marrying the aged dairy goodness, Adams makes the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich ($16 with slaw and chips) for visitors to his pub, a handful of wooden tables and umbrellas in a quiet alley outside his shop.
The sandwich has several secret ingredients, but Adams cops to including his St. James and McKinley Cheddar on Red Bird Bakery bread. The outside gets a smattering of extra-aged Cheddar crusted on top. Paired with housemade tomato soup ($10) Adams created with Chef Michael Dotson (formerly Petaluma’s Crocodile restaurant) it’s transcendent.
“The soup has 19 ingredients, and it took a lot of tries to get it right,” Adams said between batches of his new raclette-inspired cheese.
The pub also offers beautifully arranged cheese boards with fruit, chutney, bread and nuts ($16 to $82 for eight people).
“We wanted just to do a few things but do it really well,” he said. The menu also includes a Cheddar and apple salad ($13), wine, beer and hard cider.
“You can just come and set up shop for the afternoon. It’s a little oasis,” Adams said.
Save time afterward to peek into the cheese-making room, where you’ll likely find Adams up to his elbows in curds and whey.
Wm. Cofield Cheesemakers is at 6780 McKinley St. #110, Sebastopol, 707-755-0130, wmcofieldcheese.com. Open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Monday.
It’s one of the great joys of summer: fruit fresh from the orchard and garden. Berries and early apples are now in season at many local farms. Click through the above gallery for five favorite u-picks in Sonoma County.
Sonoma County has a well-earned reputation for being sleepy. Sidewalks roll up around 9 p.m. (or earlier on weekdays) and most of us head to bed. But a growing number of restaurants are staying open for the night owls among us. Click through the above gallery for some favorites.
Restrained modern style, exquisite materials and a sprawling layout make design magic in a newly built three-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom estate in Sonoma, just a few minutes off the historic plaza. The home at 20745 Denmark Court is currently under contract and is listed for $11,500,000.
Set in a vineyard, the 5,200-square-foot dwelling features a light-bathed, open-concept layout. The interior finishes are visually subdued (whites and woods) but classic (marbles and wide planks). Walls of windows create a dramatic connection to the outdoors.
The home is situated around a patchwork of patios and landscaping, as well as a swimming pool trimmed with a sparkle of tiles in different shades of blue. Two covered seating areas–one with an outdoor TV–and a one-bedroom, one-bathroom guesthouse frame the yard in a modular fashion.
Low-water grasses arranged in dots mirror the order of the surrounding vineyard. Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the home.
For more information on this property, contact listing agents Ginger Martin, 415-516-3939, 707-200-2488 or Daniel Casabonne, 707-494-3130, 707-939-2222, Sotheby’s International Realty – St. Helena Brokerage, 1229 Adams St., St. Helena, sothebysrealty.com
A renovated ranch house in the heart of Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Valley has hit the market for $3,300,000. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom property includes an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), a barn, a vintage Airstream and an outdoor kitchen, all surrounded by vineyards.
The 1950s home at 5470 Dry Creek Valley Road has been updated to a sleek contemporary look with new wide-plank wood floors, deep-hued exterior paint, flat plastered walls, and new lighting, doors and windows. But its ranch essence remains, including the distinct architectural lines and the light-bathed open-concept layout that connects seamlessly to the outdoors.
The “fully-loaded” home has luxury kitchen appliances, a stone-faced fireplace, a dual-temperature wine fridge, solar panels and an EV charger. The ADU has a kitchen and bathroom. A handsome “barn” with vertical stained siding and glass sliders can serve as a home gym or an office with a view.
Several outdoor spots offer a unique seating-among-the-vines experience. With a covered outdoor area, homeowners have an extended opportunity to take in the spectacular setting. Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the home.
For more information on this property, contact Robin Gordon, 707-291-7952, or Caroline Johnson, 707-486-9923 with The Agency Healdsburg – Real Estate, 119 North St., Healdsburg, 707- 756-8052, theagencyre.com, 5470drycreekroad.com
Looking back, it started with a dog date. Austin Ferreira and Tanner Walle are Sonoma neighbors who have the same street address numbers on adjoining streets, which means they’d occasionally get each other’s mail. But they didn’t really know each other, until October 2020, when their wives staged a meet-up.
It was that uneasy, wait-and-see period of the pandemic, when everybody was feeling pent up, including the pets. Ferreira brought Ethel, his 2-year-old Vizsla, to play with Roman, Walle’s 5-year-old goldendoodle.
The dogs hit it off immediately, but the dads took it a step further. A guitar hanging on the wall led to a Tuesday night jam, which inspired weekly acoustic songwriting sessions and eventually a debut album recorded at legendary Prairie Sun Recording Studio in Cotati.
Nearly three years later, their band Little Worth is a welcome addition to the always eclectic Sonoma music scene, tapping into timeless Americana folk sounds layered with effortless vocal harmonies and playful lyrics. The band name was inspired by an English hamlet Ferreira wandered through in his European travels. It’s a play on bands they admire, like Little Feat and Little Joy, but it really points to a band ethos that stuck from day one.
“We’re trying to have fun with it and not take it too seriously,” says Ferreira, 31, who grew up in Long Beach and played in the popular Los Angeles garage-rock surf band Hindu Pirates in his 20s. Avoiding “over-the-top, self-righteous lyrics,” they’re more into “something that might be relatable, but also fun and playful at the same time,” he says.
For Walle, who worked the New York restaurant scene while playing in bands that opened for Wilco and John Mayer (and later co-founded Sonoma hotspot Valley Bar + Bottle), Little Worth’s Americana roots are a return to his childhood on a farm in rural Kansas. “Sonoma has such a smalltown vibe to it,” he says. “I feel these songs really reflect that humble, bucolic environment and community that we’ve cultivated.”
The two rounded out the band with bassist Brad Maestas, drummer Ben Tinsley, pianist Jesse Adams, pedal steel player Josh Yenne, and hooked up Grammy-winning producer Hector Castillo for their debut album, “First Annual.” “Company,” their first single, dances around a bouncy, staccato melody that’s as catchy as anything on a Jack Johnson album. Showing their range, the second single, “Big Moon,” sets a tone far more dreamy and reflective. And there are deeper cuts that resonate, like “Bad Decisions,” which was inspired by a line (“these bad decisions ain’t gonna make themselves”) that Ferreira once heard while hanging out with friends in Texas Hill Country.
And three years down the road, whatever happened to Ethel and Roman?
“The dogs love each other,” Ferreira says. “They still play quite a bit,” echoes Walle. “They get along really well. We still continue the tradition.”
Little Worth’s debut album, “First Annual,” is available on Spotify, Apple Music and online. For upcoming shows, check Instagram @littleworthjams.
If the end of summer has you down, a trip to Napa might be just what you need to get excited about fall. Click through the above gallery for a list of new places to sip, swirl, eat and stay in Napa Valley.
Goodnight’s Prime Steak + Spirits, backed by wine mogul and entrepreneur Bill Foley, isn’t shying away from being exactly what it is — a tufted-leather-banquette, closers-only, beef-centric cowboy fantasy for the well-heeled. You can practically smell the Wine Country wheeling and dealing over crystal-cut glasses of Japanese whiskey and filet mignon.
The two-story restaurant, located at the former Ferrari-Carano Seasons of the Vineyard tasting room, was stripped down to its studs over the last year and rebuilt in the name of Charles Goodnight, a rough-and-tumble Texas Ranger, cattle herder and inventor of the chuck wagon.
“Healdsburg needed a steakhouse, and it was going to be high-end,” said Executive Chef David Lawrence, a celebrity chef and veteran of several high-profile restaurants in San Francisco who directs the team and menu at Goodnight’s. The Jamaican-born chef is no stranger to steakhouses; by age 16, he was cooking steaks at his father’s restaurants.
Prices are high at Goodnight’s, even for Healdsburg, though when asked about the prices, Lawrence said he feels they’re in line with those at other restaurants in the area. I’m not entirely convinced, but Lawrence explained his careful preparations and attention to detail in such a charming, forthright way that I couldn’t help but hear him out. That care and precision in the kitchen are what Lawrence proudly hangs his toque on.
“No matter what I do, it has to have a David Lawrence twist. … I want to bring here what I’ve learned over the last 40 years, and that’s still evolving,” said Lawrence, who cuts an imposing figure with his black chef’s coat and close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair and beard.
The menu includes a 42-ounce dry-aged bone-in tomahawk steak for sharing ($200) and plenty of seafood, including oysters ($22), a prawn cocktail ($28), seafood platter ($140), caviar ($120), wild pan-roasted sea bass ($42) and lobster thermidor ($65), a classic French dish that’s come into and gone out of fashion for nearly 200 years.
“Thermidor, to me, is something that was lost. Why not bring it back?” Lawrence said. The poached lobster is picked from the shell, bathed in butter and cheese and stuffed back into the split tail with a glaze of sabayon (a custard-like sauce).
There’s no question, however, that the steaks are the big draw here because if you’re going to eat a steak, by all means, do it right.
The 25-ounce rib-eye ($65) is sumptuous, expertly cooked and seasoned — and, I think, a good value for a lot of meat. More delicate cuts, like Japanese Wagyu ($60), New York strip ($72), Bavette ($28) and boneless rib-eye ($83), are also available.
Well-crafted vegetarian dishes like the exceptional Muhammara roasted cauliflower, seasoned heavily with za’atar seasoning, are a nice departure from beef.
The upscale cowboy-steakhouse feel goes beyond the menu and the prices, however. The absolute best view of the restaurant, said Lawrence, is from the glass elevator that connects the downstairs and balcony seating. From there, you can see the modern chandeliers that evoke a starry night on the plains. Glowing moons of incandescence move the eye to the open kitchen. You might even notice the light fixtures outfitted with old Smith & Wesson rifles (I’m not sure how to feel about that).
There’s a hidden bar nestled into the back of the balcony that’s one of the best (and very clandestine) seats in the house. The whole setup inspires awe, partly due to how much money went into the luxe decor, including the menus with leather covers that smell like an expensive purse.
“The beauty of this project is the blessing of this project, and I’m honored to be part of this,” Lawrence said.
Everywhere, stars in the style of an Old West sheriff’s badge greet visitors, making it clear there’s a new steakhouse in town with an itchy trigger finger to impress.
More Best Bets: Meat and seafood are the stars of the show, but there is plenty more to recommend.
Yellowtail Hamachi ($26) is like the best sushi you’ve ever had atop a puddle of carrot ginger puree. Often dishes like this skimp on the quality of the fish by covering it with a heavy sauce. Here, the fish truly shines.
Crispy Maitake Mushrooms ($21) is the only fried dish on the menu. The tempura-coated mushrooms come with a delicious avocado chimichurri dip that’s a perfect pairing.
Parker House Rolls ($10) are like marshmallows in bread form. These are best-in-class rolls topped with herbes de Provence. Slather with cultured butter.
Chalk Hill Farm Estate Salad ($16), a simple green salad with lavender vinaigrette and tarragon, makes the most of produce largely sourced from Foley’s Chalk Hill Farm Estate.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower Muhammara ($26) isn’t just for vegetarians. This stunner, with earthy and savory za’atar spices, easily stands out. A slight sweetness of golden raisins would have been a perfect addition.
Side dishes ($18) are the heart and soul of steakhouses. Familiar (and required) menu items include wild mushrooms, smashed potatoes fried in duck fat, grilled rapini and macaroni and cheese. For me, it’s all about the creamed spinach with a poached farm egg and Yukon Gold potato puree.
Cocktails lean heavily on whiskey and Bourbon, but an extensive menu of American, Japanese and other international liquor selections are aimed at connoisseurs. If you’re jonesing for a martini, they’ve got you covered. The Molly’s Vigilante ($16) with bourbon, apple puree, lemon, simple syrup and bitters is our choice for a pre-dinner sipper.
The wine list is, not surprisingly, heavy with Foley portfolio wines. Mixologist Devon Espinosa heads the lighthearted beverage program. Chef Lawrence’s favorite wine is the Brown Estate Chaos Theory red blend from Napa Valley.
113 Plaza St., Healdsburg; 707-543-1000, goodnightsrestaurant.com
