Please join us for Dinner! (click on menu to enlarge)

It's the little things ...

Like when the last three bananas in the basket have reached "perfect for banana bread" ripeness.
Or,
when you are having an absolutely fantastic meal (at Odyssey in Windsor) and the manager says, "save room, I've got something special for you for dessert, ...my treat!" Oh that's a warm fuzzy feeling! Baba au Rhum was the dessert, paired with a lovely Italian late harvest Malvasia. Yhum!

Going back to "it's the little things," the simple dish that began the evening was a marvelous omen of things to come. Simply delicious housemade rosemary flatbread served with a small bowl of imported Italian olives. Crispy, drizzled in olive oil and plentiful. A little thing that added alot! I'll leave the rest of the meal a mystery, you'll just have to take that trip yourself! The menu adjusts according to premium ingredient seasonality and the whim of the creative force that is the owner/chef Rudy Mihal.

West County Dining Deals

“It’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood…”
- Culinary Bargains Aimed at Local Residents

Living in Sonoma County is a pleasure, a blessing and a reason to celebrate on many levels. For those of you that thank your lucky stars for residing near some of the top restaurants in the nation, here is another reason to be grateful. Several dining destinations are offering the oh- so- enticing “prix fixe” menu or specially priced menu options for locals. For the adventurous, this is a great opportunity to expand your culinary horizons, for the frugal, it’s a chance to indulge in a full dinner with dessert more than once a month.

Below is a list of several exciting dining options at West Sonoma County restaurants.

Forestville: Beautifully tasteful and inviting Mosaic features a Wednesday night locals prix fixe menu for $39.00 Tai Olesky’s innovative cuisine keeps the palate entertained and the tummy satisfied. On a recent night I enjoyed an amuse bouche of lobster foam with sautéed prawn followed by the “house” salad (which by the way, I could eat every night!) – mixed greens with toasted almonds, bleu cheese, diced pear and celery tossed in a secret savory dressing. I chose the fish entrée’ – locally caught black cod atop quinoa, broccoli rabe and baby shitake mushrooms. Dessert was a dreamy chocolate pot de crème flavored with orange flower water and topped with whole hazelnuts rolled in cardamom and Chinese five spice.

Healdsburg: Charlie Palmer gives a gracious thanks to the locals with his “Neighbor Menu” at the Dry Creek Kitchen - served Monday through Thursday. Three delectable courses for $34.00 change seasonally – the winter menu featured Annabelle’s Minestrone: Parmesan-Tomato Broth, Tubetti Pasta, Apple Wood Smoked Bacon and Winter Vegetables followed by Winter Truffle Roasted Petaluma Chicken, Pressed Potato Gratin and Creamed Organic Spinach with Thyme Jus. Dessert was Brown Sugar and Spice Crème Brulee with Warm Pear Cake, Pear Cloud. An extra $15.00 gets you wine pairings with your meal.

Valley Ford: Back to the entertainment packages, another cozy place of gourmet respite is the Valley Ford Hotel’s Rocker Oysterfellers. Thursday nights you can experience Chef Brandon Guenther’s Asian inspired prix fixe menu and Shona Campbell’s hospitality. (The restaurant’s regular menu has Southern slant to it, but on Thursdays, the Chef gets to stretch out and mix it up a bit – could be Thai, could be Japanese.) “Kung Fu” Thursdays are what they are known as and a three-course meal with Bruce Lee ranges between $25 to $30.

Occidental: Vive la France! Bistro des Copains is a heartwarming delight seven days a week, but on Mondays you can enjoy three courses of traditional bistro fare for $30.00. The selected entrée’ changes weekly and can be viewed on their website. Past dishes have featured: Boef Bourguignon with Mashed Potatoes, Lamb and Artichoke Stew, Pot au Feu with Noodles and Coq au Vin.

Guerneville: Classically elegant Applewood Inn and Restaurant features a “Community Bistro Night” menu on Tues, Wed. and Thurs. Starters run from $8.00 - $12.00 with all entrée’s below $20.00. Recent items included “Slow Roasted Beets and Pickled Pear Salad with Mache, Ricotta Salata and Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette” and “Orange and Garden Fig Braised Pork with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potato, Rainbow Chard and Pine Nuts.”

Geyserville: With a kitchen filled with dedicated culinary talent, Santi indulges the locals each Wednesday night with a different entrée that includes a house salad for $18.00 Entrée’s have included Roasted Pork Shoulder with balsamic and onions and polenta, or Moroccan lamb spiedino with cous cous, roasted root vegetables and a spicy harrisa sauce. Ask about the Santi Supper Club that takes place on the last Sunday of each month!

Monte Rio: Now for the bargain that will have you saying “no way!” faster than a 1984 San Fernando Valley High School graduate: The Highland Dell offers a three course prix fixe for locals on Monday and Thursday nights for $9.95! Ok, it’s not as fancy as some of the offerings previously listed, but it’s good food and the setting will delight you. Owners Herb and Ingrid Loos have done an incredible job remodeling this Inn and Restaurant - their German influence can be found in the décor as well as in the savory dishes offered on the menu. Past prix fixe entrée’s have included: Sautéed Pork Medallions or Swedish Meatballs, Soup or Salad and a small dessert round out the meal.


Bon Appetit!

Dive on in, the water's fine.

...been wondering how to get some words out there for awhile. Photos also. So, here goes nothin'! It's springtime in Sonoma and inspiration begins to sprout as fast as the daffodils and calla lilies. I think I will take my cue from my wonderful husband - if you want to do something, just do it!
As Margrit Mondavi told me two decades ago when I told her that I envied her lifestyle: "there's plenty of room here!"