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.

General's Daughter: The Comeback Kid?

Everyone loves a comeback story. All the better when it involves Kobe beef.

After years of lurking in the shadows as a solid, but not particularly innovative Sonoma institution, the General's Daughter has been reinvented as one of the most consistently impressive restaurants in Wine Country. No easy task.

Because the only thing more difficult than opening a restaurant is trying to change the public's perception of an existing eatery--especially when that perception is one of bridge club luncheons and wedding rehearsal dinners. (I held mine there 10 years ago.)

But with quiet perseverance over the last two years, Chef Preston Dishman has been winning over the hearts, minds and stomachs of locals with his southern take on California classics. Backed by the restaurant's new owners, Floridians Jim and Bettie Hall, Dishman's been given free reign over the menu, marrying southern ingredients like andouille sausage with local tomatoes, Dungeness crab cakes with creole mustard butter or goat cheese beignets. He is, after all, a Southern boy.

Dishman stops, however, well short of making the whole thing feel hokey and forced. Calling his food New American with a distinct Southern drawl, Dishman's obvious mastery of classic French techniques serve as a solid platform for his experimentation in Cal-Ital-Lowcountry cooking.

Bottom line: This ain't just collard greens and grits. Think foie gras with roasted peaches; heirloom tomatoes with spicy rock shrimp and basil vinaigrette; buttermilk panna cotta with blueberry gelee, brown sugar streusel and blueberry sorbet; venison with harissa spiced carrots. And, okay, West Coast shrimp & grits with andouille and Tabasco butter. (See a sample menu)

It took a plate of Dishman's slow braised American Kobe short ribs at a recent winemaker dinner, however, to seal the deal. Swoon-inducing, the ribs were melt-in-your-mouth bits of meat and sweet sauce piled on a potato puree (more butter than potatoes, Dishman admits with a smirk) with baby spinach. Professional courtesy was all that kept me from a gushing bear hug of thanks.

Maybe next time. This comeback story still has plenty of chapters waiting to be written.

If you go: Dishman's menu is arranged by courses, with diners selecting three ($49), four ($61) or five ($73). All menu items are available a la carte, however, should you (and you will) want to share a few extra dishes. "Beginnings" range from salads to oysters; "The Deep Blue" showcase Preston's skill with seafood (sea scallops with Israeli couscous, Maine lobster with potato gnocchi, tomato and mascarpone cream); "Field and Forest" (lamp chops, beef with polenta, duck breast), a cheese course and dessert (fig tart, buttermilk panna cotta, Meyer lemon crème brulee). The menu change up depending on what's fresh and seasonal, and Dishman likes to use fresh produce from his chef's garden at Benziger Winery.

General's Daughter, 400 West Spain Street, Sonoma, 707.938.4004

Trip to Bountiful: Eating your way to Point Reyes

Need a little summer getaway? BiteClub heads for the beach, stopping to pick up plenty of provisions along the way.

Santa Rosa to Tomales: Passing through Petaluma, head out toward the town of Tomales. It's an incredibly scenic ride through golden hillsides dotted with eucalyptus groves. About 30 minutes out, you'll enter this cozy historic outpost that's home to the Tomales Bakery. And, uh, not a whole lot else. Best known for their fresh-made breakfast pastries, the shop opens at 7:30am, usually to a waiting crowd. By early afternoon, the shop is pretty picked over, but you can usually find a pizzetta or two to tide you over until you hit Tomales Bay. Need provisions? If you've just gotta get a sandwich, there's also a deli next door with coffee and the usual lunchtime suspects. (But hey, you're holding out for the oysters!) Tomales Bakery, 27000 Highway 1, Tomales, 707.878.2429. Open Thursday through Sunday from 7:30am until they run out of food.

Hog Island Oysters: As you get to the bay, the signs for BBQ oysters abound. If you're feeling adventurous (and have made a reservation well in advance) Hog Island Oysters sells fresh-from-the-bay oysters onsite and has a popular picnic spot right on the bay for grilling them up yourself. Not lucky enough to get a picnic spot, it's worth crunching over the oyster shells in the parking lot and stopping in just to see the "Farm" where the oysters spend their last 24 hours in huge tanks getting cleaned. Note: You can't buy prepared oysters here (aw shucks!) The Farm: Open Tuesday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm; located on Highway 1 in Marshall, about 15 minutes north of Point Reyes Station and 45 minutes south of Bodega Bay. 415.663.9218.

The Marshall Store: Don't let it's shabby looks deceive you. Inside this oyster shack are some of the best oysters to be found in the area. Barbequed, Rockefellered or raw (or all three), they're prepared while you wait and served up with hearty local bread for dipping all that juice. And the best part? The view is free. Located on Highway 1 in Marshall, Open seven days a week, 10am to 6pm.

ADDED Nick's Cove: If you've got a little more time, don't miss stopping at the new Pat Kuleto project--a reimagined Nick's Cove. The menu includes plenty of oysters, along with the Cove Oyster PoBoy, a Niman Ranch chuckburger, Marin Sun Farms Beef Carpaccio and fish and chips made with local Petrole sole. Plus, should all those oysters leave you feeling a bit randy, you can grab your cutie and head to a the remodeled cottages along the beach. Nicks Cove and Cottages, 23240 Highway 1, Marshall.

ADDED Marin Sun Farms Butcher Shop: Sustainably raised beef from the Marin ranches is sold at the Pt. Reyes butcher shop to the delight of meat-eaters from through the Bay Area. Though you can get this high-quality meat at plenty of local restaurants, the butcher shop is one of the only retail sellers in the North Bay. Plus, farm fresh eggs. Nothin' better. 10905 Hwy 1, Point Reyes Station, 415.663.8997, ext. 204

Tomales Bay Foods: Yes, you have reached nirvana. Combining the Cowgirl Creamery, an mini indoor farmer's market, a case of prepared salads and lunch nibbles, a wine shop and coffeehouse, this is picnic bliss. On weekends, you'll likely have to fight your way through the throngs of city folk to pick up some Cowgirl cheese and organic nectarines, but oh, how worth it. Don't miss watching the curds getting stirred through the big window at the back of the store. Point Reyes, 415 663-9335. While in town, don't miss Marin Organics' Pt. Reyes Farm Market and nearby Bovine Bakery.