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Sonoma Restaurant Scene

paca

By paca
in California: Dining

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winesonoma

winesonoma

Posted
Posted

Duskie and John do great things, Currently into house cured meats. You should love it.

Bruce Frigard

Quality control Taster, Château D'Eau Winery

"Free time is the engine of ingenuity, creativity and innovation"

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

Carolyn Tillie

Carolyn Tillie

Posted
Posted
I had the Crab and corn chowder, Butter Braised turkey breast, leg confit,spoonbread and truffle sauce. Pumpkin thing for dessert (can't think of the name). Girlfriend had Baby romaine, smoked bacon, roasted garlic, blue cheese salad. Pan seared pork confit, red chilie sauce,roasted garlic grits, Dark chocolate hot pot. Very satisifing meal. Rosenbloom Syrah.

Ran into Carolyn Tille and  Shaun. Also Kris Stanley.

:wub:

Panna cotta.

We started with the foie gras terrine and oysters. The foie was served with grilled toast points -- unfortunately the grilled char flavor on the toasts overwhelmed the foie. It was better just eaten off the knife as it was perfectly realized. I had the turkey as well and Shawn had the venison with root vegetables (the meat was a little over done, should have been quite rare instead of medium).

Nice to finally meet Krys!

I MAKE FOOD JEWELRY!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Feast Blog

Fried Dough Ho Blog

Ultimate California Wine Blog

David94928

David94928

Posted
Posted
where should one go near Deloach Vineyards house in early December with 8 culinary folks from SF (the b-day girl is a chef in the city & the rest are foh)? we're staying at the deloach house for 2 nights...

tia for any help!

The Farmhouse Restaurant and Inn is nearby (about 10-15 minutes) and excellent.

7871 River Road

Forestville , CA 95436

Telephone: 707-887-3300

David

  • 2 weeks later...
winesonoma

winesonoma

Posted
Posted

Some one is opening something new in the old Sonoma Savers spot. App for beer and wine lic. is in the window. More info as it unfolds and reveals itself.

Bruce Frigard

Quality control Taster, Château D'Eau Winery

"Free time is the engine of ingenuity, creativity and innovation"

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

paca

paca

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
Some one is opening something new in the old Sonoma Savers spot. App for beer and wine lic. is in the window. More info as it unfolds and reveals itself.

OH Good!! We are headed back to our place in Sonoma for 3 months in about a week, glad something new is coming........thanks for the update!! (Glad this thread is still going strong, too)

:raz:

winesonoma

winesonoma

Posted
Posted
Some one is opening something new in the old Sonoma Savers spot. App for beer and wine lic. is in the window. More info as it unfolds and reveals itself.

Appears it will be called The Harvest Moon Cafe, owned by James Demerest

Bruce Frigard

Quality control Taster, Château D'Eau Winery

"Free time is the engine of ingenuity, creativity and innovation"

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

JohnL

JohnL

Posted
Posted

Is John Ash still going strong?

anyone been lately?

also

I especially loved Ralph's Bistro

I haven't been in Sonoma in about five years

(can't wait to get back)

Bill Miller

Bill Miller

Posted
Posted

We spent a week in Napa last year--great time and great food. A day trip thru the Russian River Valley was very tasty. We returned to Napa thru Sonoma and had the best meal of the entire trip at La Haye--sounds like the quality is still there.

Cooking is chemistry, baking is alchemy.

Ken

Ken

Posted
Posted

The Sonoma Saveurs space will reopen as The Harvest Moon Cafe in Mid January, they're aiming for the 13th. The new Chef/owner is Nick Demarest who has been Chef de Cuisine at Eccolo in Berkeley for the past two years. He was at Chez Panisse previously. As you can imagine coming from those places, it's going to be California mediterranean style food with an emphasis on great local producers. Nick is a terrific chef and Harvest Moon should help raise the bar in Sonoma.

KatieLoeb

KatieLoeb

Posted
Posted

Does Ravenous Cafe still exist? I had a great meal there in 2000 and thought it was such a cute little place with wonderful food, service and wine.

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

melkor

melkor

Posted
Posted
Does Ravenous Cafe still exist?  I had a great meal there in 2000 and thought it was such a cute little place with wonderful food, service and wine.

I'm not sure if it still exists, but since the restaurant was/is in Healdsburg you might try posting about it in this thread.

  • 5 weeks later...
Ken

Ken

Posted
Posted

Nick and Jen Demarest are going to do a soft opening of Harvest Moon Cafe tomorrow night on the Southwest end of the square in the old Sonoma Saveurs spot.

dragonflychef

dragonflychef

Posted
Posted
Nick and Jen Demarest are going to do a soft opening of Harvest Moon Cafe tomorrow night on the Southwest end of the square in the old Sonoma Saveurs spot.

stopped by and met the owners and staff, put us down for 3 at 8:30

the place looks great, owners are awesome, come out and support this new venture, this will definitely be good for sonoma, we will report back on the food tomorrow,

preston

SiseFromm

SiseFromm

Posted
Posted

I still haven't gotten around to posting my entire review on our recent trip, but reviews for Bouchon, Redd, Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, and General's Daughter are all WAY overdue. The photos haven't even been cataloged or uploaded yet.

Alas . . .

As for General's Daughter, not only is Preston the man and his wife ever the gracious host, the value of our multi-coursed meal simply cannot be beat. We were blown away by the quality of food relative to the price. I say go there every chance you get. Preston is truly a great guy.

R. Jason Coulston

jason@popcling.com

paca

paca

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
Nick and Jen Demarest are going to do a soft opening of Harvest Moon Cafe tomorrow night on the Southwest end of the square in the old Sonoma Saveurs spot.

what did you think?

We ate there the same night -- good food, very disorganized and slow as would usually be the case that first night.. Halibut with Meyer Lemon zest and chickpeas was great, Moroccan lamb was good but not as seasoned as you would expect.

We will try it again.

Lucylu

Lucylu

Posted
Posted

SO disappointed. Based on the wonderful reviews on this thread, I tried to make a reservation at the General's Daughter, but they are closed for dinner now. I will be in Sonoma for a brief but much anticipated mini-vacation next week from the intermittently frozen tundra of Boston. From reading recent posts, I'm thinking about Manzanita or Cafe LaHaye for dinner, Girl and Fig, Harvest Moon for lunch. Possibly John Ash? I like his orientation from using his cookbook, but I'm always afraid the expectation exceeds the experience. Please advise.

chezcherie

chezcherie

Posted
Posted
Does Ravenous Cafe still exist?  I had a great meal there in 2000 and thought it was such a cute little place with wonderful food, service and wine.

we were there last february. i think thye had just opened a second location around the corner, but can't for the life of me recall the name.

"Laughter is brightest where food is best."

www.chezcherie.com

Author of The I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook ,The I Love Trader Joe's Party Cookbook and The I Love Trader Joe's Around the World Cookbook

samgiovese

samgiovese

Posted
Posted

If you're considering John Ash, perhaps a better choice would be Mirepoix in Windsor or Cyrus in Healdsburg. I just read a review of John Ash on another site written by someone who really knows good food, and she was NOT impressed!

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti."

- Dr. Hannibal Lecter

dragonflychef

dragonflychef

Posted
Posted
SO disappointed.  Based on the wonderful reviews on this thread, I tried to make a reservation at the General's Daughter, but they are closed for dinner now.  I will be in Sonoma for a brief but  much anticipated mini-vacation next week from the intermittently frozen tundra of Boston.  From reading recent posts, I'm thinking about Manzanita or Cafe LaHaye for dinner, Girl and Fig, Harvest Moon for lunch.  Possibly John Ash?  I like his orientation from using his cookbook, but I'm always afraid the expectation exceeds the experience.  Please advise.

we are so sorry we cant be a part of your vacation, we have sent " the daughter" to a spa , and she is finishing her last treatments, please feel free to come by and at least have a look and introduce your self. there is also a new place that my wife and i like that just opened on the square, the harvest moon cafe, the owners are nick and jen , they are closed on tuesdays, and only open for dinner ,but a great meal can be had there, 707- 933-8160, other than that lahaye is great , saul and john, and we like della santina as well, sorry i cant cook for you , but please stop by we are training staff and testing recipes, my office 707-996-0345, hope your vacation revives you, if we can help any way, call.

preston and nichole

the generals daughter

707-938-4004

Lucylu

Lucylu

Posted
Posted
SO disappointed.  Based on the wonderful reviews on this thread, I tried to make a reservation at the General's Daughter, but they are closed for dinner now.  I will be in Sonoma for a brief but  much anticipated mini-vacation next week from the intermittently frozen tundra of Boston.  From reading recent posts, I'm thinking about Manzanita or Cafe LaHaye for dinner, Girl and Fig, Harvest Moon for lunch.  Possibly John Ash?  I like his orientation from using his cookbook, but I'm always afraid the expectation exceeds the experience.   Please advise.

we are so sorry we cant be a part of your vacation, we have sent " the daughter" to a spa , and she is finishing her last treatments, please feel free to come by and at least have a look and introduce your self. there is also a new place that my wife and i like that just opened on the square, the harvest moon cafe, the owners are nick and jen , they are closed on tuesdays, and only open for dinner ,but a great meal can be had there, 707- 933-8160, other than that lahaye is great , saul and john, and we like della santina as well, sorry i cant cook for you , but please stop by we are training staff and testing recipes, my office 707-996-0345, hope your vacation revives you, if we can help any way, call.

preston and nichole

the generals daughter

707-938-4004

so kind of you to write. When I called the woman who answered also suggested harvest moon. So much to eat, so little time. Will let you know where we eventually end up.

Cyrus was on my list also, but it seemed more upscale than I had in mind. It can be really hard to gauge all of this--sometimes the photos on a restaurant's website leave more of an impression than the menu.

ingridsf

ingridsf

Posted
Posted
we are so sorry we cant be a part of your vacation, we have sent " the daughter" to a spa , and she is finishing her last treatments, please feel free to come by and at least have a look and introduce your self. there is also a new place that my wife and i like that just opened on the square, the harvest moon cafe, the owners are nick and jen , they are closed on tuesdays,  and only open for dinner ,but a great meal can be had there, 707- 933-8160, other than that  lahaye is great , saul and john, and we like della santina as well, sorry i cant cook for you , but please stop by we are training staff and testing recipes, my office  707-996-0345, hope your vacation revives you, if we can help any way, call.

                                                        preston and nichole

                                                        the generals daughter

                                                    707-938-4004

I was a little confused, are you open for lunch? Or if not, when will you be open again? Dang, I was JUST thinking about getting up there the week of 2/14 and you might be closed.

Ingrid

My fantasy? Easy -- the Simpsons versus the Flanders on Hell's Kitchen.

dragonflychef

dragonflychef

Posted
Posted
we are so sorry we cant be a part of your vacation, we have sent " the daughter" to a spa , and she is finishing her last treatments, please feel free to come by and at least have a look and introduce your self. there is also a new place that my wife and i like that just opened on the square, the harvest moon cafe, the owners are nick and jen , they are closed on tuesdays,  and only open for dinner ,but a great meal can be had there, 707- 933-8160, other than that  lahaye is great , saul and john, and we like della santina as well, sorry i cant cook for you , but please stop by we are training staff and testing recipes, my office  707-996-0345, hope your vacation revives you, if we can help any way, call.

                                                         preston and nichole

                                                         the generals daughter

                                                    707-938-4004

I was a little confused, are you open for lunch? Or if not, when will you be open again? Dang, I was JUST thinking about getting up there the week of 2/14 and you might be closed.

Ingrid

hey ingrid , we reopen tuesday the 7th, dinner only , no sunday no monday, til later in the year, call if we can help any way , or if you would like new menus

707-938-4004, or my office 707-996-0345

preston dishman

  • 3 weeks later...
paca

paca

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
Nick and Jen Demarest are going to do a soft opening of Harvest Moon Cafe tomorrow night on the Southwest end of the square in the old Sonoma Saveurs spot.

what did you think?

We ate there the same night -- good food, very disorganized and slow as would usually be the case that first night.. Halibut with Meyer Lemon zest and chickpeas was great, Moroccan lamb was good but not as seasoned as you would expect.

We will try it again.

We've been back to Harvest Moon, it's excellent now. Menu changes daily, it's posted outside the door. They're trying hard, let's support these guys!

syrah girl

syrah girl

Posted
Posted

Trying to decide between Meritage (we've never been) or General's Daughter for one great meal in Sonoma the end of the month. Would love to try General's Daughter with the new chef and all. We have only been once, about three years ago. Foodie opinions, please!

We will also be dining at girl and the fig and the El Dorado Kitchen for lunch, anyone with recent experience there, I'd love to hear from you! TIA

paca

paca

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
Trying to decide between Meritage (we've never been) or General's Daughter for one great meal in Sonoma the end of the month.  Would love to try General's Daughter with the new chef and all.  We have only been once, about three years ago.  Foodie opinions, please!

We will also be dining at girl and the fig and the El Dorado Kitchen for lunch, anyone with recent experience there, I'd love to hear from you!  TIA

For only one great meal, I would go to General's Daughter. Meritage is good, but focus is mainly on seafood. Both places are attractive in totally different ways.

I'm not crazy about ElDorado Kitchen -- would prefer Della Santina or Ledson for lunch. Girl and the fig is reliably good.

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