Underwood Bar & Bistro

Underwood opened in 2002, and is run by the proprieters of the Willow Wood, which happens to be right across the street in tiny Graton, just west of Sebastopol. It’s a neighborhoody place, drawing lots of wine industry folks (who live in the neighborhood, of course) — which necessitates a good wine list. It’s a little off the beaten track for wine country tourists.

They have an afternoon small plates menu, which you can graze from as you play bocce ball in the back. Bocce ball.

The food is general trans-Med bistro, meaning French-Ital-Spanish-north African. A sampling: hamburger, steak frites, serrano ham, white anchovy crostini. Mediterranean Roasted Chicken is a favorite, with its tangy preserved lemon action.

Order the figoun tail. It’s made with fig aperitif, vodka, and lemon. The Lulu is a gin and tonic made with Junipero (not sure if that justifies the $8.50 pricetag?).