BiteClubEats

Final 10 headed to Healdsburg for Murphy Goode's $10K-a-month gig

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:47:24 -0800

Like golden ticket winners to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, the ten remaining candidates for Murphy Goode winery's much-talked-about $10,000 a month social-networking gig are headed to Healsburg on July 18. Over four wine-soaked days, they'll take part in a final round of interviews, meet winemaker David Ready, Jr., and experience "hi-jinks, excursions, poker, Liar's dice, food and, of course, wine drinking," according the winery.

Making the final cut: Hardy Wallace, author of wine blog DirtySouthWine.com; Adam Beaugh, a DJ and web whiz for the governor of Texas; college student Rocky Slaughter who's resume includes leading a statewide campaign to change the California state statue in 2006; former reality-show casting director Todd Havens; video producer Kamary Phillips; a former host of two network cable shows and banjo-player, Rachel Reenstra; Spin Magazine digital guru Nicholas Pandolfi; web designer Eric Hwang; Microsoft advertising staffer Annie Lee; and nutrtionist/blogger Jennifer Weber.

Hailing from locales around the country -- Austin, Boston, LA, New York, Seattle and Tampa -- these hopefuls are busting their humps to land what may be the most coveted job in the wine biz. As "Wine Country Lifestyle Correspondent", the winner will spend six rent-free months touting the the winery on Twitter, Facebook and other online social networking sites. They'll be paid $60,000 for the half-year gig and be expected to spend plenty of time interfacing with the public, drinking wine, hanging out in the vineyards and making the rest of us green with envy.

Since the contest was announced in April, nearly 2,000 applicants submitted brief video resumes to the winery's website, areallygoodejob.com. Controversy broke out in June when the winery announced the Top 50 finalists would not be selected based on popular votes from fans (several had launched extensive vote-getting campaigns), but by criteria set forth by the winery. Meaning that candidates actually needed to have the requisite skills needed to create videos, interface with customers, write cohesively and use the Internet.

The winner will be announced on July 21 and begin work at the winery on August 15. Losers go home with some fine memories of Sonoma County and a hangover.

> Watch all the finalists' videos

French Restaurants in Sonoma County

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:18:31 -0800

With Bastille Day on the horizon (French independence day celebrated each July 14), it seemed only fitting to pay homage to Sonoma County's Frenchiest of French bistros and patisseries. Not fusion, mixy-matchy, Cal-Ital-French, but straight up French cookin' destinations with Burgundy and biftek in their souls. Places where foie gras is served without apology, fries come with mayonnaise instead of ketchup and escargot aren't a gastronomic dare, but an invitation to the table.

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Chloe's French Cafe: This is a restaurant I get asked about often-- partially because folks can't believe how good it is, and partially because they're trying to figure out where it is. Located in the Sutter Medical Building, its an unlikely location, but always ridiculously crowded at lunch. Brothers Alain and Marc Pisan, along with Alain's wife Renee serve up brasserie-style fare: homemade croissants, Palmier, sandwiches (including a hearty Nicoise, grilled ham and Brie and zut alor, Croque Monsieur--Béchamel sauce, baked ham and Gruyere on bread) along with soups, quiche, salads and daily crepe specials. Don't leave without some of Alain's Parisian-quality pastries -- eclairs, tarts and cakes made daily. Chloe's French Café, 3883 Airway Dr., Suite 145, Santa Rosa, 707.528.3095. Open 7:30am to 5pm weekdays. Closed on weekends. Throughout July, they're offering a Bastille special: A lemon-chicken or ratatouille crepe, salad, Madeleine cookies and a glass of wine for $15.95. 3883 Airway Dr, Santa Rosa.

Guess who's cooking at Bohemian Grove

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:53:57 -0800

Who knew that Bruno's on Fourth's Rick Bruno was hobnobbing with all the movers and shakers at the Bohemian Grove for the next few weeks? Apparently he's been cooking for members of the uber men's club for the last 15 years. The secret Monte Rio retreat is a sort of summer camp for former presidents, banking tycoons, media moguls and other captains of industry. But only those with a "y" chromosome (meaning dudes) can attend.

No wonder he has that enigmatic smile on his face. Delish!

West County Grill rises again as Pizza Vino 707

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:07:14 -0800

BiteClub's been hearing for a while that former West County Grill partner Stephen Singer has been thinking of reopening the shuttered downtown restaurant -- but now we've got confirmation.

After sitting silent for nearly a year (despite several top chefs sniffing around at the location), the downtown Sebastopol restaurant will be reborn as Pizza Vino 707, we hear, within the next few weeks. The website doesn't give much info, other than touting wood-fired pizzas (which makes sense, since the grill spent oodles on a state-of-the-art pizza oven), cocktails and "daily specials" on the plaza.

It's still a bit unclear who'll be in the kitchen, but insiders say Singer, who lives in Sebastopol, will continue to be a major player. The restaurant has been advertising on Craigslist for a few weeks for servers and kitchen staff.

Opening Soon: Pizza Vino 707, 6948 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol

Stay tuned for more details...

Shepos leaving, new bbq

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:10:41 -0800

Shepos leaving Stark's Steakhouse
Mark and Terri Stark are preparing for a bittersweet goodbye -- longtime chef Tracey Shepos-Cenami announced to the couple that she'll be leaving in August. "This wasn't a short-term decision. There was months of thinking about this. They're like my parents. But it's been ten years and that's a long time in the restaurant world," said Tracey.

And though the rumor mill is swirling about what this may mean for the steakhouse, both Tracey and bossman Mark say the departure is amicable. "If I did my job right with Tracey, she should be doing her own thing. That's always been the goal," Mark told BiteClub. "The beauty of this is that its an opportunity for someone else."

It's the Pits
Just a quick hit on the Northbay's newest bbq spot. Longtime caterer Chef Larry Vito, who's been catering out of Sebastopol for 14 years and once headed a 5-star eatery in SF, is now offering authentic smoked ribs, chicken and pulled pork at his new porch restaurant. Get there quick before the crowds discover this hidden gem. 6811 Laguna Park Way, Sebastopol, 575-3277.

Whoopie! It's Viola Pastry.
If you're lucky, you've gotten a sneak preview of Jennifer McMurry's pastries at Santa Rosa's Wednesday farmer's market -- most notably her strawberry shortcake and chocolate whoopie pies. She'll be opening full time in Montgomery Village sometime in September.

What are your favorite Fourth of July Foods?

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:34:09 -0800

What are you favorite Fourth of July foods, and where do you get them? I'll be putting together a guide to where to go/where to get foods for the fourth -- and want your input!

Saving Gleason Ranch

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:56:38 -0800

"Grandma didn't want us to have anything to do with ranching," says Nancy Prebilich of Gleason Ranch, throwing open the door to an aging dairy barn that's stood on the family property for more than 40 years. Without flinching she wades into a half inch of muck that backed up in the pig stall last night -- adding "snake drains" to her ever-growing to-do list -- and grabs a squealing piglet from underneath its 350 pound mom.

"We had the passion for it," she says, snuggling the little pink bundle, "but not the permission." At just 34, Prebilich -- who holds a degree in international theater and grew up off the farm -- may seem an unlikely candidate for saving not only her family's Bodega ranch, but for a way of life that she was actively discouraged from.

But returning to the land is a dream that's becoming increasingly appealing to generations of people who've lost touch with the simpler rural life. The reality, however, is not always so rosy.

For the past nine months, she's been pasture-raising heritage breeds of chicken, pork and turkeys along with grass-fed beef on a few hundred acres of family land, and it's been a steep learning curve. "We've be trained out of desperation and urgency," says Prebilich.

Chickens, however, are the focus of the operation with nearly 5,000 French La Rouge chickens on the property, from chicks to 3-month-olds ready for market. Going a step beyond organic, free-range poultry, Nancy's mission is to raise the best-tasting chickens you've ever eaten, with an old-fashioned texture and flavor flavor your grandparents might recognize. Each week she receives 500 to 700 chicks, raises them on the farm for 11 weeks and sends them to Fulton Processing (in Forestville) before selling them at local grocery stores and farm markets.

What sets her apart from other poultry producers: Prebilich claims to be the only large-scale commercial producer of 100% local, pasture-raised chickens in Sonoma County. What's the difference? Free-range chickens are, by definition, given access to outdoor pens, unlike conventionally raised chickens. But the chickens don't always take up the offer to head outside.

Gleason Ranch cluckers spend most of their lives in specially-built "chicken tractors" -- specialized pens without bottoms that allow the birds to eat bugs, grass and other natural things. The pens are moved daily to new pecking grounds. A llama stands guard against coyotes, though predators are always a threat. "Organic and free range doesn't necessarily mean what people think it means. People have auto-criteria they ask me every time, but once people are educated that these are real animals, not genetically modified lab rats on two legs, they start wrapping their heads around it," she said.

In only nine months, the slow-growing chickens have gained plenty of fans, including the notice of the French Laundry and local meat purveyor, Sonoma Direct along with early customers like Patrick Tafoya of the Bodega Bay Lodge's Duck Club Restaurant, the Sonoma Mission Inn and John Ash & Co.

"Quite simply some of the best products I ever have had the pleasure of working with. The care with which these animals are raised is evident in every bite," said Tafoya. "They grow the best chicken I've ever tasted." Adds Bruno Tyson, executive chef of the Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, "It reminded me of the chicken we ate at home while growing up."

Everyone in the family -- her mom and dad, sister, 11-year-old nephews and six-year-old niece -- chip in, working without pay to move chicken pens, feed and water the animals, attend to the chicks and maintain the decaying buildings. Nancy also hand-delivers much of the meat to markets and restaurants.

The Prebilich/Gleasons are one of the most established agricultural families in Sonoma County. Her great-great-grandfather William Gleason founded Gleason Dairy on the Bodega Coastline in the 1860s. The family continued to operate the dairy, which moved to its current location just east of Bodega in 1912, until the 1960s when competition from bigger milk operations forced its closure. Grandma Gleason held onto the ranch for more than 50 years as the barns and outbuildings decayed, deterring her children and grandchildren from joining the family business -- not realizing that the time Nancy and her sister spent on the property were some of the most memorable of their lives.

French Laundry Resos on Craigslist?

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:44:22 -0800

Can't get a reservation for the French Laundry? Surf over to Craigslist where someone's hawking their July seating for $100. Nice.

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7/17: Restaurant "French Laundry" reservation (napa county)

Reply to: event-nyb25-1218864515@craigslist.org ^{[Errors when replying to ads?]}
Date: 2009-06-12, 5:01PM PDT

Lunch reservation for 2 persons in French Laundry on July 17, 2009.
$100 OBO

it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 1218864515

Cheeseburger in a Can

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:30:49 -0800

There are many things one can reliably consume out of a can. Tuna fish, for one. Soda, certainly. Sardines, black beans, cranberry jelly and other hearty fare, I'll give you in a pinch.

Cheeseburgers...not so much.

Over the last few months, the Internet has been atwitter with gross-out videos of brave folks video-taping themselves eating a horrific German food product -- Cheese Burger In A Can. The result is, as you might guess, fairly gag-inducing and makes one thankful, for once, not to have Smell-0-Vision.

Jeffrey Madura returns with breakfast spot

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:02:50 -0800

I've been tracking down former John Ash & Co. chef, Jeffrey Madura for months, after hearing he had a new project in the works. Well, the persistence paid off because Madura is finally talking about his new restaurant -- called Jeffrey's Hillside Cafe", set to open late summer.

The much-loved chef left his post last July after nearly 20 years, saying that we wanted to spend more time with his family. Seems he couldn't leave his passion for cooking behind, but he will be saying goodbye to the late nights. Madura's struck a deal with Bob Coombs of the Hillside Inn to take over the hotel-owners' Fourth St. restaurant (remember the buckwheat pancakes?), serving only breakfast and lunch.

The menu's still in development, but Madura says he's planning to have the usual breakfast items, along with some interesting additions like fromage blanc blintzes with seasonal berries and a tofu scramble with shiitake mushrooms. Lunch is burgers, sandwiches, salads, quiche, pot roast, pasta, chicken piccata, etc. (according to the chef), along with old fashioned milkshakes and smoothies. 2901 4th St, Santa Rosa, (707) 546-9353.

And just a few blocks from Hank's Creekside...Stay tuned for more details.

No worries at Carmen's Burger Bar
A couple folks were curious what was up at local burgery, Carmen's when they saw a change of ownership sign. No worries, it's just some admin stuff, changing from a corporation to a sole proprietorship. Your buns and shakes are safe and sound. 1612 Terrace Way, Santa Rosa, (707) 546-6317.

El Coqui opens to throngs

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:48:59 -0800

You know you're doing something right when folks are lined up, willing to wait 20 minutes for a table on opening day. Not even opening day, according to El Coqui's Tina Jackson. After months of waiting for the Mendocino Ave. Puerto Rican spot to open, friends and family began spilling into the restaurant last week for a few "preview dinners" -- and once passersby saw the lights on, there wasn't much Tina and her business partner (and cook) Jacqueline Roman, could do.

"We had a line out the door and around the corner. People were drinking beers at Ausiello's waiting to get in," says Jackson, buzzing from table to table. She never stops moving -- greeting friends, seating eager diners and managing the crush of folks who want to eat. Now.

(If you missed the lead up to the opening, read the post and 60+ comments). Turns out the gals tapped into a local homesickness for Puerto Rican cuisine.

The kitchen's getting up to speed with the demand, serving up a a handful of simple, homestyle dishes they've road-tested for months. To start, check out the plantain chips with avocado dip (a play on chips and guacamole with a few secret ingredients), or fried green plantains topped with shrimp or beef. Entrees are same at lunch and dinner, but BiteClub was taken with the Palomilla Encebollado: thinly sliced steak covered with sauteed onions -- but make sure to get sweet plantains on the side. Very traditional is the Pollo Al Horno, marinated chicken thighs with sweet peppers. We also wolfed down a Sandwich de Bistec -- a steak sandwich we ordered with smashed plantains and avocado. Yum.

Desserts rotate, but you'll want to try the Mantecado de Coco con Guineos Fritos, (coconut ice cream with fried bananas) according to Tina, which regrettably we missed.

The food is flavorful and brightly seasoned without the heat of other Latin dishes. Sides include red or black beans and rice, though what I love most about island food are the fried sweet and green plantains -- a starchier cousin to the banana.

El Coqui does have a beer and wine license, but for something really exotic, try a Malta (sweet molasses) or Coco Rico (coconut soda). Those raised on the stuff swear by it, but it's definitely an acquired taste.

The interior has been transformed into a funky, casual dining spot with bright neon beer signs in the window, a tile bar running almost the length of the restaurant and a handful of two and four-top tables. Don't miss the portrait wall of famous Puerto Ricans as you walk in. As things settle down, expect more native dishes, some live music and (hopefully) a full bar. But until then, be content just to get a table.

El Coqui, open for lunch and dinner daily, 400 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707.542.8868.

Vote for our farmer's markets!

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:30:53 -0800

After seeing Food, Inc. on Friday night (and feeling upset and queasy through the whole thing), figured a good way to turn around some of my negative karma points would be to let ya'll know about this opportunity to help our local markets.

In conjunction with Local Harvest, Care2 is giving away $5000 to a top local food market based on votes. Take a second and vote for Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Windsor or Healdsburg -- whatever your favorite happens to be. (Read my April article on the markets). And feel happy inside.

Add your vote: http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket

Food, Inc premieres in Sonoma County

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:56:19 -0800

If you're someone who eats food -- and I'm guessing you are -- it's worth giving a few minutes of thought to what you're actually putting in your mouth. Because chances are you have no idea where it came from, let alone what it actually is. At least that's the premise of the producers of Food, Inc, a new documentary that casts a hard look at commercial food producers who they claim are hiding the truth about what we're actually eating.

Scary, right?

That's the idea. Shocking complacent eaters into really taking a harder look at what's going on our plates -- from genetically engineered vegetables to mutant chickens that have been designed to grow breasts so enormous they can barely walk.

Titillating the audience with catch-all soundbites like, "The (food) industry doesn't want you to know the truth about what you're eating. Because if you knew, you might not want to eat it," Food, Inc. has a similar feel to Al Gore's Inconvient Truth with quick-cut, "oh my god" urgency, and an all-star lineup (Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser et al.). All this earnestness may exhaust some while invigorating others to extreme action.

Whether you're a hard-core food purist or merely interested in hearing the other side of gloriously choreographed commercials for cheaper-than-dirt burgers, chips and soda, it's worth considering the less-glamorous side of the food industry and making up your own mind.

Why you need to go: The film premieres in Santa Rosa at the Rialto Cinemas Lakeside Friday, June 19, 7pm. After that showing, a panel of local food experts including Paula Downing of Santa Rosa Original Farmer's Market; Marissa Guggiana of Sonoma Direct; Michael Moody of Oliver's Market and Amy Rice-Jones of Petaluma Bounty will chat with movie-goers about the importance of supporting local foods.

If you miss Friday's showing, the movie continues throughout the week.

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Want more to disturbing food theater? End of the Line, a film about over-fishing also opens on June 19, but so far no word if we'll get it here in Sonoma County. Stay tuned.

Doughnuts. Live a little.

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:03:45 -0800

For a county that embraces the good life -- and all the calories that come with it -- Sonoma seems unable to let itself appreciate one of the best things in life: Donuts.

Sure, we have a handful of reasonably okay doughnutteries. But where's the gusto for greasy goodness wrapped in sugary deliciousness? I mean, as a once-in-a-while kind of treat? Because trust me, you're not all eating sprouts 24/7. I've seen you at Costco, trying on elastic-waisted shorts, darlings.

Other cities embrace their donut-lust with pride. Take Portland's odd-ball Voodoo Donuts, featuring everything from the Pepto/Nyquil donut (currently on hold) to the Grape Ape (raised doughnut with vanilla frosting and grape powder) or Arnold Palmer (cake doughnut covered with lemon and tea powder), not to mention donuts covered with Cap'n Crunch and even vegan versions of the 'nut. Or perhaps Seattle's amazing Top Pot, which truly has the best, most delightful donuts on the planet. Heck, we couldn't even support a Krispy Kreme. Maybe it has something to do with the coffee culture of the Pacific Northwest.

Fortunately, there are a handful of enterprising local restauranteurs who understand the comfort and joy of a good donut. Call it a bit of nostalgia, throwing a smidgen of caution to the wind, mixed with a smattering of c'est la vie. I applaud you all with a 21-donut hole salute. I'll worry about my diet tomorrow.

GG's Earth and Surf: Down, but maybe not out

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:27:46 -0800

So I've finally gotten the scoop on the shuttered Third St. restaurant directly from Suzan Fleissner, and at this point she's just not ready to throw in the towel on her dream. Long story short, the location wasn't working out for her, financial issues arose and ultimately, Fleissner vacated. Currently she's seeking out a new location to re-open the restaurant, but when and where are still very much up in the air. Here's the long and short of it from her:

"For a variety of business reasons 3rd St. just wasn't the fit, as they say location, location, location...so I am on the look out. It's certainly not easy, but there is some genuine support for this restaurant and people get it. The green light is on sustainability, I tell myself "don't give up". When I was reviewed on the 4th day of being open I thought, hmmm, I followed the 3 rules for what make a great restaurant according to that reviewer, simple food done right, a pleasant atmosphere and great service. We did it! And we will again. GG's is looking for that ideal location."

UPDATE: I heard from Dino D'Argenzio last Friday evening, whose family trust owns the property. Dino wrote me a long note outlining his thoughts about why the location didn't work out for Suzan, saying it was more about business practices than the space itself. "There is inaccurate information being thrown around and it is time for a reality check about Susan F, and this property...the location is very good for all kinds of business as is proven by all of the long term established business in that area of downtown."

At this point in the story it seems like a moot point to continue the debate just for an ongoing "he said, she said." Suzan feels slighted. Dino feels slighted. There are bad feelings on both sides. You work out the math.

In the end, though, it's just an all-around shame. Best of luck to both sides. I'll keep you posted.