Paneer Power

Himalayan Tandoori and Curry House

I'm about the least political person on the planet. I head for the hills when discussion starts to veer toward candidates, "anti" anything or involves sweaty, shouting people. Not that I don't have the utmost admiration for the advocates among us. I'm just more of an eater than a fighter.

So while Richard Gere, Ani DiFranco, Bono and countless others among you fight the good fight, BiteClub chooses a quieter, more delicious way to make a stand. Like, how about I spend a thoughtful afternoon eating daal, saag paneer, momo, tikka masala and naan at Himalayan Tandoori and Curry House? It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make over and over (and over) again for the betterment of humanity...and in support of the cuisine of our friends from Tibet.

Want to join my crusade? Here's the deal: Hidden in a Sebastopol strip mall, the year-old restaurant has flown way below the radar of most foodies. Relying mostly on word-of-mouth advertising, Tibetan owner Rajehh Moktan promptly won over local vegans with his brown rice, veggie tandoori, daal bhat (lentil soup) and meatless curries. No small feat in Sebastopol. But that's only a small part of the equation.

Omnivores can sink their teeth into lamb or seafood tandoori; a rich, creamy chicken tikka masala (which is naked without a dab of mango chutney) or the ultra-rich saag paneer curry with homemade cubes of cheese, fresh spinach, onions, spices and tomato sauce. To sop up every last dribble of sauce--and believe me, you'll want to--head straight for the garlic cilantro naan bread. Pace yourself as you dive into the half-moons with crisp edges and a soft middle studded with butter, herbs and garlic.

Manning the kitchen is Rajehh's cousin (also from Tibet) who cut his teeth at Sonoma's Taste of Himalaya and Rohnert Park's Shangri-La after having owned his own restaurant back home. Having never trekked through the Himalayas, the food's authenticity is better left to experts. I have however, watched Anthony Bourdain choke down yak meat in Nepal, and will venture to guess that Rajehh's take is probably more suited to American tastes. Note: If you're planning to be a hero, be warned that "spicy" can mean some serious heat. Mild or medium is a safe bet, though Raj says they strive to make chicken taste like, well, chicken no matter how hot you want it.

If you're keeping to mostly Tibetan-influenced dishes, steer toward the meat (or veggie) momo--filled dumplings that have much in common with potstickers. The restaurant serves them up with a tomato and cumin sauce that packs a punch. Fill up on daal bhat curry with rice and vegetables and mixed pickle chutney.

The rest of the menu borrows heavily from the cuisine of Nepal's Indian neighbors--not too surprising for a nation that survives mainly on lentil soup, rice, pickles and yak, uh, products (including butter and cheese). In Tibet, sustenance beats out complicated preparations and exotic spices. In India, not so much. Hindi influences show in kabobs, curries, masalas and vindaloos, as well as the desserts of gulab jamun (sweet, fried dough balls) and Kulfi (a sort of Indian ice cream).

Call it food inclusionism and make your own stand. Power to the Paneer.

Himalayan Tandoori and Curry House, 969 Gravenstein Hwy So, Sebastopol, 707.824.1800. Open for lunch from 11am to 2:30pm Monday through Saturday, Dinner from 5pm to 9pm Monday through Saturday. Closed on Sunday.

Big Boy's Buns and Burgers

Hospital food, I'm here to tell you, is every bit as awful as you've heard. Having just spent four days and nights in the pediatric ward, BiteClub would have traded a bed pan, four grape drinks, a slightly used IV bag and a several luxurious nights on the floor for a real hamburger. The distance between jubilant relief and ungrateful revulsion is only a hospital meal away.

Having recently been sprung (everyone is fine, thank you), it became mission critical to readjust my cholesterol and fat levels to their previous levels. Stat. Enter Big Boy's Buns and Burgers.

Around since 1963, it's got a local following that borders on rabid. Larkfield locals frequently line up at the walk-up windows, waiting patiently for their half-pound Big Boys and beer-battered onion rings for as long as it takes.

Worth the wait? Let me lay out the pros and cons. On the plus side are fresh patties, crisp fixins (tomatoes, lettuce and pickles), J-Lo sized buns and, of course, the special sauce. Minuses: An almost mess-free burger in need of a juice transfusion and a poor burger to bun ratio--too much of a good thing (in this case the bun) isn't always a good thing. Other minor annoyances included a lack of toast on the undersize of aforementioned bun and a serious lack of grilly goodness. Hey, those little crackly, crunchy bits off the spatula are what I'm here for.

The thick-cut fries and onion rings at Buns and Burgers are highly respectable companions, served up with plenty of salt. If you're going all out, I recommend indulging in a small order of each, or the chili-cheese fries if you really want to get that old heart beating triple time. Also on the menu is the bacon, ham and cheese burger, bbq cheese burger with onion rings, patty melt with swiss and grilled onions, fish and chips, chili cheese dogs, BLT sandwiches and daily specials (today's was pastrami).

Don't miss handmade ice cream shakes so thick you'll get a headache from sucking the straw. Just for good measure, take home a quart of co-owner George Fiori's minestrone soup, passed down from a special family recipe for generations. People swear by the stuff.

Despite the imperfections, its a hard act to follow, especially for the newcomers at Thumbs-Up Burger down the road in Windsor. Prior to our health fiasco, BiteClub and family stopped in for dinner, along with about half of Windsor. Already a popular spot on weekend nights, the deli-style restaurant serves up a decent burger in a hurry though it lacks serious inspiration. Paper plates and a lack of napkins make for a messy meal. Clearly they're still in start-up mode, and we'll give them a lilting thumbs-up for effort.

Overall, I've still got a soft spot for the now-defunct Chippery's Jesse James burger as the ßmeasure against which all burgers are, uh, measured in my all-beef patty world. But who can complain, really, after a week of Jell-O and beef broth?

Big Boy's Buns and Burgers, 406 Larkfield Shopping Center, Santa Rosa, (707) 546-6835, open daily from 7am to 7pm, Friday and Saturday until 8pm.

Thumbs Up Burger and Deli, 8465 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 300, Windsor, 707.837.7443. Open Monday through Sat., 6:30am to 9:30pm; Sunday 6:30am to 8:30pm.

PS. BiteClub wants to give a special shout-out to the awesome ER and pediatric staff of Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, including Rick, Gloria, Penny and all the super cool folks to made our stay comfortable--including bringing me the food that I've been so ungrateful for. Regardless, Miss Lucy and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. If you ever find yourself stuck in the hospital, may I recommend take-out from Sushi To Dai and Sea Thai Bistro which my man McNibs mercifully brought me during my incarceration. Thanks McNibs!

Top 100 restaurants?

The Bauer has spoken. Each year, the San Francisco Chronicle food critic bestows his blessings on a lucky 100 restaurants (see who they are) as "the best" of the year. In 2008 only four made the grade in Sonoma County. On the list: Rosso, Cyrus, Cafe La Haye and the Farmhouse Inn. That's it.

Really? Come on now. Sure, Rosso and Cyrus are undeniably stellar restaurants well worth the kudos. Cyrus has achieved transcendency in both service and putting it on par with any top restaurants in the country. The humbler Rosso has impressed locals with its consistency, great woodfired pizzas, commitment to organic/sustainable ingredients and wine program--all at a reasonable price.

And okay, I can't begrudge the Farmhouse Inn with its enviable wine program and consistently respectable food, but consistency can sometimes be a bit dull. What's got me scratching my head, however, was my intense disappointment with a seriously lackluster recent meal at Cafe La Haye. Is it really better than The General's Daughter? Better than Syrah? Better than Santi? Better than Cafe Saint Rose? Better than Willi's or Stark's Steakhouse?

But the choices are a little less surprising when you consider that only 19 are new to the list--less than one-fifth. The remaining 81 have been on the Top 100 previously, many for multiple years--some clearly for too many years. Is nostalgia playing too big a part in these decisions?

Because while I respect and admire Mr. Bauer, there isn't a decent restauranteur, especially previous winners, who don't recognize him in an instant. They know who all the critics are, no matter how anonymous they try to be, making me wonder how truly objective any of us who eat and drink for a living can truly be. Or how accurate our experiences. It's nearly impossible not to get attached (and even make excuses for) to a restaurant or a chef you've had especially fond experiences with. And dismiss someone who burns you even once. That's the painful truth.

Which isn't to say that Bauer doesn't get it right a lot of the time. It's a fascinating read to see who got bumped in 2008. Odyssey in Windsor got the boot (though it seemed to be a close call, and I've too heard of some inconsistency), as did Dry Creek Kitchen (which got a scathing diss). It's also rather shocking, considering the fact that they probably knew (or should have known) that Bauer was in the hosue.

It's a tough call, I can attest, to try and narrow to a brief list the best of the Bay Area. I'd struggle to come up with 100 Best Restaurants just in Wine Country. How do you compare the best spot for burritos and chiles rellenos with a three-star foie gras and microgreens spot? Maybe its worth a try...

So tell me. Who would you nominate for a Wine Country's Top 100 Restaurants list?

Tres Leches

In a fit of mommy-guilt, I once spent twelve hours constructing an edible tableaux of the pyramids at Giza for my son's fifth birthday--layer upon layer of homemade yellow cake and chocolate butter cream. It was a masterpiece, complete with brown sugar sand, plastic palm trees and camels. Even better, it tasted divine.

He, of course, hated it.

Okay, that's not really fair. He actually remembers it rather fondly. But at the time, we both knew he would have been much happier digging into a store-bought cake with fluorescent green frosting an a plastic Mutant Turtle on top.

I had felt the need to save his little untrained palate from certain disappointment. I had failed.

Such is the fate of parenthood. Homemade cakes give way to semi-homemade cakes, which give way to store-bought monstrosities so laden with shortening and sugar that the actual cake seems an afterthought. Maybe it's just hiding in shame.

But there is salvation to be found, and it's name is tres leches. Well-known to the fiesta-set, this creamy, dreamy, milk-laden cake is a homemade(ish) antidote to industrialized desserts.

The recipe goes like this--a pan of sponge cake gets jabbed and poked within an inch of its life, then doused with a mixture of evaporated and condensed milk, along with heavy cream (three milks=tres leches). Let soak, then cloak the whole thing in a n inch of whipped cream. Purists prefer their cake unadorned, though I think adding a layer of fruit makes for a better party.

The cakes ends up a bit like a thoroughly soused rum cake, minus the rum: Sweet, spongy and insanely moist--sometimes almost wet. The whipped cream frosting is rich, but goes down a lot better than heavy buttercream or (shudder) shortening-based frosting. !Ole!

No one's quite sure where this confectionery marvel got its start, although popular belief places its origins in Central America. More specifically, it's thought to have come from a recipe on the side of a sweetened or condensed milk can somewhere in Nicaragua--not such a wild theory due in part to the prevalence of canned milk in hot climates (where the fresh stuff doesn't last long).

The recipe remains popular in Latin American countries and, like flan and dulce de leche, has kindly infiltrated US food culture. You'll find it everywhere from local Mexican bakeries to the dessert menus of upscale restaurants (Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen in St. Helena frequently has it on the menu.)

Don't expect to walk up and get a slice, however. Cakes usually need to be ordered in advance from local Mexican bakeries (as BiteClub found out the hard way), but high-traffic spots like Lola's Market and (BiteClub's fave) Pasteles Fiesta usually have a selection on hand for walk-ins. Pasteles also has slices available with or without fruit for dabblers and lunch-breakers.

And yes, you can even get them decorated with green frosting, pink flowers and nifty toys. Making everyone happy.

If you go: Pasteles Fiesta offers a variety of authentic Mexican cakes, along with tasty individual-sized flans. A small tres leches cake will set you back about $20; the mini flans are just $2. 443 Dutton Ave, #1, Dutton Plaza, Santa Rosa, 707.568.7051.

If you want to make Tres Leches cake yourself (you ambitious cook, you) can check out the recipe that got me all inspired in the first place, courtesy of Alton Brown and the Food

Trisha's Lumpia House

Lunch started like a bad Abbot and Costello skit.

"Let's get halo halo," my friend said.
"Yeah, uh, hi there." Sometimes I mumble. Maybe she didn't hear my earlier salutations.
"No, halo-halo," she said.
"Hellooooooooo," I say again, thinking, sheesh Mel, get a hearing aid.
"No, they have halo-halo!"
"Uh, okay."
"It's like a milkshake. You'll like it," she laughs.

Mmmmm. Milkshake. BiteClub enjoys milkshakes.

On cue, Karen, our bubbly cruise director of Filipino cuisine/waitress sashays over. She has a giant smile, a wiggly, giggly way about her, and describes everything on the menu at Trisha's Lumpia House as "Really Good!" But aside from the fact that halo halo is really good, I'm not really following too much else she's telling me. She does seem a little dubious about us actually drinking the stuff.

"Halo halo!" arrives. Karen stands and watches Meloni and I look at the milkshake imposter like the cautious Midwestern girls we actually are."You like?" I'm pretty sure she's making fun of us.

Hmmm. Okay. Yes, it does look kind of like a milkshake. Except with a whole lot of ice on top and floaties swimming around at the foot of the glass. What else can we do but dive in and pull out the slimy treasure? Yum. Sweet ice cream, crunchy ice, mangoes, coconut and...crunch...uh, is that a garbanzo bean?

"You like it?" Karen's smiling and giggling again as Mel and I pick through the Filipino milkshake like archaeologists. We pull out and identify the shaved ice, diced mangos, strings of coconut meat, sweet red beans, garbanzos, ice cream and sweet gelatinous blobs of kaong (also called sugar palm fruit). Yes, we do like it. Minus the beans. Extra kaong. Karen is happy.

Going Pinoy is the name of the game at Trisha's Lumpia House, Sonoma County's first (as far as anyone we talked to knows) Filipino restaurant. Hidden in Petaluma's G&G Shopping Center, Karen tells us that much of the clientele are curious, um, obviously non-Filipino eaters like us and she's always happy to walk folks through the menu. She locks us onto Pork Adobo, lumpia (think fried spring rolls), pancit noodles (think Pad Thai or chowmein) and Sitaw at Kalabasa (long beans and squash in coconut milk).

It doesn't take long for the newly initiated to figure out who's contributed to the mash-up of flavors from these steamy Pacific Islands: China, Indonesia and Spain--mostly. So, like any good food adventurer, you'll want to dive right in. Start off with lumpia, ($3.25) crispy egg rolls similar to those you'd find at any Chinese restaurant, served with sweet chili dipping sauce. Pork adobo ($8.95) is a must-have dish, marinated in soy sauce, garlic and vinegar. It's the unofficial national dish of the Philippines and one of the first things kids learn to cool (kind of like your five year old making peanut butter and jelly).

Keep going with House Pancit,($.7.95) rice sticks and bean threads (clear, thin noodles) tossed with veggies and meat with a squeeze of lime. The restaurant also offers tradition Filipino plates of Bistek (Filipino beef steak), Afritada (a tomato-based pork and vegetable dish), oxtail in peanut sauce, and soup-based dishes like Nilaga, Sinigang Baboy and Hipon. Party trays of most dishes, as well as menudo and pork belly are also available. Oh, and yes, there is a Trisha. She just didn't happen to be there when we visited.

The tiny restaurant, with only a few tables and the obviously casual staff can be a bit intimidating at first, but when Karen's around, the place warms up quickly, with everyone chatting between tables. Check out what your neighbors are eating and ask lots of questions. Just don't fill up, because it's worth saving room for dessert. Karen's proud of the biko she frequently makes (she only rarely has kitchen duties), a sweet sticky rice in coconut syrup, along with flan and, of course, a nice big glass of halo-halo. With beans or without.

Trisha's Lumpia House, 701 Sonoma Mountain Parkway next to G&G Market, Petaluma,707.778.3845. Open for dine in or take out daily from 11am to 8:30pm.

Produce-centric eating in Napa: Ubuntu

Jeremy Fox spends a lot of time thinking about vegetables.

As chef of Napa’s quirky new veg-spot, Ubuntu, he’s a master of meat-free dining. But ask this stoic 31-year-old what he truly craves after a long shift serving cauliflower, arugula and rabe and the answer is surprisingly un-Zen.

“Steak,” says Fox. Spoken like a true carnivore. And somehow reassuring to folks more accustomed to bacon than brewer’s yeast on their plates.

Joining the Napa dining scene in late August, Ubuntu is hard to categorize. Housed in a reclaimed 19th century building, it’s a lofty space that brings together an open-kitchen and bar, communal dining and a yoga studio. Restaurant owner and yoga fanatic Sandy Lawrence’s choice of Fox--a former chef de cuisine of Manresa (a top-ranked Bay Area restaurant)--has kept foodies twittering anxiously since its opening.

But don’t please don’t use the v-word to describe Ubuntu. Both Fox and Lawrence (who admits to being an occasional carnivore) shudder at the restaurant being called “vegetarian,” citing the gourmet ghetto that most tofu and sprout eateries fall into. Leaving lentil salads to others, Lawrence leverages Fox’s classical cooking techniques-- like drying potato skins, adding highly flavored broths or hickory smoking Brussels sprouts, to intensify and concentrate flavors.

Winter’s signature dish is a cast-iron pot of roasted, pureed and raw cauliflower bubbling with exotic spices. Also on the menu are fried sunchokes and tomato relish; Brussels sprouts with celery root and cider vinegar gastrique; a perfectly poached egg atop pureed potatoes or a simple plate of baby radishes with fresh butter and sea salt. Fox’s wife, Deanie (also a Manresa alum), handles the desserts, with best bets being a luxurious layered cheesecake in a jar. Menus change up frequently, as produce comes in from the restaurant’s own organic gardens—so don’t expect today’s sprouts to be available a month from now.

And yes, be assured that Fox doesn’t skimp on the dairy (there’s no shortage of butter, cheese and cream. Though it’s not as prevalent as you might expect from a guy who’s worked with some seriously top toques. There are plenty of purely vegan bites that let the natural garden flavors shine through.

You have to wonder, however, if it isn’t a temptation once in a while to resort to chefs’ usual bag of tricks: Demiglace or, sheesh, even some chicken stock to goose up the flavors. Fox shrugs it off. Not really. The guy’s worked with uber-perfectionist Brit chef Gordon Ramsey, after all. He can handle the challenge.

So, is the food actually edible? Eminently. Critics recently squelched any lingering snickers, comparing Fox’s dishes to those of the nearby French Laundry and gushing over his “pristine” techniques. The restaurant’s impact has even been compared to the opening of Greens (a Bay Area vegetarian institution) in 1979. High praise for a restaurant devoted to the humble cauliflower and Brussels sprout.

Just don't call it vegetarian.

Del Secco Gelato

With 40 flavors on the menu, Del Secco's gelateria's has the scoop on Sonoma County's sweet tooth. The recently opened Rohnert Park shop features exotic sorbet and gelato (kind of like ice cream, but creamier) flavors including blood orange, cantaloupe, gingerbread, 50-50(think Creamsicle) and snowflake--a mixture of white chocolate and coconut.

The gelato's not made onsite, but by the uber-popular, flavor-savvy Gelateria Naia folks from the East Bay. Hungry yet? Grab a spoon.

Del Secco's, 6285 Commerce Blvd., Suite 308, Rohnert Park, 585.1100, open daily.

Superburger Re-opens

Change is never easy to swallow, but it goes down especially hard when it involves your favorite lunch.

In January Santa Rosa's classic burger joint, Gayle's, was sold by owners Gayle and Doug Dowling after nearly thirty years in the biz. Their tried-and-true formula was simple: honest burgers, fries and onion rings served up in red plastic baskets around an old school lunch counter. Pies were homemade, as were the milkshakes. Folks from the neighborhood packed the place and the waitresses greeted regulars by name.

Recently re-opened under new ownership, at first blush, not much appears to have changed. In fact, aside from a fresh coat of paint, new fixtures and the conspicuous absence of the giant menu hanging above the grill, the place feels pretty much like it always has. Milkshakes are still made the old-fashioned way--with ancient looking Hamilton Beach mixers, milk and ice cream. The pie rack still has fresh-made pies (from Mom's). The burgers are still fried up to order and the King Burger is still a charbroiled half-pounder with all the fixings.

So, now for the changes. Hold on to your napkins, I promise you'll be okay.

The name has changed slightly from Gayle's Superburger to The Original Superburger-- the "original" having something to do with the current owner's girlfriend's family having run the restaurant way back in the day. Works for me. The menu's also changed up to include several new burger creations including the St. Helena Avenue (a burger with BBQ sauce, bacon, cheddar and onion rings, $7.95), the Montecito Avenue (with bacon, Jack and guacamole, ($7.95), the McDonald Avenue (with mushrooms and warm Gorgonzola, $7.95) and, the Town and Country ($8.95), two mini-sized versions of any of the burgers on the menu. Great for indecisive folks. Extra work for new owner/grillmaster Bill, who's manning the flames solo. That means that when things really get hopping, you may want to grab a paper and settle in.

Also on new to the menu are Schwarz dogs, kosher weenies made in San Francisco, served straight up or with corned beef, cheese and kraut. Kids get top billing, as well, with their own menu of mini burgers, toasted cheese or (and honestly, I want one of these) toasted peanut butter, bananas and jam for $3.

Which is not to say there aren't a few kinks to work out. BiteClub's heard from you, and not everyone's singing the new Superburger's praises. Doing my own recon well after the lunch crush passed, I waited a good long while for a "medium" burger that was almost raw on the inside. I'm not afraid of pink meat, but I was afraid the thing might start mooing. I'm willing to chalk it up to opening week jitters because the staff was practically falling all over themselves to fix their snafus.

Hey, not everyone can work a grill like Doug and Gayle. But served up with a nice glass of fresh Meyer lemonade and a smile, a little change can be a good thing.

We'll see how things pan out over the next few months.

The Original Superburger, 1501 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 546-4016. Open 11am to 8pm Monday through Thursday, 11am to 10pm Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday.

Bear Foot Honey

I blame the bear for my indifference to honey. You know the one. It's that cute Yogi-inspired bottle that sits in every single one of our pantries filled with insipid, overly-sweet nectar. Blech.

Which is not to say there aren't some mighty sticky fingers around my desk this morning. (Would it be bad to eat 6oz. of raw honey in a single sitting? Just out of curiosity.) Because the Mint Thistle is about halfway gone. Raspberry Blossom's gone missing and Apple Blossom's being forked out of the bottle with alarming speed.

Good enough to eat right out of the jar, Sonoma County's own Bear Foot Honey (formerly Wine Country Honey) is some of the best raw artisan honey to be found. Setting up their bee boxes in lavender fields, apple orchards, raspberry patches and chestnut groves throughout the North Coast (and beyond), their delicately flavored honeys capture the essence of each. Make no mistake--the flavor of apple or raspberry isn't added to the honey by humans. Usually working within a short radius of the hive, the honey is flavored by the pollen of the nearby flowers.

Ranging in color from the lightest of yellows to darkest umber, visitors to their Guerneville Road store can taste through everything from chestnut and blueberry to mint thistle. Flavors change up from season to season and their rare chestnut honey usually gets snapped up in a hurry. Spring through late fall, owner Scott Nelson hosts twice-a-week tours and tastings for bee affectionados.

Adding to the mystique, Bear Foot is about to become biodynamically certified--the first in the country to do so. And though they can't control where the bees may roam (not are they expected to), owner Scott uses special boxes, handling and processing to make sure that the honey conforms to rigid standards.

Nelson, a former police officer, and sister Cheryl are both avid bee-fanatics, having grown up in the business and followed in their father and grandfather's footsteps. If they're not too busy, they'll talk you through each of the different flavored honeys and add plenty of colorful bee commentary. Ask them just how smart bees really are.

You can find Bear Foot Honey locally at Whole Foods, Pacific Market and other specialty shops, as well as at their production facility (which is currently under renovations, but open to the public) at 2971 Guerneville Rd, Santa Rosa. Tours will resume in the spring, but the tasting room remains open, and highly recommended. Bear Foot Honey, (707) 578-0797

Chloe's French Cafe

It’s rare that I’m speechless after a meal. Even rarer when that meal comes out of a take out box. But consider Ms. BiteClub stunned into a reverent silence for the now decimated container of Boeuf Bourgogne from Chloe’s French Cafe. Je suis dans l'amour.

Tipped off by a reader (thank you! thank you!), Chloe’s has been open for just a few weeks in the most unlikely of spots--the Landmark Executive building off Airway Drive in Santa Rosa. Both a sit-down cafe and take-away spot, there’s no exterior signage to tip eaters off to this bonanza of French brasserie-style fare: homemade croissants, brioche, sandwiches (including a hearty Nicoise and zut alor, Croque Monsieur--Béchamel sauce, baked ham and Gruyere on bread) and soups.

But it’s the weekly specials you’re here for, the Bourgogne this week, and at the whim of the chef, things like Coq au Vin and more, usually under $10.

The Bourgogne, which is basically a long-simmered beef and vegetable stew with a heavy dose of red wine, is served on a square of gratin potatoes. I usually really dislike the stuff, because the meat can get tough and gamey and the veggies mushy. With chunks of still-intact mushroom and carrot comingling with beef that literally falls apart in your mouth, BiteClub has is rethinking Bourgogne altogether. The dish should be on the menu through the week and will hopefully reappear throughout the winter.

It should come as little surprise that behind the restaurant are two French brothers, Alain (the pastry chef) and Marc (the sommelier) Pisan whose family have been artisinal bakers for generations. Alain’s wife, Renee (an American) heads up the café and catering kitchen, having immersed herself in the art of French cuisine.

With the remnants of a hazelnut crème puff still on my fingers, BiteClub can confidently report that desserts are Parisian-quality. Alain whips up feather-light éclairs, tarts and cakes each day, most under $3, and some under $2. Raspberry mousse tart? Please.

Marc is putting his wine skills to go use by offering up a happy hour each Friday evening from 4 to 6pm, featuring French and local wines. There are plans for cooking and wine pairing classes in the near future. Sign up for their newsletter at chloesco.com.

So okay, you have your marching orders, eaters. Get steppin’ to Chloe’s. Rapidement! I’ve still got some pastry-eating to do.

If you go: Take the Mendocino exit off 101 and head down Hopper Avenue (look for the Kohl’s Department Store). Make a right on Airway Drive (you think you’re headed for a dead-end) and turn left into the Landmark Executive Center. Go to the far parking lot and enter through the main entrance. Chloe’s is on the left, just use your nose.

Chloe’s French Café, 3883 Airway Dr., Suite 145, Santa Rosa, 707.528.3095. Open 7:30am to 5pm weekdays. Closed on weekends.

Do you have a favorite restuarant you'd like me to know about? Email me at biteclub@pressdemo.com

Bistro Jeanty: So French you'll belch the Marseillaise

From pig's feet and escargot to jellied bone marrow, the French have an uncanny ability to drown pretty much anything in béchamel or brown butter and make it exceptional. But what keeps eaters beating a path to Chef Philippe Jeanty's Yountville restaurant is his elevation of rustic cuts and home-style French cooking from merely palatable to universally comforting.

A perennial vote-getter on the Chronicle's Top 100 Bistro Jeanty is oft-lauded as Wine Country's most authentic French country bistro. A native of Champagne and the opening chef of Domaine Chandon, Jeanty's menu features simple dishes like rabbit terrine, Coq Au Vin, cassoulet, Sole Meuniere, steak frites, foie gras pate, fried smelt and roasted bone marrow--classics informed by a mother's kitchen and hometown bistros. Classics that, to the consternation of some and comfort of others, remains constant. (Beef stew and cassoulet in summer? Really?)

In warm weather, the small patio is a favorite spot for sipping espresso and lingering over crepes Suzette. Inside, the restaurant is intimate and cozy, painted in a soothing tone of buttercup and plastered with vintage French adverts and Marcel Pagnol posters. Lace curtains adorn the windows and a country bicyclette sits parked outside with flowers in its basket. Calculated charmant, bien sur. Mais charmant.

Best bets on the lunch/dinner menu include the pork belly and lentils ($14), fried smelt, and Entrecote frites (a grilled rib eye steak with fries and Bearnaise sauce, $28), tomato soup in puff pastry ($8.75), and Coq au Vin ($16.50).

Daily specials supplement the menu--like a recent Sunday's addition of bone marrow. Not the easiest dish to approach, it's elegantly crude. High level stuff even for experienced gourmands, it amounts to gently scooping out the inside of a roasted cow femur, spreading the gelatinous goo on a crouton and moaning ecstatically. And while a silver spoon, civilized drip of Bordelaise and swig of Cotes du Rhone helps the process feel less flagrantly carnivorous, one can't help listening cautiously for the disapproving clucks of angry vegans.

With the opening of Jeanty at Jack in SF and PJ Steak (which has since closed) fans howled (as fans often do) that consistency had begun to suffer. Along those lines, the Sole Meuniere ($18.50) was the meal's only casualty. And while it was perfectly okay, the flavors were a bit muddy and tired. The brown butter seemed oilier and less nutty than expected. The citrus tang that I so love in this dish was only in the small bits of cut lemon I had to squeeze myself. And the capers were merely window dressing. Perhaps I should have followed the old adage about fish on Sunday and stuck with the steak.

Desserts keep the French accent with a focus on rich crème brule and delicate crepes Suzette with orange butter. For a change of pace, skip the sweet stuff and tuck into a nice slice of Epoisse (served a bit chilly for my taste, but nonetheless stinkily delightful) with candied walnuts and poached pear as you ponder post-modern existentialism and the brilliant humor of Jerry Lewis.

Bistro Jeanty, 6510 Washington Street, Yountville, 707.944.0103

Peter Lowell's: Sebastopol organic

Despite the construction dust, cardboard-covered floors and heady smell of fresh paint, things are cooking at the forthcoming Peter Lowell's Café in Sebastopol. Not so much the hearth-baked pizzas or braised rapini planned for their late-September opening; not the minestrone or fresh bagels listed on the first menu; not even a hint of dandelion greens. Instead, it's the sizzle and pop of a big idea about to be served.

Co-owned by former Seattle Chef Steven Peyer and Sebastopol native Lowell Sheldon, the back-story goes like this: Two young guys working in a Pacific Northwest restaurant start daydreaming about their own place--a place where they can express their mad passion for "produce-based" (read vegetarian with some local seafood thrown in for flexitarians) with an Italian flair.

Fast-forward three years and the two are putting the finishing touches on their 100 percent organic and sustainable café/pizzeria serving casual breakfast, lunch and dinner fare. Mission accomplished.

Tucked into a green-building community of live/work lofts still under construction (but scheduled for completion in the fall), the restaurant has a built-in audience of folks who get the whole green vibe. Which is exactly the idea. Peyer and Sheldon envision the café as something of a community kitchen where folks can stop by for coffee (Ecco, of course) and a bagel, a pizza or salad for lunch and fresh made risotto for dinner, along with a glass of biodynamic wine. (Sheldon's father happens to be the architect of the community.)

Sound familiar? After the launch of West County Grill, Rosso and Ubuntu in fairly short order (all of which owe much to Alice Waters' decades-old philosophies on food), the idea of gourmet pizzas, designer greens and personal relationships with producers does have that déjà vu all-over-again feel.

But Lowell and Peyer hope to differentiate themselves by, well, just being themselves--falling somewhere between earthy-crunchy and high-concept and focusing heavily on solid flavors. "Our slightly off-kilter attitude towards business -one where people, animals and the environment come before profits, where organic is a way of life and where the highest quality cuisine is a top priority--is in keeping with our community's standards," says their menu.

Watch for details on their opening. Meanwhile, you can peruse their website at www.peterlowells.com

Fig pizza con prosciutto e karma

This isn't a story about Ubuntu. But it starts there, on a very hot, very sticky Napa afternoon not so long ago--in fact last Friday. The story opens with BiteClub standing a the dark, all but empty restaurant wondering...um...exactly what happened to the breakfast and lunch service scheduled to start last week.

No dice. Maybe in a few weeks, they said. Maybe not. And so go restaurant openings.

Which wouldn't be a total tragedy but for the mouthwatering tales of fig pizza and Epoisse lavished on me by a girlfriend who'd eaten there just last night. Fig pizza. Epoisse. Say no more. "But I just kept thinking," she lamented, "that fig pizza would have been so much better with a little prosciutto on it."

Because, really, what isn't? But BiteClub regrets to inform readers that--at least on the opening menu at Ubuntu--"vegetable-inspired meals-to be enjoyed by both omnivores and herbivores" translate as vegetarian/vegan. No ham. No bacon. No prosciuitto. And on that hot afternoon, no lunch.

Cursing this second strike-out at the Napa newcomer, I called in my late-afternoon safety--the one valley spot that would definitely be open, definitely be packed and almost certainly have pizza (fig or not) to console my bruised karma: Bistro Don Giovanni.

Double-parked limos and cell-phone-yacking wine barons (this is crush after all) along the sidewalk belie the fact that Don Giovanni is, in fact, a pretty casual spot. It's Napa's hang-out--where everyone from the mommy-tracked to the fast-tracked rub elbows and chow on house-made focaccia, strawberry lemonade, bistro burgers and rustic pastas.

Around since 1993, the restaurant (owned by Donna and Giovanni Scala) has always fallen a bit below the radar of tourists despite having amazing patios, an impressive wine list and consistently impressive Cal-Ital (heavy on the Ital) dishes like carpaccio, lamb meatballs, lemon-cream ravioli and roasted chicken. Call it a blessing, though you'll often have to wade through locals crammed like sardines around the bar to get to your table. You'll live.

And alas, there on the menu was my edible Holy Grail (at least for today): A wood-fired fig pizza with gorgonzola, caramelized onions and, you guessed it, prosciutto. Ciao bella. Crispy, thin, smoky and savory with fresh slices of sweet fig. All the better with a crisp glass of rose and worth every bit of $14, mi amore.

Who needs karma? Just add prosciutto.

Bistro Don Giovanni, 4110 Howard Lane, Napa, 707.224.1090.

New restaurant openings

Fire it up
Toques off to the fall crew of the Santa Rosa Junior College Culinary Café, which re-opened on Wednesday. With their every move on display in the open teaching kitchen and fishbowl bakery, the heat is on these eager chefs-to-be from day one. The debut menu includes a variety of seasonal dishes--from spiced carrot and potato soup with tomato chutney to heirloom tomatoes, veggies from their own organic farm and fresh peach pie. With the focus on hands-on experience, you may get the culinary equivalent of a fuzzy beauty school perm from time to time (please, no cantaloupe on my Pavlova). But at rock-bottom prices ($3.50 for salads and desserts, around $8.50 for entrees) it's worth the risk to fully explore the a la carte menu. Best of all, tips help keep these young chefs in their whites. The bakery is open weekdays for coffee and fresh-made pastries. Check out front-of-the-house fixture Betsy Fischer and SRJC culinary guru Michael Salinger's food and wine pairing experiences on selected Fridays through October--two hour sessions featuring fresh, local ingredients and three Sonoma County wines. SRJC Culinary Arts Cetner, 458 B Street, Santa Rosa. Reservations recommended (but not always necessary): 707.576.0279.

Help launch Santi's new restaurant
Chef Dino Bugica and owner Doug Swett of Santi recently purchased the defunct Smokehouse just a few steps away from their Geyserville restaurant. With plans to open an "old World pizzeria" to accompany Santi, the crew are seeking investment from the community. If you've got deep pockets and a hankering for all the salumi you can eat, give them a buzz. Santi Restaurant, 707.857.1790

New Chinese
A second Jennie Low's has opened in Theater Square serving up regional Chinese dishes from the recipe box of long-time cooking teacher, Jennie Low. The Novato outpost, opened in 1992, remains open. C St. and 2nd, Petaluma, 707.762.6888.

Ready to eat the worm?
P-town is also about to get a new tequila bar and restaurant come mid-to-late September. Tres Hombres, which has a rockin' outpost in Chico, will feature 60 kinds of tequila along with Cal-Mex inspired food. Ole! Check out the menu.

Shangri-La

After a rather horrifying incident with yak butter tea a few years ago, I pretty much swore off any further experiences with Tibetan food. Yak can do that to a person.

A recent shout-out by a BiteClubber over my noticeable lack of Indian coverage, however, prompted me to take another look at Shangri-La, a Himalayan spot I'd actually been a little nervous about trying since it's opening a couple years ago. Remember the yak tea?

Now, depending on who you ask, foods of the Himalayas are either closely related to Indian cuisine or, well, not related at all. It's a matter of perspective and location, really. Things like momo--a Himalayan specialty made from minced meat or vegetables wrapped in dough (think Chinese dumplings) seem to have little to do with the creamy curries, raitas and paneer more familiar further south. Nepali staples like a hearty daal (lentil soup), however, feel right at home with their Indian brethren.

Regardless, at this busy Rohnert Park favorite, the cuisines pal around quite nicely. The menu includes house-made Nepali meat and vegetable momo, vegetarian lentil soups as well as sizzling Tandoori, samosa, curry, steaming naan (made fresh after you order, and some of the best I've had) and yes, even the Anglo-corrupted Tikka Masala.*

Carnivore or vegetarian, the mash-up of owner Meenakshi Sharma's homeland foods and familiar Indian favorites makes for some pretty diverse eating. Many of the curries, samosa, momo and paneer are available without meat and baked salmon tandoori is a house specialty for fish-itarians. And, nearly everything is made fresh daily, so you won't be getting yesterday's leftover tandoori.

Forget about going carb-free, here. The pillowy-hot naan and flowery jasmine rice (they infuse the rice with a special blend of herbs) are absolute can't-miss-sides. A point of pride at the restaurant is to keep the heat down (though you can request anything from mild to wild) so the subtle spices and unique flavors shine through.

Lunch specials are offered Monday through Friday from 11:30 to 3pm for $7.99, a nice value as prices for entrees and curries can get steep ($8.99 and up for curry, $13.99 and up for tandoori platters).

And thankfully, no yak butter tea.

Shangri-La Food From the Himalayas, 1706 East Cotati Ave. at Wolf Den Plaza, Rohnert Park, 707.793.0300. Closed Sunday.

* Yep, Tikka Masala is the chow mein of chicken of Indian food. Though its origins are sketchy, most agree that the creamy tomato curry didn't originate in India, but rather somewhere in the UK. Sorry to burst your bubble. I actually love the stuff, too. Read the wiki.

Downdog & dinner: Ubuntu opens

Napa's long-awaited new restaurant and yoga studio, Ubuntu, officially opened last Thursday. Curious crowds packed into the restored 19th century building to get a glimpse, quickly overwhelming the kitchen. In fact, BiteClub couldn't find a single morsel to be nibble on, leaving the opening party hungry and well-jostled.

The menu will lean heavily on the restaurant's own biodynamic gardens, featuring lots of fruits and veggies. Flexitarians and carnivores take note, however: Ubuntu is hardly a wheat-grass shack and will offer up meat and dairy.

The vibe is redeco-yoga-chic--exposed bricks and beams commingle with Asian artifacts, sleek booths and ultra modern lighting. C'est so Napa.

The upstairs yoga studio overlooks the restaurant, but word is that the spot has been specially insulated so that cooking smells and restaurant noise won't distract ohm-chanters above. Still, does anyone else find it strange to be doing yoga in a restaurant?

Ubuntu is open for dinner this week, and will serve breakfast and lunch starting Aug. 27. Stay tuned.

Ubuntu, 1140 Main St., Napa, 707.251.5656

Rosso Pizzeria & Wine Bar

You had me at burrata.

With a menu that reads like a Sicilian love letter, former Tra Vigne Chef John Franchetti's newly opened Rosso Pizzeria & Wine Bar ain't your average pie shop. The remodeled space in Santa Rosa's Creekside Center focuses on paper-thin prosciutto, fresh-made tapenades, signature salads, antipasti and bubbling wood-fired pizzas.

No ravioli. No manicotti. No frozen breadsticks. No crap.

Instead, Franchetti sticks to fresh, simple piatto that let the flavors of his painstakingly-chosen, organic and sustainable products shine through. Like Franchetti's house made burrata--a fresh milk mozzarella stuffed with ricotta.* Sourcing the curds from an award-winning local cheese maker who learned the craft from his Italian grandfather, Franchetti forms the fresh, pillowy cheese by hand and serves it with nothing more than a wink of olive oil, salt and pepper. It's heaven on a plate.

In fact, the SR-native actually gets contagiously giddy talking about his organic salad mix from Sebastopol, the reverse-osmosis water used for the dough (which he makes several times daily) and signature veal and pork meatballs with marinara. Franchetti even cops to the fact that after reading Jeff Cox's recent rail about imported olive oil, he decided to use locally sourced (and definitely not cheap) McEvoy Ranch oil exclusively. Both on the menu and in the kitchen, he pays homage to his producers--Rafter Ranch, Redwood Hills, Love Farms and Point Reyes-- rather than the usual lip-service to distract from the SYSCO truck pulling up out back.

Opening standouts include fritto misto made with calamari and local organic veggies with a green chile aioli; $3 "snacks" of crispy pizzetta and fresh made tapenades (don't miss the creamy 'pesce' spread made with fish, lemon and mascarpone); salads (like the Rosso Caesar with chopped Sonoma romaine, lemon anchovy dressing, gorgonzola and Calabrian chilies, $8.50); 'piadine' flat breads with salads piled on top; or fresh pizzas with toppings of Sonoma white corn, roasted peppers, red onion, arugula and Redwood Hill goat cheese.

Plans are in the words for an expanded prosciutto and salumi menu, with more locally sourced meats. The wine bar offers up a large list of well-chosen organic, sustainable and biodynamic wines from Sonoma County and beyond. Kids get healthy treatment, too, with their own menu of pint-size pizzas, roasted chicken, salads and fried house-made mozzarella.

So despite one slight word of caution--Franchetti doesn't go easy on the garlic--this is truly one of the most promising restaurant openings in the last year. So, uh, you'll know where to find me for lunch over the next few weeks. Pass the burrata, please.

Rosso Pizzeria & Wine Bar, Creekside Center, 53 Montgomery Dr., Santa Rosa, 707.544.3221.

*Okay cheese nerds, here's the deal: Burrata typically refers to fresh mozzarella stuffed with cream and bits of mozzarella. Historically the cheese is wrapped in fresh leeks to signify its freshness (if they're not still green, it's too old) and consumed within days of being made. The real Italian stuff is near impossible to find in the states unless it's flown in. Some refer to Franchetti's version of burrata as 'burricotti', since it is filled with ricotta rather than cream.

Na Thong

Located in the hinterlands of south Santa Rosa Avenue, Na Thong is too good a secret not to let BiteClubbers in on. Sandwiched between a coffee/BBQ shop and a tattoo parlor in, er, a rather colorful part of town the month-old restaurant is serving up some solid Laotian and Thai cuisine to those intrepid enough to find it.

The menu has a number of familiar favorites (egg rolls, satay, tom kha gai soup, pho and pad thai), but what really got my attention were the not-so-familiar items like crispy deep fried quail ($7.95), yum talay (calamari, mussels, scallops and prawsn with lemon grass, citrus leaves, onion, mint leaves and roasted rice with smoked chili sauce, $9.95); and a tamarind-infused peanut curry (kang musmun, $8.95). Laotian-style dishes like shredded green papaya salad ($6.95) and several larb dishes (larb is the national dish of Laos, and is usually made from minced meat--duck, beef, pork or chicken--mixed with spices like lemon grass, mint, onion and chili sauce.) Plus, green, yellow and two types of red curry.

Though the spot isn't fancy, service is attentive and gracious with attention to small details--ornate rice serving bowls, attractive dishware and little plastic flowers on each table. Not the kind of thing you usually find in this neck of the woods.

Need more incentive? Sticky rice, warm peanut sauce and Thai karaoke Thursday through Saturday nights.

Na Thong, 3446 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707.206.0884

Rosso & Bianco: Coppola's new Sonoma digs

Leave it to Francis Ford Coppola to set a scene.

Fade in on the director posed like a seersucker Santa waiting for Christmas. Three! Two! One! The crowd cheers and with a hearty tug, Coppola reveals the name of his new winery: Rosso & Bianco. On cue, the letters buzz to life in a red, neon glow and the satisfied Coppola walks silently off camera, stage left. And-cut.

So okay, it's no Apocalypse Now. It is, however, a pretty enticing invitation to Frances' new house in Geyserville, now that some of the dust has settled. BiteClub decided to take some brownies up to the new neighbors.

Though not much has changed outside, the interior has Coppola stamped all over it--from the Marie Antoinette-meets-The Godfather aesthetic (chateau chic with a side of marinara) to literally being peppered with well-wishing graffiti for the director's recent birthday.

Wine gets the same treatment. Forget about getting any of that schwanky $120 Rubicon stuff here. They don't sell it. Coppola's Sonoma outpost is about easy-drinking sippers at paisan prices. At the spaghetti-and-meatballs end are his Bianco and Rosso wines, served free at the tasting bar in tumblers rather than stemware. Sophia bubblers and roses are wine crack for the donnas, all cute and pink and tulle-covered, while the Director's Cut and funky FC Reserves make a quieter play for your attention.

But wine is only part of the show. Ever the pitchman, Coppola doesn't miss an opportunity to sell you on his Mammarella line of pasta sauces; copies of his literary magazine, Zoetrope; tasteful goodies inspired by daughter, Sophia; movie memorabilia or his nifty line of Vinoflage clothing. Think camo for the vineyard-set. (The horror.)

Down the hallway, Coppola's Unnamed Café is a temporary, but serviceable spot to grab a plate of fresh-cooked pasta or a panini on the deck. Plans are in the works for a full-service restaurant in the next year or so, though reviews have been somewhat unkind to his two previous Bay Area brasseries. Fingers crossed. Movie buffs shouldn't miss Coppola's Oscar display in the lobby, though most of the director's film mementos (formerly housed in the Napa winery) aren't yet on public display. Tours and tasting are offered daily.

Though it's a bit early to say whether the new Rosso & Bianco Winery will be a SoCo hit or just another bit of Wine Country typecasting, so far it smells like victory. At least in the morning.

Rosso & Bianco Winery, 300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville, 707.857.1400

Sky Lounge opens: Houston, we have a problem

After months of anticipation Sky Lounge has opened for business in the Sonoma County Airport.

The second area restaurant for Shiso's Ed Metcalfe (who runs a popular sushi-centric spot in Sonoma) the in-terminal eatery is primed to nab both hungry travelers and nearby office park workers starved for a decent lunch-break spot.

Jammed to capacity just a few hours after opening, Sky Lounge could easily become the next Jonesy's--the Napa Airport's popular steakhouse/meet-up spot. That's the good news.

The bad news: At today's liftoff the kitchen had yet to earn its wings.

Knowing Metcalfe's passion for seafood, my instinct was to head straight for the shellfish. My instinct was wrong. Hold out for the sushi chef who arrives next week. Three of the six oysters I ordered off-menu were barely big enough to slip onto a fork and their $13 price tag wasn't the only thing that left an unpleasant aftertaste in my mouth. I also made incorrect assumption that I'd be getting big, plump, local Hog Island oysters, but got a bill for Fanny Bays (which usually hail from the Pacific Northwest). Either way, disappointing.

The Soft Shell Crab BLT ($15) also sounded enticing with applewood smoked bacon, fried soft shell crab and wasabi mayonnaise on toasted brioche. It too left me cold and searching between the slices of bread, lettuce and tomato for the tiny bits of crab that ended up tasting bitter and fishy. The flavors just didn't meld and the burned bits of toast clearly didn't help.

Passing burgers looked solid, though they were as unimpressively plated as my own sandwich (white plate, no garnish) and with equally bland stacks of diner-worthy fries. I'll accept that at $7. But not at $12 to $15, especially from someone like Metcalfe who clearly knows better. One bright spot was a beautiful dish of salmon (the day's special) that passed by on the way to a lucky guest who'd ordered better than I had.

I also didn't try the large plates of rib-eye, filet mignon, hangar steak and porterhouse. Prime cuts will run you between $24 and $32 with sides that include the aforementioned fries, mashed or roasted potatoes; creamed spinach, Brussels sprouts or carrots. That's a heavy chunk of change for lunch and the sides seem deadly dull. I get the retro-chic of a blue cheese lettuce wedge. Brussels sprouts lack that clever irony.

But the news isn't all bad. Even on the first day, wait staff were eager to please and well organized despite understandable opening snafus. I'm hopeful that the arrival of a sushi chef and the daily influx of more fresh seafood (there's little on the opening menu) will bolster oceanic offerings and presentation will improve as the kitchen gets more comfortable with the menu.

In the end, I'd recommend giving Sky Lounge a little more time for some pre-flight checks. If you go, stick with the basics and enjoy the view--never mind a little engine spluttering.