"Mad" Miles' Favorite Restaurants

Dear Waccobies,

After my comments this afternoon about restaurants I was inspired to write the following.

Bon Appetit!

"M"M

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Miles’ favorite inexpensive but tasty restaurants
in central and western Sonoma County
By R. Miles Mendenhall


1/17/2007

These are places where I go to eat (or get take-out/take-away) and can get a good meal for between $10 and $15. The food is good, the people friendly and while the ambience might be strip mall formica and self-serve condiments (some, not all) this is where you can eat well, interestingly and not spend the normal $20-$30 that a restaurant meal costs now days.

(Dear Vegetarians, Vegans and Animal Rights Activists: You’re my Peeps. I’ve carried out many an action with you my sisters and brothers. But, please bear in mind that I’m an omnivore with carnivoral tendencies. These places may have vegetarian choices but that’s not why I go to them. Yes I’ve read “Diet for A Small Planet” and much other anti-meat commentary. I’ve been through the debate and have made my choices. Please save the preaching for someone you have a hope of convincing.)


Santa Trata Eritrean Restaurant
711 Stony Point Road 8A, West Santa Rosa
(The Stony Point Shopping Center, Next to Pho Vietnam, which is the best Pho place in the area. But I miss Cam Ranh Bay!)
575-8792

Recently I've gotten takeout from there three times in the last three or four weeks. It's great! Tell Helen Miles said Hi. I look forward to sitting down to eat there, when it’s convenient for me.

I can get a meat entree and a vegetable with Ingera bread for $11 including a dollar tip.

I recommend the Zigne (Spicy Beef Stew) and the Hamlee (Spinach). I've also had the Doro Kulwa (Chicken with garlic, onions and pepper) and the Tibsi (Lamb). Everything is really tasty and there are several more dishes that I haven't tried yet. (Yes, I have their menu in front of me!)

We really need to get them regular business so they can stick around! I’ve been jonesing for a good African restaurant in this area for years. Now we just need to add a Moroccan, and a West African to round things out!


Lola’s Taqueria
Petaluma Hills Road, South Santa Rosa

Great tacos, great seafood soups. Nice service. Excellent prices for the quality and quantity received.


Papas and Pollo
915 Gravenstein Highway, Sebastopol
829-9037

Cool hippy surfer beachcomber ambiance, excellent brews on tap, the chicken mesquite grilled tacos (or burritos or baked potatoes) are excellent. I haven’t tried the shrimp tacos yet, but I’m meaning to.


Su Casa
108 Calistoga Road
St. Francis Shopping Center, Calistoga Road and Highway 12 (in the back corner of the elbow, north of Safeway)
538-7937

Jose serves the best America (U.S.) breakfasts in Santa Rosa. Better than Max’s, Omelet Express and even the Russian River Pub on River Road where I eat because I live in Forestville. When I lived in Rincon Valley I was there at least once a week. He is part of the Ochoa family who own taquerias around town. And a hell of a nice guy. His Mexican food is also very, very good.


But for some of the other best Mexican cuisine:
Mexico Lindo
9030 Graton Road, Downtown Graton
823-4154

One of the only places around here that serves Mole. It was my sainted mother’s favorite Mexican restaurant because of that. Try the Fish Veracruz, one of my favorites. Mario and family are the salt of the earth, and some of my favorite west county habitants. Check out the music he has on Friday evenings. When the weather’s nice try eating on the back patio.


Taqueria Sol Azteca
1435 E. Cotati Avenue, a few block from SSU on E. Cotati towards Cotati
792-1859

I discovered this place when I was a credential student at Sonoma State. The best Al Pastor I’ve had in the North Bay.


Back to Asia!

Thai Mekong
52 Mission Plaza, Suite 111
McDonald’s Center at Mission and 12, Next to Pamposh
538-8382

B.J. upgraded his teriyaki place to emphasize his native Thai, Laotian and Cambodian dishes. The food is plentiful, fresh and tasty. When I lived in Rincon Valley I also ate there at least once a week.



Baan Thai
Larkfield Shopping Center, Old River Road north of the intersection with Mark West Springs Road / River Road

I’ve only eaten there once, recently but they do Thai right. I don’t know if you know it, but Chinese immigrants run some local Thai restaurants. I think it has something to do with a glut of Chinese places and the fact that the market will bear more for Thai than Chinese. They can cook Thai but I think I can notice subtle differences in quality between Thai food made by native Thai’s and non-natives. Something about the crispness and freshness of the flavors and avoiding overcooking the ingredients. Baan Thai is Thai food done by Thai’s at a not too exorbitant price. (Unlike excellent Thai food, made by Thai’s who charge a premium!)


And back to Latin America....
Hot Tamales, Central American Tamales and Pupusas
3020 Santa Rosa Avenue #F
568-1241

These El Salvadorian tamales are wrapped in banana leaves and have a softer smoother masa than Mexican ones. They also have more filling, compared to the Mexican style. I’ve only eaten here once. But it was very tasty and they had some of the most interesting and varied salsas of any Latino place I’ve been to lately. The tamales did not have green olives in them like I’ve come to expect from Central American tamales. That would be my one and only very minor complaint!


Ting Hau, Northern Chinese
717 Fourth Street
Santa Rosa (across anarchy alley from Russian River Brewing)
545-5204

Great Chinese food for a great price. Tell Aihe Miles says Hi and is sorry he hasn’t been around. This is a place I ignored for several years until friends introduced me to it. I grew up eating Chinese and Mexican in Taiwan, Colorado Springs, Seoul – Korea and Huntsville – AL. and at home. My mother was a fabulous cook and took lessons when we lived in Asia. Also my parents would try every Chinese restaurant in a twenty mile radius when we first moved somewhere, then take us kids back to the best ones. I lived in Taipei again for six months in ’97. I know a little bit about Chinese food. These folks do it just right. But I’ve eaten so much of it over the years that it isn’t the first style I seek out when I’m hungry. I don’t eat hamburgers and French fries very often for similar reasons. That’s the only reason I don’t eat at Ting Hau at least once a week.



That’s it. I eat at other places, with excellent food, but they won’t let me out without dropping at least $20 or more. So they don’t make this list. Maybe I’ll do another one of my other regular haunts where I go when I have the scratch.

As for all the folks above, tell them Miles sent you!

Quote:

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Posted in reply to the post by "Mad" Miles:

I can get a meat entree and a vegetable with Ingera bread for $11 including a dollar tip.

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You tip 10%? What did they do to insult you?

Carrows Cares.

Nice list MM, thanks. Lets hope people will add their favorite places. For info., I often use the two links below when looking for restaurants in out of town places. www.chowhound.com and www.yelp.com. The below links are for San Francisco.
allen

https://www.chowhound.com/boards/show/1

https://www.yelp.com/search?find_loc...&sortby=rating

Quote:

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Posted in reply to the post by Tars:

You tip 10%? What did they do to insult you?

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This kicked off a discussion on tipping that I have spit off into its own Tipping thread. :spentmoney:

Anybody else have some favorite Inexpensive Resturants you want to share with us? :dinner:

My Favorite Expensive (For Me) Restaurants
Where you can get a delicious meal for between $15-$35

By R. Miles Mendenhall
1/31/2007

Flavor (I quit going to Flavor a few years ago. After they got rid of their non-latino staff, the remaining staff do an excellent job by the way, but I heard some stories about the financing of the place, and I just didn't want to patronize them anymore. Foods good. Service is excellent. I like the idea. Just not comfortable there. Plus I don't live or work there, or hang out in "town" [in this case Santa Rosa] as much any more. 7/18/10)
96 Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa
573-9600

Fresh, local ingredients, many of them organic. Traditional European/American cuisine with some Latin and Asian selections. Great wine list and brews on tap. Friendly service and nice setting. I can usually get an entrée and a glass of wine and walk out after paying around $20-$30. And they’re open all day! I tend to eat around 4:00 p.m. when I’m working as a teacher. That causes me no end of irritation when places are closed between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. Tell Stu I said hello.

Anatolia (Sorry! Long Gone...Still miss it.)
527 4^th Street, a couple of doors east of Tex Wasabi’s, Santa Rosa
527-7799

Lebanese Arab Cuisine. I love the lamb kababs. Big plate with rice and vegetables. Free Hummus and Pita Bread. Very nice chef/owners. When you’re jonseing for Middle Eastern food, this is the place. Also open all afternoon. If you’re into hot sauce don’t forget to ask. They don’t automatically serve it. For a change from baklava try the “Boorma” (spelled phonetically).

Annapurna Himalayan
535 Ross Street just east of B Street (The Mall), Santa Rosa
579-8471

Nepalese curries and Nan. Yeah! Lunch Buffet. Best curries for the price in Santa Rosa and I’ve tried all of them. Plus the owner, Dikendra, is very cool and down. He has hosted charity events for the homeless and other causes at his restaurant. If you want to eat in the traditional style they have a few low tables with cushions available.


Nhabee Korean (Sorry! Gone, Su was great. Very good Ethiopian place is there now.)
913 4^th Street just west of Brookwood Avenue, Santa Rosa
568-6455

Sizzling platters of Bul-Go-Gi (grilled marinated sliced beef ), bowls of mixed grain (millet and brown rice), Many little plates of various kimchee (marinated pickled vegetables, particularly cabbage). You don’t get as many varieties of kimchee as at Bear Korean in Cotati (which is also good) but Nhabee isn’t quite as expensive as Bear either. Also vegetarian, pork, chicken and fish. Glass noodles. My penchant for Korean food was established when we lived there from 1967-1969. Su, the owner is a real character and always fun to chat with. “Kam Sam Nida” (A as in Ahh) means “Thank You.”

Café Japan (Aya! Closed, See Review of Toyo, Which I'm about to write, It'll be up top of this thread 7/18/10. Chef Yo works there Wednesday through Saturday.)
98 Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa
566-7650

Jen and Yo’s careful rendition of a local student café in Japan. Very, very fresh and delicious sushi, Udon and Soba noodle soups, Hot Pots in the winter, Lots of veggie options, Bento Boxes, elaborate sake selection.

(Try the Himezen, clear but slightly sweet with citrus overtones. I wish some local package store carried bottles of it at a decent price. Asiana Market in Cotati can get it for $28 for a medium bottle [.75 Liter?]. I won’t pay that when I can get Cho Chiku Bai Nigori at Bottle Barn for just under $9 for a 1.5 Liter bottle!)

When I’ve got the scratch this is where I go for the finest Japanese food. Where else does the chef play the opening bars of “Iron Man” on chimes to let the server know the order’s up?


Shangrila Café
1706 E Cotati Ave, Across from SSU, Rohnert Park
793-0300

Great Indian food. Some of the most reasonable prices in the county. I also like Karma Bistro and Pamposh but when it comes to money for value give me these folks and Annapurna any day.


Steak Houses: 505 Mendocino in Santa Rosa is where I go. Stump Town Brewery in Rio Nido (869-0705) also has good deals and quality. I’ve been to Hunter in Northeast Santa Rosa (Gone!) and to Cattlemen’s in Montgomery Village and I would choose the first two over the latter.



Sushi: Sushi To Dai For in Railroad Square (110 4^th Street) and Sushi Tozai in Sebastopol (7351 Healdsburg Ave. i.e. 116, 324-9886) are both very, very good. For fresh, organic see Café Japan above. But there is no sushi bar there so these are the place to go if you want to interact with the chef. (Chef Yo works at Toyo and loves to talk!)


High End: I’ve eaten at Rubix, Stella’s Café, Mosaic, K&L Bistro, Barn Diva and Underwood, in most cases only once. They were all very good but significantly more expensive than any of the above. So, sans date and more income than I’m used to, I keep going back to the places above when I can afford to splurge a little.


Vegetables: One of the problems I have by eating out is a lack of vegetables in my diet. I like meat and carbohydrates and have the waistline (or lack thereof) to prove it. But I also crave fresh, lightly cooked vegetables and unless I’m going to spend more than $30 for a meal I can’t get them along with the meat and carbs that are central to my preferred diet. Some of the places above allow for it, especially the Asian restaurants. But it is still difficult. An iceberg lettuce salad ain’t a vegetable in my book!


“Meat is Murder” commentary: Please see the opening to my “inexpensive” list.


An additional entry to the “inexpensive” list:

Recently I’ve discovered Super Pollo. (Gone! There's another Mexican place there, it's not bad. But they don't do the incredible chicken.)
1195 College, in the G&G Shopping Center, Santa Rosa
544-8280

Great grilled chicken, moist, tender and juicy with a nice spice rub. Good tacos and the rest of Mexican food. Combinations that include grilled cactus (a bit too viscous for my taste although I like the flavor) That combo is called Molcajete (sp?) and while not as cheap as the other options it was a feast. It’s a fast food setting with very good traditional Mexican choices and chicken much, much better than any KFC type jint.

A list of cuisine’s that I’d like to be able to find locally but can’t: Moroccan, West African, Eastern European, Inexpensive French and other Continental styles, Native American (except that most Latino food qualifies), Good Cajun and Creole at a reasonable price, South American (Brazilian, Argentinean, etc.), Martian Country Fare (just checking to see if you’re still reading!)


A list of places that didn’t last and I miss: Shiraz Café and Market (Persian Shishkebab), Korean BBQ on Sebastopol Road, The Old Vic, The Cock ‘N Bull, Cam Ranh Bay Vietnamese. Part of the reason I’ve written these lists is that I want the places that I like to stick around. If by promoting them I can help keep them open, well that’s only in my own interest. Restaurants are one of the hardest businesses to succeed at. Incredibly long hours and hard work with an 80% failure rate in the first year or so (at least that’s a statistic I vaguely recall). These ones that didn’t make it mostly suffered from a poor location that lacked enough traffic and sight appeal, or they were priced out of the real estate market because they were at good locations. The food was excellent and affordable so poor or too expensive location are the only reasons I see for their closing. (Just added on 7/18/10, and long gone: Cafe Japan, Nhabee Korean, Anatolia, Super Pollo, see comments after their names, above.)


Places I’ve never eaten because I can’t afford to but would like to try: The French Laundry, John Ash & Co., The Girl and the Fig, The General’s Daughter, etc., etc., etc.


Look Ma! No politics! (Well, except for that flesh eating issue…)


And remember, tell them Miles sent you…

I already received an unexpected 10% discount coupon on dinner at Baan Thai because I mentioned the previous list I put out. Since I’m doing this for free it’s nice to get some material recognition. And thank you to everyone who thanked me for the previous list. I mean, “You’re Welcome.”

By the way Baan Thai should probably be on this list rather then the inexpensive one. But it is still really good. I had the fresh duck rolls on Monday and while they didn’t send me the way they apparently did Jeff Cox (PD Food Critic) they were pretty tasty.

Bon Appetit!

Thanks Miles for your great comments!

You (the person reading this) are most welcome to add your own favorites or comments on restaurants already mentioned!

Yo Waccies,

Here're a few more additions to the list:

My Favorite Inexpensive Restaurants
By R. Miles Mendenhall
2/12/2007

Addendum:

Honey Biscuits (Long Gone!)
7981 Old Redwood Highway, Suite D, Cotati (Across the road from Zone Music)
795-9000
[email protected]

A “heart healthy” Southern Style home cooked cuisine storefront. Michelle, and Bill, prepare a few items a day and you can dine-in at the communal table or take it home. I heard about this place from a couple of women I ran into at Patisserie Angelica. I was excited because I grew up eating my mother’s southern cooking, that she learned from the Black and Mexican cooks at home in San Antonio.

When I first walked in I expressed my delight at finding a local Soul Food place. Michelle, replied, “This is fake soul food, we don’t use pork or beef and I’m from Southern Marin, Marin City! You’ll have to go to Petaluma if you want the real thing.” By that I took her to be saying that, “I’m not a Southerner” and “My food won’t give you a lot of cholesterol”.

Last Thursday she had Smothered Chicken, Cajun Pasta (Jambalaya with Penne, instead of rice) and Gumbo as a side, with a large Honey Biscuit of course. I had the pasta, gumbo and biscuit. Great food, great conversation, incredible prices. $8 for lunch, $10 for dinner, open till 8:00 p.m.

This is no fancy place. More like a lunch counter. But the atmosphere of community center, reading room and discussion salon beats the fanciest places around! She has been open for two years. Why didn’t anyone tell me earlier!

Menu varies day-by-day, week-by-week. Meatloaf on Fridays. This is from their flyer: “Honey Biscuits Café prepares quality Southern Style main dishes, side dishes, baked goods, jams and condiments. Have a taste of our Heart Healthy, lower fat and lower sugar dishes and baked goods. Please call and see what’s cooking.”


La Familia Mexican Restaurant
7981 Old Redwood Highway, Cotati (Same strip mall as Honey Biscuits)

I first drove to Cotati on "Stupor Bowl Sunday" to try the "new" Southern Country / Soul Food Restaurant I’d heard about. It was closed, so I ate my brunch at the Mexican restaurant next door. Very full menu, with lots of unusual choices not normally available in most taquerias. Posole, Barbacoa (steamed shredded lamb) and other delights. (Yeah, yeah, not for the lamb, I know!) Plus, if you’re looking for a great Sunday to take a scenic drive, pick the day of the Super Bowl, noone's out on the highways! It’s great!!



Cool Markets:

Grace Market
7981 Old Redwood Highway, Cotati (Same strip mall as Honey Biscuits)

A Korean grocery store with many, many imported selections from Korea and Japan. It is the most comprehensive Asian market that I’ve seen in Sonoma County. And I’ve been to a few. I’m planning to go back to get some of the noodle bowl that has un-desiccated ingredients, like the kinds I used to eat at home in Taipei and had yet to find available here.


Bee Kind Honey Store
921 Gravenstein Highway, next to Papas and Pollo
824-2905
www.beekind.com/

This honey shop and bee’s honey and wax products specialty store (candy, soaps, candles, emollients, gift baskets, beekeeping supplies, etc.) has the most amazing honey tasting bar I’ve ever seen. Some thirty different honeys from around the country and the world. Truly a sight and taste to behold. Plus if the news about Colony Collapse Disorder in today’s PD is as dire as it seems, it may be the only place to try these different honeys before bees, honey and most of our crops disappear!?


Santa Trata Eritrean Restaurant Update: (Long Gone!)
I ate there again yesterday. Helen, who is clearly expecting, said that some of you have gone in and mentioned this list, and my recommendation!

Excellent... my plot to increase her business and make sure it's a success, so Eritrean food will be available for the foreseeable future, is working!!

One possible glitch though. Helen needs to hire a host, server, front counter person to take over after she gives birth in three months or so.

Required qualifications: Native knowledge of Eritrean food, with fluent enough English to explain it to customers and answer all their picky questions. And as nice a personality as Helen's (I added that one, she just mentioned the first criteria. And she didn't say "picky". She just said that people, not just waccies, people in general, ask a LOT of questions.) She's having trouble finding someone, so if you know any articulate (in English) Eritreans who are interested refer them to her.

(And you thought the housemate/employee qualifications on this board were very selective...! Has anyone ever checked the demands that some posters make against our non-discrimination laws? Just curious. I sometimes wonder when reading some posts.)


:dinner:

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! YOU GET SOOOOO MUCH FOOD:dinner: :wink:

~ Peace ~Love ~Joy
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lorrie

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Posted in reply to the post by nadise:

Hello, one of my clients just took over the Parkside Cafe on Santa Rosa Avenue across from the Greyhound Bus Station. They have been open since Novemeber 06. I know what your thinking...... but think again...

It is now called Dierk's Parkside Cafe and the proprietor is Mark Dierkshising and his wife Karen Brodsky.
...

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Yes, Parkside Cafe is pretty nice (I live right near it, and have had a chance to try a few things. And, yes, the portions are mostly pretty large, so you can easily share dishes. I almost wish they had some 1/2 size plates for when I'm by myself!

I've tried and enjoyed: The Salmon dish (for $12.95 ? Not bad price) The salmon tastes really fresh and perfect. Also the country benedict for breakfast, yum. Also, their salads (mostly organic spring mix, etc) ....they make all their own salad dressings, and the citrus vinagarette (think that's what they call it) is awesome, made with fresh myers lemons and plenty of garlic. I had a really nice freshly made clam chowder the other day in their as well. They have quality coffee and very nice sides of fresh fruit (very fresh, no mushy old parts of fruit). Also wonderful and unique sandwitches. It's a smallish menue but, very nice options.

But I do want to try that Euretrian place that Miles mentioned. Also, there's a new Pupusas Salvadorian place, north side of Hwy. 12, across from Fairgrounds, and across E. Street from Vets building in Santa Rosa, next to the 711. It's called "Pupusas". They have several different types of Pupusas for only $1.50 each. Also the tamali's are wrapped in banana leaves, they have fried plantaine and other really interesting reasonably priced stuff, including serving breakfast.

Sabrina

Quote:

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Posted in reply to the post by Lorrie:

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! YOU GET SOOOOO MUCH FOOD:dinner: :wink:

~ Peace ~Love ~Joy
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lorrie

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Nirvana – Addendum To:

My Favorite Expensive (For Me) Restaurants where you can get a good meal for between $15-$35

By R. Miles Mendenhall

3/7/2007

Nirvana (It's been closed a couple of years now.)

420 Mendocino Avenue #100, Santa Rosa
(next to the Armed Forces Recruiting Center and across the street from the Press Democrat parking lot)
575-3608
11:30-2:30 & 5:30-9:30 p.m. Every Day Of The Week

With a name like “Nirvana” I thought it had better be good, and it is! OK here goes; this is going to be a more elaborate write-up than I’ve been doing on this list, for reasons that I’ll go into at the end.

Yesterday, I ate lunch (actually what I call Linner) at this new “Indian Fusion Sanctuary” (as its sign describes it) with my friend Ari Camarota. Our visit was arranged by email with owner and chef Neil Advani and hosted by headwaiter/host David Powers.

David said “Namasté”, with clasped hands and a slight bow when he greeted me. The new décor was striking, in umber, black and gold with a large black head of Buddha water sculpture in the middle of the dining area. In talking with David (Neil has a day job as a financial and business consultant) I learned that they’ve been open for three weeks and a day, the redecoration took three to four months.

Lunches are an all you can eat buffet, but this isn’t your normal Indian/Nepalese buffet. In perusing the menu and talking with David, my first question was, what do you guys mean by “fusion”? On the Menu the concept is expressed by listing the “Inspiration” for various offerings: The drinks are inspired by Punjab, Bombay India and California, The Garam Chai – North India, The Salads – Bombay India, Mediterranean and California, Various appetizers entrees also have their inspirations listed.

I’ve been eating Indian food, and Pakistani, Nepalese, Burmese, Tibetan and Indonesian curries for many years. I’ve had it in New York, England, France, Taiwan, Chicago and Southern and Northern California, and probably a few other places I’ve forgotten about. I love it, among many other cuisines, and while I’m no expert, I think I have an educated palate when it comes to Indian spicing, ingredients and traditional dishes.

I grew up eating my mother’s chicken curry, on white rice, which was served on special occasions and was accompanied by many side dishes of condiments: chopped hard-boiled egg, sweet shredded coconut, shredded carrot, crumbled bacon, chopped green onions, crushed salted peanuts, Major Grey’s Chutney, etc. It was only in eating at an Indonesian restaurant in Amsterdam, while on a high school band contest and tour in the summer of 1972, that I understood she was serving a Javanese style curry and not Indian!

Good Indian food has clear, distinct yet complex and balanced flavors that are not too muddled or heavy, and the oil content in the curries is as low as possible. On a previous part of this list I mention all of the local Indian restaurants that I’ve eaten at over my last ten years of Sonoma County residency.

What you get at Nirvana is some of the best. And what is unique here, I’ve never seen it before, is that the menu is set up so that you can design your own curry. The base price of the various curries is ten dollars. Everything is made fresh, and for an additional dollar to three dollars you can customize your choice with varied meat, cheese and vegetable selections. The six curries available this month (Fusion Italian, Bombay Dhansak, Moti Mahal* Tikka Masala, Makhni Dal Lentil, Aloo Mattar, Baingan and Konkan) are headed with the notice that they change monthly. Each is explained on the menu in terms of ingredients and regional origin.

* Moti Mahal is the name of my favorite Indian restaurant in Chicago, in the Wriggleyville area, where in 1986 or so my friend Sahotra Sarkar taught me that the proper way to eat a samosa is with knife and fork, not with the fingers. It is one of the many great Chicago restaurants that I miss since leaving in 1997.

Nirvana has all of the standards: various kinds of nan, tandoori, samosa, papadam, and the curries already mentioned, but with fusional, inspirational twists that I’ve only touched on here.

The most expensive thing on the menu is the Mixed Tandoori platter for $15. This is a place where two can eat quite well for around $30 including drinks. They serve wine, beer, sodas, Pellegrino flavored waters and traditional Indian beverages.

Here’s what Ari said about the food, “Readily Accessible Flavors.” And that’s exactly right, the flavors are distinct and come in unusual combinations for Indian cuisine.

The lunch buffet selections rotate every weekday. It costs $9.33 after tax. Most other buffets have perhaps six to eight choices. Yesterdays at Nirvana had twelve. As David put it, his job is to, “make sure people are happy and come back.” He will adjust drink orders and dessert offerings, beyond what is offered at the buffet, if people request.

We were provided a sampler of the Lassi choices (the signature liquid yoghurt thirst quencher of the sub-continent). The choices were: Bombay Cumin Mint Salt, which was tart and slightly salty and reminded me of the side dish / condiment Raita (yoghurt with onions, cucumbers and sometimes tomato), Kashmir Rose, which was the sweetest and had a distinct fragrance AND TASTE of Rosewater, Saffron Mango, not as sweet as the Kashmir Rose, a little tart and ripe with the taste of fresh mango. My Fave.

The menu offers unusual items such as Scallops Tamateri or Crab Lajawab appetizers ($8 and $9 respectively) As well as the interesting variations on the traditional styles of curries and stews mentioned above.

After lunch we met Kuldeep the tandoori / sous chef. He is from New Delhi, call him Deep. We congratulated him on his delicious food.

Thursday through Sunday evenings they have entertainment. Belly Dancers on Thursday, Saturday and Sundays, Fusion Live Indian Music on Fridays.

Monday evening a dinner buffet is served.

If I had any criticism at all, it would be that there is no place to put the lids aside, while serving oneself from the various buffet tureens. But David assured Ari and me that they’re working on it.

The upstairs balcony dining seats a maximum of thirty. They can accommodate large parties with sufficient notice and advance menu planning. Group discounts on food may be available if negotiated in advance.

Chef Advani has Persian influences in his family background as well as the European and American cooking interests that he has “fused” with traditional Indian. This is a very exciting place, and may be the only place like it on the planet.


I must point out the double irony of the street address (420) and the fact that Nirvana shares the same building as the Armed Forces Recruiting Center (which I helped shut down a couple of times back in 2003) and a yoga studio on the opposite side of the back lobby. A very Yin/Yang and perhaps “spaced out” combination indeed!


Mingalaba! Burmese for “May this encounter be an auspicious occasion for us.” Try that on David when he greets you with Namasté. I didn’t say it, or explain it to him, so he may be nonplussed the first time. (Unless you’ve read this, David!)


“Quid Pro Quo or No?”


A note on how I got a free lunch (OK, Linner): This meal was arranged by another waccobb.net member who having read my “Favorite Restaurants” list and having eaten at Nirvana, introduced us and set up an email correspondence between Neil and myself. Thanks Jane!

In clearing with Barry Chertov the fact that I was getting a free meal in exchange for writing this report, Barry indicated that he would prefer that there be no “quid pro quo” for mentions on waccobb. I can certainly understand that. I was not comfortable with possibly representing myself as a “reporter” for wacco, since I am not one. Yet I must admit that my low level of funds before the last two weeks EDD check arrives on Friday (today is Wednesday) was a distinct motivating factor!

So after assuring Barry that I had not made the request, and had been totally honest with Neil about my nonprofessional status, I went ahead and took Neil’s offer for a free meal for “guests” and myself

But that got me thinking about what I owed in return. What if I didn’t like it? What if my gratitude influenced my judgment? What do professional food journalists do? Do they arrive unannounced, pay anonymously and leave without letting the hosts know who they are until the review is published? Do they accept free meals when reviewing? Is there some kind of “don’t ask, don’t tell” protocol that we don’t even know about?

My understanding is that normally it’s the former (critic pays, is not announced) not the latter. I also thought about how Abbie Hoffman, while on the lam in Europe with his girlfriend back in the mid to late-seventies would pose as a posh restaurant critic and scam free meals at the best restaurants on the continent!

I’m not getting paid; no one has hired me to do this. I’m a volunteer doing what I like to do, eat, write and share my opinions with others. This is the first time I’ve done it this way. And I think I’d like it to be my last.

Because, I can assure you the amount of time I took in thinking about the ethical and procedural issues involved, the anxiety I experienced in wanting to do justice, by being thorough and precise, to my hosts. Yet also honest, fair minded and truthful about my experience. And the feeling of writing under a self-imposed deadline (even more than usual), were more expensive to me in time and energy, than the meal would have cost me financially, had I gone in anonymously and had asked questions posing as a “regular” customer. On the other hand, the feeling, of being “special” and being given extra attention, was nice!

So unless someone is willing to pay me to do this, I think I’ll end my para-professional career here and now as a free-meal-accepting restaurant reviewer. It’s just too complicated and I spent more time asking questions and thinking about what I was going to write, than I did enjoying the meal.

Well, I think I could make exceptions for John Ash & Co. or the French Laundry, or any other haute cuisine restaurant of that caliber. I mean, let’s not be too hasty!


And in the interest of full disclosure I suppose I should mention that Helen, owner of Santa Trata Eritrean Cafe, didn’t charge me for dinner a few weeks ago ($11 app. and I was prepared to pay) because so many of you had come in and told her “Miles sent me/us!” So thank you all for that. Which reminds me, I could really use a serving of Zigne and Hamlee on Injera right about now! And an update, she’s found someone to take over the front of the house when she has her baby in a couple of months. What do others think of her home-style Horn of Africa cuisine?



Update to My Favorite Inexpensive Restaurants (Where you can get a good meal for between $10-$15)


Red Rose Café


1770 Piner Road, Santa Rosa (just west of Covey)
573-9741
Harold and Nancy Rogers – Owners
M-Th 6 am – 8 pm, F-Sat 6-9, Sun 6-3

This is a SOUL food restaurant. I had the pork ribs, with collard greens, green beans and cornbread and it was a large portion. Very meaty and tender ribs, bbq sauce on the side as it should be. Cost me $17.65, but my pre-tip tab was $14.65 and I was getting the rib dinner. Most options are less expensive. Very tasty.

They’ve got catfish fillet, catfish nuggets, tilapia, bbq chicken, burgers, salads. They do tofu and tempeh scrambles. They do standard American (U.S.) breakfasts. Breakfast is served until 2:00 p.m. Homey service, nice décor. Low prices. They’ve been open for the past two or three months.


Honey Biscuits Update:

Michelle is closing on the sixteenth. She’s got another business opportunity to pursue. So if you don’t make it by mid-month, you’re going to be out of luck.

:letseat:

Well my wife and I ate at Nirvana for the first this Tuesday nite (no buffet).

The food is outstanding... really delicious. We were wondering when Miles would do a review....lo and behold.

Annapurna has been our favorite for India/Nepalese type food and Nirvana went to the top as far as the food goes. The decor and Buddha fountain is quite nice too...I would suggest some carpets to warm the place up.

However, our experience was not totally positive and I immediately mailed off a letter to the owner with my feedback. I do want this restaurant to succeed.

Some of my comments in the letter which I'll summarize....

"It was not a busy time since there were maybe 4 other parties having dinner at our time.

• We waited at least 45 minutes, maybe longer, before being served our 2 dishes. An extraordinary long time. The delay was not even acknowledged…a small appetizer...something... to appease our hunger would have been a nice.
• We did not find the waiters experienced or professional. Seemed like their first waiter/bus boy jobs. They were friendly; however, seemed awkward.
• The waiter was engaged in a lengthlty conversation with a customer who was picking up a to go order. It appeared the waiter might have known the customer. However, there was some issue going on and the waiter complained to the customer that he takes the brunt of complaints and is tired of it. This comment was said too loud and was unprofessional...something customers should not hear.
• The ice tea was unique and delicious. When we asked for a refill we were told that they ran out and a new batch was being made. We never got a refill.
• Finally and the most unpleasant. When we were leaving we took some of the digestive fennel-type condiments at the register which one finds in Indian restaurants. My wife and I took a taste and had to immediately go outside and spit it out…it tasted like soap. I went back in and requested that the waiter taste it too. He did not want to taste it, he said he doesn’t like that stuff. He finally did taste it and had to spit it out too. The busboy was there and he said he had tasted it earlier and had to spit it out. Both the waiter and busboy said it tasted like soap. A most unpleasant experience after such a tasty dinner.

In summary Wacco-ites, the food is really great....go! It's one of those restaurants that I want to succeed and will go back and will work with them as a customer to make the place the most enjoyable as possible. The owner Neil is a good guy.

My other regret is that I wish Neil opened his restaurant in Sebastopol. Is Sebastopol long overdue for an Indian type restaurant? I would think it would be an instant success.

Gary Abreim

"Hi, Is Nirvana the old Sizzling Tandoor? If so I think it is on the same side of the PD parking lot.... (not across the street)."

Nirvana is across the street from Sizzling Tandoor (and Sizzling Tandoor has added "Your Nirvana for Indian Food" to the text in both windows)

Nirvana is in the space previously occupied by the Tahini Grill.

"M"M


:communication:

Santa rosa needs all the help it can get, and location is everything. Nirvana opened right on the same block as 3 other mideastern restaurants and the chinese buffet. Hopefully he will continue with the lunch buffet at the competitive 8.99 price which is what the indian and nepalese restaurants charge for lunch buffet. Neil is currently seeking massage therapists , preferably cmts to come in and do table massages for him in exchange for meal gift certificates rather than cash on a daily basis, obviously he is working very very hard. He is also looking for belly dancers willing to be paid in this manner. Can we eat this much. LOL:hmmm:

so far, my favorite restaurant does not exist . where is the real deal indian VEGETARIAN restaurant buffet. ? Govindas is serving bland dhals and non authentic foodstuffs that is not kosher krsna cuisine. WHO DARES to serve the real deal? Sizzling tandoor makes excellent rice pudding and their vegetable curry is right along with the sauces, but most of the menu is full of meat. :idea: :2cents: good news , mydaughter is in culinary school, and wants to open a restaurant someday . hope i live long enough to see it. meanwhile. blessed be and hare krsna

Rucira,

One way in which my "review" of Nirvana is remiss is that I did not list the items available at the lunch buffet. I meant to but got distracted.

I'm not a vegetarian/vegan, as everyone knows who has read my restaurant lists. But my vague recollection is that there were several items out of the some twelve, that were non-meat. I would call before going and see what they have to offer that meets the needs of vegetarians and vegans.

Nirvana - 575-3608

I used to eat at a vegetarian buffet in the Mucha neighborhood of Taipei, Taiwan back when I lived there for six months in 1997. It was great! And an amazing price deal as well. It was run by a Buddhist couple as a part of their spiritual practice. I miss it.

"M"M

Soon to be Mad-In Quotes-Miles because of software limits on this board.

Sad to say, but last 2 times we went to the RedRose Cafe it was terrible. The service was extreemly slow, Salads were soggy, the food was not so good ok,, it was bad and we got the trots both times afterwards.
So we will not be returning there. Inconsistancy is a real problem for any restraunt. These people are so nice wish they could get it together.. So I have changed my mind this is no longer a favorite.

Red Rose Café
1770 Piner Road, Santa Rosa (just west of Covey)
573-9741
Harold and Nancy Rogers – Owners
M-Th 6 am – 8 pm, F-Sat 6-9, Sun 6-3

Hi Gary,
Thank you so much for the feedback. We are working very hard to correct the situation. We are three weeks old and are coping with operational issues. I have made some procedural changes and staff training in this regard. Can u pls wtite to me at [email protected] or call me at 707 575 3608 and I would like to offer you a complimentary meal to make up for your experience. I assure yoiu we take every feedback very seriously and strive to be the best.
Neil

Hey Dere Eaters of WaccoLand!

I want to hip you all to Aioli in Forestville:

Aioli

6536 Front Street (aka 116)
South side, just west of "The Club"
F'Ville

887-2476

7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday

10-6 Saturday

They've been open, oh, a month?

They're a gourmet deli: great sandwich's (Proscuitto & Fontina Panini, Roasted Chicken Breast, Ultimate Veggie, Rib Eye Steak, Italian, Curry Chicken, Reuben Panini, Grilled Veggie Wrop), salads (green bean, potato, cous-cous, mixed grains, etc.), duck confit, crab cake Wednesday's.

(Missed those this week, the first week, because I didn't leave work until six and they were closed as I drove by on my way home an hour and fricken' half later!!!??)

It's all made there, no bulk pre-processed stuff. Chef Autumn was braising the corned beef for the reuben's on the behind the counter stove top when I was there last Monday evening picking up my dinner.

Really nice people, as well as the just mentioned Autumn, we have Nicholas (chef/husband/partner of Autumn, ask him about his credentials, if you're not impressed, you're not paying attention to what's up in local haute cuisine) and counter-man Kyle.

Pretty fast service for what they're dishing up, eat there or take-away. Top chi chi cuisine at affordable prices. A foodie's deli.

Great place to pick up a WAY above average sandwich for work the next day. Or that day if you're lucky enough to work locally.

And it's in my town! (My town for the last three years.)

I'm a happy camper, when I can make it there in time.

:thanks:



An often hungry "Mad" Miles

:burngrnbounce:

I would like to personally thank you Mad Miles for giving our Gourmet Delicatessen, Aioli, your stamp of approval. If anyone reading this, comes into Aioli and mentions that they saw this on the website, I will give them 1/2 off of one of our fabulous sandwiches! We love to meet the people in our community and hopefully we can meet some new ones! Thanks again Miles!

Autumn Opitz
chef/co-owner
Aioli Delicatessen

Autumn,

No worries, and You're Welcome!

I just finished Aioli's Duck Confit with Escarole Salad and White Bean Truffle Salad for dinner.

Totally satisfying. I only regret that I turned down Nicholas's offer of a baked apple for my dessert.

(Although a couple of chunks of Columbian Single Source milk chocolate from Chocolate Santander are no mean substitute. I got it earlier this week at Pacific Market in Sebasto.)

I'm still waiting to try your crab cakes, and to verify that you make "the best in the world".

Based on my recent experience, I'm not skeptical at all...

Nicholas told me a little bit about your experience during a week long blackout in Monte Rio with a new baby. Sounds like a good answer to my question at the end of my previous waccobb post. (See Post #1 in thread.)

(Yes, my new use of hyperlinks is a blatant attempt to inveigle the skeptical to read ALL of my stuff on this board!)

"F" On in '08!

"Mad" Miles

:burngrnbounce:

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by chefautie:

I would like to personally thank you Mad Miles for giving our Gourmet Delicatessen, Aioli, your stamp of approval. If anyone reading this, comes into Aioli and mentions that they saw this on the website, I will give them 1/2 off of one of our fabulous sandwiches! We love to meet the people in our community and hopefully we can meet some new ones! Thanks again Miles!

Autumn Opitz
chef/co-owner
Aioli Delicatessen

---

I'm just getting to this message and I thought I'd highlight this tasty and frugal opportunity! :letseat:

Bon Appetit!
Barry

Dear Waccogourmands,

Just a follow-up, (See Post #19, This Thread)

I've had Chef Autumn's crab cakes (twice, and each order is one large crab cake with salad $12 and change.), and I can say they are the best I've ever had.

Light, fluffy, lots of crab, little filler/binder, in fact unnoticeable, delicate, sweet crab flavor, nice remoulade on the side. Scrumptious.

Now, I haven't tasted every crab cake recipe in the entire world. That is a project that I'm unfortunately not in a postion to take on. More's the pity...

But based on my recent experiences, I can attest that Chef Autumn's grandiose claim, is substantially substantiated!

"Mad" (And sometimes happy) Miles

:burngrnbounce:

When it comes to crab cakes, there is simply no equal to K&L Bistro in Sebastopol. Last June I went to Go Fish in St. Helena, an amazing seafood/sushi bar owned by Cindy Pawlcyn. I had seen the waiter once before working lunch at K&L bistro. I asked about the crab cakes and he told me not to order them because he knew I had already had them at K&L. Considering how good everything is at Go Fish, that's a high recommendation.

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by Mad Miles:

Dear Waccogourmands,

Just a follow-up,

I've had Chef Autumn's crab cakes (twice, and each order is one large crab cake with salad $12 and change.), and I can say they are the best I've ever had.

Light, fluffy, lots of crab, little filler/binder, in fact unnoticeable, delicate, sweet crab flavor, nice remoulade on the side. Scrumptious.

Now, I haven't tasted every crab cake recipe in the entire world. That is a project that I'm unfortunately not in a postion to take on. More's the pity...

But based on my recent experiences, I can attest that Chef Autumn's grandiose claim, is substantially substantiated!

"Mad" (And sometimes happy) Miles

:burngrnbounce:

---

I've eaten at K&L and it is very, very good. No I haven't had their crab cakes.

But you haven't had Chef Autumn's from Aioli have you? So how can you make this claim?

Remember, I didn't say they were the "best in the world", she does. I said they were the best I've ever had, and that that substantially substantiated her claim.

"Mad" Miles

:burngrnbounce:

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by rekarp:

When it comes to crab cakes, there is simply no equal to K&L Bistro in Sebastopol. Last June I went to Go Fish in St. Helena, an amazing seafood/sushi bar owned by Cindy Pawlcyn. I had seen the waiter once before working lunch at K&L bistro. I asked about the crab cakes and he told me not to order them because he knew I had already had them at K&L. Considering how good everything is at Go Fish, that's a high recommendation.

---

I've had K&L's crabcakes twice, and frankly, I've been disappointed both times. Greasy, heavy, not enough crab. The only place I've had them where I really feel they make a consistently good product is at Ravenous in Healdsburg.

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by rekarp:

When it comes to crab cakes, there is simply no equal to K&L Bistro in Sebastopol. Last June I went to Go Fish in St. Helena, an amazing seafood/sushi bar owned by Cindy Pawlcyn. I had seen the waiter once before working lunch at K&L bistro. I asked about the crab cakes and he told me not to order them because he knew I had already had them at K&L. Considering how good everything is at Go Fish, that's a high recommendation.

---

I beg to differ: better crab cakes than K&L's are two doors away!

Alice's Restaurant's "very crabby crabcakes" are the best crab cakes I've had in Sonoma County, period, full stop, end of story.

Check 'em out!


SM

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by rekarp:

When it comes to crab cakes, there is simply no equal to K&L Bistro in Sebastopol. Last June I went to Go Fish in St. Helena, an amazing seafood/sushi bar owned by Cindy Pawlcyn. I had seen the waiter once before working lunch at K&L bistro. I asked about the crab cakes and he told me not to order them because he knew I had already had them at K&L. Considering how good everything is at Go Fish, that's a high recommendation.

---

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by Sonomamark:

I beg to differ: better crab cakes than K&L's are two doors away!

Alice's Restaurant's "very crabby crabcakes" are the best crab cakes I've had in Sonoma County, period, full stop, end of story.

---

If you are interested in checking out the crab cakes at Alice's you should do soon! They are looking to sell the restaurant! Also, be warned, when I was there last they had no prices on the menu, and when we got the bill, the prices were higher than we expected. :eek:

Well there's the rub - food is not only subjective, but people have widely differing ranges of knowledge and experience. Some folks will tell you that Marie Callender's is the best and don't realize that the food is frozen and processed, almost the cheapest raw ingredients. Same with wine. To appreciate quality wine one must invest the time to learn. In general Americans don't spend enough time or money on food. They eat mostly processed food, both at home and at restaurants and might not even be able to recognize the difference in quality of food like we get at local farmer's markets and restaurants like Peter Lowells.

K&L has been my favorite west county restaurant for some time. I've never had a bad meal there. The Michellin reviewers agree with my assessment and have given it a star for two years, one of only a few in Sonoma County.

The crabcakes are almost 100% crab. They use a little potato flour to keep it from falling apart. It's just your basic dungeness crabmeat. I've had two terrible experiences at Alice's, but I've never had the crabcakes. I love Ravenous, but the crabcakes I had there were so full of fat and grease that I was ill for hours.

So who makes the best brownies?

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by Sonomamark:

I beg to differ: better crab cakes than K&L's are two doors away!

Alice's Restaurant's "very crabby crabcakes" are the best crab cakes I've had in Sonoma County, period, full stop, end of story.

Check 'em out!


SM

---

In my opinion K&L is still the best crabcake around. I gave Aioli another shot today. They have a nice cake with lots of fresh crab, but not in the same league. To much fat, don't need the bell peppers. Too expensive! $13.50 for lunch at a sandwich shop. It did include salad though.

Check out the K&L crabcakes - I think you'll agree.

Had lunch at Aioli today. Super nice folks with a nicely varied menu. We enjoyed a yummy panini and the perfect veggie wrap. The apple turnovers were just the right treat after we devoured our sandwiches.

Mad Miles wrote:

I've had Chef Autumn's crab cakes (twice, and each order is one large crab cake with salad $12 and change.), and I can say they are the best I've ever had.

I am glad I remembered this from waay back. I was there yesterday and shared an order with a friend and we were both full and happy. I told them it was becasue of your rave review. Once again that is Aioli in Forrestville. Thank you, Laura:thumbsupwink:

When I got there too early to try the crab cake, I had the roast chicken and brie sandwich with pesto aioli, and it was probably the best sandwich I've ever had. Generous size, too.

Sara S.

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by Melodymama:

Mad Miles wrote:

I've had Chef Autumn's crab cakes (twice, and each order is one large crab cake with salad $12 and change.), and I can say they are the best I've ever had.

I am glad I remembered this from waay back. I was there yesterday and shared an order with a friend and we were both full and happy. I told them it was becasue of your rave review. Once again that is Aioli in Forrestville. Thank you, Laura:thumbsupwink:

---

quote: - I don’t know if you know it, but Chinese immigrants run some local Thai restaurants. -

This is certainly the case at "Thai Pot" in Sebastopol... they have annoyed me for years by pretending to be Thai. The owner guy is Taiwanese! (that's Chinese for the geographically uninclined).

Making it much worse is the ignorance displayed by those who got it voted "Best Thai Restaurant" in the Bohemian... and also the ignorance of the Bohemian itself in that regard... what a joke! It's not even real Thai food.

I myself find it very insulting that they assume we are so culturally and gastronomically illiterate that we would not know the difference (but sadly, they are largely correct as evidenced by their pulling it off for so long!).

The most authentic Thai in the North Bay area is easily Jhanthong Banbua (Santa Rosa), followed by Baan Thai.

Why believe me? I've been to Thailand four times on culinary exploratory trips, and have been a Thai food aficionado since about 1982---long, LONG before the Thai food fad hit the US.

I say expose all Chinese pretenders... post any others you know to be true (but be sure about it before you post, it's a serious accusation).

Regrettably, Nirvana closed soon after this review. What a disappointment for the owner who created a serene ambiance and the subtlely nuanced flavors in visually stunning copperware. I miss this place. Henry Crigler

How can you beat Mary's for reliable value. Every so often the special is b'fly pasta in lemon creme sauce with pancetta and a touch of nutmeg. NTBM Henry

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by Mad Miles:

Nirvana – Addendum To:

My Favorite Expensive (For Me) Restaurants where you can get a good meal for between $15-$35

By R. Miles Mendenhall

3/7/2007

Nirvana

420 Mendocino Avenue #100, Santa Rosa
(next to the Armed Forces Recruiting Center and across the street from the Press Democrat parking lot)
575-3608
11:30-2:30 & 5:30-9:30 p.m. Every Day Of The Week

With a name like “Nirvana” I thought it had better be good, and it is! OK here goes; this is going to be a more elaborate write-up than I’ve been doing on this list, for reasons that I’ll go into at the end.
....

---

My take on The Bohemian's "Best Of..." lists is that it means that the business advertises in The Bohemian regularly.


Sara S.

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by tziferon:

quote: - I don’t know if you know it, but Chinese immigrants run some local Thai restaurants. -

This is certainly the case at "Thai Pot" in Sebastopol... they have annoyed me for years by pretending to be Thai. The owner guy is Taiwanese! (that's Chinese for the geographically uninclined).

Making it much worse is the ignorance displayed by those who got it voted "Best Thai Restaurant" in the Bohemian... and also the ignorance of the Bohemian itself in that regard... what a joke! It's not even real Thai food.

I myself find it very insulting that they assume we are so culturally and gastronomically illiterate that we would not know the difference (but sadly, they are largely correct as evidenced by their pulling it off for so long!).

The most authentic Thai in the North Bay area is easily Jhanthong Banbua (Santa Rosa), followed by Baan Thai.

Why believe me? I've been to Thailand four times on culinary exploratory trips, and have been a Thai food aficionado since about 1982---long, LONG before the Thai food fad hit the US.

I say expose all Chinese pretenders... post any others you know to be true (but be sure about it before you post, it's a serious accusation).

---

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by rekarp:

In my opinion K&L is still the best crabcake around. I gave Aioli another shot today. They have a nice cake with lots of fresh crab, but not in the same league. To much fat, don't need the bell peppers. Too expensive! $13.50 for lunch at a sandwich shop. It did include salad though.

Check out the K&L crabcakes - I think you'll agree.

---

Too much fat? The only fat in there is the natural crab fat. I have had K&L's crab cake and did not care to reorder it next time. Aioli has the crabbiest and freshest crabcake around. I almost had decided I don't like crab cakes because I couldn't find one I liked...until Aioli.

I always loved the crabcakes at Alice's Restaurant, I didn't think K&L's crabcakes were as good, but I haven't been there in awhile. Do they still exist?

I will have to try Aioli, sounds good!

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by riverreb:

Too much fat? The only fat in there is the natural crab fat. I have had K&L's crab cake and did not care to reorder it next time. Aioli has the crabbiest and freshest crabcake around. I almost had decided I don't like crab cakes because I couldn't find one I liked...until Aioli.

---

Ting Hao *used* to be good, now they're pretty subpar.

Shangri-La in Cotati--eh. What else? Hmm... Ah yeah, Star of India in Petaluma--they've gotten some oddly unwarranted bad reviews online, but I still say they may have some of the tastiest Indian food in Sonoma County--forget about Sizzling Tandoor--that restaurant is not what it used to be, either.

I ldid like Annapurna, and then I found out about the rat infestation that eventually led to its temporary closure.

Sushi Tozai makes the most heavenly and flawless udon around.

Bon appetito!

Caputmedusae,

Thanks for weighing in.

Re: Annapurna

Dikendra's place reopened along with the other restaurants in that building. The rat infestation was in the Brickyard Center building. It was not specific to Annapurna. Your post implies that it was.

After the exterminator had his/her run, the entire complex was cleared by the Health Department.

I've eaten there since and it was as good as usual. Some of the best curries in Santa Rosa.

"Mad" Miles

:burngrnbounce:

New Place In Sebasto!!!

(The center of the known waccobbie universe)

I first met Larry Vito, when he was catering the KRSH Backyard Concerts three summers or so ago, because his wife, Renee (?), claimed he made the best BBQ in California. I asked her if she'd ever eaten at Bones in Gualala, she hadn't. But then I tried Larry's and damn, if it's not the best, it's among the best.

His place next to Patisserie Angelica, by the Sebastopol Cinemas, has finally opened to walk-in traffic. I've been waiting for months. They've only been open a week. I took home the two meat combo, Chicken Andouille and Beef Brisket with Potato Salad and Cole Slaw.

Damn, that's good cookin'!!!

Carnivores, enjoy....


BBQ Smokehouse & Catering

6811 Laguna Park Way

575-3277

11:30 - 7:30
Tuesday - Sunday

"Dine on our deck, or take it to go"

Catty corner to the Sebasto Cop Shop, down the street from the Skate Park, in the same parking lot as the Cinemas, in the same building as Patisserie Angelica.

Best damn pastries, cakes and chocolates to be had in the area, and I don't just mean Sebastopol, the crunchy, woo woo, Mecca!

I hear there's a very good French pastry baker in Healdsburg, but that's just a little outside of my normal range of operations.

"Mad" Miles for Miles' Favorite Restaurants

:burngrnbounce:


P.S. Regarding another thread about restaurants, I believe it is titled "Restaurant Blues", Jane (I think?) claimed the best restaurant in Santa Rosa was Sea Thai.

I tried it a couple of weeks ago. Had the same black noodle dish she gushed about.

Ho Hum.

Price: very affordable

Portion: Generous

Service: Good. Except for the hostess who balked at seating me at a four place table, even though the end of the room was empty and it was a late lunch hour. There was little likelihood of a rush crowd arriving. I just wanted light to read my newspaper by. The only open two-seater was up against a wall, in front of the back of the house entry/exit, with little light, and in the middle of an area with well-populated and conversationally animated tables. Nothing wrong with that, unless you want to read and chill before the matinee you're headed for in an hour.

Taste: Generic, not particularly great, especially for Thai. It was more like a CA Cuisine / Thai hybred, with little to recommend it from either genre. Sort of like high end cafeteria food at a college dinery catering to a crunchy student crowd. Yes, everything was fresh and cooked right, it just lacked distinction in the flavor department. A little sweet, but bland and generic.

So, for my Thai food needs, I'll be going to Baan Thai in Larkfield, Jan Thong Ban Bua on Mendocino in north Santa Rosa, or Lynne's Thai in West Cotati, long before I return to Sea Thai.


And to continue with another complaint: When I went to "Cheri" at the Rialto on Tuesday, I grabbed an order of Baba Ganoush from East / West to tide me over. They had it ready in two minutes and were really cool about my need to rush. The price wasn't too bad, either.

But when I got to my seat in the theater I was disappointed by the whole wheat pita.

My bad, I should have asked, especially given the place. Years ago I tested allergic to wheat, and while I have no problem, other than mild digestion discomfort, I just don't like the taste.

I eat evil bleached wheat products all the time. Love the flavor and have no digestive difficulties with those.

The roasted eggplant dip? I can't say it tasted bad, as it had little to no flavor at all. Sort of like a soft, creamy filler with no texture or taste. I satisfied my hunger pangs, unhappily, and threw the other half away after the movie.

Real Doner in Petaluma has good Baba Ganoush. The flavor is still too delicate for what I'm looking for in BG. The real taste treats there are the gyros and kababs. His hummus is excellent as well. Be sure to ask for some of his "hot sauce" and don't skimp on the citrus juice!

I've never had a Baba Ganoush that rivaled, not even close to, the Mediterranean Market in Chicago where I used to go for my BG, hummus, spinach pies, meat pies, and Arabian breads, plus the baklavas they made (everything I've listed here is made on the premises by a wonderful Palestinian family) were the best I've ever had. I miss that place!!!!

Good Baba Ganoush should taste of smoky, roasted eggplant, olive oil, a little garlic, salt and lemon. It should be smooth but with bits of the eggplant seed to give it some texture.

It should not be bland and creamy smooth with no texture or distinguishable flavors.

Ai Ya, Oy Vey, Ach du Lieber, My Oh My!

"Mad" Miles

:burngrnbounce:

Yesterday, before going to see "Bruno" (mit umlaut) I again ate at BBQ Smokehouse and Catering. Had the three ribs, coleslaw and cowboy beans.

Very, very delicious and satisfying. Larry has a "sauteed veggies" special up on the board, and various salads for those who want their greens.

Aside from all that, I wanted to mention he has a "Help Wanted" sign up. So for those high schooler's still looking for a summer job....

I joked that with Patisserie Angelica in the same building as BBQ Smokehouse, I might as well move in since combined they have all the elements necessary for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Unfortunately there appear to be no rooms for let.

Back to Sacha Baron Cohen's ouevre. I keep thinking of various sequences and phrases from the film, and start laughing all over again! The clean hotel toilet joke is priceless, and the looks on the faces of the extreme wrestling fans towards the end of the film? Oh my Gawd!? Could anything be funnier?

"Mad" Miles

:burngrnbounce:

But have you tried the Baba Ganoush at the Main Street Deli in Sebastopol?

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by Mad Miles:

...

And to continue with another complaint: When I went to "Cheri" at the Rialto on Tuesday, I grabbed an order of Baba Ganoush from East / West to tide me over. They had it ready in two minutes and were really cool about my need to rush. The price wasn't too bad, either.

But when I got to my seat in the theater I was disappointed by the whole wheat pita.

My bad, I should have asked, especially given the place. Years ago I tested allergic to wheat, and while I have no problem, other than mild digestion discomfort, I just don't like the taste.

I eat evil bleached wheat products all the time. Love the flavor and have no digestive difficulties with those.

The roasted eggplant dip? I can't say it tasted bad, as it had little to no flavor at all. Sort of like a soft, creamy filler with no texture or taste. I satisfied my hunger pangs, unhappily, and threw the other half away after the movie.

Real Doner in Petaluma has good Baba Ganoush. The flavor is still too delicate for what I'm looking for in BG. The real taste treats there are the gyros and kababs. His hummus is excellent as well. Be sure to ask for some of his "hot sauce" and don't skimp on the citrus juice!

I've never had a Baba Ganoush that rivaled, not even close to, the Mediterranean Market in Chicago where I used to go for my BG, hummus, spinach pies, meat pies, and Arabian breads, plus the baklavas they made (everything I've listed here is made on the premises by a wonderful Palestinian family) were the best I've ever had. I miss that place!!!!

Good Baba Ganoush should taste of smoky, roasted eggplant, olive oil, a little garlic, salt and lemon. It should be smooth but with bits of the eggplant seed to give it some texture.

It should not be bland and creamy smooth with no texture or distinguishable flavors.

Ai Ya, Oy Vey, Ach du Lieber, My Oh My!

"Mad" Miles

:burngrnbounce:

---

Yo Foodie Waccoons,

Wow, it's been just over a year since I added to this thread. I still eat out, not as much as when I was raking it in as a pampered state employee, (In Prison, yeah, I was sooo pampered.)

Much has happened in the West County, Santa Rosa area restaurant world, in one year. I know I've written about some places since last I added to this thread. They must have been one off's that I didn't link here. I just went back and noted the places that closed, after their names, when/where I first wrote about them. Most of those are in post #6 of this thread.

First, I want to tout Toyo! Hh!


Toyo Japanese Restaurant

North West Santa Rosa, in the shopping center at Marlow and Piner
(Used to be a pretty good, but a little pricy, sea food place. Called The Seafood Wharf or something. Between the Karate studio and the West End Bar. Same shopping center as the, now closed, Bradley Video. Their website is hyperlinked in their name above. Menu, Hours, Address, All their digits.)

Owner David Lin had the good sense to hire Chef Yo of Cafe Japan reknown. (See my paltry paragraphs on Cafe Japan in the "My Favorite Expensive Restaurants" post #6 of this thread.)

I ate there a few months ago, on a weeknight, when Chef Yo wasn't working. It was very good. I had the Seafood Udon, very tasty, filling and with lots of varied fish, mollusks and crustaceans. And plenty of vegetables.

Last night, after failing to find White Bear's party in Southwest Santa Rosa, (Ahhggg! Incomplete directions from a friend who will remain unamed.) I went back.

Chef Yo was in the house! I had the Chef's Sushi Special ($24). Perfectamundo! He added a piece of the Uni special (fresh, local) to the order without a blink. Plus I got to chat with him for the first time, and was able to inquire after his charming wife, Jen, and their now three year old daughter. She's talking and everything! (Their daughter, not Jen. I keed!)

He works there Wednesday through Saturday, maybe Sundays as well. You want the work of a consumate Japanese sushi chef? Yo's your man.

Jeff Cox reviewed Toyo positively on the third of this month. He doesn't mention Chef Yo, but everything he says about David Lin and his hospitality is true and more.

It's not cheap, but when is Japanese food, especially sushi, cheap? Especially the quality stuff. My tab was $34.88, sake included. I tipped $7 for a total of $41.88. For an excellent restaurant meal in these parts, that's a moderate price.


P30

On Bodega Highway west of "Town" (in this case Sebasto-Center of the Universe, More Enlightened than Thou Central. I keed, I keed!)
Same spot as Mojo and St. Rose, previously.

Went there on Thursday evening with my sister and father. I'd heard about it, read about it, went there a month or so ago, but didn't want to wait forty minutes to eat. The second time we walked right in and were seated immediately.

We shared a single order of: Crab Cakes, Paella, Duck Cassoulet, bottle of wine and two desserts. We sat outside, at a table for six, and agreed to share it.

Twenty minutes in, we did, with two ladies from Santa Rosa. One was Danish/American, she's been here since the early sixties. We had a great conversation about Scandanavian Film, differences in social culture between Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway, and mutual friends associated with the Peace & Justice Center of Sonoma County.

The food was good. Very tasty. I had minor criticisms. (Crab Cakes just a mite too salty, and I love salt, beans in the cassoulet could have used a little more time cooking, they were slightly on the dry and mealy side, I'm not a paella expert, but the rice was a bit gummy, and the seafood portion skimpy. Overall it was good, just a few flaws. I've written here recently about how eating in restaurants has taught me that if you know what you're doing, cooking at home can produce superior results.)

I wouldn't say spectacular for the price. Plates are between $7 - $15, medium size. The tab was $99, before tip. (I've hyperlinked their website in their name above.) My dad paid! Sweet...

The setting, is very nice, especially outside on an early summer evening. I have vivid, pleasant memories of seeing, "Trailer Trash!: The Musical", in the field on the same property about five or six years ago.

Diane Peterson reviewed them in the PD, in early April.


Finally, for the mo' .....

(Masterpiece Mystery, A Poirot Mystery, is on in twenty minutes! Gotta run. Never have read Ms. Christie, but I'm impressed by the video adaptations...)


Baba Ganoush!

Samir and crew at Main Street Deli, in "town" (Yeah, we all know what that means!) does it right! Get some. He closes at 6:30. It's the real deal. Lovely smoky, chunky roasted eggplant flavor/texture. Not gummy and bland like East West on Summerfield Road. His Hummus rocks as well. Great Boorma. Good lamb, beef and chicken. Nice Middle Eastern salads. Solid Mediterranean Cuisine. At very fair prices.

A Table!

That's Frenchie/Froggy talk for, "Come and Get It!".

And before you get on your high horse and accuse me of being biased against les Francais (as if!) my grandmother, Andree Contou Mendenhall, would have laughed along with me.

So, "Vat on! Monsieur d'une sensibilité exageré!!"

Recent and not so recent eating excursions, minor knife deprivation and envy, personal asides and embarrassing confessions. With discursive meanderings and irrelevant side remarks that will probably be irritating to most of you. I don't think I'm ADD/ADHD, but evidence to the contrary can be found below. Read on...? Now you can't claim I didn't give you fair warning!

"Affordable Family Food with Local Organic Ingredients"

Been waiting for Greg Alahan's (sp?, just call him Greg, he insisted on it last night) new place to start serving in the evenings. They've been open for breakfast and lunch for a couple of months. You may know his work from Stella's and Elmo's, in the spot where Henweigh now resides. But that's all grease in the bucket.

This time the prices are moderate, and his work is delicioso as always. I ate there last night.

Had the double cut pork chop, with rough mashed potatoes (bacon, chives) and grilled yellow squash. A glass of pino, a custard with fresh fruit, $26 approximately, pre-tip. (And for anyone who remembers the beginning of this thread three four years ago, yes, I still tip 20%.)

A near perfect meal. The potatoes were scrumptious, the squash grilled just right, the chop, smoky, caramelized crispy on the outside, chewy yet tender. With a touch of Tapatio, salt and pepper? Mmmmm.

They don't have steak knives. Their table knives have a serrated edge, but as a bladesman I would have preferred something a little more lethal. Umm, I mean, efficient.

Chef Autumn at Aioli* recommended the gumbo. I had it a few weeks ago, at the end of lunch. They were out of prawns, so I only got the chicken and andouille. Scrumptious, filling. $8.75!!!

* Aioli is still the best gourmet deli I know of! I love their cheese-steak sandwich, many other things to choose from, and not all of them made with animal protein. Nicholas and Autumn are damn fine cooks. I mean chefs.


Sarah's F'Ville Kitchen prices range between $7.75 and $10.75. If I recall correctly my double pork chop entree was $11.75. Amazing! Compare that to my favorite pricey place across the street. What a deal.

Wednesday through Monday, 7-3. Now open evenings, finally!, Thursday through Sunday, looks like they close around 9:00. Double check that, cause I don't have it in front of me, and it's not on their blog-spot webpage.

6566 Front Street, Forestville (That's Highway 116 through "town") 887-1055

Cash ONLY

It cost me $3.00 to use the Bank of the West ATM across the street. Afterwards * the sous chef told me the liquor store near by, Al's just west of Mosaic Restaurant, provides cash on a credit or debit card, and only charges $0.50.

* I know afterwards isn't a correct English word, but it's how we talk. I believe it is colloquial to the South.

They have Live Jazz during Sunday Brunch. Whole grain waffles, pancakes and bellinis. Outdoor patio! Great while the weather lasts. With this cool summer, that may not be long. Nice, comfortable interior. Well decorated, striking a balance between an art gallery and homey spot.

Some of the yelp reviews ding them on presentation. This isn't your high end restaurant. It's basic, good cooking influenced by the skills of accomplished chefery. At these prices I'm not about to whine about the lack of a garnish on my plate!! I plan to become a regular, as long as my unemployment checks keep rolling in.

During dinner, I had a very pleasant conversation with a couple of other wacoons. About this board, the local restaurant scene, this thread, etc. They expressed their fear that the place would be jammed soon. It wasn't last night. I arrived around 8:30 and there were a couple of parties on the patio, and two more in the dining room. Eat there soon before it's too late to get a table.

I've eaten there a couple of times in the last two months. Very good. Next to Traverso's. The last time I was there I had a superb salad and the Tagliatelle with rabbit sugo (confit), asparagus, oyster fungi and thyme. With a glass of a nice dry, white Italian wine. Can't recall the vintage.

I'm not going to go into detail here. Check out their site embedded in their name above.

Suzanne, who I met a couple of years back at The Ace In The Hole pub (RIP) used to work at K&L in Sebastopol. She's now a manager at Santi. I just enjoy seeing her walk across a room... (Call me? yeah, I'm shameless...)

Delicious food, well presented, state of the art fine, and healthful, Italian cuisine. Not cheap. But they're doing Happy Hours with discounted drinks and small plates.


spoonbar! in the h2hotel

Ate there with my sis and dad on Tuesday evening. Very ultra modrin, (As the Nu-Beams would say), Danish contemporary post-industrial design. The bathroom is coed, with separate little loos, two for the boys, two for the girls. Reminded me of a changing room for a sauna.

We went because I love Moroccan cuisine, and the Jeff Cox review said they did merguez, harissa, and a lamb tagine. So we shared one order of two different sausage skewers, beef and lamb, some greens, the tagine and some flat bread (their version of pita.) (That's a savory stew, named for the vessel it's cooked in, a Tagine, a clay pot, conical lid. They don't use the real tagine vessel here. I asked.)

The skewers were very tasty and satisfying, three per order, a perfect split for our party. So was the kale. (A mite salty in my book, and I'm a salt lover. My sister didn't agree, and my dad is in his own world. When asked he had no complaint.)

The tagine? Filling, nice combination of meat, garbanzo beans, English peas and vegetables, cooked to the perfect texture and consistency, but a bit bland. It didn't have that special smoky, subtle, complex combination of cinnamon, cardamon, turmeric, garlic and onion spiciness that I love in this dish and this national cuisine.

By the way, those are the traditional North African spices I remember for this style of cooking, just off the top of my head. I may have forgotten a few.

The "flat bread" came at the end, not as the ordered appetizer. We had to remind our waiter. Their fresh harissa didn't have the burn my sister was looking for. I liked it. The hot pepper was subtle and came on slowly, and it was just the right level if you're not looking for a volcano in your mouth. We shared the cannoli, first time I've had chocolate sauce with cannoli.

They're newly opened. Working out the kinks. I reported our findings, both positive and constructively critical to our waiter.

Prices, moderate to chere. Our three way split meant we didn't eat too much. The total was around $110, pre-tip.

I would definitely go back to fill my jones for Moroccan food. (Man, do I miss that place in Wrigleyville!) But I might call first to see if they've amped up the flavor of their tagine.

They have lots of other standard Amero-European choices.

A place to see, and be seen. Big room, the entrance is on the street, not past the fountain, waterfall sculpture down the side. That's the hotel lobby entrance.

The menu and all other particulars are on their webpage.


And their steak knives? Very substantial and threatening. I commented to my dinner companions that these were the first sharp knives I've been loaned in a restaurant that I could see using to defend myself with, quite effectively.

Yeah, I know, adolescent male fantasies, arrested emotional development. What can I say? I love them wicked blades. Until I meditate upon what could be done with them, then I'm sickened and horrified.


Gaia's Garden

I've known Ari Camarota and Susan Church since the summer of 2000. They are two of my friends who I love dearly and miss because we've drifted apart in the last year or so, due to different schedules, pressures of our own personal and business lives and the unavoidable conflicts that trouble all humans who love one another.

Ari is a Master entertainer, musician, raconteur and host. I've only half kidded him that he should write a guide for the adult male; fashion, accessories, home decor, shopping, diet, cultural taste in general. He's an expert and has much to offer. He's great on TV. He should be the internationally known hipster version of Martha Stewart. Seriously, he's that good at an amazing array of stuff.

Susan is a sweet, sweet person with a heart as big as the known universe. I miss her parties. Especially the Gemini Birthday party every May. I did her wrong a few years back, didn't come through on a promise and waited too long to notify her that I couldn't bring myself to do it. Let's just say there's karmic payback for being a flake.

But all this is neither here nor there in a restaurant commentary. I just wanted to put on public record how much I miss both of them (you!).

They bought Govinda's a year ago in May. That's the previous name of the vegetarian buffet next to the Last Record Store. On Mendocino. Same building as Community Market. Across the street from Video Droid.

I ate there months ago when they first reopened, I'd eaten there when it was Govinda's. I haven't been hanging in "TOWN". So other than stopping by to check in with Ari in the mid-afternoon when it's closed*, I haven't been hanging out and eating there as I'd intended when they took over the joint.

* I buy the best damn orange juice to be had in this region, Columbia Gorge Organic, at Community Market. (Crunchy Central!) Yeah, I know it's not local, but at least it's sold here. I find Odwalla to be too sweet, and bland.

Believe it or not, these asides are part of my narrative. There's going to be a payoff, I promise!

Back to my story.

Thursday night, after the KRSH Backyard (Band of Heathens ROCK!, and Twang!!! Bill Bowker and crew are living boons to the soul) I had dinner with distant, but dear, friends. Who I met at Susan and Ari's parties.

I kicked myself. Perfect coconut curried tofu, basmati rice, vegetable curry, black bean soup, lentil soup (dahl), the best salad bar in the region, bar none. A nice Amber ale, Great Company, a bit of a chance to catch up with Ari. One of the best meals I've had in months. I've only listed what I ate here. There were several other choices.

It took me back to the little storefront Buddhist buffet, on the main drag of Mucha, Taipei.

Both have a wide variety of choices, perfectly cooked vegetables, grains, tofu (in various forms), numerous condiments and sauces to create any taste you crave. Or if you're an ascetic purist, you can go without. The healthiest diet possible.

And CHEAP!!! Financially that is, luxurious in every other way. My tab was $13.06 pre-tip. Ari did say he was giving me the, "old geezer," discount. (Bastard!)

I just read their website (Sorry guys! I've been preoccupied...) One of the best restaurant sites I've perused in years. Interesting narrative, specific and accessible details, no extra fluff (unlike my contributions here). Check it out. Especially the opening narrative, the menu and the music schedule.

Gaia's Garden has the imminent potential to not only be the tastiest and healthiest place to eat out, in all of central Sonoma County, if not beyond, but the coolest boit de la nuit.

One of the things Ari has always harped about is the poor treatment of musicians by nightclub managers, and the lousy sound systems in those clubs. He now has his chance to show the world how to do it right. His perfectionist tendencies will not permit him to stint on quality. I can guarantee that!!!

He's been part of the heart of the local music scene, for at least two decades. If they get our business, Susan and he could be major impresarios for our cultural, social and political community. As they already are. Their "It's Your Party Mobile DJ" sound system has powered the voices and music of most of the rallies held in Courthouse Square, and other places where demonstrations happen, for at least the last ten years. For little or no pay. They're due, and we owe them.

Won't be big shows. The intimate room and crunchy decor (the good earth based natural crunchy that we all love and need), along with the master musicians and a professional mix, could, should and I hope, be, the next very cool thing.

It's not big enough to replace The Studio Cafe. But for sitting down, listening, having a great meal, a couple of glasses of beer or wine, or a soda, and chatting with some friends (Please, not too loud while the performers are creating!?) chatting up the beautiful person of your choice, you know the drill, this could become it. At times, when things get cooking on stage, there will be dancing, and no blood.

Aside from back in the kitchen, there will be absolutely no need for sharp knives, steak or otherwise!

************************************************************************

That's it for now.

Remember,

No matter where you go.

There you are.

Please ignore, the following link. It isn't working. See my reply two posts later in this thread as to why I think it's not happening.

Speaking of being somewhere. Here's a link to my flickr set of pictures I took at Mosaic this last week. There's some brief commentary in the captions. Apologies to anyone who's already looked at this.

If you have, just don't go there! Really, I'm trying to be your friend, don't go there, if you've already been. You won't like it! If you ignore my advice and go there again, don't say I didn't say, don't go there!

I'm hungry.

Hey Miles,

I tried to link to the flickr page on Mosaic, but it says i don't have permission to go there...?

kp

Kathy,

F! I'm still trying to suss the flickr, FB, waccobb, hotmail interfaces. When I have it figured out, I'll let the world, "according to Miles", know.

I've found flickr to be hard to use, the privacy settings either apply to everything, or to nothing. You can't selectively adjust privacy by picture set. I have some sets on there that are groups of friends at parties, and I don't want to violate their privacy.

I'm also still sussing out FB. Once Barry and his minions mount the waccobb/FB uplink, maybe this won't be a problem?

Quote:

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Posted in reply to the post by Rucira:

so far, my favorite restaurant does not exist . where is the real deal indian VEGETARIAN restaurant buffet. ? Govindas is serving bland dhals and non authentic foodstuffs that is not kosher krsna cuisine. WHO DARES to serve the real deal? ... meanwhile. blessed be and hare krsna

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Rucira,

I know your post is three years old. But have you been to Gaia's Garden recently? They address the very issue of krsna cuisine on the first page of their website. You might want to read that before deciding to try it out, or not.

Miles

Miles, you forgot to mention McDonald's.

Edward

Quote:

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Posted in reply to the post by "Mad" Miles:

Dear Waccobies, ...
Miles’ favorite inexpensive but tasty restaurants
in central and western Sonoma County

---

(not sure what's the diff. between "reply publicly" and "reply to this thread"...hope this gets to whatever the right place would be, not that it's such a burning issue...)

Sonoma doesn't get much e-ink here, probably because it's not part of anybody's west side, but I want to share my favorite place with you for whenever you venture eastward. It's called Cafe Picazo, located on Arnold (major road west of and parallel with 12), right next to Juanita Juanita. Little yellow building, lovely sunny patio and big old wood-paneled sunny room to sit and read the paper. Fresh flowers on each table, loads of reading material, fantastically sweet proprietor and her equally sweet sons. Really excellent barbecue on weekends, delicious and varied salads and sandwiches, good coffee. They always flex to meet my whim-of-the-moment requests, like the greens, fruit and chicken salad I often drive off to work with. For roughly $5.

They're getting more and more business (been there a couple of years), sometimes quite bustling, but always with good cheer and quiet competence.

kathy

Quote:

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Posted in reply to the post by kpage9:

(not sure what's the diff. between "reply publicly" and "reply to this thread"...

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Reply Publicly quotes a particular post, Reply to Thread doesn't quote anything. Both become public replies on the thread. Similar functionality was on the old system.

Dress It Up, Naturally

I met Ted King and his lovely wife Suzanne in the live music scene a few years ago. She's a teacher so we had a lot to talk about, especially when I was in the credential program at SSU.

When I was on my way home from work at The Q, I ran into him several times at Underwood, last year and the year before.

He's a very cool guy with a professional background in plant management for organic food processing and manufacturing. Last October I read an article in the North Bay Bohemian about his new product, "Dress It Up" salad dressing and marinade packets. Using organic ingredients.

He had already mentioned it in one of our conversations at the Underwood bar where we were both having our dinner. Because I like him and want him to succeed in this tough business climate, and because his knowledge and sensibilities about environmental issues in our times are unusually extensive, I wrote this. My additional reasons follow. Here's the story.

Last week I ran into him at Aioli, we caught up and I mentioned I'd seen his salad dressing mix package in Speer's Market a few days before. Immediately after that I ran into him at Speer's (small town!) and he gave me the starter kit and another two package box to try out. I told him I'd comment about it here, if I saw fit.

The next day I made his Tuscan Dressing. The starter kit is a glass jar, and two dressing packets. Add the packet to a cup of olive oil and a half cup of balsamic vinegar. I keep both in stock. Shake it up and wait a minute, or five, for the spices to blend with the oil and vinegar.

I can do a mean vinaigrette, so normally I wouldn't go for a product like this. But twenty minutes of chopping garlic, shallots, fresh herbs, and mixing it all up with the vinegar and oil, then waiting for it to suffuse overnight, or at least an hour before using vs. three minutes of minimal effort and five waiting for it to be ready? This is a boon to the busy cook. And a gift for the busy non-cook who wants to eat delicious and healthy food.

The salad I made, and the two others I've had since, were mixed greens and baby spinach, kalamata olives, grated smoked goat milk cheese, and a sliced heirloom tomato. The first also had some leftover steamed artichoke heart and stem.

Very, very tasty!! The dressing has a great balance of tart, herbal richness and a hint of sweet. As good a dressing as any I've had. Kept in the fridge, it got a little viscous*, but warming it a bit on the counter (easy in this weather!) and tossing it into the salad, it thinned out just fine.

* I was just recycling the cardboard and noticed that I didn't add the three tablespoons of water from the instructions!!? That probably accounts for this. Don't get so hungry that you don't read carefully!


Here's his website.

Be sure to read his "About Us" page which gives more details about the "protect the earth and its people" intent behind his work.

Available at Speer's, Andy's, Pacific/Fiesta and other local and regional markets. I don't know the price since he gave me samples.

Did I say the ingredients are Organic?

1% of proceeds donated to, "The Conservation Fund".

The box also has an insert with six recipes for using it as a marinade or a dressing. Classic Italian dishes. The packaging cardboard is post consumer and the inks soy based. He's walking his talk.

So, help a brother, and yourselves, out! Get some and see for yourself.

Thanks very much for all your wonderful suggestions. I've always enjoyed dim sum. I wonder if there are any restaurants in Sonoma County that readers know of that offer dim sum?

Dominus!

Are you in Luck! In Santa Rosa on Armory Drive, just south of Steele Lane, the old A&W was converted several years ago to Hang Ah Dim Sum Restaurant.

The embedded hyperlink is to the google search page for the place.

I've eaten there two or three times in the last couple of years. It's great! Growing up, we didn't do much Dim Sum in the Chinese restaurants my folks took us to. But I've certainly gained a taste for it after a couple of experiences as an adult, and especially after six months living in Taipei back in '97.

After you go there, please let us know what you think?

And thank you, you're welcome, for your props for my restaurant thread.

Quote:

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Posted in reply to the post by dominus:

Thanks very much for all your wonderful suggestions. I've always enjoyed dim sum. I wonder if there are any restaurants in Sonoma County that readers know of that offer dim sum?

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Another kissin cousin are momos. They can be found at the Himilayan restaurant on 116 S. or at another sweet place on the corner of W. 3rd. & Fulton called the Himilayan Grill that is relatively new. A real jewel. Momos ( or dumplings) have a thin pastry skin wrapped around a yummy veggie or meat fillings. I like them b/c they're both delicate (lite on the oil as is all their food) and satisfying. Yum,

I have split off a discussion about people other than Miles posting to this thread as well as more general discussion of threads and blogs to a new thread in WaccoTalk called Ownership of Threads and Blogs.

Pupusas Salvadoreño


I ate here for the first time in about a year, (I only go to TOWN every week or so to shop and take care of my bidness) and was again reminded of what a fantastic, delicious and very inexpensive place this is! My second time there, when I got home, I actually called them to make sure they hadn’t undercharged me. I couldn’t believe it was so cheap, yet tasty and filling.

They’ve added to their menu. They still have the pupusas (flat corn meal dough stuffed with a thin layer of various ingredients, pan fried. Not greasy at all!) and tamales. In this case the soft masa with plenty of filling, steamed in banana leaves. They don’t put in the green olives like I like, but this is a minor sacrifice. And that style may be Nicaraguan, not Salvadorean.

Now they have carne guisada and pollo guisada, plus a dinner plate of grilled camarones. (beef stew, chicken stew, shrimp) There are some other dinner plates, but I didn’t get a takeaway menu. And I forgot to take notes…

I had a tamal de pollo, a chicharon y queso pupusa, and since my eyes are bigger than my stomach, the carne guisada. I knew it was too much, but I’d been living on toast, chips, salsa and hummus (plus a little fruit) for two days out of sheer D laziness, so a big meal was in order.

It was actually two big meals and could have been three. That with the horchata (contains peanuts!) went for a total of $13.93!!! I tipped $3.

I love this place! And it’s the bomb for anyone on a limited income. Even if you’re flush, this food is sooo good. Everything comes with a big bowl of what I’ve come to think of as Salvadorean coleslaw. Chopped, shredded cabbage with carrots, red chiles and a little vinegar. Damn good and you get to feel virtuous about eating your vegetables. I put a clump on everything, along with…

They give you two large containers of salsa to choose from, rojo and verde. I always go for a big dollop of verde on everything. The pupusas are also made with spinach, potato, just cheese, pumpkin, and something or two else that I forget. Or in various combinations of the same. In other words, if you incline towards vegetarianism, there is plenty for you as well.

Pupusas Salvadoreño is just east of Santa Rosa Vets Memorial on the other side of Brookwood, north of 12. It has a tricky entrance, since you can’t go north on Brookwood from the frontage road, and you have to turn east over double yellow bots dots if you’re entering from Brookwood going south. But once you suss it, it’s pretty basic. Just to the right of the 7-11 in that strip mall.



I also want to add that the best gourmet deli in my world, Aioli, is still putting out wonderful food. Autumn’s fish tacos got a “best in the region” mention from Heather Irwin of the PD last month, and they’ve been flying out the door ever since.

Justifiably so, they’re available on Friday’s. I just had Chicken Cacciatore from Aioli for dinner. I cooked the basmati, heated the chicken breast in tomato and onion sauce, opened a bottle of Trentadue, Old Patch Red, 2006 (actually I did that first, the rojo has got to breath!) and I’m a very satisfied customer. I’ve enough for another meal.

Aioli also has a new chef, Amber Merkel, who does these mini-cheese cakes. Tonight is the second time I’m going to have the Pumpkin and the Hazelnut swirl. She also makes a chocolate one, that I’ve yet to try. Her company is “Sinful Delights”. www.sinful-delights.com In fact, I think it’s time for one, or both, right now!



Sarah’s Forestville Kitchen is still a signal that there is a benevolent consciousness behind the scenes of our universe, in spite of any evidence to the contrary. I had breakfast there today. Greg, Dean, Gracie, Amanda et al (apologies to those whose names I’ve forgotten), RULE! The lines aren’t long, yet. Git Some!!!



A note of caution: If you want me to visit your restaurant, and write about it... Well, it's complicated. I do this for free. I do it because, as I explained when I started this thread three years ago, it's to try and help the places I like, to stay open. I'm not an ad man, much as I enjoy Mad Men.

There's a new Peruvian place I read about in the PD a few weeks ago. Sazon on Sebastopol Road, in Roseland. I made a mental note to check it out when next it might be convenient, for me.

If you own, are associated with, or know about a place you like, feel free to tell me about it. Just the basic facts, please. If it interests me, is in my range of normal travel, I might check it out, I might not.

But don't try to sell me, schmooze me, cajole me, or in any other way "gently" twist my arm. I can guarantee that the results of such efforts will be me digging in my heels and resisting. I wrote about the moral dilemma of getting a free meal in exchange for my commentary, when I went to Nirvana (R.I.P.) back in 2007. I have no interest in repeating that experience! Even though food-wise, it was a good one.

I do this because I care. Not because anyone else does. I don't mean to be harsh, but if you want a commercial, pay Barry, and write it yourself. That's not what it's about for me.



I had a great experience at Afendi's Turkish Grill. My buddy Clifton and I had a very satisfying dinner there back on the 8th. If you like Turkish, if Real Doner floats your boat (as it does mine) check it out.

299 McDowell Boulevard, Petaluma, 763-1998.

Great prices, delicious grilled proteins, excellent baba ganoush (and if you've been reading this thread you know how picky I am about my grilled eggplant spread!), free hummus, superb hospitality, free Turkish tea, nice sit-down family spot.

Next to the RCU in Petaluma, aka Chicken Town!

Sazon


I read about this new Peruvian restaurant in the PD a few weeks ago. I’m a sucker for new things, and all of the world cuisines that I’ve tried have delighted and sustained me. So I was game for the experience.

Turns out Sazon is in the same space that my first favorite Korean BBQ (Mmmm, Bulgogi/Bulgoki!) in Santa Rosa used to be. Long gone, not forgotten, still mourned. I hesitated mentioning it to the new owner/chefs, didn’t want to put historical stink on their new baby. But y’all know me, couldn’t help myself. I tried to be gentle, which in this case, was easy.

They’ve done a lot with the place. It was beat before. They cleaned it up, opened it up, new paint, put a bar inside and outside where you can watch the cooking go on. It seems like a bigger space than I remember. It was busy but not crowded on a Tuesday night, and I overheard they’ve been busy ever since getting a positive review in Bite Club.

I knew the menu from that article. No beer or wine yet. So at the accommodating and hospitable waitress’s suggestion I ordered Chicha Morada. Reminded me of tamarindo liquada, but it’s made with sweet purple corn and cinnamon.
https://img801.imageshack.us/img801/554https://img801.imageshack.us/img801/554
Very nice, a bit sweet for my taste, but I’m not a sweet drink drinker. I don’t have a soda more than once every three or four months, if then. Other than my addiction to Galvanina Italian Organic Lemon Soda, and this summer was not hot, so this year I rarely resorted to it. I really liked the cinnamon flavor in the Chicha. But I like cinnamon in just about anything!

I got the Ceviche Mixto. Prawns (why don’t we call them shrimp anymore?), scallops, a clam, squid, fish, “Leche de Tigre” (the liquid from making ceviche, a renowned hangover cure taken by itself), toasted cancha, Cozco corn and roasted sweet potato.

The toasted cancha is large kernel corn, dry, salty and smoky, very crunchy and chewy. Corn chips but not as a chip. The Cozco corn is large hominy grains soaked to swell, I imagine with lime so the Nixtamalization of the starches makes it more digestible and improves the protein quotient.

I read about this again sometime in the last year, it’s a technique that made Pre-Columbian civilization possible, among other things. Like independently inventing algebra. The first Europeans that grew corn used it as fodder, both because of its unfamiliarity and the lack of nutrients available from subjecting it to this process. They weren't hip to nixtamalization, at first. OK, enough anthropological history.

It was great! Tart, and perfectly picante, a mini-seafood feast of freshness. The server had asked if I didn’t want something else when I ordered. She was right, the ceviche by itself is a small meal.

I chose the Papa Rellena appetizer, a mashed potato croquette with beef picadillo, onions, raisins and botija olives (small green olives). Just the ticket with the pickled red onion as a garnish. Not picante, sweet and savory. It reminded me a little of a Moroccan treatment. And you already know what I think of Moroccan cuisine if you’ve been reading my recent offerings.

Personally, I’m not a fan of sweet potatoes or yams, but many people are. The starch component in this cuisine is central. After all, this is the food created by poor people, out of the ingredients available to them, and by creative alchemy, turning out world class haute cuisine.

That’s Anthony Bourdain’s main thesis for how great cooks turn the simplest of ingredients into nirvana. And I agree with him. It’s one of those universal truisms, not really subject to debate. I’m sure if I asked for a substitution on the sweet potato I could get it. As it was, it was actually good! I do like pumpkin pie…

I talked with the owner/chef, Pablo, who introduced me to his co-chef wife. He was very attentive to all of his guests, which I observed prior to introducing myself. I wanted to compliment them, and explain why this weird guy was taking pictures of his food! I explained about this board, and what I do here when it comes to eating out. Of course he was enthusiastic, who doesn’t welcome free publicity.

He asked if I’d had Peruvian food before, I explained that I’ve eaten other South American cuisines, but no. The Peruvian culture combines Quechua/Inca, Spanish, African, French, Chinese, Japanese and Italian influences. So this truly is a Criolla (Creole) cuisine.

There are three main regions/ecosystems in Peru. The Pacific coast seashore, the Andes mountains and the Amazonian rainforest. Or Ceviche, Sufle de Rocoto and Juanes con Tacacho as the charming introduction to Peruvian food on the back of the takeout menu calls them.

My two choices only touch on the complexity and variety available. Check out their website. I’m going back soon! I haven’t had any of their unique forms of ice cream that Heather Irwin was going on about.

It’s in the same building as Perry’s Delicatessen, West of Roseland and east of Burbank, on Sebastopol Road, in Roseland, the happening hood of Santa Rosa!

1129 Sebastopol Road

523-4346

11-3, 5-9, M-S(unday) i.e. Every Day

Prices: Moderate to Inexpensive, I paid $22.39 and tipped $4.50 ($26.89) for my very satisfying meal.

I would call these small to medium plates for the appetizers and ceviches. I did not order an entree. The ones I saw being served were quite substantial. The most expensive thing on the menu is a Pecante de Mariscos (Seafood Stew) for $13. I think I’ll have that next time.

Although the Aji de Gallina (Chicken Stew) and Lomo Saltado (Asian style beef, rice and French fries on the side) are very tempting… They fry fresh: sweet plantains, yucca, potatoes, sweet potatoes and green plantains!!! Not all together, different side orders.

How about rotisserie chicken, fries and a salad for $10?

Shazam! Sazon!!!

www.sazonsr.com

Highly recommending Turkish Restaurant AFENDI in Petaluma
on East Washington Blvd. in the same shopping Center as Trader Joe's and Raley's.

They also have a website.

Noodle Bowl

This place got a rave review on Bite Club Eats

https://www.biteclubeats.com/2011/02/noodle-bowl.html

I've been there several times now, I've gotten to know one of the owners a little, Kong. It's a great place, excellent food and prices. Comfortable atmosphere. Mixed Cambodian, Thai, Lao and Vietnamese menu. They do like using fresh jalapenos in the Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwiches) and some of the Cambodian entrées, so watch out! If that's not your thing, be sure to let them know. Everything is made fresh. The location is not a great one, so helping them stay in business is why I'm writing this. Check 'em out!

Someone emailed me privately to say the link above would not open for them. It works for me, both here and in that email. But here's the extant review from Bite Club. Noodle Bowl is closed on Sunday, Open 9-9 M-F, 10-9 Saturday. The Banh Mi cost $3.95 these days.

Noodle Bowl | Santa Rosa

Author:Bite Club | posted 02/3/11 |




Banh Mi from Noodle Bowl

“Asian Sandwich” doesn’t quite do justice to the $3 masterpiece before you. This meaty torpedo, filled with warm slices of barbecued pork, crunchy carrots, pickled daikon, mayonnaise, pate, cilantro and a sneaky slice of jalapeno was made by a true sandwich artist.
Nestled into a grilled Costeaux Bakery baguette, you will brave Santa Rosa’s afternoon traffic jams, give up your primo parking spot and maybe even drive across town for one of these tasty banh mi. It is that good.
The home of this little whopper is the unassuming Noodle Bowl (821 Russel Ave, Santa Rosa, 843-5256). Open just three weeks, owner Kong Eav is an eager Empire College tourism & hospitality grad who clearly did his homework when it comes to tasty pan-Asian eats.
Though the restaurant bills itself as Cambodian, the menu ranges from Vietnamese pho, banh mi and rice plates to Chinese chow fun, curry, steamed buns and egg rolls, Japanese family-style shabu shabu (meat and vegetables cooked at the table in a flavored broth) and Cambodian pan-fried crepes called banchev.
Nothing on the menu (aside from the family-sized shabu shabu) is over $10 and many dishes are under $5. The prices, however, aren’t reflected in nicely-appointed interior and friendly service. A delicious deal.
Noodle Bowl, 821 Russel Ave., Santa Rosa, 843-5256. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Limited delivery, as well as catering and party trays available.

Sarah's Forestville Kitchen

Summer Hours:

Good News! Chef Greg Hallihan and Dean ? have new summer hours. They're open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Previously they were only open on Friday and Saturday for dinner.

On Thursday nights they are hosting live Jazz with Mike Emerson, Nicky Otis, John Main and Matt Silva. See the link in their restaurant name (above) for details.

Sarah's is my favorite place these days. Delicious, affordable (Cash Only) and a great setting and staff.

Not to mention that it's pretty convenient for me since I live in the same town. Last Friday I had some of the freshest, moist, perfectly cooked and seasoned roast chicken I've ever had. Check 'em out if you haven't already.

Along with Beth's Nightingale Breads and Autumn and Nicholas's Aioli Delicatessen they make my town a great place for food. (Tai Olesky's Mosaic is sorely missed, admittedly.)

On these warm evenings you can dine outside under the tulip tree in Sarah's courtyard. I have at least once a week for the last few months, and now I have more options for evenings in which to do so!

Papas & Pollo, Refreshed!

The Baha Beach Shack place is reopened under new owner Nick. Similar menu as before.

The dining areas are significantly spruced up, the Order windows and Kitchen opened up more to the main dining area.

A sweet setup with cable TV and long tables and a couch lounge area in the side dining room where the salsa bar used to be. Free wifi.

The Patio has been expanded and a sound wall is going in tomorrow to block traffic noise were the street side entrance used to be.

There is a single, double the previous size, bathroom, Unisex, with new paint job and appliances, everything works and it's clean and comfortable!

The two tacos I had were scrumptious and even though Boont Amber is not on tap, they have my favorite Mexican Amber Ale, Negra Modelo! Mostly they have three Lagunitas brews on tap, and Guinness. The "Sumphin Sumphin" was out, but the IPA and Censored Ale were flowing.

New sauces, Habanero and Cream, as well as the Salsa Verde and Rojo like before.

The emphasis is on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. And I could taste it.

The place was comfortably busy on a Monday night. They are open every day except Wednesday from noon to 9:00.

P&P was my in "town" standby when I was broke ass po' ten or so years back. The prices are pretty much the same as they were.

Even when I was financially comfortable I would go back for the mesquite grilled chicken tacos and Boont Amber. But the hours got sketchy, the dining room crusty and the men's room frustrating and slightly scary (broken sink drain, a distinct lack of hygiene/cleaning, funky door scraping on the patio, hard to close, hard to open.)

All that is history, except for the great chicken tacos. They put frijoles negros in the tacos, which I like, but I'm a purist and will probably order without next time. Avocado and sour cream offered, without asking, for the tacos. Shredded cabbage comes with. a grilled pepper, jalapeño? (it was long and thin, can't recall the other kind someone suggested it might be) comes with, along with fresh lime wedges, no need to ask or go get it yourself as before. Good burn with that pepper and a touch of the habanero sauce. Be forewarned.

This is great news for us struggling workers! Huzzah!!

Nick is good friends with Keith the previous owners son. He seems like a really nice guy, as is Keith.

When I mentioned that it looked like he's put a lot of money into the place, his instant reply was, "And Sweat."

Check 'em out.

915 Gravenstein Ave
Sebastopol, CA 95472

If you like oriental/thai etc check out "Noodle Pallace" on Petaluma Hill Road in Santa Rosa Laousian (I have no idea how to spell that word and spellcheck is clueless as well.)

REALLY Great food and so cheap you will think they forgot something when they bring the bill!
clean light food and sweet people (the only down side is the huge T V (they turn down the volume on request.!)
try the shrimp saled!
and their spring rolls are awesome(if you are vegetarian,you need to let them know...)


Nico

Hi Miles,

Thanks for the recommendations.

Two items. There is a Chinese restaurant in Forestville that I have eaten at once, a month or so ago, and I liked it a lot. Much better than the ones in Sebastopol. It is in the shopping Center up on the hill. Sorry I do not remember the name.

Also, I wonder if you know the Latin American place on Sebastopol Rd.? I ate there once and really liked it a lot. Likely because it is far enough away to forget, I have not been back. Maybe if I can go by there and get the name, we could meet there sometimes. You and I met at Sarah's one evening, if you will remember.

Thanks, Bruce

Quote:

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Posted in reply to the post by "Mad" Miles:

Dear Waccobies,

After my comments this afternoon about restaurants I was inspired to write the following.

Bon Appetit!

"M"M

***********************************************************

Miles’ favorite inexpensive but tasty restaurants
in central and western Sonoma County
By R. Miles Mendenhall


1/17/2007

These are places where I go to eat (or get take-out/take-away) and can get a good meal for between $10 and $15. The food is good, the people friendly and while the ambience might be strip mall formica and self-serve condiments (some, not all) this is where you can eat well, interestingly and not spend the normal $20-$30 that a restaurant meal costs now days.

(Dear Vegetarians, Vegans and Animal Rights Activists: You’re my Peeps. I’ve carried out many an action with you my sisters and brothers. But, please bear in mind that I’m an omnivore with carnivoral tendencies. These places may have vegetarian choices but that’s not why I go to them. Yes I’ve read “Diet for A Small Planet” and much other anti-meat commentary. I’ve been through the debate and have made my choices. Please save the preaching for someone you have a hope of convincing.)


Santa Trata Eritrean Restaurant
711 Stony Point Road 8A, West Santa Rosa
(The Stony Point Shopping Center, Next to Pho Vietnam, which is the best Pho place in the area. But I miss Cam Ranh Bay!)
575-8792

Recently I've gotten takeout from there three times in the last three or four weeks. It's great! Tell Helen Miles said Hi. I look forward to sitting down to eat there, when it’s convenient for me.

I can get a meat entree and a vegetable with Ingera bread for $11 including a dollar tip.

I recommend the Zigne (Spicy Beef Stew) and the Hamlee (Spinach). I've also had the Doro Kulwa (Chicken with garlic, onions and pepper) and the Tibsi (Lamb). Everything is really tasty and there are several more dishes that I haven't tried yet. (Yes, I have their menu in front of me!)

We really need to get them regular business so they can stick around! I’ve been jonesing for a good African restaurant in this area for years. Now we just need to add a Moroccan, and a West African to round things out!


Lola’s Taqueria
Petaluma Hills Road, South Santa Rosa

Great tacos, great seafood soups. Nice service. Excellent prices for the quality and quantity received.


Papas and Pollo
915 Gravenstein Highway, Sebastopol
829-9037

Cool hippy surfer beachcomber ambiance, excellent brews on tap, the chicken mesquite grilled tacos (or burritos or baked potatoes) are excellent. I haven’t tried the shrimp tacos yet, but I’m meaning to.


Su Casa
108 Calistoga Road
St. Francis Shopping Center, Calistoga Road and Highway 12 (in the back corner of the elbow, north of Safeway)
538-7937

Jose serves the best America (U.S.) breakfasts in Santa Rosa. Better than Max’s, Omelet Express and even the Russian River Pub on River Road where I eat because I live in Forestville. When I lived in Rincon Valley I was there at least once a week. He is part of the Ochoa family who own taquerias around town. And a hell of a nice guy. His Mexican food is also very, very good.


But for some of the other best Mexican cuisine:
Mexico Lindo
9030 Graton Road, Downtown Graton
823-4154

One of the only places around here that serves Mole. It was my sainted mother’s favorite Mexican restaurant because of that. Try the Fish Veracruz, one of my favorites. Mario and family are the salt of the earth, and some of my favorite west county habitants. Check out the music he has on Friday evenings. When the weather’s nice try eating on the back patio.


Taqueria Sol Azteca
1435 E. Cotati Avenue, a few block from SSU on E. Cotati towards Cotati
792-1859

I discovered this place when I was a credential student at Sonoma State. The best Al Pastor I’ve had in the North Bay.


Back to Asia!

Thai Mekong
52 Mission Plaza, Suite 111
McDonald’s Center at Mission and 12, Next to Pamposh
538-8382

B.J. upgraded his teriyaki place to emphasize his native Thai, Laotian and Cambodian dishes. The food is plentiful, fresh and tasty. When I lived in Rincon Valley I also ate there at least once a week.



Baan Thai
Larkfield Shopping Center, Old River Road north of the intersection with Mark West Springs Road / River Road

I’ve only eaten there once, recently but they do Thai right. I don’t know if you know it, but Chinese immigrants run some local Thai restaurants. I think it has something to do with a glut of Chinese places and the fact that the market will bear more for Thai than Chinese. They can cook Thai but I think I can notice subtle differences in quality between Thai food made by native Thai’s and non-natives. Something about the crispness and freshness of the flavors and avoiding overcooking the ingredients. Baan Thai is Thai food done by Thai’s at a not too exorbitant price. (Unlike excellent Thai food, made by Thai’s who charge a premium!)


And back to Latin America....
Hot Tamales, Central American Tamales and Pupusas
3020 Santa Rosa Avenue #F
568-1241

These El Salvadorian tamales are wrapped in banana leaves and have a softer smoother masa than Mexican ones. They also have more filling, compared to the Mexican style. I’ve only eaten here once. But it was very tasty and they had some of the most interesting and varied salsas of any Latino place I’ve been to lately. The tamales did not have green olives in them like I’ve come to expect from Central American tamales. That would be my one and only very minor complaint!


Ting Hau, Northern Chinese
717 Fourth Street
Santa Rosa (across anarchy alley from Russian River Brewing)
545-5204

Great Chinese food for a great price. Tell Aihe Miles says Hi and is sorry he hasn’t been around. This is a place I ignored for several years until friends introduced me to it. I grew up eating Chinese and Mexican in Taiwan, Colorado Springs, Seoul – Korea and Huntsville – AL. and at home. My mother was a fabulous cook and took lessons when we lived in Asia. Also my parents would try every Chinese restaurant in a twenty mile radius when we first moved somewhere, then take us kids back to the best ones. I lived in Taipei again for six months in ’97. I know a little bit about Chinese food. These folks do it just right. But I’ve eaten so much of it over the years that it isn’t the first style I seek out when I’m hungry. I don’t eat hamburgers and French fries very often for similar reasons. That’s the only reason I don’t eat at Ting Hau at least once a week.



That’s it. I eat at other places, with excellent food, but they won’t let me out without dropping at least $20 or more. So they don’t make this list. Maybe I’ll do another one of my other regular haunts where I go when I have the scratch.

As for all the folks above, tell them Miles sent you!

---

Yo Deadwood,

The only Chinese place in Forestville is Tahoe Chinese. Owned and cooked by Bing. I have mixed feelings about the place. But I'm a Chinese food snob because of my upbringing. I like some of what he does. Other things I find kind of so, so.

His Mongolian Beef (without the dried noodles), his shredded pork in garlic sauce, his War Won Ton and a couple of other things are very good.

But my mother checked every Chinese place in the areas we lived, and took us back to the best. Plus she took lessons in Taiwan and Korea, and was an excellent cook in her own right. So, I'm a mite particular. With a penchant for the northern and central styles and not as big a fan of the Cantonese method.

The Mexican place I go to, based on a recommendation from my brother, is La Texanita. I used to prefer Lola's Taqueria on Petaluma Hills Road, and for the money and portions it's still the best deal I know in Santa Rosa. But I really like the service, presentation and price at La Texanita. Plus they're more consistent than Lola's on Petaluma Hill, which has been uneven and less hospitable, and hygienic, in my experience in recent years. Food quality, price and proportions still rule at Lola's.

Don't forget Sazon on Sebastopol Road. It's unusual Peruvian. And for Ceviche and other Mariscos, sere La Prima!

Sorry, I'm space'in our encounter. But I'm like that. Better at faces and sequences of events than names. And even the former escape me once in a while. Takes a few times, sometimes. Not personal, it's late. Plus I go to Sarah's at least once a week, and I'm a schmoozer, if given an opening, so it all runs together sometimes. Hit me over the head, next time!

Quote:

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Posted in reply to the post by DeadwoodPete;140680...:

Also, I wonder if you know the Latin American place on Sebastopol Rd.?

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Rinconcito Yucateca?? it's across from the Japanese place Miles recommended, well west of Stony Point. I loved it there, and I hope it sticks around for a long time. A long time ago I had a fabulous soup called 'sopa de lima' in Yucatan, and I've never seen it since. The owner of RY told me he made it for a while, but so few people ordered it that he took it off the menu. If this place takes off, maybe it'll be back!

I hope Sara S. will forgive me for linking her thread about Sobbit Goa here. Just want to keep things neat and tidy, given my reply.

In recent weeks and months, Sarah's Forestville Kitchen has been my mainstay. Greg Hallinan does superior work. And he works very hard at it.

I've also now eaten at Hole In The Wall twice and Adam is doing the best gumbo I know in these parts.

The other night a notorious Waccoon and I dined at Rocker Oysterfeller's on one of their Mexican Nights. They're doing a regional tour of Mexico, I missed the Oaxacan duck, but got the Jaliscan rabbit and Pibil. They switch the menu every five to six weeks. That's Monday and Tuesday out in Valley Ford.

I've also been back to Lola's Taqueria on Petaluma Hill's Road, and for quality, quantity and price, they can't be beat. I still will go to La Texanita. I'll probably alternate.

Chef Billy at HopMonk has his jambalaya back on the menu, had it on Tuesday. Seriously good. Jambalaya as it should be.

When I want Japanese, including Sushi, Toyo on Piner and Marlow, still has Chef Yo (formerly of his own excellent place, Cafe Japan) and David is a welcoming and generous host. The portions there are quite large compared to the usual Japanese places. And the quality is excellent.

If anyone knows about new places, especially in the affordable range, please let me know. Speaking of which, Noodle Bowl is still The Bomb!

For a free meal, join Occupy Santa Rosa, although if you help with the cooking or the dishes at the Peace & Justice Center of Sonoma County, I'm sure they will be grateful!