A sign caught my eye while tasting wines at Rodney Strong Vineyards last week (beautiful tasting room, by the way, with interpretative panels in adjacent barrel room that tell the story of this prestigious, historic Sonoma winemaker. The sign was promoting one of the several outstanding food-related festivals and events that take place in the region in February and March, in this instance, the 2010 Rodney Strong Vineyards Wine & Chocolate Fantasy. This tantalizing tour du chocolat takes place this Saturday, February 6, from 1 until 4 pm (tickets are $40).
What to pair with Rodney Strong’s acclaimed Cabs, Pinots, and Zins? The indulgent options are many: honey-filled truffles from Sonoma Chocolatiers, decadent treats from Sebastopol’s Patisserie 
Angelica, lavender-blueberry bars from southern Oregon’s Dagoba chocolates, bittersweet-espresso toffee from Healdsburg Toffee – plenty of other artisanal chocolate makers, most with ties to the region, also present their delectables.
Toward the end of the month, bargain-minded foodies can dine out for a fraction of the usual prices during Sonoma County Restaurant Week. Here’s how this brand-new event works: over seven days from February 22 through February 28, the dozens of participating restaurants will offer three-course, prix-fixe dinner menus at $19, $29, or $39 – depending on the restaurant.
Three spots where I’ve had exceptional meals recently – the Fig Cafe in Glen Ellen ($19), Stark’s Steakhouse in Santa Rosa ($29), and Mosaic Restaurant & Wine Lounge in Forestville ($39) are among the participants. These deals are pretty impressive. At the Fig Cafe, for example, that $19 buys you an organic mixed-greens salad with shaved fennel and an aged-sherry and shallot vinaigrette, followed by beer-braised pork with spinach, crème fraîche, and pappardelle pasta, and a dessert of persimmon cake with vanilla gelato and caramel sauce.
Stark’s Steakhouse has three different entree choices, including their stellar American Kobe flatiron steak (and butterscotch créme brûlée is one of the desserts). Mosaic’s offerings include a starter of pan-seared scallops dusted with fennel pollen and served with truffle oil and pomegranate molasses, and an main course of local Dungeness crab risotto with wild mushrooms and saffron-tarragon broth. If the tough economic times have forced you to cut back on your food spending, this week of eye-popping dining deals may be just what you need.