I was gone for three days. When I left it was winter. Heavy slate clouds lay low and wet over the Valley, tree branches hung bare and black, farms sat dormant and silent. The town was blanketed in a leaden mist; a steady, substantial rain was falling causing the creeks to rush mightily and my hair to frizz unhappily. There was not a thought in my head that didn’t consist of long-cooked stews and hearty roasted meats, hefty glasses of pinot noir. And, in those three days I was gone, spring magically emerged. It arrived in a sudden burst of pale pink apple blossoms and soft green grasses. Ever since, I have practically been living outdoors this amazing weather week, face to the sun. As fresh signs of spring now begin to fervently unfold across the Valley I begin to eagerly anticipate all the wonders of the new season: tiny, fresh peas, tender asparagus stalks, meaty fava beans, and especially the first of the season strawberries.
Foodie find: First of the season California asparagus
I popped into the Fruit Basket on my way home the other day; I can’t resist their great prices on citrus and avocados, and stumbled on a gorgeous pile of California asparagus which appeared to have been picked merely minutes prior to my arrival. Oh boy! It has been many long, depressing, asparagus-less months. I was so giddy, I bought more bunches than I could realistically consume on my own. That night I tossed them in a bit of olive oil and sautéed them ever so briefly with a gorgeous amount of Meyer lemon zest. They were destined to be tossed with wide ribbons of eggy Pappardelle pasta, but I couldn’t help but to gobble them up, before the pasta was even done. I immediately wished that I had taken home even more. These asparagus were dream asparagus, the asparagus ideal, amazingly tender and fresh. It has been nearly impossible to stop thinking of them since, the next morning I really wished that I had saved a few for my favorite breakfast of steamed asparagus topped with a runny poached egg. This spring, as I say every spring, I promise to eat more.
Strawberry watch
Oh, what a long fruitless winter it seemed! It is always right about the day that I am thinking, “Not one more orange. Not one more apple. Please.” That is exactly the time when, thank heavens, the Watmaugh Road Strawberry Patch officially opens for their undeniably exciting and fabulously long, berry-filled season. I am happy to report that little teeny strawberry plants are officially dotting each long, dirt-filled row. I am counting the days until plump red fruit bursts forth from each plant, and will keep you posted.
New Sonoma dining
I spent enough years in the restaurant business to know that you don’t rush into a brand new restaurant the night it opens. Probably not even the week it opens. Certainly, if you cannot help yourself, you definitely do not judge that restaurant on those early, stress-filled days of service. There is no amount of practice, no quantity of training, or long days of rehearsal that can ready a restaurant staff for the real, live challenges that opening week may bring. Computer system crashes or the tweakiness of a new gas range, no-show employees or, even worse, no-show products, are only a few of the headaches that a fledgling dining spot will incur. So, that is why, while most of town stormed the doors at the brand new Burgers and Vine this weekend, I was excitedly visiting a few new places that were confidently putting out some very fine fare after their first few weeks.
Bangkok 9
I have a fairly serious Thai food addiction, one that 599 Thai Cafe always seemed to satisfy. I went through some pretty hefty withdrawal symptoms in the weeks they were readying their new, larger digs in the Whole Foods shopping center. My cozy dinner with a girlfriend this week assured me that the move not only allowed for more tables, but the kitchen seems to have found more room for yumminess as well. There was no question that each new seat would be full, but I was amazed at the number of families flocking in for bags of curry to-go. Even with the busy-ness of the new dining room, the staff bustled about proficiently, the food flying out of the wonderfully expanded kitchen seamlessly. A starter of glass noodles was a lovely, fish sauce-spiked salad, bits of warm shrimp and toasted peanuts, mingling among the crunch of leafy greens and herbs. Each curry was beautifully presented, rich with coconut and warming spices, chile and ginger, tiny peas and ribbons of basil. For anyone who was a fan of the previous version, you will find Bangkok 9 to be very fine indeed.
Kenwood Restaurant
They had me at fried hog’s head. As I sat in the light-filled bar, a crackling fire warming the cool space, I sipped a perfectly-made Bloody Mary and struggled over what to order. The menu at the newish Kenwood Restaurant is filled with so many creative, interesting sounding dishes that I truly ached over not being able to taste them all. I was immediately regretting the fact that it sounded nice to while away an afternoon with only my new magazines as dining companions. After much deliberation I decided that the fried pig trotter and hog’s head cakes would pair wonderfully with my spicy cocktail. The dish arrived and I sat aghast. It was easily one of the more beautifully presented plates I have been served in recent months. In the middle of a large steel baking dish sat two golden cakes, the crispy outside was dusted in crunchy salt, the inside was tender bits of pork melting together in their own fat and juices. The cakes sat on a puddle of green sauce filled with tangy bit of pickle and onion, flecked with herbs, it was the ideal foil for the rich pig. A small pile of homemade pickled veggies — shaved beet, baby carrot, sweet peppers — were a beautiful and thoughtful addition.
You know by now if there are livers on the menu, I am ordering them. So, I shrieked with delight when my chicken liver mousse arrived, in all of its expertly prepared, velvety glory: happy dance inducing. A little jar was filled with a mousse that was incredibly lush, a pretty blood orange geleé gracing the top, toasted crostini on the side. I am eager to return to try more of everything: octopus in a chile permeated posole, a stunning sounding pan roasted trout, or perhaps simply the grass fed burger. Look forward to a complete story about my next visit here soon, I hope. Visit Kenwoodrestaurant.com for details, although because the menu changes often, there will only be a sample of the fare listed there.
Palooza
Wine Country can always use more beer, so when Palooza opened in Kenwood, I am sure local winemakers rejoiced. Like they say, it takes a whole lot of beer to make great wine. The sixteen beers on draft are mostly small batch brews that are meant to pair with the menu of upscale pub fare which includes customary choices such as a burger with housemade ketchup and, a couple of surprising items, such as roasted bone marrow and toast or chicharrones with a classic bruschetta topping of tomato and charred onion. A classic wedge salad was a favorite of mine, the crisp iceberg elevated by the chunky blue cheese dressing and a scattering of dried tomato dust. Petite buns, sliders, were stuffed with slow-cooked, super rich, shredded short rib, a better-than-a-burger way to soak up an afternoon’s worth of wine tasting. Flat screen televisions broadcast the games, the doors flung wide open to the pretty day, locals laughing happily over frosty pints make Palooza a fun, tasty pit stop. Find more information at Paloozafresh.com.
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