Willi's Wine Bar

I went to Willi's Wine Bar for a work event and didn't take pictures. It's a Stark Restaurant, located at 4404 Old Redwood Highway in Santa Rosa. Unlike other Stark restaurants, Willi's does not have a Happy Hour.

We had:

Ahi Tuna Tartare with Lemon, Shiso and Pine Nuts--$13. The ahi was fresh and there was good flavor but there wasn't much Shiso. I might order this again.

Monterey Calamari Salad a La Plancha, Sweet Pepper Piperade, Chorizo, Aji Amarillo Vinaigrette--$12. This was in quite a bit of oil. I wouldn't order this again.

Warm Skillet Bread, Melted Gruyere, Sea Salt, Green Olive Tapenade--$6. This was the best thing we had. The cheese on the bread was delicious and I loved the tapenade. I would definitely order this again.

Cauliflower Soup Shooters, Truffled Pimenta Grilled Cheese--$9. There were 2 shooters and 2 tiny sandwiches. The soup didn't have much flavor and there was too much cream in it. I didn't get a chance to try the sandwiches.

Arugula & Endive Salad, Avocado, Manchego Cheese, Toasted Almonds, Meyer Lemon Truffle Vinaigrette--$9. This was okay.

Warm Spinach Salad, Goat Cheese, Dates, Cracked Almonds, Pancetta Vinaigrette--$10. I liked this salad better than the arugula salad and would order it again.

Willi's Truffled French Fries with Truffle Aioli--$9. This was okay--not enough truffle flavor. I wouldn't order this again.

Lamb Tartare with Vadouvan Aioli, Preserved Lemon, Mint, Pinenuts & Harissa Olive Oil--$13.  This was served on baguette toast slices and had good flavor.

Liberty Farms Pulled Duck BBQ, White Cheddar Polenta--$11. This was okay.

Crispy Pork Riblets, Pomegranate BBQ, Thai Basil, Pinenuts--$12.50. This was way too salty and too greasy. I wouldn't order this again.

Filet Mignon Sliders, Creamed Spinach, Whole Grain Mustard Bernaise--$16. There were 2 sliders per order. Not worth $16.

I had a flight of Zinfandel--three 2-oz pours for $17. The Zins came from Watkins Family, Taylor Mountain (2012), Benovia, Sonoma County (2013), Gamba, "Starr Road Ranch" Russian River (2012). I didn't like any of these zinfandels. I like my zinfandels jammy with a spicy undertone. Maybe, I didn't care for most of the dishes because my wine didn't pair well with the dishes.



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