Sonoma Dinner

[GrubGuy]

While my fiancee and I are staying in California on our honeymoon (Thanks to everyone for their suggestions in response to my San Francisco Question), we are spending some time in Wine Country. We are looking for one place to eat dinner in Sonoma. Currently, we were in between Mirepoix and John Ash & Co. If anyone has a preference, or another suggestion, it would be very much appreciated.

[samgiovese]

GrubGuy:

Where are you staying? That might be helpful in giving you further info.

[GrubGuy]

We're staying in St. Helena. Just looking for a nice dinner for a day we're spending up in Sonoma. So, we're flexible as to the dinner.

[samgiovese]

If you're going to be in Sonoma and the Sonoma Valley proper, the 2 restaurants you have picked are quite far from there. They are both in Windsor, which is over on Hwy 101, north of Santa Rosa. Sonoma County is quite vast, and there are various appellations and regions throughout.

If you're staying in St. Helena, I would recommend finding something in downtown Sonoma...the restaurants you have mentioned will result in about a 1 - 1 1/2 hour drive back to your accommodations. If you'd like some recommendations for downtown Sonoma, I'd be happy to expound. I am just trying to make you aware of the distance between where you are staying and where you want to dine.

Edited July 31, 2004 by samgiovese (log)

[chezcherie]

my perfect evening in sonoma would include a taste or two at the cheesemaker's daughter, an appetizer at sonoma saveur (or is it saveur sonoma--in either case, vive la foie gras!) and dinner at the girl and the fig.

one easy stroll of the square, and you can hit them all....absolutely lovely people at every stop, and i have no doubt that you will have a wonderful and memorable evening, whether or not they know it is a special occasion (although dropping the word would not be inappropriate..everyone love nice newlyweds, don't they?)

upon reflection, another very enjoyable spot is la poste, a little bit farther off the square, but completely walkable...and i had such an enjoyable meal there on my last visit, i hate to leave it out of my personal recommendation list.

[GrubGuy]

Samgiovese, Thanks for the info. Downtrown Sonoma would be preferable. As you can tell, this is our first trip out to that area, and we're pretty unfamiliar with the lay of the land.

[samgiovese]

GrubGuy:

Here is some info from a previous post on another thread:

Saddles at Macarthur Place in Sonoma is very good for steaks. and Sante' at Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa is very creative.

In Sonoma Square, there is Piatti, a regional chain started in Yountville several years back, Cafe La Haye, Della Santina's (recommended!), The Swiss Hotel and The Girl and theFig.  A short drive from the square is The General's Daughter, and just south of town are Deuce and Carneros at the Lodge at Sonoma.

and

Forgot to mention the STERBA site, which has restaurant & lodging listings for Napa & Sonoma counties.  Check it out...I think you'll find it helpful.

Let me know if you need further info...especially on the Napa side...I live part-time in Yountville.

[tanabutler]

I would definitely choose The Girl and the Fig, based on what I know from this board and friends in real life.

[samgiovese]

Haven't tried it, but just heard a glowing review of La Poste on Broadway in downtown Sonoma. It's French bistro food, and they are supposed to have a chocolate mousse to die for. Open Wed - Sun 5:30 - 9:00. They don't have a website, but here is a link to a review from the SF Chronicle you might find helpful.

[GrubGuy]

Thanks samgiovese. The General's Daughter is a place I had heard of, and it looks awfully good. La Poste also sounds very interesting. If anyone's tried it, and has any advice, that would be appreciated. We are going to eat at the Girl and the Fig for lunch (my fiancee's find, and she loves the menu for lunch). So far we're pretty diverse with our trip meals, so we're not really limited in type of cuisine. I really appreciate the help and suggestions.

[chezcherie]

had a wonderful meal at la poste a few months ago. i had deliciously flavorful duck and my friend swooned over the cassoulet. it is a teeeny-tiny little place, so it's not a very romantic spot , privacy-wise, but there is a certain romance in sitting so close?! decor is quite authentic french, so if you were hoping to go to paris on the honeymoon, but ended up in CA, you can pretend!

the tarte tatin was deeply carameled and luscious, andi think i had cheese for desert. very good service---a thoroughly enjoyable evening. j'recommend.

(edited to add that after i posted, i read the review linked above---i seem to have had a very similar experience re: decor and snuggling...but i had no trouble finishing the tarte tatin!)

Edited August 1, 2004 by chezcherie (log)

[Mark Horvatich]

A few comments...

The driving time between St. Helena and John Ash is 30-45 minutes, depending on how comfortable one is when driving on hilly roads. There are no hilly roads between St. Helena and the town of Sonoma, but the driving time is at best 40-45 minutes -- in most cases longer than it is to John Ash! And FYI, Mirepoix is about a 5-minute drive north from John Ash. However, after saying the above, I cannot stress strongly enough that the roads between St. Helena and John Ash are hilly. You would be driving them at night, and likely after having consumed some wine. Keep this in mind if you select a restaurant in the Santa Rosa/Healdsburg corridor.

I suppose the biggest question is, where are you planning to go when you're in Sonoma County? As others have mentioned, the county is very large, and if you're planning to go to wine areas such as Russian River Valley or Dry Creek Valley, the driving time between those areas and Sonoma Valley (where the town of Sonoma is located) can be well over an hour.

I would suggest that you plan your day in Sonoma County first, and then where you wind up at the end of the day is where you have dinner. For example, you DO NOT want to end your day at Ferrari-Carano winery and then drive to Girl and the Fig for dinner!

And FWIW, from my own experience, Mirepoix is on another level compared to the places I've dined at in Sonoma Valley (which include Girl and the Fig and General's Daughter).

Mark

[GrubGuy]

I think our plan right now was to spend the afternoon in dowtown Sonoma. We were going to grab lunch at the Girl & the Fig, and then see the downtown area. After that, anything is possible. I appreciate the advice related to the hills between Santa Rosa and St. Helena. That's good to know, and we will adjust our activities accordingly if we head up that way. Mostly, we're looking to relax, and not rush anywhere, but as far as Sonoma, we were mostly staying in the downtown area, unless someone thinks we're missing a "must-see" opportunity.

[samgiovese]

I cannot stress strongly enough that the roads between St. Helena and John Ash are hilly. You would be driving them at night, and likely after having consumed some wine.

Which is why I allowed 1 to 1 1/2 hours driving time. The distances between the 2 valleys appear deceptively short on maps, but as Mark points out in his excellent post, it's all in how familiar you are with the terrain and how comfortable you are driving narrow mountain roads in the dark. Mark is also correct that driving from St. Helena to downtown Sonoma can take 40 - 45 minutes, but much of Hwy 29 between St. Helena and the Sonoma turnoff is 55 - 60 MPH or freeway. Hwy 121 through Carneros is not as good a road, and there are frequent accidents on it, but it is a far better road than any others between the 2 valleys for visitors, IMO.

[GoodGrub]

Thanks again. Our plan is shaping up as follows. Arrive in Sonoma to grab a nice lunch at the girl and the fig, and then spend the day in downtown Sonoma. As much as we liked the look of both Mirepoix & John Ash, it would seem to add an extra 50 minutes at the least of driving into our day. We've been looking at the General's Daughter and Carneros. Does anyone have an opinion on which is better food, better ambience, etc.?

Edited August 2, 2004 by GoodGrub (log)

[GrubGuy]

Hi folks. To alleviate any confusion, my computer kind of blew up last week, making my account ehre inaccessible. Just as an FYI, GoodGrub & GrubGuy are the same person. I will be posting only as GrubGuy from here on out.

[winesonoma]

Cafe le Haye is the best restaurant in Sonoma. Avoid the Generals Daughter. La Poste is very good though I no longer go there (Personal problem with the Chef). Why not have dinner in St Helena? Lunch at The Girl and the Fig would be great ( I'm going for dinner tonight). Also The Depot Hotel on 1st st. west just north of the plaza is wonderful. I'm a local so pm or email if you have Questions.