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.

So good, it should be illegal

Let them eat faux gras
When chefs in Chicago were banned from using foie gras in their restaurant, they got creative. Instead of prized duck liver (the animals are force-fed to artificially enlarge the liver), they're using everything from chicken livers to garbanzo beans to approximate the taste and texture. A recipe for chicken liver faux gras can be found in Michel Richard's Happy in the Kitchen Cookbook (or here) . So far, Spiaggia's chef Tony Mantuano hasn't divulged his secret for vegetarian faux gras, though he says it includes garbanzo beans, vin santo and lots of butter. Listen to his discussion of faux gras on NPR.

Moonshinin'
I have a rule. If I hear about something three times in three days, then it's probably a trend to pay attention to. Moonshine has popped onto my radar countless times in the last few weeks. Enough times, in fact, that I'm headed to SR's Beverage People to check out a New Zealand book called The Compleat Distiller. Though running your own still remains illegal in the US (yes, illegal kids-one bad batch and you can go blind), I'm saying here and now that home-brewed spirits are my pick for DIY-trend of the year. Anyone for Meyer Lemon-infused hootch? And hey, if the whole moonshine thing doesn't work out, you can always use your still to make your own gasoline. Read the distilling FAQ

Cheese so stinky it's illegal
Epoisse is an artisinal French cheese from Burgundy that's so incredibly odoriferous that it's banned on the Paris metro. It also happens to be banned in the US (at least in its original raw-milk form) because, well, a handful of people died from a food-borne illness associated with unpasteurized milk cheeses. Sheesh. More people have died from tainted hamburgers than stinky cheese, folks. I've been obsessing about this washed-rind cheese since reading about it in The Devil's Picnic: Around the World in Pursuit of Forbidden Fruit by Taras Grescoe. Though I hear its not nearly as stinky or delightful (or deadly), you can buy pasteurized Epoisse at Oliver's for between $6 and $8 per slice. Just don't try to take it on the Metro.

So sinful it SHOULD be illegal
The final buzz of the week is about Bacon Salt. Despite the fact that some naysayers in New York have declared that the whole artisinal bacon trend has "jumped the shark", there are those among us that will never, ever, EVER grow tired of the world's most delightful food. Bacon, that is. And though I'd rather eat glass than put a Baco-Bit in my mouth ever again, the idea of Bacon Salt (basically bacon-flavored, uh, salt) has its appeal. Sprinkle it on your hamburger, your grilled cheese, your ice cream or, well, even your bacon. Because everything really should taste like bacon.

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