Dim Sum and then some
Food trucks, food trucks, food trucks. Yes, I know you’ve heard it all before. So, before I begin to go on and on about the Chicago Style hot dogs that were just too good to be true, the beautifully fried, crispy calamari or the lovely little dumplings, let me just tell you about a Sonoma evening that literally was about as close to perfection as an evening could be. It was a Friday, that glorious, golden, early evening time of day. Just about all of Sonoma was there, wine glasses clinking and happy laughter floating all around us on the breeze. The evening began like many Sonoma evenings begin, picnic tables under the trees, kids tumbling in the grass, plenty of food and wine, of course. It ended a tad bit more surprisingly, with a festive, completely full dance floor. It finally felt like summer – yay! – and if you missed it, I am truly sad for you, but thankfully you have several more opportunities this summer to experience the ideal Sonoma evening at Sebastiani Winery’s once monthly Food Truck Friday. The event could have been lovely simply because of the weather, or the setting, or because of the happy atmosphere, but let’s get back to those dogs. These killer hot dogs are completely loaded with every topping imaginable, the bright green relish is not to be missed. A great dog has to have that snap and – oh snap! – they truly do. The exotic aroma of curry invaded my senses as I was just getting out of the car. Crispy Indian vegetable fritters were so pretty, as was the shockingly yummy mint sauce served with them. Yes, we ate even more: Dim Sum Charlie’s dumplings were not only amazing, but served on the most beautiful palm plates and we snuck some VIP bites of homemade pastrami from Rob Larman’s Cochon Volant. But, wait…there was more! That calamari. Served in a little Chinese take-out box, it was crispy, crunchy and completely addictive. Inside the winery free music from the Rolling Blackouts kept the cheerful crowd dancing, which was something completely joyful to see here in Sonoma. To think, this event almost didn’t happen. A huge thank you to the City of Sonoma for allowing us town folk to experience just about the most perfectly delicious evening ever.
Foodie find of the week
It was just a fluke. A last minute thought that said, “Hey, that sounds good.” I had a teeny piece of super crispy bacon and was wondering what to do, what to do? I didn’t want to throw it away, but also thought it silly to wrap up such a little piece. That is when it popped into my brain: bacon salt! I chopped it up as finely as possible, almost a bacon dust really. Into my little salt dish it went, where I stirred it well and quickly began to discover just how many dishes benefit from a little porky, salty goodness. Eggs? Oh yes. A baked potato? Most certainly. Brussels sprouts, sautéed kale and even a pork chop? Yes, sir! Bacon salt, who knew?
What’s cookin’ Sonoma?
There is nowhere like the Friday morning Farmer’s Market for local chef sightings. On a recent visit I ran into Hot Box Grill’s Norman Owens. I was so excited to hear about the restaurant’s plans to begin doing some serious farming on a small parcel of land here in town. They will soon be able to provide more than half of all of their own produce requirements. Good news for the environment, the restaurant and of course, us diners! Stay tuned for more fun information on all of Sonoma’s fabulous restaurants growing their own food. Visit hotboxgrill.com to see Hot Box’s most current menu. • Did you know Steiners, the fabulously popular dive bar on the Plaza, serves food? Yup, a whole menu of favorite bar snacks like jalapeno poppers, a Shrimp Louie salad – a Shrimp Louie?! – and a bagel with cream cheese and lox. Not to mention some pretty tasty chicken wings. Good grub to soak up the hefty cocktails or their infamous jello shots, but that’s a story for another time. • Tom and Gayle Jenkins, the proprietors of Sonoma’s Best, the charming little country store, deli and wine shop on East Napa Street, encourage their patrons to ride their horses on down. There’s a hitching post and all. The horses may not be interested in the scrumptious barbecue prepared by Rob Larman each weekend or the awesome Blue Bottle coffee, but they will certainly love the complimentary carrots the couple like to give out. Yee-haw. • Shiso Sushi and Grill’s $12 lunch specials that pop up on Facebook everyday are truly tempting. If only they delivered! A spicy pork ramen noodle bowl accompanied by a small green salad sounded heavenly during this week’s chilly, drizzly weather. Shiso is now open for dinner Wednesday thru Saturday, lunch Monday thru Friday and have a stall at the Tuesday night market. “Like” them on Facebook to keep up with their current specials.
On the menu
• Kunde’s summer concert series, “Tunes on the Terrace” is back by popular demand. Enjoy the lovely setting while listening to live music and sipping Kunde’s summery wines, like their crisp Sauvignon Blanc. The music will be from noon until 5 p.m. on a handful of weekend days through the summer months, with the first this Saturday, June 4, featuring the Mixed Company Band. Visit kunde.com for dates and additional details.
• The next “Grange Pancake Breakfast” is coming up this Sunday, June 5, from 9 a.m. until noon. The offerings are so seriously good, some of our local breakfast establishments should take note: pancakes made from organic, whole wheat flour ground fresh that morning served with real maple syrup, local, free-range chicken sausages, vegetable and cheese frittata made from free-range eggs, organic dark roast coffee, tea, and espresso. The cost is amazingly only $10, $5 for children. The Grange is located at 18627 Sonoma Highway in Boyes Hot Springs, 935-1322.
• Also, this Sunday, June 5, the Sonoma Community Center’s “Annual Ox Roast” will pack the Plaza with locals from all over the Valley in search of the event’s killer barbecue feast – where more than 1,000 pounds of beef will be grilled – live music and the Beer Garden, featuring some fun local breweries. Heaping plates of food cost $12, $7 for children, and wine by the glass is $5, which includes a commemorative Ox Roast glass. Call 938.4626, ext. 1 or visit sonomacommunitycenter.org for more details.
• Alsina Station Grill, the new Argentine spot in the Cornerstone Gardens complex, is hosting “An afternoon of Asado, Tango & Vino” on Sunday, June 5, from 3 to 6 p.m. to celebrate their grand opening. The renovations to the former Sage Café space are very cool, a sure sign that good things may be on the horizon from Consuelo Lyonnet and Alberto Lataliste the duo in charge. Email lextyndall@gmail.com or call 415.640.8971 to r.s.v.p. or for more details.
On The Menu
• Next Thursday, June 9, visit the Meadowcroft Wines tasting room at Cornerstone for an event named “Girls Night Out,” their sixth installment of live music aptly named Songwriters in Sonoma. Three Bay Area female singer-songwriters take the stage for an evening of live music, Meadowcroft wines and nibbles. Tickets are $15 per person and include one glass of wine. The show begins at 7 p.m. and seating is limited. Reserve your space by calling 934.4090. Visit meadowcroftwines.com for more information.
Chicago-Style Hot Dog
Recipe inspired by the Chicago Style Hot Dogs Cart
Serves one
1 best quality all-beef hot dog
1 poppy seed hot dog bun
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon sweet green pickle relish
1 tablespoon chopped onion
4 tomato wedges
1 dill pickle spear
2 sport peppers
1 dash celery salt
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, place hot dog in water, and cook 5 minutes or until done. Remove hot dog and set aside. Carefully place a steamer basket into the pot and steam the hot dog bun 2 minutes or until warm. Place hot dog in the steamed bun. Pile on the toppings in this order: yellow mustard, sweet green pickle relish, onion, tomato wedges, pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt. The tomatoes should be nestled between the hot dog and the top of the bun. Place the pickle between the hot dog and the bottom of the bun. Don’t even think about ketchup!
Kristin Viguerie is one of Sonoma’s most passionate, food obsessed residents. In this weekly column, she covers all the delicious happenings, foodie events and restaurants in Sonoma, the rest of Wine Country and beyond. Find her at her Sonoma Plaza shop, Junipero & Co. (juniperoandco.com) or blogging daily as the Cook (thecardiganandcook.com) or via email at foodandwine@sonomasun.com.
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