Happy Valentines Awards for Valley and Valley Swim Club
Somehow chefs Emma Lipp and Stephanie Reagor flew off the high dive and made a clean entry into the not-so-clear pool below.
The two chefs left Scribe winery and dove into their Valley Bar + Bottle in the space formerly enjoyed by fans of Harvest Moon Café when Jen and Nick Demarest took a professional break after 13 years in a hot kitchen. They now have Baker & Cook on Hwy. 12.
Valley Bar + Bottle quickly earned a Michelin Bib Gourmet designation, meaning great but newish and Michelin is watching, and a Best Bar in America award.
In the last month, chefs Emma Lipp and Stephanie Reagor earned Sonoma County’s only Best Chef in California semi-finalist nomination in the James Beard Awards. I mention this now because becoming a “semi-finalist” for this is, indeed, like getting an Academy Award nomination. The James Beard Awards are often called “The Oscars of food.” While Stephanie and Emma are the lead chefs, their partners, Lauren Feldon and Tanner Walle are super active in both operations as well.
Then last week their Valley Bar + Bottle and Valley Swim Club on Arnold Drive were the only businesses in Sonoma Valley that received a Sonoma County 2025 Snail of Approval award, which “represent the heart of Sonoma County’s food culture – businesses that nourish not only their customers, but the land, workers, and communities they serve….and are shaping a more sustainable and equitable food system.”
Sonoma Valley food producers that received Snail of Approval renewals for 2025 include Seven Moons Farm and Sunray Farm.
Sonoma Eats to open Parkside Eats
More good news. Sonoma Eats owners Efrain Balmes and Hayley Cutri will soon expand to Santa Rosa by opening Parkside Eats, featuring some of his Oaxacan dishes along with “California comfort food,” including hamburgers and salads.
We remember when Balmes got a micro-loan from La Luz Center to buy a food truck, and later purchased Sondra Bernstein’s Fig Rig truck, later selling them both. Hayley worked at Flatbed Farm in Glen Ellen, so she knows her way around and among local sustainable and regenerative farmers.
Their new venture will take the place of Lepe’s, whose owner, respected community member Eddie Lepe, passed away a few years ago.
Another expansion
Expanding a little northward, the famous and multi-awarded, high-end Single Thread plans to open SoNoMa in Kyoto, Japan this spring. The 12-seat-counter restaurant will be within Capella Kyoto in the Miyagawa-cho district. I can only imagine the price.
Valentine’s specials
Valentine’s Day, a Hallmark special, rolls around on Saturday, Feb. 14 this year.
Some people cook breakfast for their special person, go for a beautiful walk, drive to the beach, go skiing, or go out for a meal. And some of us don’t have a special “Valentine” and feel a wee bit weird when everyone is out celebrating.
Guess what. You can pick up a friend and go out also, you can cook for a friend and take it to them or invite them over, cook something special for yourself, plant a new plant, or just ignore the whole thing.
Some Sonoma Valley restaurants are planning special menus, and here they are, working north to south this time.
But first . . .
Check out Sonoma Sister Cities’ Ukrainian Sister City Committee Valentine’s Day Sock Hop and Spaghetti Feed on Saturday, Feb. 14. Music by Zig Zag and substantial food at Sonoma Woman’s Club. $40 or $75 per couple. I assume you can define “couple.” 5:30 to 8:30. 574 First St. E. Sonoma. For more info call Kaeti Bailie at (707) 294-7388. Proceeds go to support our embattled Sister City, Kaniv, and you can see more news from the tragic front elsewhere in this issue.
Stella
Glen Ellen Star’s little sister restaurant’s Valentine’s Day dinner starts with an amuse of savory cannoli with whipped rocchetto, caviar and micro arugula.
The first course offers a choice of Maine lobster bisque, heart shaped ricotta ravioli, or wood grilled green and white asparagus, stracciatella, egg yolk jam and mostardo vinaigrette. Next come their wood-grilled Snake River Farms’ Wagyu New York strip, a creamed spinach stuffed crispy potato skin, and Maitake mushroom or grilled King salmon with farotto, preserved lemon and fava bean relish; or English pea caramelles, sun-dried tomato blush, young pea tendrils, and walnut crunch; plus desserts including a chocolate Italian love cake. Served 4:30 to 9:30. 9049 Hwy. 12, Kenwood. (707) 801-0043.
Stella also now offers a “Sunday Supper” which might include a salad, a main course, and dessert ($49).
Glen Ellen Star
Ari Weiswasser offers their Valentine’s dinner both Friday the 13th and Saturday, Feb. 14.
It all starts with an amuse of scallop crudo with Mandarin orange and passion fruit vinaigrette, followed by coconut curry bisque, puffed Arborio rice, and Acorn squash dumplings.
The second course includes choices of butter poached Maine Lobster tail with leeks and pommes duchesse with trout roe; Snake River zabuton with root pave and caramelized mushroom mousse; or roasted Acorn squash with smoked tofu, cauliflower rahini, carrot relish, and winter greens. Guests will share parsnip rôsti, cheddar potato espuma, and Perigord truffle.
And the finale is strawberry glazed dulce de leche. $135. Served 5 to 9:30. 13648 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen. (707) 343-1384.
The Mill at Glen Ellen
Tucked into Jack London Village (great parking lot) Executive Chef Dana Jaffe is back in the kitchen and offering a new five-course prix-fixe menu, the pricing of which is based on your choice of entrée.
All customers are greeted with warm Della Fattoria bread with crumbled Parmesan and butter, followed by coconut, sweet corn and shrimp bisque. Everyone gets a salad of baby arugula with endives, frisée, and pomegranate.
Then your entrée options include 6 oz. of prime beef with truffled potato purée, and blistered greens with butter ($115) ; seared Day Boat scallops with trout caviar, charred fennel, crispy prosciutto, corn, and garlic mashed potatoes ($110); or wild mushroom Wellington with Jade rice duxelles, Portobello, spinach and vegan cheese ($96).
Dessert choices include raspberry and Meyer lemon curd pavlova or warn chocolate cake with chocolate ganache, whipped cream and praline, with a vegan option available. Served 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 14301 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen. (707) 721-1818.
Songbird Parlour
Located at the former site of Catherine Venturini’s former Olive and Vine restaurant at Jack London Village, Songbird Parlour fills the expanse with moderne furniture, a big open kitchen and great food.
Their five-course Valentine’s menu includes celeriac soup with smoked trout roe to blood orange leche de tigre to roasted beet hoshigaki; a duck leg confit, filet mignon with shiitake mushrooms, and a gateau au chocolat. $120, plus wine pairings for $45. Served 4 to 9 p.m. 24301 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen. (707)343-1308.
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn
Santé restaurant offers a four-course dinner, but the caviar and oyster starters cost extra.
Worry not. In each of the four courses you make your selections. In the first course you can choose either Hamachi crudo with blood orange, and watermelon radish or roasted beets, endive, and crema di bufala.
For the second course, choose between goat cheese tortellini with citrus and pistachio pesto with a tempura mushroom or Maine lobster, baby fennel, savoy cabbage and lobster bisque emulsion. Next come macadamia crusted sea bass with Kohlrabi and Hedgehog mushroom; roasted duck breast with sunchoke and apple butter; or Flannery prime beef filet with roasted Heirloom carrots, potato dauphinoise, and truffle butter. Dessert will be chocolate ube (Filipino sweet potato) cheesecake with apricot sauce and a cocoa nib tuile or Strawberry cream on matcha sponge cake, strawberry passion fruit sauce, and Champagne gelée. $135. Served 5:30 to 9 p.m. 100 Boyes Blvd., Sonoma. (707) 939-2415.
Sonoma Valley Farmhouse
Pemba Sherpa has come up with a three-course menu that begins with choices of crab bisque, shrimp cocktail of jumbo shrimp, or beet salad with citrus, radishes, chicories, mascarpone yogurt and candied walnuts.
Second course choices include braised lamb shank with polenta; stuffed quail with farro, kale, carrots and ricotta; roasted pork loin with sweet potato purée, sautéed greens and gremolata; salmon with parsnip purée, roasted fennel and citrus salad; or butternut squash ravioli with toasted pumpkin seeds. ($94). Sides of root vegetable gratin or broccolini ($12 each), and oysters and potato croquettes are also available. Served 5 to 8 p.m. 18999 Hwy. 12, Sonoma.
Valley Bar + Bottle
Valley’s Valentine’s dinner promises to be an extra treat featuring a Chinese “Hidden Valley Duck Banquet” with several courses including dumplings, duck with pancakes, sticky rice and more. You can make reservations for indoor or heated patio seating. Served 5 to 9 p.m. $75. 487 First St. West, Sonoma (707) 934-8403.
Sonoma Grille
Nima Sherpa and Chef Saul Razo offer a three course special menu with first course choices of grilled octopus, salmon carpaccio, lobster miso, or beet salad. Entrées include Butternut squash ravioli with brown safe butter and shaved truffle; filet mignon with pesto mashed potatoes and oyster mushroom; a mixed grille of pan-seared scallops and grilled tiger shrimp with garlic sauce, scalloped potatoes, and broccolini; or Seabass over roasted beet and cauliflower puree with shoestring potatoes.
And to top it all off, select the honey wine pear with slow baked Bosc pears and vanilla gelato; strawberry tiramisu with Bailey’s-soaked lady fingers, mascarpone cream and strawberry powder, or a Valentine’s chocolate bowl. $90. Served 4 to 9 p.m. 165 W. Napa St., Sonoma. (707) 938-7542.
B&V Whiskey Bar and Grille
In addition to their regular menu, B&V offers a la carte specials including starters of asparagus and burrata cheese salad with heirloom tomato confit and English cucumbers or Castroville artichokes with jumbo prawns and aioli. ($18) Entrée additions include Maine lobster risotto with asparagus and black truffle pesto or duck confit with Gran Marnier blood orange glaze, Parmesan potatoes and garlic broccolini ($36). And an extra treat dessert will be double chocolate mascarpone cheesecake with Amarena cherries ($14). And they offer more than 75 whiskies in their full bar. (707) 938-7110.
Corner 103 Chocolate Lunch Feb. 15
If you have the urge to totally spoil yourself, try Corner 103’s annual Chocolate Lunch at Suite D. Girl & the fig chef Jeremy will prepare five courses to include Delicata squash with milk chocolate and brown butter emulsion; endive and burrata with cocoa nib bagna cauda and chocolate hazelnuts; cocoa butter-poached cod with salsify purée; cocoa-rubbed pork collar with celery root gratin; and black and white panna cotta with vanilla sponge cake, chocolate curls and olive oil. All paired with Lloyd Davis’ best Corner 103 wines. Noon to 3 p.m. $115. (707) 931-6141.
Be First to Comment