After a three-year hiatus, Guerneville’s historic Dawn Ranch resort has reopened, making a flashy entrance with a dramatic, property-wide renovation and a revamped restaurant, Agriculture Public House.
The restaurant has been in operation for more than a decade, and frankly, in its earlier days, it wasn’t very interesting. Dishes spanned staples like ho-hum fish and chips, a skirt steak sandwich, pulled pork ravioli and shrimp flatbread. It was just what you’d expect at a sleepy stopover in a quirky river town populated by bohemian adventurers.
The refreshed Public House menu still reads simply but has more flair, and now, I must say, I’m smitten.
Grilled Mary’s organic chicken breast, for example, gets a boost from yam medallions and cider-roasted Brussels sprouts sprinkled with pepita seeds ($32), while braised pork shoulder comes from the family-owned, heritage pig-focused Mountain View Pork of Turlock and is served with creamy polenta, arugula and the crunchy delight of watermelon radish ($30).