Odyssey: Hidden Windsor spot won't stay secret long

Chefs are a notoriously fickle bunch to feed. Anyone worth their whites can sniff out undercooked pasta at 100 yards and won't hesitate to dress down a fellow cook (usually behind their back) with devastating candor if the fries are frozen or the spinach wilted. Suffice to say it's not just their knives that are razor sharp.

So, when word gets out that local toques have been frequenting Windsor's new Odyssey Restaurant after-hours, my foodie feelers start tingling. When I find out that the chef, Rudy Mihall, cut his teeth at Gramercy Tavern, spent two years in Italy and, according to an email from Jeff Mall "won't be under the radar much longer", my wheels are pretty much smoking in the rush to get there.

Nestled into the tiny space formerly occupied by L'Assiette, Odyssey has just 10 tables and a long, glowing bar that dominates the space. There's little room to maneuver, but proximity can have its benefits--like the ability to chum up to your neighbors and pilfer a little nibble from their plate. Not that I'm suggesting you do this uninvited. But when a ridiculously huge foie gras burger comes to the table, the urge is, well, irresistible.

In the six weeks since opening, Odyssey has breezed past the nervous tension and bungling that are the hallmark of first-timers and settled comfortably into wowing the locals. Mihall has clearly mastered the confines of his small kitchen (allowing more time for his creative coiffures) while friend and SF restaurateur Tom Gordon manages the front of the house.

The menu changes up daily, with house favorites like the pizza, burger and beet tartare as staples. Despite not having a wood-fired oven, Mihall cranks out impossibly thin and crispy pizzas, topped with arugula, pancetta and fresh mozzarella ($13-$15). And no, he won't tell you the secret to how he makes them. Starters show off Mihall's flair for the dramatic: Beet tartare ($10) with sunflower greens is a jewel-toned vision almost too pretty to eat and chilled pea soup with poached lobster (with, get this, pickled ramps) is packed with bits of meat that make its $12 price tag seem a bargain.

Capping off the food frenzy, you'll want to check out the foie gras burger ($21), if just to say you've done it. It's a layer upon layer of flavor (and cholesterol): black truffles, braised short ribs and foie gras encased by beef sirloin. It's not an easy thing to pull off--keeping the exterior from drying out completely, while making sure the inside isn't blood raw. Mihall gets it as close to right as anyone possibly could, searing the outside and finishing the whole affair in the oven. Roasted tomatoes and a brioche bun just add to the dedadence. Thing is, the burger's far too large to actually fit in your mouth, so just split one round the table. I don't want to be responsible for any of you keeling over in coronary arrest if you brave it alone.

Dessert hasn't quite worked itself out yet. Considering the sweet teeth of local clientele and late(ish) hours, we'll look forward to some creativity in this department to cap off the meal. No worries. Just ask the chef sitting at the end of the bar for a few ideas.

If you go: The spot is a little hard to find, hidden in a far corner of the Town Green and signage is minimal. Considering the buzz, you may want to call ahead for reservations. The restaurant has a considerable wine list featuring many local wines, in addition to a large selection of Italian reds and whites.

Odyssey Restaurant, 426 Emily Rose, Circle, Windsor, 707.836.7600. Open Tuesday through Thursday, 5pm to 10pm; Friday and Saturday, 5pm to 11pm.

Get Buzzed: Summer's all about honey booze

Just in time for a mass bee die-off, honey has become the hottest alcohol flavoring of the year. Seems whatever apiaries are left will be putting in some serious overtime.

No longer relegated to Renaissance Fairs, mead (an ancient recipe for wine made with honey instead of grapes) is among the most popular bee brews, with companies like Colorado's Medovina refining the process to create high-end wines ranging from super sweet to off-dry sippers perfect for a late summer evening. Closer to home Enat Winery in Oakland brews Ethiopian mead called tej using an old family recipe. But because of its relative simplicity to make and similarity to beer brewing, local honey purveyors say there are dozens of home mead makers throughout the county cooking up their own batches.

More accessible to honey, uh, newbees are honey beers and ciders. Near Graton, Ace Cider makes Apple Honey Cider using Gibson's Golden Wildflower Honey from Sonoma County. Claiming to be the first commercially produced in California, the cider is a mix of 5% honey and 95% Sonoma apple juice. Cider Master Lou Markarian says that despite its sweet honey taste, the cider is balanced by a tart acidity from the apples.

Though they only brew about 5,000 gallons of the honey cider a year (it's an acquired taste, reportedly), Ace uses a whopping 150 gallons of honey per year. That's about a year's production for two hives, according to the San Francisco Bee Keeper's Association. The honey cider is available on tap at Ace Pub, as well as in bottles at select Whole Foods, Bevmo, Costco and Trader Joe's.

While at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, BiteClub was two-fisting Blue Moon Honey Moon Summer Ale, which marries flavors of orange peel and organic honey with a light, crisp beer. A winner at the 2007 American Beer Festival, it's available through BevMo.com.

Still can't get enough of the sweet stuff? Check out Matrioshka Honey Vodka, Modern Spirit Grapefruit Honey Vodka or Wild Turkey American Honey Liqueur which can also be found through BevMo. Whisky mead is available from Friary Vintners in the UK.

But no matter what your drink, this summer you're in for a serious buzz.

Find out more:
- Create your own mead
-San Francisco Beekeeper's Association
- Ace Cider
-Medovina
- Mead Resource Guide