Inside Sonoma

Jackson’s Bar & Oven owner Josh Silvers describes the décor of his new Santa Rosa restaurant so deliciously that it threatens to rival what’s coming out of his kitchen. The walls are painted in “chocolate sundae brown” and “caliente red,” he says, with a “sugar sparkly white” bar topped in snowy concrete set with crushed oyster shells and Amber beer bottles.

In fact, his menu sports a chocolate brownie sundae, and a fiery red, “damn good” sauce for the chilled prawn cocktail. There are plenty of briny-fresh oysters to slurp — on the half-shell in tart-sweet mignonette, perhaps, chased with a citrusy, hoppy beer. And sugar? How about a novel Nutella pizza sprinkled in hazelnut chunks?

But the heart and soul of the eatery, which opened Sunday night in the former Mixx space at Railroad Square, is simple brick. That would be the wood-burning oven, which turns out artisan pizzas, roasted squid in smoky paprika vinaigrette, and roasted whole sardines bathed in olive oil, garlic, oregano and lemon.

For Silvers, who also owns the high-end Syrah Bistro just a block away, the oven is “the key to Jackson’s casual, sexy feel.” It’s an anchor, its crackling flames viewable from the eat-in bar where guests can watch the chef at work while they nibble on wood-fired mac-n-cheese topped with Cypress Grove’s Truffle Tremor cheese.

The chefs aren’t afraid to have fun, notes Silvers. They turn out elegant oven-roasted oysters Rockefeller, and pan-seared Pacific bass over a wintery bed of couscous, roasted cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and lemon vinaigrette.

Yet another signature is a Miller’s hot dog from chef Les Goodman (formerly of Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Kitchen) on a fresh-baked bun by sous chef and baker Scott Noll (John Ash, Barndiva), paired with low-fat chips. You can wrap that dog in bacon, smother it in chili and cheese, and bury it in fennel slaw and Jardinière peppers.

“Neoclassic” buffalo wings are another addictive nibble, dunked in Point Reyes blue cheese dip. Or maybe you’re in the mood to stab your fork into a gooey mound of little ear pasta, prosciutto, garlic, cream and a bit of crunchy cabbage.

The kitchen makes its own sausage, and puts out a precious artisan pizza topped with prosciutto, mascarpone, pear and arugula. The bartenders craft fresh mixes and squeeze fresh juices for the cocktails like the clever Ginger Not Mary Ann of Charbay Meyer Lemon, galangal, lemon grass syrup, soda and fresh lemon.

But comfort rules, like a grilled pork chop paired with cheesy grits, bacon braised greens and cider-grain mustard sauce, or oven-roasted chicken partnered with potato gratin and honey glazed carrots. At dessert, it’s all about warm chocolate chip cookies and milk.

“I’m a big fan of juxtaposition,” Silvers says. “It’s what keeps things interesting.”

And undeniably delicious.

Details: Jackson’s Bar & Oven, 35 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-6900, jacksonsbarandoven.com.