The “P” in P30 might well mean “prepare” for a “packed” house. There are no reservations accepted for parties under five at this new west Sebastopol restaurant from Patrick and Christine Tafoya.
P30 bar. Photo by Ethan Izzarelli
In January, the Tafoyas took over what was the former Café St. Rose, and if the Rose had difficulty luring customers to this out-of-the-way outpost on a quiet country road, now, the challenge is opposite. On a recent Sunday night, I scooted in to snag a table just seconds before other parties behind me were told they could expect a 45-minute wait.
Another weekday evening, guests were politely advised they might want to come another time, as overflow spilled out the front screen door and into the dirt parking lot. Yet one group was not to be dissuaded, and ended up perched on ottomans near the hostess counter, balancing their plates on their laps and jostling for their glasses of Anderson Valley Oatmeal Stout ($5) amid the floral centerpieces on a coffee table. Despite the awkwardness, they seemed to be having a great time.
So what were they working so hard to eat? Hamburgers.
If it seems like a lot of fuss over what’s basically value-priced comfort food, think again. In a nod to these recessionary times, P30 keeps its prices under $15, and the dishes on its short menu are indeed quite simple. Except that chef Patrick is putting his stamp on everyday dishes like mac-n-cheese (dressed in high-end St. George from Santa Rosa’s Joe Matos Cheese Factory, $7) and flatbread pizza (buried in truffled arugula, $8).
That means those burgers ($11) are well-decorated with homemade pickles, aioli, and a choice of boutique cheeses atop a homemade butter roll, then paired with Kennebec fries.
P30 brings the Southern tradition of Chicken & Waffles to Sonoma County. Photo by Ethan Izzarelli
It means there’s Candy Cap mushroom ice cream. The fanciful fungus, plentiful across California’s north coast, has a distinctive fragrance of maple syrup and is delicious in desserts, but is rarely seen on menus. Here, the ice cream becomes a sensuous accent to carrot cake ($7), adding an interesting riff to an otherwise traditional cake topped in sculpted cream cheese, sprinkled in candied walnuts, and sitting on a swath of rum raisin sauce.
And it means that part of the attraction to dinner is the crowds. Though most of the food isn’t much more challenging than what a good home-cook could prepare, the idea is for diners to celebrate the low prices by ordering multiple plates, sharing, sampling, and lingering in a loud, happy space.
Tafoya, formerly of Bodega’s Duck Club, does his best when he’s feeling creative. “Breakfast for dinner” is both filling and fun, in a silky bake of eggs, pancetta and cream over fingerling potatoes, the richness cut by a mound of peppery arugula ($12). Goat cheese gnocchi ($11) arrive stained red from a toss with roasted beets and showered in warm pea shoots with a splash of brown butter vinaigrette, while a mixed baby lettuce salad ($7) gets a sexy kick from the pickled watermelon radishes nestled among the feta and Meyer lemon vinaigrette-dressed leaves.
I liked the humble lamb pot roast ($14) in savory gravy studded with potatoes, glazed carrots and caramelized onions, though I could easily have eaten twice as much as the small plate provided. Seafood stew ($15), too, suffered from stinginess, bringing with just one tiny chunk of black cod amid a handful of clams, mussels and marble potatoes in a spoon-worthy tomato-fennel broth.
The lamb pot roast. Photo by Ethan Izzarelli
The top seller, if the plates piled on neighboring tables during my visits are any indication, is the Gleason Ranch fried chicken that comes paired with fluffy brown butter waffles and terrific homemade strawberry jam ($14). But even better is a petite chicken potpie ($12) that poses the question of which is the best part: the creamy, savory gravy, or the crunchy-edged biscuit topping that you pick off and eat with your fingers.
Warmth is another draw. If St. Rose was shoestring charming, P/30 shines in saucy sophistication, from the antler chandeliers, to the moss-draped oak branches draped in white Christmas lights, to the hot pink flowers pinned in waitress’ hair. The details are thanks to Christine, a graphic artist who adds even more color to the setting as she greets customers, dressed in stylish clothes and sporting a chic bob.
Customers can try their own artistic hands, drawing on white butcher paper table covers with crayons, and fashioning s’mores of brownies and marshmallow fluff ($10, serving two).
For its apparent success, P/30 has one challenge looming in its future. The “P” in its name actually stands for Patrick, and the “30” stands for the chef-owner’s age. I asked my server what would happen when his next birthday rolled around.
“I don’t know,” she laughed. “I guess we’re evolving.”
Details: P/30, 9890 Bodega Highway, Sebastopol, 707-861-9030, restaurantp30.com.
I thought the little building that for years was a dive bar was cursed after watching so many restaurants come and go (Cafe St. Rose, Two Crows Cafe, and Cajun themed restaurant in just the last 5 years comes to mind). But Patrick and Christine have created the perfect mixture of, as they put it, “cheap, chic comfort food”. I’ve been multiple times and have tried almost all of their menu items and loved every dish. My favorites are the Gleason Ranch chicken and waffles, endive salad and ALL of their desserts. (mmm smores… brownie smothered in melted marshmallow and chocolate and served with homemade graham crackers!) They are constantly adding new items and fine tuning their menu, so their is usually something I haven’t tried every time I go. The only drawback is trying to round up 5 friends so I can make a reservation to ensure a table.
I understand they began serving brunch last weekend too. Yum yum!
I think they’ve finally broken the curse of the little building that couldn’t and I expect to see them there for a long time.