Jackson's Bar & Oven

Tuesday night dinner was at Jackson's Bar & Oven, located at 135 4th Street in Santa Rosa.

They offered a $29 3-course dinner. There were no options but it was an excellent dinner. No bread though.

We brought a bottle of Premonition 2013 Zinfandel. It was delicious with our entree.

First course was Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese Mousse, Red Quinoa, Arugula, Verjus Vinaigrette. This was delicious. The Goat Cheese Mousse was light and so tasty.

Second course was Short Rib Risotto with Roasted Mushrooms, Pecorino Romano. This was amazing. The short rib was fork tender and worked well with the risotto. It was one of the best things we've had this week.

Third Course was Straus Farms Vanilla Soft Serve with Crumbled Biscotti, Espresso Caramel. The soft serve was so creamy.

2020 02 25

La Gare

Monday night dinner was at La Gare, located at 208 Wilson Street in Santa Rosa. They offered a 4-course dinner for $29. An added bonus was Monday night was No Corkage.

The roll was not warm but it was quite good. Crispy outside and chewy inside.

The Soup du Jour was Leek and Potato Soup. Creamy.

The 2nd course was a Classic Caesar Salad. This was small but it was good enough. There was a hint of anchovies.

One of the entree options was 5 oz Filet Mignon with a Local Wild Mushroom Sauce. It was served with potatoes and seasonal vegetables. This was on the tough side and not as good as last year's. The potatoes were crisp and good though.

The other option for the entree was Fresh Wild King Salmon with Beurre Blanc Sauce. It was served with rice and vegetable.s

Dessert options included Black Forest Cake. This was more like a chocolate and cherry mousse bombe.

Creme Brûlée was the other option for dessert. This was too eggy and the top was not brulee'd well.

Overall, this was disappointing when compared to last year's dinner. On top of that, the hostess was rude. We had a good waiter, which saved the day.

2020 02 24

Rocker Oysterfeller's

Sunday dinner was at Rocker Oysterfeller's, located at 14451 Ca-1 in Valley Ford.

They offered a 3-course dinner for $29. They usually have a corn muffin but was not serving it that night.

They ran out of their starters so we were offered a choice of 4 oysters.

Going clockwise, starting at 12;00, I chose the Rocker Oysterfeller (arugula, bacon, cream cheese, cornmeal crust), Garlic Butter, Estero Gold (estero gold cheese, chorizo sausage, serrano chile) and Louisiana Hot (house made Louisiana hot sauce and garlic butter). They were all delicious but my favorite was the Estero Gold. This was a better deal than the Gumbo and Salad that was on offer for a starter.

One of the entree options was Buttermilk Fried Free Range Chicken with Whipped Potatoes, IPA & Caraway Seed Gravy and Fried Herbs. The chicken was brined and very moist.

The other option for the entree was Blackened Gulf Shrimp and Anson Mill Grits, Creole Sauce and Braised Collard Greens. This was also good but the shrimp were small. The grits were very creamy.

S'mores Pot de Creme--Graham Cracker Crumble, TCHO Dark Chocolate Pudding, Toasted Marshmallow Topping. This was rich but a tad too sweet.

Powdered Sugar Beignets which were heavy but still tasted good.

2020 02 23

Backyard

Sunday lunch was at Backyard, located at 6566 Front Street in Forestville.

They offer a $15 lunch.

We couldn't resist getting the Bucket o' Doughnuts--$7. This was off the regular menu. You get 6 mini doughnuts and raspberry jam. The doughnuts were delicious--light fluffy and coated with cinnamon sugar. The raspberry jam was perfect for the doughnuts. It was a little tart and cut the sweetness of the doughnuts.

One of the entree choices was Tim's Grassfed Burger with Pickled Red Onions and Aioli. Where's the beef? The patty was smaller than the usual burger they serve. It was still juicy and full of flavor.

Another option was Mycopia Maitake Mushroom Ruben served with "the Sauce," Sauerkraut, Cheddar and Seeded Sourdough. This was quite good but don't expect it to be healthy for you just because there's no meat.

Another option for the entree was Fried Chicken & Waffles. I got a leg and small thigh. The chicken was moist and the coating was crispy. This was 2/3 the portion of their regular Chicken & Waffle off the menu--you get 3 pieces of chicken on their regular menu.

Candy Cap Mushroom Ice Cream. The ice cream tasted like maple syrup but it was icy.

Backyard also featured a "Pastry Perk." A cup of French Pressed Coffee with Chocolate Chunk Cookie for $5.

2020 02 23

Boon Eat & Drink

Dinner on Saturday night was at Boon Eat & Drink, located at 16248 Main Street in Guerneville.  We had never been before and Restaurant Week was a good opportunity to try it out.

This is a very small place and they cannot accommodate groups larger than 6. No reservations so get there at 5 pm when it opens. By 5:30 pm, the restaurant was full.

They offered a $29 Restaurant Week menu. Corkage is $15.

First course was choice of Soup du Jour--Butternut Squash Soup. This was vegan and spicy.

The other option was Mixed Green Salad. This was quite good with dried cherries, Pt. Reyes blue cheese, Marcona almonds and tarragon vin.

Entree choice was Wine Braised Pork Shoulder with Creamy Polenta, Winter Veggies and Salsa Verde. This was amazing. The pork was fork tender and so flavorful.

The other option was Polenta Lasagna with Spicy Marinara and Seasonal Greens. This was a chunk of polenta rather than layered.

Dessert was Brioche Bread Pudding with Currants, Citrus Zest, Creme Anglaise and Cherries. There was also a drizzle of caramel sauce. This would have been much better with a little more Creme Anglaise.

Their website listed Brownies as another option for dessert but this wasn't the case.

Our server was not friendly and I got the sense that she was not happy that we ordered the Restaurant Week menu.

2020 02 22

Salt & Stone

Lunch on Saturday was at Salt & Stone, located at 9900 Sonoma Hwy in Kenwood. They offered a $15 2-course lunch that was valid on the weekends as well. You could either have starter and main or main and dessert.

The starter was the Soup of the Day--Curried Squash, which was creamy and delicious. The curry wasn't overpowering.

One of the options for the main was Chicken Marsala Pappardelle with Local Mushrooms, Spinach and Grana Padano. The pasta was homemade and thick. The marsala sauce was delicious but I didn't find any spinach in my dish. 

Half Dungeness Crab Melt with Avocado, Tomato and Gruyere Gratin. You also got field greens or pomme frites. The fries are well made--crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. You could ask for ketchup or aioli.

Lamb Burger with Wild Baby Arugula, Pickled Red Onions, Cucumber, Feta on Ciabatta. You also got field greens or pomme frites. This was amazing. The lamb burger was so tasty and not gamey at all.

Dessert was Warm Gingerbread with Walnut Mascarpone and a Caramel Sauce. This was also very good.

This was a great Restaurant Week menu. If you have 2 in your party, order one soup, the chicken marsala pappardelle, the lamb burger and one dessert. Trust me!

2020 02 22

Bistro 29

I always look forward to Sonoma County Restaurant Week. This year, it started a week earlier than usual.

Our first dinner was on Friday at Bistro 29, located at 620 5th Street in Santa Rosa. They offered a $29 menu. Add the shrimp course for an additional $10.

After ordering, warm bread was brought to the table.

First course was a choice of Chilled Asparagus with Meyer Lemon Aioli, Sieved Egg, Mache & Crispy Shallots. The aioli was very good but the raw onion was a little harsh and distracted.

The other option was the Soupe du Jour. It was a Bean and Green Garlic Soup. This was very good and the better choice for the first course.

Garlic Prawns with Piquillo Peppers, Espelette Butter, White Wine and Grilled Bread. Three large prawns that were cooked perfectly. I liked the sauce but my companions thought the wine was a little strong.

Entree Choices included Paupiettes of Local Sole with Saffron Risotto Beignets, Lobster Sauce Armoricaine & Haricot Verts. This looked like it would be really good but it had a really strong fishy taste.

The other option for the entree was Daube of Beef Red Wine Braised with Green Garlic Potato Puree. This was delicious!. The beef was very tender and the potato was creamy.

Dessert choices were Sweet Crepe with Volo Chocolate Ganache, Toasted Almonds & Whipped Cream. How can you go wrong with a crepe?

Or, Salted Caramel Pot de Creme with Whipped Cream & Walnut/Oat Crumble. This was just a little thicker than pudding. It was very sweet.

Wine Pairing was $15--Trecini Sauvignon Blanc and Lucky Rock Pinot Noir.

2020 02 21

BA Business Class on the Way Home

On the way back to the US, we also flew British Airways in business class. Their check-in process was slow. The line for business class was long and it was a 15-minute wait to get to the desk.

We had access to the lounge but it wasn't as impressive as the Turkish Airlines Lounge in Istanbul. There was a self-serve beverage station.

Breakfast was still being served at 11am. There were pastries and generic fruit.

They started bringing out various salads for the change to lunch; none looked appealing.

The soups were much better.

Mediterranean and Red Pepper Soup with seeded roll. 

Sweet Corn Chowder was the other option. Both soups were delicious.

The lounge did have an Elemis Spa and you could sign up for a free 15-minute facial or massage. It's virtually impossible to get one of the slots though because there weren't many therapists. What a tease!

The herringbone configuration of the Boeing 787 is awkward if you're traveling solo. You end up staring face-to-face with your seat mates. If you're traveling with 1 or 2 other people, being face-to-face becomes more of a party. 

The business class in the 787 is 2-3-2 configuration. If you have a middle or window seat, the last row is the best because you don't have to climb over your seat mate to access the aisle. 

If you're in the aisle, you don't have much privacy. You have people climbing over your feet, the flight attendants reach over you to serve the middle passenger and you get bumped when people are in the aisle.

After boarding, we were offered a glass of champagne.

Shortly after takeoff, you're served your choice of beverages and mixed nuts. I chose a Sauvignon Blanc from Chateau de Maupas, Sancerre.

Starter choices included smoked salmon, Stilton cheesecake, mushroom soup or fresh seasonal salad. I chose the Severn and Wye Scottish Smoked Salmon, Burford Browns' Hens Egg, Shallots, Dill Creme Fraiche, Pumpernickel. This was quite good but the Cep (Mushroom) Soup with Creme Fraiche was delicious!

The mains included beef, trout or Thai vegetable curry. I chose the Seared Filet of British Beef, Potato Dauphinoise, Hone Roasted Butternut Squash and Peppercorn Jus. This was also quite good. The potatoes were my favorite.

I had a glass of Carmenere Gran Reserva from Tarapaca with my dinner.

Instead of dessert, I opted for the Cheese Board. This included Coastal Cheddar, West Country Brie, Shropshire Blue, Walnuts, Biscuit and Apricot Chutney.

The dessert options included chocolate and caramel layer cake, apple and cinnamon sponge cake and fresh fruit.

Prior to landing, we were served a "light meal." The starter options were prawn or mushroom quiche. I chose the Prawn Cocktails with Baby Gem Lettuce, Marie Rose Sauce. The sauce is a British condiment made from a blend of tomatoes, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and black pepper.

The main was a choice of chicken, salmon or steak sandwich. I chose the Seared Sumac Scottish Salmon, Lemon Quinoa, Lentil Salad, Lemon and Elderflower Dressing. I was surprised that the salmon was not dry.

The dessert was a Belgian Chocolate Torte.

Overall, business class on British Airways was disappointing after my Turkish Airlines experience. The seats on Turkish Airlines were older but the service was much better.

2019 11 24