Here are a few quick bites and tasty scoops from Sonoma and Napa counties.
Pitmaster classes at A&M BBQ
What’s better than Kris Austin’s A&M barbecued brisket? Trick question — nothing. But yours might come close after a 3.5-hour master class with Austin. You’ll learn sourcing, seasoning, smoking, wrapping and slicing, with live demonstrations and barbecue lunch included. Classes are $225 and are held from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the last Tuesday of each month through December. Reservations are required at ambbqllc.com. 495 S. Main St., Sebastopol, instagram.com/ambbqllc
Dierk’s Parkside pop-up dinners
The breakfast-and-brunch favorite will reopen for dinner three nights a week beginning in May. On the menu: Korean-style fried chicken; duck confit with black-eyed peas; Moroccan carrot salad with roasted potatoes; beet salad with poached trout; fish tacos; and a deep-fried onion bloom with ranch dressing. From 4-8 p.m. Friday through Sunday. 404 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-573-5955, dierksparkside.com
New chef at Napa’s Auro
Following the surprise departure of chef Rogelio Garcia from Napa’s Michelin-starred Auro in January, the restaurant has named chef Evan Neumann to the post. The French chef brings serious culinary credentials, having trained in the kitchens of legendary chefs Joël Robuchon, Alain Ducasse, Anne-Sophie Pic and Christophe Bellanca. The seven-course tasting menu at the Four Seasons restaurant focuses on French technique and is influenced by the flavors of Mexico and Japan. Auro is open from 5-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday by reservation only. 400 Silverado Trail N., Calistoga, 707-709-2160, auronapavalley.com
Locals night in Petaluma
Street Social, one of Petaluma’s hidden gems, is offering a neighborhood prix fixe menu on Wednesday evenings for $45 per person. Recent offerings have included grilled miso pork loin with ginger marmalade and turmeric, along with a steak burger with Gruyère. Wine by the glass is $10, and beer is $6. Reservations for the next two weeks have already been snapped up, but future dates can be booked on OpenTable. 29F Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-774-6185, streetsocial.social
McNear’s-inspired restaurant to open in Inverness
The co-owner of McNear’s Saloon and Mystic Theatre will open a sister restaurant at the Tomales Bay Resort & Marina in Inverness on May 7. Jeff Harriman, who owns the McNear’s building and operates the longtime restaurant with Kenneth O’Donnell, announced the collaboration, which will feature a large smoker for oysters, ribs and whole chickens, along with 12-inch pizzas on the Bayside Bar & Lounge Restaurant menu. The restaurant will open in stages, beginning with dinner service from 4-8 p.m. Thursday through Monday, with plans to add brunch and lunch in the future. 12938 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness