May 2008 Archives

Chicken feet and duck tongue have finally gone mainstream in Santa Rosa. And this, believe it or not, is a good thing. Because tag-teamed with these well-loved Chinese specialties are a whole mess of more easily translated dim sum dishes from San Francisco's historic Hang Ah restaurant. Think Shanghai dumplings, Shiu Mai, leaf-wrapped rice, potstickers and pork buns. Now serving the North Bay

"Jonathan threw us to the wolves," says Darren McRonald, who is currently doing double duty as acting GM and head chef. "We learned some hard lessons," he told BiteClub by phone. Although Waxman's departure from the restaurant is still unofficial according to McRonald, he is no longer involved in the operations of the restaurant. "Jonathan's in New York. He's away too much," he said.

Time to tighten the money belt and suss out lunches with a slimmer economic profile. But hey, let's not get crazy. They've still got to taste, well, reasonably good.

Consider me among the eager masses huddled around the front doors of Ari Rosen's new casual Italian eatery, Scopa. The shoebox-sized restaurant opened last week next to Healdsburg's Bistro Ralph (similarly shoebox-sized), featuring simple, rustic fare from the former Santi chef. The name refers to an ancient Italian card game that, like poker, requires plenty of bluffing, banter, booze and snacks to be properly played

Just a couple weeks into its new ownership, The Healdsburg Bar and Grill is noticeably changed under the watch of Cyrus' Nick Peyton and chef Douglas Keane. Though the look and feel is still very much the same as the old HBG--casual inside tables, t-shirted waitrons and kids running around the bocce ball court outside--the menu has been elevated to haute burger status

As owner of Sift, the Sonoma County's first official cupcakery, Ballus is dedicated to the art of killer cupcakes. With a baker's dozen (or so) flavors fresh made each day, she and her staff (of one) are barely keeping up with demand. Not exactly surprising when at least half the menu reads like a high-end cocktail list--Pink Champagne, Miami Vice, Limonata, the Irish Car Bomb and the Ooh La La. Cute, but just a little dangerous