The best way to leave a Wine Country visitor with the ‘true experience’ of Sonoma County… is through the fork as well as the glass. One winery in Sonoma Valley that is Crushin’ It when it comes to the taste of the surrounding area is St Francis Winery in Santa Rosa, CA. A good tip […]
Radio Coteau Winemaker Dinner Scopa Healdsburg
With cool-climate coastal vineyard sites in Western Sonoma County and Anderson Valley to produce wines with distinct sense of place, Sonoma County newbie, Radio Coteau makes a fierce glass of juice. To pair with my Pinot Noir this evening, I’ll take mine with some fierce Italian food as well from Scopa in Healdsburg on the Square. […]
WoodFour Brewing at The Barlow SonomaChat
I met Olav, one of the founders at WoodFour Brewing in Sebastopol, a few weeks before they Guest Hosted a SonomaChat Food & Beer Pairing to die for. Much impressed was our crew of Wine Lovers at the spread of food and sour beers that WoodFour Brewing Co Owners Seth & Olav along with Chefs Jamil & […]
Flamingo Resort Champagne Brunch Staycation
I always enjoy an Endless Champagne Brunch while dining on Wine Country eats. Perhaps an eggs benedict might come into play. Yes, please. Sunday brunch, as you can imagine, is a favorite time of the week for me. I am lucky to live where there are many great options for a Wine Country brunch within […]
Rustic Ambiance at Monti’s Santa Rosa Happy Hour
From the large wood-fired rotisserie, to the small or big bite plates featuring fresh local meats with seasonal produce, Monti’s Rotisserie & Bar in Santa Rosa has the true Wine Country comfort feel. Part of the Stark family of restaurants, Monti’s is a favorite of locals. In addition to Monti’s, Stark’s Reality Restaurants also owns Willis Wine Bar […]
Country Food with French Passion in Sonoma
With an ever changing seasonal menu, cheese & charcuterie platters that rock, and plenty of outdoor garden patio seating, you can guess that I’ve visited ‘the girl and the fig’ many a time before. A great stop for tourists and locals alike, Owner, Sondra Bernstein plates a fierce meal. The menu at the girl and the fig in […]
Fire Baked Pizza & Wine in Napa at Redd Wood
I had passed through the beautiful courtyard outside Redd Wood Restaurant in Napa but hadn’t had the pleasure to visit until recently. Even from the outside, with the building’s floor to ceiling windows and brick-lined walks, Richard Reddington’s new dining room is sure to draw one’s attention. Boasted as ” a superbly stylish Italian-inspired eatery” and […]
Winery Celebrating 25 Years of Family Ownership
Recently I had the pleasure of sipping on a wine that was bottled when I was a very young lass. Opening a vintage bottle at a dinner party celebrating 25 years of family ownership at Rodney Strong Vineyards, just seemed appropriate for Wine Country. A 1977 Alexander’s Crown Estate Bottled Sonoma Vineyards Cabernet Sauvginon, it […]
French California Cuisine in SF at Jardiniere
As a lover of dining French style and also San Francisco, this girl has enjoyed a meal at Jardiniere before. When a friend visiting from Toronto mentioned wanting to enjoy food and wine in San Francisco, Jardiniere came to mind. Known for their French-California Cuisine I though it was a good fit for a visiting […]
Rosso Italian Pizzeria In Petaluma’s Theatre District
I had heard about how terrific Rosso Pizzeria was in Santa Rosa and visited last week with a friend to enjoy the fire baked oven pizzas and the extensive local wine list. It was a lovely meal. On the way into the restaurant we ran into friends and local Sonoma County celebrities Cinnamon Metcalfe and […]
Railroad Square Visiting Jackson’s Bar & Oven
Described by the Chef as “Wine Country Eats”, as a girl who eats in wine country quite often, I would agree. I’ve visited Jackson’s Bar & Oven in Santa Rosa a few times prior to this visit for cocktails and sipped a lovely rose water based drink to remember. The bartender at the Bar crafted […]
Santa Rosa’s Flipside has a Steakhouse
Being a local to Rincon Valley…I still miss the evenings when we would head down to Rincon Valley’s Rita’s and have a glass of wine served by the fun loving owner, Kevin. He now has a wonderful new spot downtown Santa Rosa, Sprenger’s Tap Room, if you have a chance , stop in and have […]
Sea Stands For ‘South East Asia’ At Sea Thai Bistro
I was introduced to Chef Tony Ounpamornchal when I joined one of his cooking classes at Sur La Table. He was demonstrating how to make his famous Chicken Galangal soup for us in an interactive cooking event. I was hooked. His chicken galangal soup in coconut milk broth with clamshell mushrooms, cherry tomato and shallots […]
Visit Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen Yes, Please.
Enjoying a glass (or two) of lovely Pinot Noir in Healdsburg on the Dry Creek Kitchen patio is a good way to start the week. Open 7 days a week, even Monday, a rarity in the foodie biz, Charlie Palmer’s restaurant is sure to please. On this particular Monday , we had opted for an […]
Osake’ Japanese Bistro Santa Rosa Dining
Ask my 9 year old where she would like to go for dinner and there is one overwhelmingly used answer for that question. The girl loves her sushi. Gary Chus Osake Japanese Bistro in Santa Rosa is a favorite of our whole family. We usually start with the Martini Prawns, another fave of my 9 yr […]
Celebrating Exquisite Local Food at Barndiva
My first visit to Barndiva was for happy hour cocktails on a Saturday afternoon. I remember someone remarking that Happy hour runs all day here on the weekends. My friend Steve & I had been wandering though the Downtown Art market that afternoon looking for a painting and had eaten tapas at Willi’s earlier that […]
Epic Roasthouse Brunch Features Epic Eats
Although I live in Northern California on the Golden Gate side of San Francisco…it is always worth it to drive through town on a Sunday afternoon to arrive at the Embarcadero and Bay Bridge. Paired with the wonderfully enticing views at Epic Roasthouse. Poised at one the tip of an iconic outdoor photography spot for […]
Family Style Italian Dining Rocks in Occidental
In every family the children grow up with memories of traditional gatherings and for my kids, dining at Union Hotel in Occidental for Grandmas birthday, is very traditional. Grandma herself has been visiting the family style Italian restaurant since 1973. Surrounded by wooded hillsides and babbling creeks, Occidental is a small town along the Russian River […]