On one of the warmest, sunniest spring days along Sonoma’s rugged coast, my friend Pennie and I drove out along Bay Flat Road, just off Hwy. 1, around the west shoreline of sheltered Bodega Harbor. We were hungry, and I’d promised Pennie a look at the town and harbor immortalized on film in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 thriller, The Birds. As {…}
Undoubtedly, there are many eager faces pressed up against the windows of the former Mirepoix space in Old Town Windsor, with diners salivating for the highly anticipated Momma Pig’s. The opening was originally scheduled for this week. But hold your hunger at bay — owners Matthew and Bryan Bousquet just need a little more time to work out final {…}
The times, they are a’changing for diners, said Syrah chef-owner Josh Silvers. People eating out these days still want top-notch cuisine, yet with less fuss, and for more reasonable pricing. Forget the white tablecloths, they crave a relaxed atmosphere, and a rainbow of small plates are nice, thank you, rather than buttoned-up, multi-course meals. And so, after a successful 12-year {…}
If it’s New Year’s Eve, then that means there must be something significant changing at Taverna Santi in Santa Rosa. For 2011, that means that chef Liza Hinman is leaving, following the restaurant’s New Year’s Eve dinner. No worries – it’s good news, really, since she is departing because she is expecting a child. Longtime sous chef Doug Richey {…}
Orzo Pasta with Dry Fruit, Nuts, Asiago and Tangerine Vinaigrette Pair with Korbel Brut Rosé 2 pounds Orzo or Rosamarino pasta, cooked, cooled ½ cup dry apricots, chopped ½ cup golden raisins ½ cup dry cranberries 1 bunch fresh mint, chiffonade 1 T fresh chopped garlic 4 ozs. Grated asiago cheese ½ cup toasted pinenuts ½ cup toasted chopped walnuts {…}
With a name like PizzaVino 707, the theme is so crisply, intoxicatingly, numerically obvious. There’s pizza in a starring role at the downtown Sebastopol restaurant, the thin-crust pies wood-fired and topped with locally sourced ingredients. There’s 707, which is the area code from whence those local ingredients come. And there’s wine, in approachable California- and Italy-centric varieties. Yet now, partner {…}
The good news is that a meal at Café les Jumelles now requires a shorter drive for most Sonoma County residents. The cozy comfort food café has relocated a wee bit west, from Monte Rio to Guerneville. The bad news is that it’s taken over the space that used to house Nit’s Thai Creations, that amazing outpost of unbelievably delicious {…}
If you want sugar, you want Powell’s Sweet Shoppe in Windsor. Right smack dab in the middle of Sonoma Wine Country (a little south of Healdsburg, a little north of Santa Rosa) the Powell’s in Windsor is on the Town Green. Check out all the amazing candies, chocolates, gelato and odd toys and gifts. Plus, the never-ending loop of “Charlie {…}
From the Russian River to the Gualala River, Sonoma County’s north coast is scenic, charming and just out-of-the-way enough to feel exotic. Once you leave the Russian River resorts in the Guerneville area, the crowds thin out, and the space between destinations stretches out like a contented cat. Meander Your Way Up the Coast Begin your journey in Duncans Mills, {…}
Looking for something fun to do with the whole family? Summer is fast approaching and why not start it off with a weekend designed to please everyone. Carneros Heritage Festival; Saturday, May 30; 12 – 4 p.m. At The Donum Estate, 24520 Ramal Road in Sonoma – just off Rt. 121, 40 miles north of San Francisco, 30 miles {…}
