Burgers & Vine: first impressions
On a recent Friday evening, as I approached the Old Creamery building, now the restaurant Burgers & Vine, a big smile spreading slowly across my face. It made me unbelievably giddy to see the golden glow of life from inside the long-vacant storefront, cheerful patrons now streaming out and cramming in.
I could hear that wonderful, happy sound of glassware clinking and laughter spilling from within. Walking into the buzzing space, the decibel of chatter mingling with the thumping music hit me like a sack of potatoes. It became quickly apparent to me that this was hardly the sort of spot you’d bring your grandparents. It certainly is not the venue for a quiet, romantic evening out on the town. What Burgers & Vine is though, is a spot for festivity, for sliding dollar bills into the neon juke box, catching the game, or to simply adore being in the vicinity of other youngish Sonomans who appreciate sipping local wine out of stem-less glasses, brown liquor cocktails, with simple bar food to soak it all up.
My chicken wings arrived unceremoniously, nicely spiced from a dry rub and lightly smoky from, what the menu says was, a stint over smoldering French oak barrel staves. Purists may prefer the juicy bits of chicken unadorned, but I love me some sauce, so was thrilled when offered a traditional, buttery Buffalo-style sauce into which I first dunked them before then drenching them into a second, tangy blue cheese.
From the six “Signature” burgers, I eagerly ordered the “Uber Canard.” Ground, local duck is a delicious, dripping, juicy patty on a golden-topped Brioche bun. A decadent slab of Humboldt Fog goat cheese graces the top, beautiful and a bit theatrical, but possibly a tad bit overpowering. Next time, I may have to get my teeth into that classic B&V Kobe burger with plenty of Point Reyes blue cheese melting over the top.
This may not be the spot for quiet contemplation or for white tablecloth dining, but what it might be is the source of a new, unfortunate, addiction. The boozy, caramel-salted pretzel milk shake sounds utterly dreamy, a genius-sounding concoction of vanilla gelato laced with bourbon and salted pretzels. Burgers & Vine may also be the sole purveyor of Key lime pie in town, a dish I happen to be a true connoisseur of. So, fingers crossed.
Even as Burgers & Vine — hey, can we just call it BV? — continues to get their bearings and work out the inevitable brand-new-restaurant kinks and stresses, the staff seems to miraculously exude the sort of small town, gracious style that I adore; especially the charming and supremely accommodating co-owner, Codi Binkley. I will continue to keep y’all posted as I return to dig into the rest of the menu. And those milkshakes! Call 938.7110 for details regarding hours, or check out their Facebook page at facebook.com/BurgersandVine.
Foodie find: Croissant love
There is nothing worse than a cakey, dry, or doughy croissant. My dream croissant has a burnished exterior that, when bitten into, deposits chards of golden crust down the front of your shirt. When ripped into, the ideal croissant should be glistening with butter and have a chewy, elastic interior. The perfect croissant won’t need much, certainly not butter. A croissant can only be made more heavenly with the addition of a not-sweet, wonderfully tart, orange peel-filled marmalade. Oh, or a deep, dark, bitter mocha to dunk it deep into.
Friday morning routine
A Sunflower latte with the girls and a couple of leisurely hours filled with giggle-filled conversation and a stroll around the Farmers Market — just became a whole lot more scrumptious with the addition of Janne Campbell’s charming little Fox Fire bakery stand. Her butter-laden pastries are not only picture-perfectly beautiful, but they are crazy-yummy, too. The croissant is the epitome of a croissant, while sticky buns, and pecan rolls are all swoon-worthy. When asked to warm it up, by all means, allow her to place it momentarily in the enchanting little cast iron oven. And, marmalade? Yes, please!
Current web addiction: Food52
The last thing I needed was another gorgeous, food-focused distraction on the Internet. I already stare endlessly at Pinterest. I can’t help but continuously peruse the web pages of the Zingerman’s site in search of some new delicious something or other from some far-flung delicious locale. I waste an embarrassing quantity of time preoccupied with my Chef’s Feed App, no matter the city I am in, ogling over the dishes photographed, posted, and consumed by famous chefs there, charted out for me like a treasure map.
Now, there is Food52.com. The website is like a foodie drug dealer, teasing unsuspecting folks into taking a quick peak at just one gorgeously photographed recipe, or tempting us to virtually stroll through the shop. Why not take a quick gander at the plethora of unique kitchen goods and other magical goodies all made by hand and with obvious love, passion, and skill? It is then, that remarkably hours have passed and I now like my life, my home, is inadequate because I am without that $130 handcrafted, walnut, counter top compost bin or those French linen tea towels. Yes, I now, will not sit still unless I have perfected the recipe for Giddy Swamp South Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce! The Hotline section, it is an addiction in itself, while the tutorials, the how-to videos, the contests, and the overall sense of community, of beauty, of a true love for everything food is truly what makes Food52 such a wonderful, albeit addictive, place to linger.
Kristin’s picks for delicious upcoming events:
Ramekin’s St. Patrick’s Day Pub Grub party will surely be a great night for couples, with a date, with the girls, or with the whole family! There will be Irish music, traditional fare “with a twist,” green cocktails, Guinness (of course), a full bar, and plenty of festivity! Tickets are $25 (children 12 and under are free) and can be purchased at ramekins.com. Ramekin’s St. Patrick’s Day party is Monday, March, 17 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Sonoma Valley Chapter of Slow Food, along with the Sonoma Valley Grange, is throwing their “Spring Fling Dinner” on Saturday, March 22, beginning at 6 p.m. The all-locavore menu includes appetizers from favorite local chefs and artisans, an organic chicken dish prepared by Slow Food members, accompanied by farm-fresh side dishes from local farms, and a build-your-own ice cream sundae bar. The cost is $45 per person, with a no-host beer and wine bar. For more information and tickets, call 939.6488 or email [email protected].
Andrea, of Sonoma’s Quarter Acre Farm, has two super informative and fun gardening workshops coming up. First, she will discuss how to simply start a successful edible garden in her “Basic Vegetable Gardening Class” on Sunday, March 23, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Topics to be covered will include choosing what plants to grow, deciding on the location of garden, basic tools and supplies needed, a quick way to prepare soil, transplanting and direct seeding plants, and much more! On Sunday, April 6, she’ll host her always popular, “Tasty Tomato Talk” also from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is a wonderful morning of tomato education where you will learn the ABC’s of successfully growing the most delicious tomatoes at home. From choosing which varieties to grow, to deciding how many plants to grow, their location, and how to transplant them, Andrea will help you have the most delicious tomatoes in town. The cost for each class is $20 per person, per class, and they are held at the Stone House (the office of HWY 12 Properties) at 147 E. Spain St. Visit quarteracre-tomatotalk.brownpapertickets.com to sign up.
