Trevor Gallagher’s DTF sauces at Pacific Market in Santa Rosa. (Trevor Gallagher)
Trevor Gallagher knows his sauces. A veteran sandwich maker at Pacific Market in Santa Rosa, the 32-year-old realized the popular deli was missing something on its meat-meets-bun lineup.
So eight years ago, he developed the prototype for his Saucy Bubbs DTF (Downtown Fever) sauces, mixing up batches of the creamy, sweet and savory spread for his signature creation, the Downtown Fever sandwich. Also known as the No. 16 at the Pacific Market deli, it’s built on a soft roll with cheddar, Buffalo chicken, lettuce, jalapeno, bacon and DTF sauce.
“I like making food,” said Gallagher, a larger-than-life character who appears in cartoon form on the bottles of his sauces, now available in local stores. There’s the Original (showing him with his signature white pick in his curly hair), the Garlic DTF (Gallagher is portrayed with vampire teeth and a cape) and Spicy Habanero (flames curl around him). A friend made the logo and characters, he said.
Trevor Gallagher, the creator of DTF sauces. (Trevor Gallagher)
With no formal culinary training, Gallagher learned the sauce business on his own, using a commercial kitchen to make large batches and sell them at local stores, including Molsberry’s Market (522 Larkfield Center, Santa Rosa) and Pacific Market (1465 Town and Country Drive, Santa Rosa and 550 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol). His sauces also show up on the menu at Ausiello’s Fifth Street Bar (609 Fifth St., Santa Rosa).
As a Chik-fil-A sauce devotee, I can confidently say Gallagher’s sauce has a similar mustard-barbecue-mayonnaise essence. Still, there’s something more craveable about Gallagher’s fresh, unprocessed-to-death sauce. Squeeze it onto everything from macaroni and cheese, french fries and vegetables to grilled pork, pizza or even a Fig Newton cookie (maybe that’s just me). Like the perfect black cocktail dress, it goes with everything.
“This sauce is so versatile, it’d even go great on a toothbrush,” he said.
My hands-down favorite is the garlic version, with freshly pureed garlic that kicks up the sauce to 11. The spicy habanero sauce has a fresh chile flavor with a tingly zing.
Filet Mignon Skewers at Seared in Petaluma. (Seared)
It’s a bit of a rarity to find a happy hour that’s offered not just during the work week, but on the weekends, too. That’s why the (nearly) daily happy-hour menu at Seared stood out in our search for the best happy hours in Sonoma County. And a bonus: Their happy-hour menu maxes out at $9.50. How can you pass that up?
Seared is a beloved steak-and-seafood spot in downtown Petaluma, open every day but Monday. And, yes, every day they’re open, they have happy hour, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. You can make a reservation during this time or opt for a spontaneous walk-in. Don’t stress too much about waiting for a table or a spot at the bar, because the happy-hour menu is available throughout the restaurant.
Seared is also big on using locally sourced ingredients, which you’ll see on their happy-hour menu, with local beer and wine and bites with ingredients such as Valley Ford cheese. It’s clearly popular locally, having won the Best Steak and Best Happy Hour at the 2019 Petaluma People’s Choice Awards.
The happy-hour menu has a little something for everyone and changes depending on what’s available “to provide the freshest ingredients possible,” according to their website. They offer half a dozen cocktails ($8), a variety of house wines ($7), a handful of canned and bottled beers ($3.50) and plenty of draft beers ($6).
Some of the standouts among the happy-hour drinks are the Scrimshaw beer from Fort Bragg and the Lagunitas IPA; the Spiced Rum Punch with hints of passion fruit and orgeat syrup; the New Orleans classic Vieux Carre with Benedictine and Peychaud’s and Angostura bitters; and the Cucumber Martini, a cucumber vodka drink with elderflower liqueur. Additionally, they feature the classics like a PBR beer, margarita and Negroni.
We tried the Cucumber Martini, which had a refreshing and cool tang, and the Old Fashioned, a classically smooth sip. While sipping our spirits, we browsed the “Eats,” with a total of eight bites to try.
Cucumber Martini at Seared in Petaluma. (Seared)Deviled eggs at Seared in Petaluma. (Seared)
Of course, we sampled almost all of them: the Prime Rib Dip ($9.50), Mac ’N Cheese ($7.50), Mini Wedge Salad ($8.50), Deviled Egg ($5.50), Daily Tacos ($8.50), Filet Mignon Skewers ($9.50) and Kung Pao Prawns ($9.50). We added the Nueske’s Bacon to the macaroni ($3) and passed on the calamari ($8.50).
In true Seared fashion, the Daily Tacos featured a grilled fresh cod with a bright passion-fruit slaw. These burst with flavor with every bite and felt like a lighter option among the other food on the menu. The tacos arrived at the same time as the Deviled Eggs, which were stacked tall with the filling, chives and serrano ham. Both items come with two of each, so they’re easily shareable.
The Nueske Bacon makes an appearance on a few of the happy hour items, like the Mini Wedge Salad. Blue cheese lovers will love this salad, topped with Pt. Reyes blue cheese, watermelon radish, crispy shallots, cherry tomato and bacon. It’s pretty sizable, with a heaping amount of bacon, and it’s the main vegetable on the Eats menu.
Next came our more filling options, and we wondered if our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Most portions on the menu were pleasantly large, despite low prices.
The Mac ’N Cheese was covered in perfectly gooey Valley Ford Highway 1 cheese, with hints of garlic and herb flavors. Any macaroni and cheese connoisseur knows the importance of diving your fork into the dish and pulling it away with the noodles attached by strings of hot cheese. This dish delivered.
The Kung Pao Prawns, atop soba noodles, packed a lot of flavor into every bite. The five large shrimp were perfectly crispy despite being covered in sauce and lime juice. Seared does a fabulous job balancing their dishes with spices and citrus flavors, and this dish exemplifies that.
The Prime Rib Dip came on excellent toasty baguette-style bread. Soggy bread is always a worry with a prime rib dip sandwich, but this bread kept its integrity of crunch. It comes with a subtly spiced horseradish aioli, Jack cheese, caramelized onions and shaved prime rib, with au jus to dip, of course. It’s large enough to share and packed full of tender and juicy prime rib.
The star of the show, in our opinion, was the Filet Mignon Skewers. Herbivores, we apologize, but if you order anything on this happy hour menu, let it be the skewers. Three skewers are stacked with flawlessly cooked filet mignon soaked in a soy marinade. A ginger aioli is drizzled across the dish, which lies atop a papaya salad. The meat is filled with flavor so good you want to savor every bite.
With low prices and plenty of options, you’ll be impressed by the portions as well as the punchy flavors in each dish and drink at Seared. The atmosphere is ideal, too, with high-top, booth and bar counter seating.
Happy hour from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Seared, 170 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma; 707-762-5997.
You can reach intern Lonnie Hayes at lonnie.hayes@pressdemocrat.com.
Most travelers will enjoy a room with a view. But how about a room with a brew?
At Petaluma’s newest hotel, Home2 Suites by Hilton, guests can stay just a half mile away from Lagunitas Brewing Co. and 10 minutes from downtown. Though catering to business travelers, the hotel will no doubt attract beer-lovers and leisure travelers, too, with its proximity to one of Sonoma County’s most popular taprooms, along with its reasonable room rates: mid-week rates start at $169; weekend rates at $200.
“We’re really excited. We’re seeing a really strong uptick in bookings since we’ve opened,” said General Manager Ken Murakami.
Guest rooms at Home2 Suites are large by Wine Country standards. All 140 rooms come with either a king bed or two queen beds and a kitchenette that includes a full-size refrigerator, dishwasher and microwave. (Portable induction cooktops can also be delivered to rooms upon request.) Pops of color, including pink, purple and yellow, are a refreshing contrast to the typically neutral color scheme of big brand hotel rooms. Although the hotel is located just off the busy Highway 101, rooms are notably quiet.
Home2 Suites has no onsite restaurant but has two barbecue grills that guests are welcome to use and breakfast is included with every stay. It features a variety of choices, from breakfast sandwiches and muffins to yogurt and Belgian waffles.
Hotel amenities include a heated saline pool, hot tub, two fire pits and 24-hour fitness center with Peloton stationary bikes and other assorted workout equipment. (Hotel guests can also buy passes to neighboring Active Wellness Center at a discounted rate.)
Parking is complimentary and a handful of electric vehicle charging stations are available for an additional fee. Dogs are welcome for an additional $25 per night and get their own dog bowls and treats.
Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the property.
Home 2 Suites by Hilton, 1205 Redwood Way, Petaluma, 707-992-4900, hilton.com.
A combination ice cream parlor and burger bar is coming to 109 Plaza St. (formerly The Brass Rabbit) in Healdsburg. The two-for-one space will house Angela’s Ice Cream, owned by Angela Pryor, and the startup concept Iggy’s Organic Burgers, owned by Mendoza’s son, Iggy Garat.
“It’s a well-balanced equation,” said Garat, who was born in Argentina and whose grandparents brought the McDonald’s franchise to the South American country in the 1980s and stoked his passion for American hamburgers. “For me, the perfect meal is an incredible smash burger with chutney-like ketchup,” he said.
At Iggy’s, burgers will be served with condiments like homemade ketchup, spicy Thousand Island dressing and mint chutney, Garat said. The burger bar and ice cream parlor is slated to open in early June.
Angela’s Ice Cream, previously Lala’s Creamery, has three additional locations in Sonoma County — two in Petaluma and one in Forestville, which opened in early May.
Bartender Alfie Turnshek creates of-the-moment cocktails at new Petaluma hotspot Luma.
When Alfie Turnshek sleeps, he often dreams about cocktails—colorful, deeply layered cocktails in rainbow fantasies. He keeps a notepad by his bed, so when a drink recipe visits him, he stirs awake and writes it down.
“Sometimes they work, but sometimes, I’ve had an idea I thought would be absolutely delicious and it turned out awful,” he muses, with a smile. “Any bartender who says that they haven’t ever made a mistake is lying.”
Still, after decades in the business, even his oddest sounding creations can be fantastic. His menu at new Petaluma destination Luma features a “Changeling” that marries aquavit, gin, pineapple and vanilla infusions, lemon, fennel liqueur—and a dollop of Skyr Icelandic yogurt.
“The yogurt is so creamy, refreshing, and really tangy, so it provides a good deal of acid backbone to the drink,” he says.
The Changeling cocktail with Aquavit and gin from Luma Bar and Eatery in Petaluma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
On the mixologist mantle
In my work community, we differentiate between bartending and mixology, and we prefer the term bartender.
Mixology is the technical acumen of knowing how to work with ingredients and ratios, and how they perform together. But for me, bartending is the connection with people. We are surreptitiously watching guests on that first sip and seeing what their faces do. When my drinks are done right, they breed delight.
Ever crazier cocktails
I try to centralize the offerings to what I think the bar vibe is saying. Are we a dive, or fancy, like Luma? On one end, there’s alienation with unfamiliar ingredients, and on the other end, there’s complete accessibility for everyone. I’m trying to find the sweet spot, where I’m pushing people maybe a little bit out of their comfort zone. It’s not necessarily a dare, but I’m asking them to try something new. I’m always looking to drive the conversation forward.
A chef’s culinary skill
I do advanced culinary techniques, like sous vide water baths to make infusions and get cleaner, more direct flavors. Certainly working for Daniel Patterson at Plum Bar, I was in the height of the molecular gastronomy boom. Collaborating with the chefs to develop novel ways of putting ingredients together and using these advanced culinary techniques was the big part of what I do now.
The low-alcohol cocktail trend
Everybody wants them. Certainly for sober people they’re awesome, but it’s everyone who likes really delicious fresh juice, herbs and such. An anecdote: These four guys came in, early 20s, very bro-y, and one ordered a non-alcoholic drink. I always confirm, ‘You know, there’s alcohol, because you’re in a bar.’ He said, ‘Oh yeah, we’ve been drinking a little bit, so I still wanna keep hanging out, but I wanna take a drink off.’ When I was 23, if you had said that, your friends would have called you something not nice. This is awesome, I love this development in our society.”
Maricruz Sanchez sells her sweet and tangy chamoy and chamoy-covered candies at her shop in Santa Rosa. (Chad Surmick/The Press Democrat)
It’s a bit of an unlikely location for a sweets shop, that’s for sure—an industrial park along Santa Rosa’s Dutton Avenue right next to a sewing and alterations business. But for entrepreneur Maricruz Sanchez, the brick-and-mortar store is a dream come true.
Sanchez launched her business, The Real Chamoy, three years ago, selling her housemade treats at local pop-ups including SoCo Market, The Yard, and Mitote Food Park, and opened her retail spot earlier this year.
Chamoy is a thick, sweet-tart Mexican paste made from hibiscus flowers, prunes, and apricots.
It’s often served with fresh fruit or used to coat chewy candies or set around the rim of fruity drinks. Sanchez began making her own chamoy after falling in love with the flavors on a trip to Los Angeles and realizing there wasn’t anyone locally making a version of the confection.
Chamoy is a Mexian treat made from hibiscus flowers, prunes, and apricots blended and cooked into a thick paste that tastes tart, spicy, and sweet. (Chad Surmick/The Press Democrat)
Her Santa Rosa store offers chamoy syrups, chamoy-covered candies, and kits, and she hopes to expand into bottled micheaguas — fresh, fruit-infused waters with a chamoy rim. Her bestsellers are chamoy-coated watermelon Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, and peach rings.
Sanchez plans to continue selling her candies at local events and pop-ups and expand into additional retail locations. Her chamoy-dipped candies are carried at The Pink Nopal in Petaluma, and she’s in talks to sell at stores in Rohnert Park and Cotati.
“I don’t want to say it feels like I made it— because I feel like I haven’t made it… (I’m) not even 25% of where I want to be. But it makes me so happy to be here,” says Sanchez. “To this day, I love what I do. I can be here all day, every day. I still go home and make stuff after here, because I still enjoy and love what I do,” she says. “The sun comes out for everyone.”
The Real Chamoy, 1040 N. Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa. therealchamoy.com
A Santa Rosa home built in 2023 and inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright is currently listed for $2,545,000. The three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom custom property was recently featured in a New York Times article on homes available for sale in California.
The newly built one-story, 2,625-square-foot home at 7749 Foothill Ranch Road is the result of a family collaboration. Lorraine Etchell, who grew up in Healdsburg and graduated from the The School of Architecture (founded by Frank Lloyd Wright), did the site planning and designed the landscaping and parts of the home’s interior. Her brother, licensed contractor Matthew Etchell, Jr., built the home, while their father, contractor of record Matthew Etchell, Sr., assisted greatly throughout the build. Lorraine and Matthew Jr.’s mother, longtime Healdsburg realtor Jacqueline Etchell, listed the home for sale.
The family chose a design plan from Lindal Cedar Homes’s Lindal Imagine Series, which is “inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian houses and updated for modern living.” This particular plan was designed by Lorraine’s mentor at the Taliesin Preservation, a learning center at Frank Lloyd Wright’s former estate in Wisconsin.
Lorraine and Matthew Jr. temporarily relocated, from Arizona and Sacramento respectively, to work together on the project. Many of the home’s elements were built in the studio of Matt’s 30-year-old business, Cable Car Classics.
“Work took over many dinner conversations and at times it felt overwhelming. But in the end the beauty of the final product is something we are all very proud of,” said Jacqueline.
The result of the family collaboration is a sleek and modern building with concrete floors and tranquil white and gray walls, all warmed by German beechwood cabinetry and Douglas fir beams. With enough windows to call it a glass home, the structure gives focus to the natural setting. Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the home.
For more information on this home at 7749 Foothill Ranch Road, contact listing agent Jacqueline Etchell, Sotheby’s International Realty – Wine Country – St. Helena Brokerage, 1229 Adams St. Unit A, Saint Helena, 707-490-5119.JacklynEtchell.com, 7749FoothillRanchRoad.com, sothebysrealty.com
The garage is often the least attractive and organized area in any house (according to a 2022 survey by Craftsman, 36% of homeowners have too much clutter in their garage to park their cars).
In a home on the outskirts of Sonoma, a renovation by SDL Residential Design shows how the oft-ignored space can become something special.
Samuel Lowe and Samuel Hayward of SDL Residential Design converted the garage into a main bedroom suite that overlooks a transformed backyard, complete with an outdoor kitchen, fountains that empty into the pool and a drought-tolerant xeriscape garden. Whitfield Construction in Santa Rosa did the construction work on the project.
“This project is emblematic of the increasing awareness of homeowners to make better use of spaces that already exist rather than over-build a property,” says Lowe. “Garages are often the largest room in the house, so with careful space planning it’s possible to divide them into multiple programs that better serve the needs of today’s households.”
Modern detailing—like angular bronze fixtures and Makoto Kumo Gray tiles in the bathroom—shine in the new living space. A few contemporary paintings, plus a view of the outdoors, take the focus, while geometric and faintly colored textiles enhance the modern aesthetic.
Double doors open to an Alaskan yellow cedar deck that overlooks the pool, which is accented by a trio of black fountains. Water pouring into the pool creates a relaxing ambient sound, while the raised deck provides a view of the vineyards just beyond the fence. A steel-framed pergola offers shade in the summer and heaters in the eaves take care of cool nights.
Forget the last minute trip to the grocery store for a bunch of wilting roses. We’ve got you covered with excellent flower farms and floral shops for beautiful blooms that will make thoughtful, impressive gifts on any occasion. Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments.
BEES N BLOOMS/ SIDEKICK FLOWERS
Farmer/florist Seth Gowans leases land at Bees N Blooms and sells his organic flowers alongside Bees N Blooms lavender. Farmstand at 3883 Petaluma Hill Rd., Santa Rosa. 707- 293-8293, beesnblooms.com
CALIFORNIA SISTER
The team at California Sister, owned by Nichole Skalski and Kathrin Green, uses locally grown, seasonal flowers to create artistic, “thoughtfully composed” designs that are “a little bit wild.” Delivery only. californiasister.bloomnation.com
DRAGONFLY FLORAL
A longtime favorite, this local farm in the Dry Creek Valley offers local delivery and event design. 707-433- 3739, dragonflyfloral.com
Flower arrangement from Dragonfly Floral in Healdsburg. (Dragonfly Floral)Flower arrangement from Dragonfly Floral in Healdsburg. (Dragonfly Floral)
FEATHER FLOWER FARM
Farmer/florist Sierra Bannister sells homegrown flowers at her own small farmstand (email for details) and at Bill’s Farm Basket in Sebastopol. Her Instagram feed (@featherflowerfarm) is stunning. featherflowerfarm.com
FLATBED FARM
A diverse farm and flower operation with a farmstand, farm products, and bouquets for sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Farmstand at 13450 Hwy. 12, Glen Ellen. flatbed-farm.com
FLOWER CASITA
Tali Bouskila of Flower Casita works with local growers and unique foraged finds to create stunning flower arrangements. 140 Second St., Suite 116, Petaluma. 707-559-5243, flowercasita.com
FRONT PORCH FARM
A 110-acre farm by the Russian River with orchards, vegetables, and wine- grapes in addition to flowers. Flowers are sold at the Saturday farmers market in Healdsburg, to the FEED Sonoma produce hub, and wholesale to local designers. fpfarm.com
At Front Porch Farm in Healdsburg. (Eileen Roche)At Front Porch Farm in Healdsburg. (Eileen Roche)
FULL BLOOM FLOWER FARM
Owner Hedda Brorstrom grew up in the area and runs a pretty farmstand along a country road, marked by a red mailbox. She also does events and offers weekly flower subscriptions in summer. Farmstand at 9516 Graton Rd., Sebastopol. 707-591-6968, fullbloomflower.com
THE HAPPY DAHLIA FARM
When dahlias bloom, these growing fields are awash in color. A fun place for families to explore together. Farmstand at 2478 E. Washington St., Petaluma. 707-338- 9478, thehappydahliafarm.com
JENNIFLORA
Jennifer McClendon cultivates 1,500 heirloom roses on her 1.5 acre family farm in Sebastopol and designs stunning events. Call for bouquet pickup and local delivery. 707-495-9402, jenniflora.com
JOLEE BLOOMS & DESIGN
Owner Daniele Strawn has a diverse design background and runs a quarter-acre farm and a thriving event business in Occidental, with organic bouquets available for pickup or delivery. 707-775-0101, joleeblooms.com
OAK HILL FARM
This landmark spot in Glen Ellen on over 700 rural acres has been farmed by members of the Teller/Bucklin family since the 1970s. Fresh flowers available at the Sonoma farmers market on Fridays and at the Red Barn Store farmstand from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. 15101 Hwy. 12, Glen Ellen. 707-996-6643, oakhillfarm.net
POPPIES AND PETALS
At this you-pick farm, visitors can design and cut their own bouquet packed with organic, seasonal blooms. Bring your own vase. Open Tues., Thurs., Sat., and Sun. 500 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa. 707-752- 7891, poppiesandpetalsfarm.com
STORIA HOME
This home goods store in Sebastopol is expanding to include a floral shop led by local flower farmer Jennifer McClendon, of JenniFlora. The grand opening will take place Friday, May 12. 961 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Suite 130, Sebastopol. 415-501-0024, storiahome.com
At Zannah Farms in Santa Rosa. (Eileen Roche)
SUNRAY FARM
A vegetable and flower farm in Sonoma focused on healthy soils and organic growing practices. They sell flowers at the Petaluma Eastside farmers market on Tuesdays, deliver weekly bouquets, and will sell large flower buckets for DIY arrangements. 707-210-9720, sunrayfarm.com
ZANNAH FARMS
Jude Crawford cuts and arranges fresh bouquets daily for their farmstand, and sells buckets of flowers for DIY arrangements. Farmstand at 5583 Occidental Rd., Santa Rosa. 707-247-5881, zannahfarms.com
Bag O’ Crab is exactly that: a steaming pile of seafood dumped onto a communal plate that’s a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing. Wearing a large plastic bib and eating with your fingers is also self-selecting. If you’re up for both, or just find pulling off shrimp heads weirdly satisfying, Bag O’ Crab is your new favorite restaurant.
Primarily found in California, the seafood chain recently opened an outpost in Santa Rosa at the former Steele & Hops restaurant on Mendocino Avenue. The concept is pretty simple, especially if you’re into seafood boils. You pick your seafood, pick your sauce and wait for the hot mess to arrive. It’s literally hot. And messy.
Combos are the best bet, offering mix-and-match choices of Dungeness crab, king crab legs, clams, crawfish, shrimp and lobster ($31.95 to $83.95). Combos also include corn, potatoes and sausage. Sauces are the critical decision — we recommend Louisiana flavor, which has a hint of sweetness. Spice levels are up to you, from mild to “on fire xx.” Don’t be a hero, especially if you’re sharing. Go with mild or medium.
Your order includes plastic gloves, wet napkins and other torture implements for the shelled seafood. The whole shebang is mixed in a large plastic bag and not-especially ceremoniously dumped onto a metal platter in the middle of the table. Or you can eat the entire thing alone. Plan to make a mess and smell like Bag O’ Crab sauce for the next four to eight hours.
Add the garlic noodles ($7.95) and garlic bread ($3.95) to your order. Neither is especially impressive, but they bring back fuzzy childhood memories of spaghetti with butter and garlic salt and your mom’s buttery garlic bread — served, natch, on paper plates. The bread is a great way to soak up the sauce, too.
You’ll find other offerings including fried fish, chicken tenders, po’boys and grilled beef short ribs on the menu, but stay on brand and just go with the seafood unless you want people to look at you funny. Because who orders a hamburger at Bag O’ Crab?
The restaurant is still awaiting its beer and wine license, so if you’re craving a beer with your bag, call ahead and see if that’s changed.
Bag O’ Crab is at 1901 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-843-7267. bagocrabusa.com
