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.