Jeni Bean's Profile
Dad and Son’s Gourmet BBQ: St. Louis Ribs, Pulled Pork, Brisket, Alabama-style White Barbecue Sauce
I'm so glad you posted this! I'm the same way as you about BBQ at street fairs. I've walked by this stand twice, but not next week!!!!
Curious about Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa area
Ditto Zazu and Willi's. Two of my faves! Willi's is our hands down favorite in SR.
Drinks in Santa Rosa
Depends on what kind of drinks.
Beers - Aussiello's on 5th, Russian River, 5th St. Ale Works, Toad in the Hole
Scotch, Whiskey, Ryes, Wine - Jack and Tony's
Frou frou cocktails and wine - Jacksons
" - Rendezvous cafe
Olive Tree Caffe, Petaluma
Drove down to P-town for some outlet shopping and stopped at Olive Tree Caffe for some lunch.
First off, the ambiance of this place is just odd. Looks like an old Sizzler or Bakers Square. They haven't improved much on the space. We were seated promptly, and the only other diners throughout the hour we dined there were all over the age of 70. Not a problem...just so people get the ambiance I'm talking about.
Despite the odd decor, the menu is not cheap. Knowing we were there to try the Med. specialties we asked our waitress who recommended a few dishes. We tried: 1) The Med. Sampler appetizer (falafel, babaganoush, hummus, tabouleh, dolmades, and pita) and 2) the beef Mousakka.
I've never had "authentic" mousakka, so I don't know if this is it, but what I do know, is it is DELICIOUS. 3 well seasoned beef "balls" (but they were more like patties) SMOTHERED in a flavorful melange of peppers, tomatoes, and cooked onions. This was all served up on a bed of rice/lentil mixture (and oddly, covered with a pre-shredded cheese blend. Despite the weird cheese, the dish was a stand out. Really tender beef and a flavorful mixture of veggies on top. YUM YUM YUM. $12.95, but a very large portion.
Hubby and I also shared the sampler. It was also good, though we both prefer the falafel at Real Doner down the road. One interesting aspect was I kept getting a pretty spicy kick, I couldn't figure out what it was until I noticed the finely diced "green peppers" in the tabouleh and sprinkled on the hummus. JALAPENOS! Of course. Something I'd never seen as a topper in a Med. restaurant, or eaten, but it added a really nice flavor to both. $8.99, great deal.
All in all, there aren't many Med. dishes on the menu, but the two we had were a very nice surprise. Go here, just don't expect stellar service, or normal ambiance. The food more than makes up for it, though.
JB
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Olive Tree Caffe
840 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, CA
Tov Tofu in Santa Rosa
New Korean restaurant over by Whole Foods, I think.
Tov Tofu: http://www.biteclubeats.com/2010/10/tov-tofu.html
I haven't been yet, but I plan to...soon.
Just an FYI.
JB
Dinner near Sonoma Mission Inn ?
2nd La Salette. Great for this time of year, hearty, delicious, warming food.
Willi's Wine Bar (Santa Rosa) or Girl and the Fig (Sonoma)
Hubby and I really love Willi's for numerous reasons. #1 being their amazing wine by the glass/2 oz. pour selection. #2 being the food. We have eclectic tastes, and sometimes like to mix and match. I don't personally consider the menu for the "adventurous". My non-adventurous Midwestern inlaws loved it there.
Note though, it's not near Sonoma (30-40 minute drive)...so if you plan on drinking, you might want to stay the night in SR. (Coming from a law enforcement person...believe me.)
Taco Truck, Hwy. 12 at Dunbar Rd. Glen Ellen
On my way to the Glen Ellen Market today I was possessed by another being to have tacos for lunch. I stopped at the taco truck at 12 and Dunbar. I've passed this truck before, and while they serve the local farmers during the day, I believe the may end up in Agua Caliente or Boyes at night. Anyway, on to my lunch.
I had 3 tacos. One pastor, one carnitas, and one asada.
All the meats were very fresh and tasty. Each was served with different salsas. Carnitas were a tad dry, but I prefer them dry fried to the overly fatty version. The asada was served with a nice slightly grilled onion. A grilled jalapeno accompanied all 3. The flavors were fresh, and remained so despite my 15 minute drive back to work. I'd drive from my home in Santa Rosa for these tacos. (And I'm from Redwood City, so you know that means something!)
In short, this is a wonderful addition to the VERY limited (and cost-prohibitive) dining scene in this area. I escaped lunch for under $5.00. Can't beat that with a stick ball bat.
Out wine tasting during the week? Stop here and refuel. It beats the Kenwood Market and any of the other options, IMHO, esp. at the price!
JB
Taco trucks - Eastern Sonoma County
Updated info:
There is a taco truck just as you are leaving the City of Santa Rosa on Highway 12 at the gas station.
Additionally the truck (no visible name that I could see) on Hwy 12 at Dunbar (I think) in the town of Glen Ellen is EXCELLENT. Went there today. 3 taco lunch for $4.50. Can't beat the price. Salsas were different on each taco, and all very delicious. (Carnitas were a tad dry.)
Pancho’s Taco de Pescado at Taqueria El Grullense in Redwood City
Fank's Fish Taco is Hubby's personal favorite at El Grullense (we go to the Woodside Road location 9.9 times out of 10). You are also correct that the Cabrito tacos are excellent. I will basically eat anything from this place.
At the Woodside Road El Grullense, the ceviche you can get at the bar is the closest I have found to what we ate in Marina Vallarta when we were there. Very lime-y with a touch of Huichol hot sauce.
YUM.
Private Dining Rooms for 25-30 - Rehersal Dinner
We had ours upstairs at The Waterfront. Not nearly as "foodie" as some of your other choices, but for out of towners you really can't beat the view. Plus, the food/seafood is really lovely and fresh. They were very accomodating also.
Food Festivals? [2010]
Not a food festival per se, but a festival with food...Hubby and I went to the Katmandu Fall Festival in Depot Park in Sonoma on Saturday. The Festival is a benefit for Children’s Medical Aid Foundation. There were 4 Nepali, Himalayan, and Indian restaurants in pop-up tents. Additionally lots of skirts, scarves, and other wares from the region. It was a really nice, feel good day, with nice and cheap food.
JB
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Katmandu Fall Festival
270 1st St W, Sonoma, CA 95476
Dominique's Gravenstein Apple Pie
No, we were in SR. I looked for you but didn't see you.
Boca Pizzeria, Novato - Quick Review
On my way down to the Peninsula to celebrate the High Holy Days with my family, I met hubby coming back across 37 for dinner. We figured Novato was a good place to meet, so I started my research. My Mom had just gotten a Grace Ann Walden review of Boca Pizzeria and that sounded good, so we headed there.
We shared:
Creamy Mozzarella Burrata (Fluer de Sel, Olive Tepanade, Crostini, EVOO)
Gathered Greens (Heirloom Grape Tomatoes, Lemon Vinaigrette, Ricotta Salata
Fennel Sausage & Pepperoni (San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Basil, Fresh Mozzarella)
Everything was really wonderful. The portion of burrata was huge, about 4-6 oz. of the heavenly and creamy cheese. The salty accompaniments could have over shadowed the silkiness of the burrata, but they were handled delicately and drew out the sweetness.
The salad was basic, but really lovely. There was a nice amount of peppery arugula which really zipped up the plain salad nicely. The ricotta salata was again, quite plentiful. The only complaint I had was there could have been more than 4 grape tomatoes.
Finally was the pizza! The sausage was ground very fine and was sprinkled loosely on the pizza. The texture was almost fluffy. There wasn't a strong fennel flavor, but it was nice none the less. The pepperoni was plentiful and spicy. The crust was nice, but I would have preferred it a little crisper, but I'm a fan of a dark crust.
The menu is quite expansive, with 4+ apps, 5+ salads (including dinner size salads with meat), 10 pizzas, and a few pastas and entrees.
The most fun surprise was finding out from the bartender, as we waited for our table, that Wednesdays are 1/2 price bottle of wine night! The wine list is quite expansive, with 50+ wines by the bottle and 25 or so by the glass. Hubby ordered a Syrah from Zaca Mesa that he loves, drank some, and took the rest home.
Dinner with out wine and tip was $40.00.
Not to shabby.
Happy Chowing.
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Boca Pizzeria
454 Ignacio Blvd, Novato, CA 94949
Dominique's Gravenstein Apple Pie
Had some of Dominique's Sweets Grav apple pie for breakfast on Saturday. I figured it was the same as getting a fruit tart, right? And WAY more fruit than a tart.
Anyway, the pie was DELICIOUS and just the way I like it. Reminded me a lot of my Grandma's Grav apple sauce in flavor, so it was a taste of home.
$3.00/slice. Plus Dominique is very sweet.
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Dominique's Sweets
6990 Giusti Rd, Forestville, CA 95436
Chile Lindo baked empanadas (weekends only) - who's tried them?
This is very exciting! We had a favorite empanada place in Washington DC that made this type. The combo of the savory beef with the raisins and egg is to die for.
Thanks MW!
Breakfast Report from Jeffrey's Hillside Cafe, Santa Rosa
I totally agree on the comparison to Dierk's. It's almost like neither one is better...one is just more "normal" (Jeffrey's) while still being innovative, and the other is funky...with an emphasis on the funk (Dierk's Parkside Cafe).
Cattlemen’s Restaurant Free Lunch at Blood Bank of the Redwoods (Santa Rosa)
Thanks! I can't donate these days, but maybe I can convince the Hubs.
Chilaquile Tour --> SF and East Bay.
Not in SF or East Bay, but Jeffrey's Hillside Cafe has chilaquiles verdes you can try if you come up this way.
JB
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Jeffrey's Hillside Cafe
2901 4th St, Santa Rosa, CA
Breakfast Report from Jeffrey's Hillside Cafe, Santa Rosa
Stopped at Jeffrey's with Hubby and 4 others for breakfast on Sunday AM. We had heard many great things from our friends about it, but wanted to try it for ourselves.
The only complaint: the wait. Something clearly happened to our ticket, the waitress blamed the kitchen...but it might have been her. They WERE busy, but still, a 25 minute wait to get breakfast stuff isn't good. Regardless, I'd go back again.
http://www.jeffreyshillsidecafe.com/pages/menu.html#
The table had:
Cheese blintzes
Bisquits and Gravy (x2)
Vegetable Hash
Pancakes
Chilaquiles
I only tried the Bisquits and Gravy and the Veg. hash.
I ordered the Chilaquiles. The chilaquiles are what I imagine a more authentic version to be. There was a pile of scrambled eggs (normally I would get fried over easy, but I'm not suppsed to eat eggs this way right now), a pile of fried tortilla strips with an amazingly zippy green sauce covered in cheese, and a bowl of lovely blacked beans. I liked this version VERY much, especially because I could dictate how much of which flavors I wanted in each bite. Each bite was a different arrangement, and made for a fun dining experience.
The Veg. Hash was a veggie lovers dream. Hubby wished the taters underneat the veggies had been less greasy, but all of the fresh veggies made up for it in spades. Shrooms, tomatoes, zucchini, other squash, onion, etc., all sitting atop hash browns in a large bowl. This was topped by 2 perfectly poached eggs which lent their runny goodness to the whole plate. Served with toast. Yum. Easily getting your 3x veggie servings by ordering this one.
Bisquits and gravy. Lovely light bisquits and not too thick gravy. I am a 5th generation Californian, and have no earthly clue what makes a "good" or "great" bisquits and gravy. Nor will it every be my "go to" for what to order. That being said, the portion was massive, well flavored, and not clunky.
The other dishes both looked lovely. The blintzes were definitely the smallest portioned item. Everything was very fresh, and very good, making the wait worth it. (Just don't be starved when you get there!)
We got there at 9 and there was quite a line (20-30 minute wait). I would suggest getting there before 8:30 if you don't like to wait.
I'm glad we have another inventive place other than Dierk's in the 'hood.
Cheers.
JB
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Jeffrey's Hillside Cafe
2901 4th St, Santa Rosa, CA
Lunch time at Sazon, Santa Rosa
Bombed down to Sazon today for a quick lunch and a review. (Disclosure: One of the owners works tangentially with an organization I work with.)
Went with one other food obsessed woman.
We had:
Fried plaintains (Served with aioli)
Pollo a la Brasa (rotisserie chicken served with salad and fries)
Lomito a la Casarola (?) (steak sandwich served with salad OR fries)
Chicha Morada (purple corn drink, like an aqua fresca, pressed with pineapple skins and flavored with sugar and cinnamon.)
Everything was really delicious and the service was prompt, quick, and amazingly friendly. The room is very nicely decorated and vibrantly painted. It feels very clean and fresh. The kitchen is spotless (but it DID just open).
Starting with the Chicha Morada to drink, we were both pleased with the lightly tart but sweet flavor of this corn drink, a nice hit of cinnamon kept it interesting.
Next came the plaintains. About 1 1/2 of a plaintain per order. This seemed a little sparse, but they were only $3.00, so no worries. The crema/aioli was really fresh and nicely flavored. The cilantro onions were even better. They had a lot of kick without being overwhelmingly oniony.
Next came the main dishes. The chicken sandwich that I had wanted was not available, so I settled for the rotisserie chicken. I am VERY glad I did. I think this is one of the best pieces of chicken I have ever had in a restaurant. Tender, cooked to perfection, not a hint of dryness. The skin was not crispy, as it was rotisseried, but was still full of flavor (cumin, oregano, not sure what else but I will try to find out!). The fries were just ok...but had a nice flavor. They were a tad limp, but if memory serves, so were other fries at other Peruvian places...maybe that's how the Peruana's roll.
The steak sandwich was awesome. It's basically Lomo Saltado on a roll. Which is to say it's a wonderful idea. The fries come on the side, of course, and my girlfriend chose the salad instead. The steak was cut in to thin strips and then quickly pan fried in a skillet with tomatoes, peppers, and onions (I know b/c I got to watch!). The steak, despite being cut so thinly with still very tender and flavorful. The buttered french roll helped a lot too, to keep the moist steak and veggies in one place.
I would definitely go back. We saw the shrimp stew, looked fab, and the two ceviches. They also looked fab.
Can't wait to go back to try more. Total tab w/o tip was 27.00 for the two of us. We left there feeling satisfied, but not overstuffed, which is nice, b/c we both had to return to work. (Boo.)
Go here now. This place is worth the trip.
JB
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Sazon
1129 Sebastopol Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95407
Quick Review of Brody's Burgers & Brews
I love hamburgers...in almost all forms. And because I live in a city like Santa Rosa, so clearly dedicated to getting a good hamburger right, I eat them often. We've been to Carmen's, Ausiello's on 5th, Phyllis', and Super Burger, just to name a few.
Relatively new on the scene is Brody's Burgers & Brew. It's on the other "side" of town from us, but the $1 beers (all day, everyday) intrigued us, so we went last night.
Their angle is all 100% grassfed Humboldt County beef. They also have turkey, chicken, veggie, and BISON burgers. They have 8 or so "special" burgers, but you can also order any type of burger with whatever type of toppings you want (cheddar, swiss, bleu, American, onions, 'shrooms, etc., etc.). They also have MINI burgers, which I always like, because I can never figure out which type of burger I want. All burgers are served a la carte, so you have to decide what size fries you (or your table) wants.
The inside is reminiscent of a diner, but not quite dinery enough...a little more "fast food" feeling, but MUCH less gross and sterile feeling Comfortable booths. Also, you order at the register and then pick up your oder.
They had 4 beers on tap: Trumer Pils, Brody's IPA (tasted pretty standard), Bud, and Shock Top (also a Bud product). $1 a piece (served in a plastic cup).
He had a Brody Burger with cheese. This was a very basic burger...with cheese. It's not your 1/2 lb. grease oozing out when you bite in to it burger. This is definitely more in the diner/drive in vein. Which I often prefer. The bun was not too bready (it's a soft kaiser roll) and the veggies were very fresh.
I had two minis. A Brody (same as above) and a Texas style. Texas style was served w/ bacon, bbq sauce, sauteed onions. Both the minis were very good. I was glad I got to try two types. The BBQ sauce was nothing to write home about, but I zinged it up with some more mustard. The oninos were nicely cooked.
All in all this is a good family dining establishment, especially if you're watching your cash flow.
For a Brody Burger, 2 mini burgers, a med. fry, a beer, and a Nantucket Nectar jice the grand total was $16.48.
They also have a drive-thru...but I suspect you can't order beer through it.
Good place to hit on your way back to SF from wine tasting up this way. I would give it a solid B-B+. Especially considering their commitment to using quality beef.
http://www.brodysburgers.com/
2010 - Gravenstein apple season is here !!!
Got some at the fruit stand on River Road, just past the Fulton chicken plant. .79/lb. Mostly greenish, but some fully red ones.
El Molino Central, Boyes Hot Springs [Sonoma]
Stopped by this little gem for lunch today with Hubby and a friend.
I had the Tamales Del Dia (one of each) chicken mole and green chile cheese. The green chile flavor was lovely and mild. This tamale also had fresh corn kernels inside the tamale. It made for a light and lovely tamale on a nicely warm day. The chicken mole was equally delicious, in a polar opposite type of way. The mole was smokey and rich with a lovely ballance of sweet, smoke, and tang.
Hubby had the fish tacos. These tacos come with deep fried fish, avo-mayo, cabbage, and some radishes. I wished there had been more fish, but what fish was in there was really nice. It was fried in a crispy batter and fried darkish brown like we like. The Tapatio and lime he added definitely kicked up the flavor profile.
Friend had the Chalupas de Pollo (Mexican street food masa boats with beans, chicken, salsa verde, onions, cilantro, and avocado.) The masa in these Chalupas was also a stand out. I think if you go to El Molino you owe it to yourself to get something with the masa. Just too tender to believe. The chalupas also benefitted from a touch of Tapatio.
I had a gravenstein apple juice from a local purveyor. Friend had a lime aqua fresca. Both were delicious.
This is a wonderful spot. Cute little patio out back, very prompt service (despite what I'd read from others.) Definitely worth a trip from SR or Sonoma (or anywhere.)
Yum.
Happy Chowing!
JB
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El Molino Central
11 Central Avenue, Boyes Hot Springs, CA 95476
Attention North Bay Hounds! Peruvian Comes to Sebastopol Rd., SR
And an update with more info. A man that I come in to contact with at my work (he works for the County) is the owner of Sazon! His ex-brother in law is the owner of one of the Frescas in SF. So they are "related" in that they are ex-family. So I'm not sure they should be painted w/ the same brush as Fresca just yet. I'm excited to try it.
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Fresca Restaurant
2114 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115
Sazon
2765 Clayton Rd, Concord, CA 94519
Himalayan Grill and Curry House, Santa Rosa (Also good for vegans!)
Here is the menu:
http://www.himalayankabobandcurryhouse.com/menu.php
Himalayan Grill and Curry House, Santa Rosa (Also good for vegans!)
My Mom, Sister, Hubby, and I dined at the Himalayan Grill and Curry House last evening. My sister is veg, so we had mostly veg options.
Here's what we had:
Veggie Samosa
Samosa Chaat
Lamb Saag Curry
Chicken Mushroom
Saag Paneer Curry
Mixed Veg Masala (Fresh spinach, eggplant, potatoes, cauliflower & mushroom cooked with spices & creamy sauce)
Aloo Cauli Vegan Curry (Fresh cauliflower, potatoes and peas cooked in olive oil with onion, spices and tomato sauce.)
Both Samosa dishes were very nice. The veg samosa was lightly fried and the dough was not too thick. A nice version of this favorite. The Samosa Chaat was something I'd never had before. It's described as: Crispy veg. samosa with apple, onion & garbanzo beans. Served with yogurt, mint sauce and tamarind chutney. Sounds similar to a samosa preparation right? WRONG. The Samosa Chaat is chopped samosa SMOTHERED in all those ingredients. Sounds like too much of a mash-up but the flavors of the sour yogurt and the sweet apple and chutney were DELICIOUS. This is my new favorite dish here.
Both meat dishes were lovely. (I should also add that we ordered everything medium spicy, fine for me, but the rest of the group could have used extra, I suspect.) The chicken mushroom had a lovely non-cream based tomato sauce. Both the tomato sauce and the fresh mushrooms really shone in this dish. The only complaint is there seemed to be only a few chicken chunks. Not to worry thoug, as the sauce for dipping naan was almost better than the chicken. The lamb saag was also nice. The lamb was tender and not gamey at all. No stringy pieces here. Only savory little chunks of lamby goodness.
All of the veg dishes were great as well. I am partial to saag paneer because I am a sucker for creamed spinach. This version, while very rich, was not overly saturated with fat, which I appreciated. The cheese cubes also were given great attention and seemed to have been griddled before they went in the saag, which is a nice touch not often seen in these types of restaurants.
The rice was lovely, fragrant, and fluffy. The naan was off the chain. A thinner, crispier variety than many people are used to, I'm sure. We got onion, garlic, and butter naan. All had nice subtle flavor that was not too overpowering. Also a nice daal soup (today with chunks of paneer!) starts the meal. It's free, it's warm, it's delicious. Just what a dinner in this sucky summer weather needed.
Entrees run in the 8.99-14.99 range at dinner time. It's more expensive than City dwellers will be used to but the ambiance is quite lovely at the restaurant.
This little restaurant sorely deserves some attention. They apparently have a lunch time buffet, but I don't work close enough to try it.
Go there, you won't be disappointed. It's worth the few minutes drive from the highway if you're passing through. Happy Chowing.
JB
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Himalayan Grill and Curry House
2484 West Third St, Santa Rosa, CA
New Himalayan in Santa Rosa - Himalayan Grill & Curry House
Not sure about that one. I am talking about the one in Rohnert Park (Namaste?) and Petaluma w/ the similar name.
