Been here almost 3 weeks and have yet to eat at the same place twice. That may not sound like much but I eat almost all my meals out, since I only have a short period of time to soak in this city’s culinary treasures. But I keep dying to go back to the places that...
Food
Il Cortile
I absolutely must find out how Il Cortile make their pappardelle with wild boar. They toss buttery warm rich fresh pasta in saucy goodness. It can’t be too hard to reverse engineer because I was able to get most of the ingredients out of the waiter. I had to tell him...
El Paso De Robles
As excited as I am to be in El Paso De Robles, it’s harvest! Most people here are too busy to talk or respond to calls and emails. What to do…. What to do…Maybe pursue dessert winemakers who have a later harvest. Paso’s got a few I like. I tasted a delicious dessert...
Hitching Post Wines – An Amazing Story
Just returned from a fab meeting with Gray Hartley of Hartley Ostini Hitching Post Wines, I have lots of stories. The two have been partners in the business since 1979, when they first made wine together. Since business partnerships like the one Gray Hartley has with...
Mattei’s Tavern
Anyone else miss Mattei's Tavern? The Nichols brothers who are behind the delicious food at Matteis’ Tavern are renovating two separate establishments. The first one has opened in Los Olivos: Sides Hardware and Shoes. Next one to open is the old Red Barn in Santa...
The Range
Work is diligently being completed on a new pub in town that will host a country radio station. I say diligent because they were working all weekend and I’ve heard they sold out tickets for their first concert on August 10. So, there’s no missing any deadlines. I’m so...
Good Goose
People are so friendly here. It’s not just the friendliness that comes with a small town. Healdsburg was much smaller than San Francisco yet had a very different feel than Santa Ynez. People wave as you drive by. If you’re walking, strangers say “hi” as you cross...
Dos Carlitos
Brunch at Dos Carlitos never disappoints with the most amazing huevos rancheros. Eggs on top of a delicious homemade tortilla with sprinkles of salty moist cheese soothe your soul. But it’s really the sauce that gives it that extra oomph. Don’t know what they put in...
Gigantes
Just in case you find yourself in Healdsburg without a television set, hands down best places for dinner and Giants game: The Wurst, Healdsburg Bar and Grill, Willi’s Seafood, and El Farolito. You don’t even have to ask them to change the channel. Serious Giants fans;...
Kale Kinship
Met with Kathleen Kelley Young from Kelley & Young Wines and could have spent the entire day talking with her and her husband. I don’t think there was ever a pause in conversation. Kathleen and I have the same creative approach to experimental cooking with wine....