The idea was to keep the crowds coming in during recession-weary times for what Silvers called “A nosh, a nibble, a full dinner, whatever they want … and not just a special occasion.”

Yet Silvers is finding his customers still have an appetite for bigger plates, and still crave more elaborate dining experiences, and so his new menu just unveiled offers larger entrees, plus seven- to nine-course tasting menus. Remarkably, prices remain reasonable.

Previously, our most hearty option might have been something like strips of Balinese long pepper-crusted New York steak over mushroom reduction with a side of potato-mushroom croquettes ($16). Yet now, we can indulge in a full, grilled hanger steak over a ragout of cippolini, carrots and potato, in green garlic puree and black garlic jus ($24), or pan-roasted Liberty duck atop creamy polenta with spinach, spring onion, endive and cherry Port reduction ($25).

Also tempting are the new five-course daily prix fixe dinners, which for $49 per person (add $30 for wine pairings) bring feasts like crudo of market catch, a salad of 63°egg, pan roasted scallop and short rib hash, grilled hanger steak and a mint ice cream and chocolate brownie sundae.

If the entire table is in the mood to test Silvers’ and chef de cuisine Ben Davies’ skill, the tasting menus offer a gourmet adventure. Seven courses cost $75 per person (add $40 for wine), while nine courses run $110 per person (add $50 per person), and feature “chef’s whim” dishes.

It’s like a taste of the award-wining, full style Syrah all over again. Delicious.

Details: Petite Syrah, 205 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 707-568-4002, petitesyrah.com.

But it seems it’s been worth the wait for this stylish destination that just debuted from owner from Nino Rabbaa. He also owns Rendez Vous bistro in Santa Rosa, and this isn’t your typical burger joint, all sleek and jazzy, outfitted with a spacious patio accessed by slide-away glass walls and set with couches.

The full bar overlooks the kitchen action where cooks present waffle fries in cute little steel fryer baskets set in paper-lined trays, and craft house-made gelato for the banana splits.

Burgers, naturally, are the star of the menu, fashioned of grass-fed prime Kobe that’s ground fresh daily, yet don’t overlook the dogs, either, such as a Kobe beef hotdog stuffed with cheddar cheese and wrapped in bacon. And the fried pickles, jalapeño poppers and truffle fries on the side? ’Da bomb.

The advance of summer heat is looking more inviting, too, thanks to hand-dipped milkshakes like a Campfire recipe that’s chunky with s’more chocolate and Graham crackers, and topped with house-made marshmallows blackened with a torch. The waitresses wear black t-shirts emblazoned with “shake it,” and it’s good advice.

If you’re even hungrier, check out the larger entrée menu, including a pile of pork ribs with onion rings and truffle mushroom mac ‘n’ cheese.

Details: Flipside Bar & Burgers: 630 Third St., Santa Rosa, 707- 523-1400.

It’s partly the periodically rainy spring weather that puts me in the mood, and primarily the good news that Mister Hof-Brau has reopened in Santa Rosa.

It’s that same Hof-Brau that for decades reigned supreme in Coddingtown Center, owned by Narsi Samii and his brother, Sam Samii, until it closed in March of 2010. It’s now occupying shiny new digs in the former SRJC Culinary Cafe space in the Brickyard Center at B and Seventh streets.

All it takes is one look at the massive hunks of meats, waiting for a sharp knife behind the counter, or certainly one sniff of the intoxicating aromas of slow-roasted turkey, beef, pastrami and corned beef, or baked ham.

Those are Hof-Brau hallmarks, as are hearty rib-stickers like sausage and sauerkraut, and mile-high sandwiches such as French dip, and a Black Russian stuffed with corned beef, roast beef and cheddar on dark rye smothered in tangy Russian dressing.

This being Wine County, there are some lighter eats – you can dive into an albacore tuna or hummus sandwich. But let’s be honest. We’re all really craving the belly fillers, aren’t we? Bratwurst and red cabbage, turkey enchiladas the size of small sleeping bags, capped off with a towering piece of all-American chocolate cake served with a big, cold glass of milk.

Welcome home, Mister Hof-Brau. We missed you.

Details: Mister Hof-Brau, 458 B St., Santa Rosa,  707-545-6237, mrhofbrau.com.

Anyone familiar with great coffee knows that Flying Goat is beloved for its fresh roasted beans and house made chai served at its stores in Healdsburg and Santa Rosa. Morisette and Dupere, meanwhile, own the popular 14feet modern vintage home furnishings store in Healdsburg. Now, the groups are coming together to open Plank Coffee, debuting May 1 on Cloverdale Ave. at E. 2nd St.

According to Dupere, the new business was inspired by a craving for caffeine. She and Morisette live just above downtown Cloverdale on Pine Mountain Road, and were looking for an easier way to get their daily Goat fix.

Voila, Plank will serve French press brewed coffee, classic espresso drinks and signatures like Aztec mocha, plus a secret “Clever” pour-over, and housemade sparkling Italian-style sodas crafted with freshly squeezed seasonal juice.

All that buzzing makes a body hungry, so to go-with, there will be pastries from My Flour Girl, baked daily on-site from Flour Girl’s Shannon Moore of Healdsburg. Alongside the croissants, scones, muffins and such will be vegan and gluten-free options such as vegan orange cake and vegan Mexican chocolate cake. Customers can slather their scones with jams, homemade by Kenneth Rochford (he is general manager of Medlock Ames winery in Healdsburg, which offers its own jams, too, at its Alexander Valley Store and Bar and tasting room).

So why the Plank name? The décor, inside and out, is primarily wood. Morisette and Dupere gathered wood from their own property, in oak, Manzanita and pine, and cut them into rounds to form a back wall, while the front of the building is clad in hundreds of pieces of scrap and salvaged wood the duo has been collecting for the past year, in a design executed by Healdsburg artist Ray Degischer.

A centerpiece is the community table, a ten-foot long, 875-pound welding table salvaged from the Healdsburg High School metal shop, while vintage hog leg 40’s classroom tables have been repurposed with vintage reclaimed walnut shelving to serve as singles tables.

“Wood” you like some coffee? Why, “plank” you very much!

Details: Plank Coffee, 227 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, 707-894-6187, plankcoffee.com.

Hole-in-the-Wall Brings Global Cuisine to Sebastopol

Everyone has their favorite little hole-in-the-wall place to eat. Sometimes it’s hard to remember its name, though – “that place with the great tacos,” or “you know, that amazing burger place” might have to suffice.

Perhaps that’s why the owners of this joint in Sebastopol named their eatery Hole in the Wall Restaurant. Easier all around, and it sums things up perfectly for the architecture of tiny spot stuck in an easy-to-miss corner of a tiny Sebastopol mall on Gravenstein Ave. at Fellers Ln., just north of the Fircrest Market.

Except it’s hardly everyday eating. Opened last summer by chef Adam Beers, the space may be small, but the breakfast, lunch and dinner menu goes on for pages, and efforts are ambitious, reflecting Beers’ training as a sautee chef at French Garden and savory chef at Village Bakery. You can see him working in his expo kitchen, putting together pretty plates like his “FunGuys” seasonal mushroom omelet decorated with spinach and chevré ($8.50).

So what makes it a HITW, besides the location? Rock-bottom pricing, and comfort food, albeit with delicious international twists.

Standouts on the A.M. line-up include the N’Orleans Scramble ($7.75), spiced with andouille sausage, caramelized onions and peppers and a zap of cayenne, or the Challah French toast ($7.75) gussied with orange zest and candied pecans.

Short rib hash ($9.50) is topped in poached eggs alongside a homemade biscuit, while the mushrooms in the in the gravy atop the biscuits vary depending on the season and what’s fresh-picked.

Throughout the day, the offers go global, from French quarter gumbo ($3 cup, $7.50 big bowl) based on a smoky, dark flour roux and plump with andouille, chicken and crawfish (add prawns, $4.50), to a peasant-style Russian borscht ($9.50) crafted of red and golden beets, cabbage, chunks of potato, a hearty hunk of short rib and dollop of sour cream.

Burger lovers will love the options, in patties like beef, lamb, turkey, marinated Portobello and black bean ($7.75-$9.75), and crepes are creative, stuffed with goodies like lox, tomatoes and capers in a gluten-free buckwheat crepe ($9.25), or classic Nutella studded with bananas or strawberries ($6.50).

Yet one of the best dishes is the coconut curry pasta ($8.50). Picture toothsome penne coated in creamy curried coconut milk reduction sparked with cranberries, carrots, broccoli, crisp snow peas and juicy tomatoes under a dusting of toasted almonds and

Parmesan. It’s hardly hole-in-the-wall cooking, but a whole new spin on flavors well worth making a regular destination.

Details: 972 Gravenstein Hwy. S,, Sebastopol, 707-861-3777, holeinthewallsebastopol.com.

BBQ Smokehouse is the “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” gem in a tiny porch-style building on the edge of a movie theater parking lot in downtown Sebastopol.

Vito is the chef who trained at the Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park, and since opening his eatery in 2009, has been wowing fans of his work with meats cooked in an enormous industrial smoker stocked with apple, oak and nut wood.

The only challenge with his operation has been fitting in all his fans, who take over the half-dozen or-so seats at lunch and dinner daily. Yet problem solved. Thanks to several newly planted picnic tables, diners can now relax under shade trees hung with twinkling white lights in front of his café.

There are more reasons to visit, too – Vito has been ramping up his menu to include weekly specials like roasted red pepper, tomato and corn soup with toasted cumin, filet of smoked trout with baby lettuces and greens and poppy seed tartar sauce, and hot pastrami that’s marinated and smoked, then piled on rye with whole grain mustard, slaw and homemade pickles. Vito can even offer drink pairings, such as Pedroncelli Sauvignon Blanc with the trout, or Anchor Steam Porter with the pastrami.

Details: BBQ Smokehouse, 6811 Laguna Park Way (near North Main Street), Sebastopol, 707-575-3277, bbqsmokehousecatering.com.

Last year, the boutique limoncello producer introduced a delicious version of their Southern Italian-style liqueur but, instead of lemons, this delicious quaff is made with fresh figs straight from Sonoma Valley.

The concoction is crafted of black Mission fruit blended with citrus, 14 secret botanicals, and a brandy of distilled Wine Country grapes for 30 percent alcohol.

It’s delightful, a bit like port, and not overly sweet with beguiling notes of anise. Yet FigCello di Sonoma was available only at the girl & the fig in downtown Sonoma, a lovely place to be sure, but not entirely convenient unless I happened to be in, well, downtown Sonoma, and with time to stop in for a cocktail.

Then Lady Gaga made the news last month for her visit to Sonoma County, and my passion for the fruity liqueur was reignited. The pop star stopped in at girl & the fig, where she enjoyed a Fig Kiss cocktail and, thinking about it, my mouth watered again.

A little exploring unearthed some happy news. Apparently, I’m not the only one going Gaga over the figgy drink. FigCello is now available at other locations around Sonoma, including restaurants like Estate, Carneros Bistro, and Carneros Inn, plus retailers like Sonoma Market, Historic Plaza Liquors, Bottle Barn, and Valley Liquors. Prices vary and supplies are limited, but I’ve seen it for $36 at leading liquor shops.

As for that Fig Kiss, now I can make it at home, too. The recipe is simple – 2 ounces cranberry juice, 1.25 ounces FigCello, and 5 ounces St-Germain elderflower liqueur.

From mouthwatering … to lip-smacking.

Details: FigCello di Sonoma, hellosonoma.com.

Or perhaps you’re in the mood for a ricotta, spinach and black olive tart with an organic green salad; bacon-wrapped meatloaf or lentil meatballs served over Yukon Gold mashed potatoes smothered in mushroom gravy; and strawberry rhubarb crumble with freshly whipped cream.

It can all be yours, with the new Wednesday night dinners served at Big Bottom Market in Guerneville.

Normally, the petite market and café offers meals only at breakfast and lunch, with a few pre-packaged items offered in later hours. But co-owners Michael Volpatt, Kate Larkin, and Crista Luedtke have opened up the evening slot one day a week for their chef Tricia Brown to step out from behind the deli case and put together full suppers.

Each week brings a different three-course selection at a bargain price of $20 per person, plus an optional three-course wine pairing for $15 or featured wine of the evening for $5 per glass.

Response has been so good, says Volpatt, that the tiny restaurant is often packed with some 40 guests each Wednesday night, and he plans to expand the concept this summer into a larger bistro menu served Wednesday through Saturdays.

Meanwhile, sink your teeth into this sumptuous sample supper and see what all the fuss is about: cheese fondue dunked with green apple, bread and salami; a wild salmon burger or veggie burger with wasabi aioli on toasted brioche with Boon chips and citrus coleslaw; and dark chocolate bread pudding with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

Details: Big Bottom Market, 16228 Main St., Guerneville, 707-604-7295, bigbottommarket.com.

You’ve got a glass of wine or beer from a local vendor who’s set up a booth in the concessions area nearby, and then you think: “Wouldn’t a half-pound spice-rubbed burger be good right now? Grilled to juicy medium rare under smoked white Cheddar, applewood smoked bacon and barbecue sauce on a fresh-baked onion roll?”

Thanks to the new food valet service being rolled out for this year’s Summer Nights on the Green concert series, this specialty burger, from Windsor’s Kin Restaurant, can be had by simply visiting an ordering pavilion a few steps away.

No need to miss a single lyric from the North Bay’s beloved rock and roll party machine Wonderbread Five. You simply return to your concert seat with a color-coded flag bedecked with the restaurant logo and within minutes, a runner will deliver your order straight from Kin’s kitchen.

Or that order might come from KC’s Downtown Grill, or any of the other Windsor restaurants that participate in the fledgling program that’s under way to roll out over the concert series slated for Thursday evenings June 14 through Aug. 2.

While there is already plenty to eat and love at the concerts, thanks to the events’ food and farmers market, the new arrangement offers opportunity for even more elaborate fare. Restaurants will offer edited menus for foods that “sprint” well – that means Kin’s Woodstone oven caramelized chicken wings, probably, but Kin’s mussels swimming in a hearty broth of beer and goat cheese, likely not.

And there are plenty of hungry bellies to go around. Now in it’s 11th season, the free, family-friendly Town Green summer events attract up to 8,000 people each week.

Details: 601 Bell Rd., Windsor, 707-838-1260, ci.windsor.ca.us

A Savory Secret About Petaluma Pie Company

Just the phone number tells you you’re in for something delicious. To reach Petaluma Pie Company, dial 707-766-6743 (7-MMM-PIE).

The confection shop in Historic Downtown Petaluma is best known for its sweet pies, such as classic apple, banana cream, pumpkin, and unique recipes like tangy-luscious butterscotch cream, or a brilliant, spicy-sweet pear ginger cardamom that will make your mouth happy to be alive.

Yet fewer hungry souls may realize that PPC also bakes delightful savory pies. Imagine the bliss of a pillowy hot pot pie stuffed with local grass-fed ground beef and Cheddar; wine-soaked mushrooms and artisanal goat gouda; a tuna melt; bratwurst and sauerkraut; or spinach-feta. One of the most indulgent treats is the Samosa pie, in a mix of moist potato and peas seasoned with chiles, coriander, ginger, tumeric and garam masala.

Be sure, too, to check in daily with the pie blog, for special seasonal recipes like a recent, mouthwatering mix of home grown asparagus and leek with Central Coast Creamery’s Holey Cow Swiss-style cheese.

MMM-marvelous.

Details: Petaluma Pie Company, 125 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-766-6743 (7-MMM-PIE), petalumapie.com.

All hail the rushed, the harried, or the simply too lazy to go to the grocery store. Forchetta/Bastoni has introduced a grab-n-go section, for a speedy meal from lunch through late night Monday through Friday.

The downtown Sebastopol restaurant, which is really two restaurants in one, offers choices from both its Italian (Forchetta) and Asian street food (Bastoni) sides. That means soup, sandwiches and salads, in a changing selection including a classic Caesar or banh mi.

Funny thing is, most of us are never too time-taxed to fit in a cocktail. So Forchetta/Bastoni’s new happy hour offers a solution for the hungry, too, with specially priced bites like meatballs in sweet chile sauce, and chicken wings that are brined, steamed, then fried and moistened in spicy ginger soy sauce. To sip alongside: $2-$3 beers, $5 well cocktails, and $5 wines.

Actually, it’s two happy hours – the deals run Sunday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. and again from 9 p.m. until closing. Fill ’er up!

Details: Forchetta/Bastoni, 6948 Sebastopol Ave. (on the Sebastopol Plaza), Sebastopol, 707-829-9500, forchettabastoni.com.

Already though, there are deals to be had at the classic French eatery. Dinner entrees at the Bistro proper cost $21.50 to $32.50, a worthy price to pay for chefs Karen and Lucas Martin’s house-made boudin blanc sausage over apple-endive salad, or mesquite-grilled Creekstone rib eye dotted in mustard butter.

Yet savvy diners wait until Sunday for their suppers, when the restaurant’s 1040 Club offers a prix fix menu of an appetizer and entrée for just $27.50. The 1040 name comes from the accompanying wine specials, at $10 a glass and $40 a bottle.

Meals are served from 4 to 8:30 p.m., and include different dishes each week. You might get Oysters Rockefeller and cioppino, escargots swimming in garlic and parsley butter and Boeuf Bourguignonne, or grilled Portobello salad topped with shaved Parmesan and slow roasted Creekstone prime rib with horseradish cream and Yorkshire pudding.

C’est magnifique, n’est pas?

Details: K&L Bistro, 119 S. Main St., Sebastopol, 707-823-6614, klbistro.com.

Ike’s Place is owned by ambitious bread-meat-veggie master Ike Shehadeh.

The original Ike’s Place in San Francisco has been consistently in the news lo these past few years for its crazy popularity that has attracted such freakish crowds that neighbors repeatedly sought the restaurant’s eviction. Seems like too much of a good thing actually can be too much of a good thing.

Yet we in Sonoma County are much more civilized, yes? So when Ike’s sets up shop at in the former S&S Market space at Mendocino and Elliott avenues, we promise to line up all orderly-like, and not do anything that will call to much attention to ourselves … or police action.

If you’re wondering what the fuss is about, here’s a taste. Think the biggest, bestest, messiest sandwich you can imagine, and then double that. Also plan for a dizzying array of combinations. Just one example – the jaw-droppingly extensive web menu suggests this: “Too many options? Use the filters on the left to find your ideal sandwich.”

My picks include The Doomsday (roast beef, corned beef, pastrami, salami, turkey, bacon, ham, habanero salsa, mozzarella sticks, stuffed jalapeno poppers and Jack cheese, yep, all on one sandwich); the Vegan Meatless Mike (vegan meatballs, soy cheese and marinara); and the Elvis Keith (Halal chicken, teriyaki, wasabi mayo, Swiss).

Now let’s all play nice, shall we?

Details: Ike’s Place, 1780 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, ilikeikesplace.com.

The intense heat sears in juices and flavor while adding a slightly smoky crispy edge to meats, fish and vegetables, and because Sonoma County produces some of the highest quality boutique-farmed ingredients in the world, only simple preparations are required for optimum flavor.

Just hearing the snap-crackle of the burning embers gets diners’ mouths salivating in anticipation.

At Monti’s Rotisserie & Bar in Santa Rosa’s Montgomery Village, chef-owner Mark Stark takes a little different approach, using a huge wood-fired rotisserie to roast his meats and poultry. The succulent meats cook slowly, rendering fat to fall-off-the-bone tenderness, and are presented as Mediterranean-style plates available as nightly specials served after 5 p.m.

The rest of the Mediterranean-American menu entices through lunch and dinner, too (grilled ahi slathered in green olive tapenade is terrific), yet diners come specifically for their favorites, such as Monday’s Moroccan-barbecued Gleason Ranch goat with tzatziki and crispy Meyer lemon potatoes, or Tuesday’s pomegranate-glazed baby back ribs on a bed of Julyas’ tangy-sweet wine kraut.

The plates change all week long, and on weekends, the chef prepares a Saturday special of crispy Liberty Farms duck in sweet and sour duck jus, or smoked prime rib on Sundays, served with blue cheese butter and potato-bacon latkes.

Instead of an oven, the chefs at Rustic at Francis Ford Coppola winery in Geyserville work with a parrilla, an authentic Argentine grill fueled by burning wood. Manned by the restaurant’s dedicated Asador, or grill-master, it provides a true South American taste of delicious, wood-grilled meats. If we can’t get to Argentina ourselves, this reflects the experience that Coppola enjoys while traveling through his favorite destination.

Customers can watch the asadors at work at the enormous grill center to the side of the dining room, serving up mouthwatering platters as simple as grilled vegetables over rice, where the seasonal selections such as squash nearly melt in the mouth after a dance with the blistering flames, developing a crisp char with meaty-moist insides. Meats are tooth-tender, like pomegranate juice-marinated rack of lamb or thick and juicy Porterhouse steak.

The menu at Forchetta in Sebastopol promises “Italian soul food,” and chef-owner Steven Peyer delivers thanks to the help of a wood-burning pizza oven, plus a wood-burning grill, both on display in the open kitchen that anchors the counter seating for the dining room.

Two top picks include the pizza cipolla, topped in prosciutto, farm egg, shaved onion and tomato, or the grilled bone-in pork loin stuffed with sausage and presented with chanterelles in porcini jus.

Wood-fired cooking isn’t just limited to meats and vegetables, either. As chef Ari Weiswasser showed at a sneak preview dinner last week for his opening-soon Glen Ellen Star in Glen Ellen, a traditional wood-fired oven turns out superb cast-iron quick bread to be dunked in pistachio oil, pillowy tubes of ricotta gnudi scattered in spinach pinenuts and finished in wildflower honey drizzle, fat knobs of fennel dusted with Parmesan aleppo chile, and red wine vinegar braised shortribs over marinated radicchio and a sprinkle of mustard blossoms.

Did someone say, “sizzle?”

Details:

• Monti’s Rotisserie & Bar, 714 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 707-568-4404, starkrestaurants.com.
• Rustic, 300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville, 707) 857-1485, franciscoppolawinery.com.
• Forchetta, 6948 Sebastopol Ave., 707-829-9500, forchettabastoni.com.
• Glen Ellen Star (coming in April): 13648 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen.

Enjoying a glass of wine at Windsor’s Vine Tastings wine bar and tasting room just became an even more relaxing experience.

Vine Tastings has partnered with six neighboring restaurants to deliver meals to customers while they continue to enjoy the best wines in the world. Customers may ask to see the menus, and order from the restaurant of their choice. Members of the same party may order from different restaurants.

Vine Tastings is a tasting room and wine bar located on the Town Green in Old Downtown Windsor. They serve the wines of eight small, local wineries, all under one roof. Customers may order wines by the flight, by the glass, or by the bottle. They also have unique beers on tap.

Details: Vine Tastings – Tasting Room and Wine Bar, 9058 Windsor Road, Windsor, CA 95492, 707-620-0833, www.vinetastings.us

Dinner Delivered while you Enjoy Wine and Live Music

Visitors may also get dinner brought to them while tasting wine and listening to live music at Cellars of Sonoma in the historic Railroad Square in downtown Santa Rosa.

This hip tasting room in a wine bar atmosphere offers savvy wine lovers tastes of boutique and small lot wines that are not available in the traditional marketplace.

Now, customers may ask the host at Cellars of Sonoma for the menus of neighboring restaurants and order what they wish, to be delivered to the tasting room at no additional fee. Cellars of Sonoma provides dinnerware and a comfortable atmosphere with live music four nights each week, great wine, and no waiting in the lobby of a restaurant.

In addition, guests who are in the area on Tuesday nights may attend the live streaming broadcast at Cellars of Sonoma featuring owner Scott Jordan interviewing local winemakers, chefs, and other great personalities in the Sonoma County area. Guests may join in live at the tasting room, or sign in from the Cellars of Sonoma website and watch the broadcasts streamed live into the comfort of their own homes.

Details: Cellars of Sonoma, 133 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401, 707-578-1826, www.cellarsofsonoma.com

The Michelin Star is a coveted award for fine dining quality and has long been considered among the most prestigious culinary accolades. Michelin awards 0 to 3 stars based on the inspections of anonymous reviewers. The reviewers concentrate on the quality, mastery of technique, personality and consistency of the food.

Terrapin Creek restaurant in Bodega Bay is a newcomer on the Sonoma County list. Chef and owners Liya Lin and Andrew Truong were thrilled to be honored with a Michelin Star and proud of their small staff.

Cyrus Restaurant in Healdsburg holds two stars, the most in Sonoma County.
Cyrus Restaurant
29 North Street
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707- 433-3311
www.cyrusrestaurant.com

Sonoma County Restaurants with One Michelin Star:

Terrapin Creek
1580 Eastshore Rd.
Bodega Bay, CA 94923
707-875.-2700
www.terrapincreekcafe.com

Applewood Inn
13555 Highway 116
Guerneville, CA 95446
707-869-9093
www.dineatapplewood.com

Farmhouse Inn
7871 River Road
Forestville, Ca 95436
707-887-3300
www.farmhouseinn.com

Madrona Manor
1001 Westside Road
Healdsburg, CA 95448
800- 258-4003
www.madronamanor.com

Santé Restaurant at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn
100 Boyes Blvd
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-938-9000, 800-441-1414
www.fairmont.com/sonoma

The Glen Ellen Star will soon shine brightly in the cozy little burg of Glen Ellen.

And though we are mourning the closure of the former Saffron Mediterranean restaurant that it replaces, the Star will give us delicious new reason to visit downtown.

Think “refined rustic,” and you’ll get the idea of the concept coming in April from restaurateurs Erinn Benziger Weiswasser and her chef husband Ari Weiswasser. The duo may be new to the ownership business, but certainly have the chops to create something good. Erinn is the daughter of Mike and Mary Benziger (Benziger Family Winery, also in Glen Ellen), and her family bought the Saffron property in November.

Ari, meanwhile, used to work at big name places the French Laundry in Yountville, and Picholine, Daniel, Gilt, and Corton in New York.

The bistro is already ramping up with a spring inspired menu (follow along – ramps are another name for spring onions, so that is an inside joke, ha ha!).

Here are just a few of the delights awaiting us:

•  Wood oven roasted Globe artichokes finished with local olive oil, parmesan and wild arugula; and blistered shishito peppers decorated with citrus and shabazi pepper
•  Wood fired pizza topped in mushroom conserva, tomato, cured olive, mozzarella and oregano
•  Oven roasted whole loup de mer with charred lemon and tahini
•  Baby hen with creamy cauliflower and Swiss chard bread pudding
•  Whole baby lamb with salsa verde, bamboo rice, Rancho Gordo beans and fresh masa.

Bring your friends – the 30-seat eatery is sure to fill up quickly, and that whole lamb serves eight to 12 guests.

Details: Glen Ellen Star, 13648 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen.

Already, the $23.5 million project includes Spirit Works Distillery, Kosta Browne Winery, Guayaki Tea Taylor Maid Farms Coffee & Tea, Mama Tina’s Ravioli, Bliss Bakery, Acre Coffee café and pie shop, Village Bakery, Woodfour Brewing Co. boutique beer brewery and restaurant, Rosso Pizzeria & Wine Bar, the Gypsy Bay Laurel bay leaf company, Via Giusti olive oil, Wind Gap Wines, and Whole Spice.

By the time the project is up and running by fall, it is clear it will be a landmark destination and important draw for the tiny town that has long been celebrated for artisanal eating and drinking opportunities. Think a mini Ferry Building, actually.

As for Terra Sonoma, that is an artisan produce distribution service that has been in business since 1979, with owners Tim Page and Michelle Dubin delivering fresh organic produce grown by Sonoma County family farms to clients such as restaurants, small markets and caterers.

Barley and Hops, meanwhile, is a beer tavern in Occidental owned by Noah Bolmer. The restaurant serves local beers and gentrified pub grub like beef Bourguignon, German blaukraut, and ahi over creamy grits. Yet for his new project, Bolmer plans to open a brewery with tasting room called 8-Bit Brewing Company, which will serve Barley and Hops plus other local accounts.

Details: The Barlow, 200 Morris Street, Sebastopol, 707-824-5600, thebarlow.net.

Filet mignon melts on the tongue like buttah, baby. You can get it wrapped in bacon, topped in pan seared foie gras, roasted bone marrow, truffle fried egg or blue cheese butter, and dolloped in whole grain mustard béarnaise, peppercorn sauce, salsa verde, red wine sauce, truffle aioli or house steak sauce. There’s even an exotic salt sampler. It’s pure decadence, but ah, we digress.

The real news is that those discerning folks at the renowned James Beard House in New York agree, and are honoring Stark at their Carnivores’ Delight gathering on Feb. 2, as part of a celebration of beef hosted by the Certified Angus Beef® brand.

It’s like playing at the Carnegie Hall of culinary professionals, and this visit actually marks Stark’s third performance over the years. He uses Angus beef in his Santa Rosa area restaurants, including Willi’s Wine Bar, Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar, and Monti’s Rotisserie.

For the Delight-athon, Stark will prepare coffee-crusted Angus prime natural filet with beef rillettes, bone marrow dumplings and “crack” potatoes. Imagine high fat, high flavor, high joy.

And if we’re lucky, Sonoma diners soon will see sample plates of the Beard feast as specials on Stark’s menu, too.

Details: Stark Steakhouse, 521 Adams St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-5100, starkssteakhouse.com.

Fortunately for Sonoma County residents, we already live that dream, year-round. Some of the healthiest food to be found is grown and cooked right here.

Consider fresh produce, which packs in the most nutrients when it’s straight from the farm, rather than shipped across an ocean. Think about free-range eggs, which have more calcium and nutrients when they are fresh laid from happy chickens enjoying natural foraged foods. Discover rich, lean beef and milk from cheerful cows, and lower fat pork from very pleased pigs that live in pasture bliss.

Because such good foods have so much extra flavor, chefs don’t need to add in extras like heavy sauces. Fats, sugar and salt can be minimal, because the base ingredients themselves sing so beautifully.

A light misting of olive oil and sprinkle of herbs from the garden are all it takes to make salmon magical, and the most decadent dessert can be nothing but pristine ripe berries dolloped with unsweetened whipped cream.

As for sipping that sparkling, scientists do agree that a bit of top quality wine is good for the heart, and quality of life.

Still not convinced? There is even a great book, called The New Sonoma Diet, that charts the natural whole foods, phytochemicals, micronutrients and antioxidants naturally found in California coastal and wine country cuisine.

Whether you’re starting a diet or continuing to celebrate your daily cornucopia, here are two new tasty suggestions that showcase pure, sumptuous Sonoma simplicity:

Black Point Grill The Sea Ranch Lodge, Sea Ranch

First, you eat up the views. Overlooking a pastoral and rugged Sonoma seascape meadow, the spectacular ocean scenery from the dining room is a feast for the eyes.

Then, you focus on your plate, which features internationally inspired California cuisine emphasizing the freshest local ingredients. At this new restaurant, the daily breakfast, lunch and dinner menu changes seasonally, and offers everything from casual tavern fare to more formal small plates, appetizers and entrees paired with regional wines.

Don’t these dishes sound delicious, from executive chef Phillip M. Kaufman? Sonoma duck tacos topped in queso fresco, cabbage and sweet lime vinaigrette; organic baby arugula salad with pressed watermelon, toasted pine nuts, pears and raspberry vanilla vinaigrette; a club sandwich layered with grilled ahi, daikon, avocado, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and wasabi aioli on toasted whole wheat bread; or roasted Northern halibut with warm pineapple salsa and crisp parsnips.

Details: 60 Sea Walk Drive, Sea Ranch, 800-732-7262, searanchlodge.com.

The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, Sonoma

Diners with specific dietary requests often may forfeit flavor and choice for their health, but with the Fairmont’s new Lifestyle Cuisine Plus menu, the luxury hotel caters to guests with such concerns as diabetes, heart disease and celiac disease, as well as those who simply prefer to eat macrobiotic, raw and vegan diets.

Resort chefs have been trained to prepare a delicious array of special allergy-specific meals and are even equipped with Nutritionist Pro by Axxya Systems, a cutting-edge calorie/nutrition analysis software for recipes.

In more palate friendly terms, however, that means simply this: dishes change often and seasonally, but you might feast on baked tofu with gluten-free bean noodles; raw zucchini, carrot, Portobello and cashew butter pave; Cornish crab cake and marinated cucumber-grapefruit salad with homemade aioli; and vegan chocolate ganache flan.

Details: 100 Boyes Blvd.,
Sonoma, 707-938-9000, fairmont.com/sonoma.

Sweet T’s has only been open for a little while, yet Edwards replaces original chef Doug Richey, who was dismissed in an effort to infuse more authentic Southern flavor into the low-country-theme restaurant. Tennessee is low-country central, so Edwards was summoned temporarily away from his own Memphis hot spot, The Elegant Farmer, to, as he told my table, “help amp up the kitchen.”

The chef quickly introduced his brand new menus, adding his own touches like free-range deviled eggs that are prepared in a different style each day – blended with smoked tomato and basil, for example. Dressed in shorts, shirt and a long bistro apron, he was stopping by to double check that every fried green tomato’s cornmeal coating was requisite shatteringly-crisp, and each bowl of curry sweet potato soup was spiced just so.

A few new dishes borrow directly from the Farmer (“Borrow,” Edwards emphasized, smiling. “Not steal.”). That curry sweet potato soup ($6), for one, and also a chicken tostada with chili-lime crème fraiche ($10), a salmon burger with Creole remoulade ($12), a “One Story” club sandwich ($11), “slooow cooked” pot roast ($13), those deviled eggs ($7), and shrimp ‘n grits low country style with Tasso ham, sweet peppers and onions over stone ground cheese grits ($18).

There are also now more mainstream dishes, in an Americana mood for plates like Cobb salad ($12), a half-pound cheeseburger ($12), and wood-oven rib eye with buttermilk smashed potatoes ($23).

The smoker is still chugging away, too, cranking out barbecue favorites like beef brisket ($12), pulled pork butt ($12) and baby back ribs ($16 half/$25 full).

Sweet T’s Restaurant + Bar: 2009 Stagecoach Road, Santa Rosa; (707) 595-3935 or Facebook.

Well, hang on, because the historic property, a 1907 basalt building, is about to get jettisoned into the 21^st Century, with the addition of a new 5,000 square patio tricked out with al fresco dining, live music, and hip games such as bocce ball. It will take over what has long been a vacant lot next to the hotel on the corner of Wilson and 4th streets, next to Khoom Lanna Thai café.

Calling the area similar to a “beer garden,” co-owner and general manager John McNulty promises a stage, smoker, grill, a large centerpiece bar, seating for up to 130 patrons, and lawns for lounging.

Even in that potential party atmosphere, however, customers will be expected to behave. When the patio opens this summer, McNulty says it will be a family friendly hangout, offering good, old-fashioned fun like chess matches, dart tournaments and horseshoe tossing. Kiddies, start shining up those practice horseshoes now.

Details: Iron Stone, 308 Wilson St., (at Railroad Square), Santa Rosa, 707-595-4348, ironstonerestaurant.com.

Sonoma rules.

That’s why Chef Steven Snook has just taken over the kitchen at Kenwood Inn & Spa, direct from six years of sweating in the restaurants of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay in New York and London.

Kenwood Inn, of course, is that lovely Mediterranean-style resort nearly hidden on the hillside of Highway 12. It boasts just 29 rooms, but also a full service spa, and an upscale Italian eatery that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

If you haven’t heard of it, no surprise, because the 35 restaurant seats are available only to resort guests, who pay anywhere from $275 to $800 per night for suite accommodations. Yet here is an insider’s secret – anyone who schedules a day or evening spa treatment can get a meal reservation, too.

For Snook, Sonoma County should be an interesting change. The British-born talent has worked at the Michelin Star Reads Restaurant in Kent, England, and in 2004, he placed third out of 1,700 participants from across the U.K. in the Young Chef of the Year competition, receiving a gold award from the Academy of Culinary Arts.

In 2006, he hired on at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s in London, where he assisted Ramsay with the filming of the fourth season of the BBC’s F Word. In 2008, he was named sous chef at the Michelin Three Star Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London, then in 2009 went to Maze by Gordon Ramsay at the London in New York City.

Snook is still finalizing his new menu, but here’s a sneak peek: gnocchi di patate con prosciutto (hand rolled potato gnocchi, taleggio, mustard greens, Figones peach-cranberry white balsamic, crisp Prosciutto di Parma), insalata di germogli di Bruxelles caldo (warm Brussels sprouts salad, local walnuts, pear and Meyer lemon), and pesce del giorno (black olive poached monkfish, Kenwood garden’s black cabbage, caper berries, herb croquette).

Other temptations include wood fired flatbread pizza with garden persimmon, coppa, fontina cheese and wild arugula, or wood fired beef tenderloin with bone marrow and caper vinaigrette, potato galette, and whole baked shallots.

Details: Kenwood Inn & Spa, 10400 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707-833-1293, kenwoodinn.com.

Find out why it's "crab," by clicking on the photo.

We wait for it all year long, and finally, it’s here – the highly anticipated Dungeness crab season has arrived. These large, hard-shell crabs are a true Northern California specialty, renowned for their sweet flavor and pink, flaky meat, and are considered a delicacy among all seafood connoisseurs.

Crab is a traditional holiday feast along the northwest coast, pairing perfectly with everything from sparkling wines to crisp beer. Yet some home cooks may feel challenged choosing their crab. Where to go? What to look for?

Fortunately, Sonoma is home to many seafood experts, and the most important point of advice from the fine folks at G&G grocery to Spud Point Crab Company is simply this: call ahead to make sure your cherished crustacean is available. Crabbing is the main fishing industry of Bodega, yet it arrives only in limited quantities as the ocean allows, and is sold here only fresh, not frozen. Their experts will do the rest, from helping clean the critters, to offering advice on preparation.

It’s an excellent supper selection, too. Because of the great care taken to thoughtfully harvest this delicate crustacean, Seafood Watch has given the Dungeness crab a sustainable seafood rating of “Best Choice.”

Since the Gong family opened the first G&G Market in 1963, the grocery been known as one of Sonoma County’s top meat and seafood purveyors. With locations in Santa Rosa and Petaluma, the market – still family owned – now sells more crabs during crab season than any other retailer in the North Bay. Part of the appeal is that G&G stores have live crabs in tanks (their butchers clean your crab for free), and also offer cooked crab ready-to-eat, fresh from the chiller cases.

As you watch the crab skitter around the tanks, note its large size, weighing in at 1-3/4 to 4 pounds, and its distinctive brown to purple color.

Arguably the leader in catching that fresh crab is Spud Point Crab Company in Bodega Bay. The Anello family has been fishing the area since just after the turn of the 19th century, and today, Tony Anello keeps the legacy alive with his trusty boat named Annabelle. The Spud Point market is directly across the street from Spud Point Marina, guaranteeing the sweet, succulent crab is dock-to-door fresh, where it’s sold whole, or in sandwiches, cakes chowder and salads.

Crab season runs as long as the crabs participate – generally late November through June, though in years’ past it has been shortened as fisherman work to protect population and pricing. Law requires the crab to be at least 6-1/4 inches long to be harvested, and only males can be taken. Prime season is in the winter months.

When you pick your crab in Sonoma, freshness is very rarely a concern, especially when you’ve seen it alive and kicking just minutes before you’ve left the store. But here’s a reminder of why fresh is so much better than frozen: frozen crab generally has a tougher texture, less rich flavor and more salty taste. And never freeze your own crab, since it will render it to tasteless mush. Simply eat it all, and enjoy!

Find out how to make this delicious Northern California favorite, cioppino.

Details: G&G Market, 1211 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-546-6877; and 701 Sonoma Mountain Parkway, Petaluma, 707-765-1198, gandgmarket.com.

Spud Point Crab Company, 1860 Westshore Rd., Bodega Bay, 707-875-9472, spudpointcrab.com.

December is a time of gift giving, and how nice – the lovely people at Farmhouse Inn of Forestville have come up with a very, very special gift for us all.

In honor of the boutique hotel and restaurant’s 11th anniversary, owners and siblings Joe and Catherine Bartolomei are putting a bow on one of the most remarkable presents to be offered in Wine Country lodging and dining.

All through December, anyone purchasing a three-course dinner at Farmhouse Restaurant will receive a second three-course dinner for $11. And anyone booking one night at Farmhouse Inn can enjoy a second night for just $11, too.

Considering that the restaurant boasts a Michelin star, and the Inn offers all the amenities of an AAA 4-Diamond luxury property, it’s actually kind of a rub-your-eyes deal.

There’s a little bit of fine print: The offer runs through Dec. 27, 2011, but excludes Christmas, and Saturdays. Yet if you make reservations now, that still leaves plenty of time to book dinner and a getaway.

What will it be – supper first, or straight to the spa?

Details: Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant, 7871 River Rd., Forestville, 707-887-3300, farmhouseinn.com.

It’s possible that the only thing we like more than pie is shopping. Or maybe puppies. And actually, naps in the warm sun are pretty nice, too.

But since we’re not being greedy this holiday, we’ll stick to pies and shopping. Fortunately for us, those nice people at Petaluma Pie Company have brought the two together, by opening a temporary gift boutique next to their store on Petaluma Boulevard North downtown.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, Dec. 17, between 1 and 6 p.m., when the space at 125 Petaluma Blvd. N. between Washington Street and Western Avenue is transformed into a special open house, featuring an emporium of wares handmade by local artists.

Pretty things will include host and hostess gifts, soaps and scents, upcycled home decor, fanciful paintings, vintage inspired jewelry and much more.

To keep energy up while browsing and dinging those credit cards, the Pie Co. will set out complimentary hot apple cider and homemade cookies.

If you don’t make it Saturday, there’s still time. The Pop-Up Gift Boutique will operate all through December, Wednesdays through Mondays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., while the pie shop proper will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. all those days, too.

Details: Pop-Up Gift Boutique: 125 Petaluma Blvd. N. (Next to Petaluma Pie Company), Petaluma, petalumapie.com.

Wait. Before you wail, too, nothing is changing. We will all continue to get the same great, greasy grub we’ve come to crave since the casual pit stop opened in early 2009.

Here’s what happened: The former owners are Chris and Kate Badouin, and Chris named the place in honor of his late father Roy, who had always dreamed of opening a hot dog stand. Yet the Badouins are now leaving the business to spend time with their college-bound daughters.

Husband and wife team Chris and Sara Caudill have taken over, and as long time loyal customers themselves, they have promised to keep the menu and mood intact.

For those who have never been to this colorful café cluttered with sports memorabilia, fair warning. If you don’t already know it’s there, you’re not going to find it. The coffee shop style restaurant is literally inside the Auction Yard on a side street just north of downtown Petaluma, so slow down when you see the A-frame sign in the dirt and head back towards what looks like the offices.

There, you’ll discover more than 1,000 variations on Vienna Beef hot dogs, starting with three sizes, up to 12 inches, plus Polish sausage, a spicy fried Polish Fire Dog and a specialty sausage of the week. That 1,000 count comes from the possible topping combos, in nearly four dozen add-ons such as Sriracha, Hell Fire sauce, peanut sauce, homemade Thai slaw, pineapple mustard, Dusseldorf brown mustard, chipotle or sesame mayo, homemade queso, cream cheese and bacon.

Don’t overlook the sandwiches, either. They’re addictive, as drip-down-your-chin-ruin-your-shirt Italian beefs with various add-ons, half-pound pastrami and Reuben sandwiches optionally dunked in Italian gravy, cheese steaks, a beef brisket hoagie, and for fancier appetites, a lobster roll on a buttered, toasted poppy seed bun. Daily specials include East Coast-style steamed cheeseburgers, barbecued linguica, homemade pies and deep-fried Oreos.

One caveat: family owned and family run, the Doggery keeps eclectic hours (regularly Monday 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.). On a recent Saturday, the café was closed, with a sign posted on the door that staffers were busy serving franks at a special event.

One customer, his wife and two children in tow, read the sign and froze. Then, true story, he tilted back his head, and let loose a mournful ah-oooooh.

Details: Roy’s Chicago Doggery, 84 Corona Rd., Petaluma, 707-774-1574, roysdogs.com.

Pecan Pie

The dinner bell is ringing in Santa Rosa, and the sound is sweet. Sweet T’s Restaurant + Bar, to be exact, which has just opened in the former Santi space at Fountaingrove Village.

So it’s time to tie on the bibs, and settle in for some good, honest, sloppy Southern soul food, like Southern fried chicken served with biscuits plus sides like Hoppin’ John and collard greens; or a signature selection of smoked meats that will change each day, inspired by a different region, to be served until, as the cooks say, there simply ain’t no more.

Being that the chef is former Santi big dog Douglas Richey, however, diners can also expect some fancy touches to their vittles, such as a salad of baby lettuces, local pears, toasted almonds and cured ham in balsamic vinaigrette, or crispy Dungeness crab cakes topped in baby greens and sweet-hot mustard aioli.

For entrees, you can dig into Frogmore Stew, which is a classic Low Country dish of crawfish, shrimp, manila clams, fingerling potato and sweet corn in a shallots-tomato-fennel broth, but also seared yellowtail over crispy potato cake, with green tomato chow chow and a drizzle of smoked tomato broth.

Big Tasty

Sweet T’s is also open for lunch, y’all, so stop in for a Big Nasty (crispy fried chicken breast, cheddar cheese, sausage gravy and buttermilk biscuit sandwich), or the CSS Hunley (eight spicy beef and pork meatballs braised in rustic tomato sauce and stuffed in a crusty roll with provolone cheese).

And need we say – there is a bar, of course, putting out thirst-quenching beers against a soulful backdrop of corrugated metal accents and TVs showing sports.

As the menu reminds, Richey and crew are hoping you’ll follow this Low Country proverb: “Better three days without rest, than one day without sweet tea.”

Details: Sweet T’s Restaurant + Bar, 2009 Stagecoach Road, Santa Rosa, 707-595-3935, Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Ts-Restaurant-and-Bar/270593712963087?sk=info

Forchetta/Bastoni has opened, in a creative concept that combines two distinct kitchens and dining spaces within the 6,000 square foot building that sits in front of Sebastopol Plaza.

Forchetta is Italian for “fork,” and Bastoni is Italian for “sticks.” In this case, it means a fork around which you might twirl spaghetti, and chopsticks with which you might eat Asian food, since Forchetta serves Italian soul food and Bastoni offers southeast Asian street food.

Confused? It’s not really that complicated. There are two owners working together, Steven Peyer and Jamilah Nixon, who are former Peter Lowell’s and Lucy’s Restaurant staffers. Bastoni occupies the Plaza side of the eatery, including the patio, while Forchetta takes up the front, including the expansive exposition kitchen with its fiery oven.

Uniting the two is the funky interior design, emphasizing reclaimed and repurposed materials, like lighting hand made of old wine bottles, mason jars and sticky rice baskets; booths and tables fashioned out of salvaged doors; and a centerpiece chandelier made by Sonoma County artist Allis Teegarden. Both restaurants also share a common private dining area, called “Lucia’s Room.”

At Bastoni, you’ll sit on low sectionals made of old shipping palettes topped with Thai sarong pillows, or at regular tables or the bar, and eat small plates such as bánh mì, Thai-style wet noodles, Vietnamese dry noodles, salads, and a daily curry. You’ll sip cocktails brightened by fresh flavors like kaffir lime leaf and Thai bird’s eye chile.

At Forchetta, you can sit at the kitchen counter, at tables or in booths, and nibble on dishes like pizzas, bisteca, antipasti, bruschetta, housemade pasta and risotto, and the house specialty “soul greens.”

Besides inspired cuisine, the eateries offer something else Sebastopol has been craving: late hours. Bastoni is open daily for lunch, dinner and late night bites from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Forchetta serves dinner Thursday through Monday from 5 to 9 p.m., and until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Details: Forchetta/Bastoni: 6948 Sebastopol Ave. (on the Sebastopol Plaza), Sebastopol, 707-829-9500, forchettabastoni.com.

With the holidays just around the corner, food is on everyone’s mind. What to cook for the inevitable elaborate feasts? Well, as the old joke goes, for some one of us, the best thing we make is reservations.

Luckily, Sonoma County abounds with world-class chefs happy to do the kitchen magic for us. Please note that many of your favorite restaurants offer both Thanksgiving and Christmas Day dinners as well as New Year’s Eve specials, so if you see something mouthwatering in the selections below, call to see what the other holiday options are.

Unwrap some of these delicious picks for your celebratory suppers, then sit back, be served, and let someone else do the dishes:

Thanksgiving

The Bay View Restaurant & Lounge, at the Inn at the Tides
800 Coast Highway One, Bodega Bay, 800-541-7788, innatthetides.com
Nov. 24, from 1 to 8 p.m.

Bay View Restaurant

Relax and take in the breathtaking views of Bodega Bay, surrounded by the elegance of wood-beamed ceilings and a crackling fire while you sip your favorite Sonoma County wines.

Holiday meals are served a la carte, meaning you can create-your-own multi-course feast from numerous choices within each category from appetizers to dessert.

Begin with Dungeness crabmeat Imperial au gratin served in a seashell ($12.50), or Plymouth clam pie that’s certainly the most glamorous pot pie ever, stocked with Long Island cherrystone clams, apples and applewood bacon ($14.95).

For a main course, it might be traditional roasted Thanksgiving turkey, complete with savory apple and prune stuffing, cranberry corn muffin, giblet gravy, acorn squash, sweet potatoes with maple syrup and watercress  ($22, children under 12, half price) or a lavish plate of escalope of veal and Maine lobster medallion in

Bearnaise and Madeira sauces alongside mashed potatoes and string beans ($24).

Find a sweet finish with chocolate lava cake ($6) or pumpkin-ricotta cheesecake ($7).

Applewood Inn

Applewood Inn
13555 Highway 116, Guerneville, 707-869-9093, applewoodinn.com
Nov. 24, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Michelin-star rated and entirely magical, tucked in the forest on a gentle hillside outside downtown Guerneville – that’s just a short description of what makes Applewood so remarkable. It looks like a gracious, elegant lodge of wood and white tablecloths, and the cuisine is equally stunning.

Applewood Inn

For the holiday, indulge in a four-course repast beginning with buttercup squash soup decorated in nutmeg crème fraiche and crispy sunchokes. Then, choose your other dishes, from multiple temptations like wild mushroom-chevre tart, with huckleberries; oven roasted breast and confit leg of turkey with buttermilk mashed potatoes, apple sausage stuffing, Brussels sprouts, gravy and cranberry relish; and pumpkin créme brulee with cardamom doughnuts and vanilla marshmallows.

Details: $75 per person

Iron Stone, in Hotel La Rose
308 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-595-4348, ironstonerestaurant.com
Nov. 24, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The new Iron Stone offers casual California cuisine, set in a pretty, historic space off Railroad Square. Chef-owner Tom McNulty’s career spans more than two decades, and for the holiday, he will showcase classics emphasizing ingredients from local Sonoma County farms.

A three-course meal awaits, starting with a selection of appetizers like soups and salads, choice of traditional turkey or prime rib with all the trimmings, and an array of desserts. Add in the perfect Sonoma County wine, local micro brews, or craft beer, and cheers!

Details: $29.95 per person

Christmas Day

Santé Restaurant at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
100 Boyes Blvd., Sonoma, 707-939-2415, fairmont.com
Dec. 25, from 2 to 8 p.m.

Santé

This luxurious, white-tablecloth destination rolls out the stops for its Christmas Grand Buffet, beginning with the live, strumming music from guitarist Isaac Carter. We counted the items on the menu, and here is what we found – 40-plus appetizers including half a dozen salumi, two dozen artisan cheeses, a half dozen delicious fishes, and extravaganza like house made pâté de campagne, caviar and blinis, plus house made seafood terrine.

Executive chef Bruno Tison also will present a half dozen salads such as classic Shrimp Louis, two carving stations with roast goose and Niman Ranch Prime rib, five entrees ranging from organic artichoke ravioli in preserved Meyer lemon cream sauce to veal sweet breads in ivory sauce and black truffles, alongside a cornucopia of vegetables, side dishes and wood-fired artisanal breads.

Dessert gets its own buffet, brimming with nearly two dozen delights like Bûche de Noël, Opera cake, peanut butter crisp with salted caramel mousse, and espresso-cardamom pot de crème. Oh my, holiday joy, indeed.

Details: $95 per person, $47.50 for children 5-12 years, complimentary for children 4 and under.

Madrona Manor
1001 Westside Rd., Healdsburg, 707-433-4231, madronamanor.com
Seating nightly at 6:30pm with a 1:30pm matinee on Christmas Day

Madrona Manor

Plan your storybook holiday in a private, forest-y nook of Healdsburg with the Michelin-star Madrona Manor, and executive chef Jesse Mallgren’s highly popular Dickens Dinners (offered through December, and on Christmas Day, there is a special matinee meal, too).

You’ll make merry with this magical retreat into classic holiday cheer, back to the times when people dressed to the nines in the spirit of the season, caroled with their neighbors and decorated their homes with gorgeous twinkling lights and festive ornaments. Except in this case, it’s not your home, but a historic 1881 Victorian mansion which houses the inn and restaurant, all lavishly bedecked with 4,000 twinkling lights on a 14-foot tall Christmas tree.

Madrona Manor

Manor owners Bill and Trudi Konrad spend more than a week decorating the place with wreaths, garlands, fresh flowers, toys and ornaments. In a nod to A Christmas Carol, carolers wander the grounds, dressed in period clothing, while guests tuck into a five-course menu highlighted in dishes like petite lobster Shepherd’s pie, beef Wellington, and Christmas pudding.

Details: $85 to $125 per person, depending on date.

Owners Crista Luedtke and Michael Volpatt are getting ready for some tasty events.

Big Bottom Market might need a bigger sign, so its owners can tack on the word “Bistro.”

That’s because the tiny grocery and deli that opened in Guerneville this summer is lining up a solid calendar of special dinners, to showcase the talents of new chef Tricia Brown.

There are only a dozen or so seats at the communal table and casual tables at the front of the store, but for other events like the very popular Ladies’ Nights wine and appetizer tastings on Fridays, customers are known to commandeer sidewalk space, too.

First up are Market Dinners, beginning Wednesday, Nov. 2. If you’ve got $20, you can score a three-course meal starting with Moroccan carrot soup topped in creamy yogurt and gremolata. Next it’s chicken tagine with olives and almonds or fragrant vegetable and garbanzo tagine served over couscous with almonds. For dessert, Chef Brown is making fig and pear bread pudding with caramel sauce and cardamom-scented whipped cream.

Add $15 for wine pairing of local, boutique selections with each course, or focus on the featured wine for the evening at $6 a glass or $18 a bottle.

Then, on Nov. 9, Big Bottom rolls out the first of a series of monthly winemaker dinners. The inaugural meal, slated for 7 p.m., showcases Healdsburg’s Moshin Vineyards with a four-course dinner featuring local fall ingredients, while Moshin winemaker/proprietor Rick Moshin will be on hand to sign bottles.

Your $75 ticket brings butternut squash bisque with crème fraiche, fried sage and crispy pancetta served with Moshin’s Sonoma Coast 2008 Chardonnay; and warm wild mushroom salad with Taleggio crostini served with 2007 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir. The entrée is Spanish braised short ribs in red wine sauce with orange zest and cocoa alongside cauliflower-roasted garlic puree and smoky kale and onions. served with Carreras Vineyard Dry Creek Valley 2008 Zinfandel. To finish, it’s apple-pear cobbler with maple whipped cream served with Motion Potion No.9.

As you might assume, seats for all Big Bottom suppers are limited, and reservations are required. Claim your space at http://moshinwinemakerdinner.eventbrite.com.

Details: Big Bottom Market, 16228 Main St., Guerneville, 707-604-7295, bigbottommarket.com.

Get your “Frogmore Stew” in Santa Rosa

Sonoma is best known for its high-style Wine Country cuisine, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for other delicious foods, even if that’s something known as down ’n’ dirty Low Country cuisine.

Such is the case with the former Santi space at Fountaingrove Village, where former Santi chef Douglas Richey is opening Sweet T’s Restaurant + Bar at the end of the month. The concept is down home southern, featuring delectables like Frogmore Stew, which is a mess of crawfish, shrimp, manila clams, fingerling potato, sweet corn, shallots and tomato in fennel broth.

Just looking at the preview menu makes me think this will be a fun place to hang out. While the restaurant is being extensively renovated from its former upscale-rustic Italian ambiance, the big, friendly Santi bar will remain, serving fun snacks (“Little Vittles”) like sweet potato chips, fried pickles and boiled peanuts alongside potent cocktails and microbrews.

Through lunch and dinner, diners can get their grub on with specialties such as scallops and grits, crispy wings “served hotter than a mouth full of bees,” and Southern fried chicken, served with biscuits plus sides like Hoppin’ John, hush puppies in salted honey butter, and collard greens.

Richey has trucked in a pressure fryer and smoker, for daily changing meats inspired by a different region each day.  There will also be a Berkshire pork chop atop macaroni and cheese, oven roasted bass over a succotash of sweet corn, black eyed peas, zucchini, shallots and bacon, and a shrimp and oyster po’ boy.

And don’t worry about manners, just dig in and enjoy. All plates, Richey promises, will come with plenty of napkins for mopping up.

Details: Sweet T’s Restaurant + Bar, 2097  Stagecoach Road, Suite 100, Santa Rosa.

Gypsy Café has just opened in Sebastopol on Main Street, taking over the long-beloved (though well-worn) Pine Cone.  Even the pickiest diner will find something to like on this lengthy menu. Hence the name – food choices wander all over, and recipes refuse to be pigeonholed.

Did I mention that there is Yucatán pulled pork topped with shredded cabbage and limed onion on a ciabatta roll, plus gluten-free crepe pancakes, shrimp tacos, and three-cheese mac-n-cheese?

The airy, artsy breakfast-all-day and lunch spot comes from French-trained chef John Littlewood, and restaurant designer Shawn Hall, who created the looks for such notable eateries as Willi’s Seafood, Hopmonk Tavern and Costeaux Bakery.

As might be expected, the look is rustic, with antiques and dark furniture accenting brick walls, and as hoped, the food is delicious, with plenty of Sonoma fresh ingredients like Rocky chicken, housemade sausage, Bodega clams, and playful Sebastopol-centric touches like toasted hemp seeds in the mixed green salad.

Details: Gypsy Café, 162 N. Main St., Sebastopol, 707-861-3825, gypsy-cafe.com.

You can plan a meal before you visit the wine tasting rooms, or even better, eat as you go. Here are some of Sonoma County’s most delicious wine and food paired opportunities:

Ram's Gate Winery & Estate

Ram’s Gate Winery & Estate Vineyards
The new Ram’s Gate Winery in Sonoma/Carneros makes great Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and a rainbow selection of other wines under winemaker Jeff Gaffner. Its setting is spectacular, with 30-foot ceilings, walls made of reclaimed snow fence, and massive floor-to-ceiling glass walls that open to sweeping vineyard and bay views.

But the food is equally fantastic. The winery does not have an actual restaurant, but it has a full time chef, Jason Rose, who serves small plates like Niçoise salad with tonnato, crisp local sea bass on a bed of roasted peppers, pea arancini, zesty heirloom tomato gazpacho, and moist, tender lamb meatballs in spicy mole sauce. Some of his ingredients come from an on-site culinary garden, and he uses the winery’s open kitchen for interactive cooking demonstrations.

Eat nearly anywhere you please, from the soaring-ceiling tasting hall, to the clubby wine library, to the fireplace-set courtyards and the underground dining cellar next to the barrel room. For another tasty temptation, call ahead for picnic baskets packed with rabbit rillettes, cold fried Petaluma chicken and brûléed figs.

28700 Arnold Dr., Sonoma, 707-721-8700,ramsgatewinery.com.

Chalk Hill

Chalk Hill
This is one of Healdsburg’s most spectacular wineries, spanning 1,477 acres and topped with a hilltop chateau tasting room offering stunning views over the natural amphitheater of mountains that is the eastern edge of the Russian River Valley. Sample Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and more, and indulge in extras as simple as an artisan cheese plate, or as elaborate as a full luncheon hosted by the estate’s executive chef Didier Ageorges, formerly of the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco.

Some tour choices include a stroll through the estate’s organic garden followed by a seated small-plates pairing, or a four-course feast overlooking the Olympic-caliber equestrian dressage pavilion.

10300 Chalk Hill Rd., Healdsburg, 707-657-4837, chalkhill.com.

Artesa Vineyards & Winery

Artesa Vineyards & Winery
It’s difficult to get past the gorgeous sparkling wines from this winemaking family originally from Spain. Or to pull your gaze from the sweeping views atop the Carneros mountainside straddling Sonoma, or from the art gallery inside, or the dancing fountains and manicured gardens and swooping architecture.

But then you sit in the glass-enclosed private dining room, and all you see is the fantastic food before you. Artesa’s resident chef prepares a generous platter of five dishes to be paired with limited-release or small-production single vineyard wines, and while selections are seasonal, they include a meal’s worth of meats, salads, gourmet casseroles, fish and such. More simple but still opulent options include a Vino con Queso wine and cheese pairing, or a chocolate indulgence of hand-picked chocolates and truffles.

1345 Henry Road, Sonoma/Napa, 707-224-1668, artesawinery.com.

Lambert Bridge

Lambert Bridge
The winery is beautiful, tucked on an easy hillside off West Dry Creek Road with a dark, rough-cut wood structure of wraparound porch, gabled shingle roof, moss-lined rock foundation walls and a stone chimney. Lavish grounds include cascading vines, colorful flowers and an expansive lawn set with teak picnic tables beneath arbors overlooking vineyards and forests.

Inside, the tasting room charms with wooden walls and vaulted ceilings, and a glass wall looking into the barrel room. This is where the new Barrel Room Food and Wine Pairings are held – each Saturday and Sunday, seated pairings include wine flights with artisan cheeses and small bites of lavish, seasonally changing recipes including wood fired pizzas.

4085 W. Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-431-9600, lambertbridge.com.

Mayo Reserve Room

The Mayo Family Winery/Mayo Family Reserve Room
The Reserve Room is separate from the actual winery, located in the Village of Kenwood, and it operates as a mini café of sorts, complete with chairs and food from chef J. Clayton Lewis. Tastings are extensive adventures, featuring seven wines each paired with a separate dish, prepared specifically to match the wine.

And, unlike most food pairing experiences, reservations are not required (but recommended on weekends). Bites might include sablefish, goat cheese and apple doughnut with red miso jus; a cucumber, peach, and lychee timbale; salad of sweetbreads, wakame and tomato; Wagyu flat iron steak, trumpet royales, and pomegranate demi glace; summer soba noodles and shiitakes; rib loin of Kurobuta pork, vanilla sweet potato puree, and plum sauce; and tropical fruit shortcake.

9200 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood, 707-833-5504, mayofamilywinery.com.

Photo by Kelly Puleio.

When Big Bottom Market wanted to expand its deli menu and boost its biscuit business, the Guerneville grocery looked, naturally, to the Big Apple.

Photo by Kelly Puleio.

Welcome, then, to new executive chef Tricia Brown, fresh from the Manhattan, where she interned at Gramercy Tavern and studied in the chef-training program at the Natural Gourmet Institute (though she is still loyal to California, since she earned an advanced certification from the Wine Institute’s international wine and spirits division of San Francisco).

It may seem ambitious to bring on such a top talent to a such a tiny store in such a tiny town, but the Big Bottom owners are thinking, well, big. The market is co-owned by Crista Luedtke, owner of boon hotel + spa nearby, and boon eat + drink just down the block, plus Michael Volpatt and Kate Larkin, who are two marketing professionals from New York.

And apparently, thinking that way is leading to big. Since opening in July, they’ve already expanded into catering, and selling box lunches at the neighboring King’s Sport & Tackle (good food with kayak rentals). Their popular biscuits are now sold as dough to bake at home, and the line-up has grown past the signature Sea Biscuit (a tasty cheddar-thyme round stuffed with smoked trout, crème fraiche, pickled onions and capers), to sloppy Joe and vegetarian gravy recipes.

Photo by Kelly Puleio.

Check out the lovely deli case, brimming with new dishes like Beluga lentil salad studded with carrots from the boon culinary gardens; a roasted beet fennel and apple salad with Champagne vinaigrette; a salad of glazed figs, goat cheese, Marcona almonds and bacon over greens in roasted garlic vinaigrette; and mushroom-cheddar bread pudding.

Details: Big Bottom Market, 16228 Main St., Guerneville, 707-604-7295, bigbottommarket.com.