Restaurant Review World

The trip that my husband and I took to California’s Wine Country, while short, was jam packed with wonderful meals and memorable winery tours, all of which I have been taking my time to write about. Since we have been back, for the past two weeks, my husband has been asking me when I will write about our tour of the Robert Mondavi Winery. This was probably his favorite winery of the trip, and it’s impossible not to see why if you’ve ever been there. Well, I have been putting it off and taking my time, thinking that I would first write reviews on all of the restaurants we visited. But, tonight, during my daily blog reading, I came across Serious Eats’ post that Robert Mondavi died today at 94.

Before our trip, all I really knew about wine is that I love drinking it. After our tour of Robert Mondavi, I knew all about the growing, harvesting, and fermenting in an area that Mondavi practically put on the map himself. This was a two-hour long tour through the beautifully maintained grounds, through the vineyards, and into the pristine “caves” where the special reserve wine is fermented and aged.

It was on this tour that I learned about Mondavi, the man. Our tour guide seemed enamored with him - you could tell that he was a great leader who built a family culture for his employees. She pointed out life-size pictures of him wearing a jacket made entirely of corks, as if he is saying, I live for wine. She even used his longevity as proof that wine leads to a healthy, long life (read more detail about his life in the above-linked article).

Ninety-four is an amazing accomplishment to reach, and I can’t imagine a better place to spend my final days than the Robert Mondavi Winery. Everything here is kept pristine and clean. It literally looks exactly like the middle of France, with its rolling green hills and vineyards that stretch into the horizon. Roses, a traditional touch, are planted everywhere (as our tour guide explained, roses used to act as a “canary in the coal mine”, because roses would react to things that could affect the wine crop before the grapes did).

Olive trees frame the winery itself.

Even the vines themselves are beautiful. An amazing thing about the Mondavi tour is that they keep a separate mini vineyard planted with a few rows of different types of grapes - chardonnays, cabernets, merlots, etc.  During the “crush” (end of fall when they harvest the grapes), they allow the tour groups to actually pick and eat the different grapes, so they can see and taste how they vary. My next trip will definitely be during the crush, though it is the busy season for the Wine Country.

As I said, we were taken inside where the special reserve was fermented. This $100/bottle wine is fermented for about nine months in wood barrels (all of the other wines are fermented in the more typical, stainless steel barrels). These wooden barrels were actually built in France, then taken apart, shipped to Robert Mondavi, and put back together at the winery. The amazing thing is, as soon as we stepped foot inside the fermenting room, we could smell the wine as if it had permeated the very air we were breathing.

Next, we were taken to the room where the wine was aged. The barrels in which they were aged were actually stained red in the middle with the wine - a nice touch which added to the beauty of the room. The average price of each bottle of wine that will come out of these barrels is $100, and each barrel holds 300 bottles of wine. Therefore, each of these barrels is worth $300,000! And, this is just one room.

Our final stop was, of course, tasting! Our group sat a long wooden table, and our tour guide poured us three wines, including an $85 bottle of Cabernet. The wines were amazing, and the Cab was stunning. As a surprise, it was served with a deep-fried risotto ball, stuffed with fresh, smoked mozzarella. (!) Our tour guide did an excellent job leading us through the tasting, asking what flavors we tasted, and then telling us the typical flavors tasted in those wines. She even had us take a sip of the Cab when we had the risotto ball in our mouths, so that we could see how the whole thing ended up tasting like chocolate.

This tour was a true experience, and gave me a great respect for wine making, and Robert Mondavi in particular. While I am sad to know that he has passed away, I know that he had a great life, and truly built something. He put California’s wine country on the map. I highly suggest this tour - it is only $25, and worth every penny. You will be a fan of this wine for life after taking this tour.

Robert Mondavi Winery is located in the Oakville Appellation of the Napa Valley at Highway 29, Oakville, CA 94562
Phone: (888) RMONDAVI (888-766-6328)

The Reviews

The Red Grape is one of those great restaurants that somehow combines classic food made with fresh ingredients, awine bar, and a family friendly atmosphere. This Italian bistro, which boasts an extensive wine list, is Sonoma’s version of Pizza Hut. And, that is why I love the wine country. Of course, you don’t get Pizza Hut prices, but you do get an excellent meal that makes you feel like a local.

I definitely recommend splitting a pizza and a salad between you and a loved one. Maybe a bit of pasta, too. Everything here is served in very large portions, so it makes sense to go family-style and get a few items that you all can agree on. The only problem is narrowing down the selections, which includes the 14 white pizzas and 15 red pizzas (or you can build your own). A few of their pizzas I haven’t seen anywhere else before include the clam pizza and the pear and Gorgonzola pizza.

To start, the husband, KJ, and I split a Caesar - it was nice, though maybe a bit heavy on the dressing - but definitely large enough for three to share. For entrees, KJ went with a specialty pasta that had a light sauce and artichoke hearts - it was a large portion that was perfect for lunch leftovers the next day. Also, it went well with the herb focaccia. The husband and I couldn’t decide on a pizza to share, so we ordered two.

We both went with red pizzas - I ordered the Al la Norma, which had grilled eggplant, plum tomatoes, garlic, fresh mozzarella, kalamata olives, and basil. The husband, needing a meatier pizza, ordered the Sonoma: pepperoni, sweet Italian sausage, sauteed mushrooms and red onion with pepper jack cheese. Both pizzas were delicious. My favorite part about their pizzas is the crust. It’s thin, crispy, and just a little chewy inside. It reminded me of pizza in Florence.

In all, The Red Grape is a great town square hangout. Bring young kids, teenagers, or your spouse. It’s really just a perfect place to enjoy some casual but delicious food and good wine in a friendly atmosphere.

The Red Grape is located in downtown Sonoma at 529 First Street West, Sonoma, CA 95476
Phone: (707) 996-4103

The Reviews

The Big 3, a casual bistro located on the grounds of the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, is another great place that KJ took my husband and me to. We went for breakfast, after KJ waxed poetic about their lemon and cottage cheese pancakes. In addition, they serve a great fruit salad and local, applewood-smoked bacon. Of course, they have eggs and omelets; the husband ordered a chorizo omelet. But, ask him if he’d ever pass up those lemon pancakes again. He would answer with a resounding no. Definitely, definitely, try the pancakes.

They were borderline dessert. With every bite you can taste the intense lemon flavor. They are so light and fluffy, and the cottage cheese gives them a great texture. They are served with maple syrup (but you will only need a drop) and with creme fraiche. I didn’t need any butter, and chose to forgo the creme fraiche, simply because I thought they were perfect as they were.

The fruit salad was great too - nice and fresh, and went well with the lemony-ness of the pancakes.

This is another great way to start out a day of wine tasting. It’s not too heavy, and not too light. And perfect when you know you’ll already by on to Cabs by 10 a.m.

The Big 3 is located at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn at 18140 Sonoma Highway
Sonoma, CA 95476
Phone: 707-938-9000

The Reviews

Last night, as I was flipping through the evening news, I landed on Channel 7 (our local ABC), and they were doing a story on LA food bloggers!  Featured were Eater LA’s Lesley Balla and Just One Plate’s Neil Kohan.

It was a short, entertaining piece, but it brought up the never-ending argument I hear time and time again.  Food bloggers see themselves as bringing desired information to consumers.  Restauranteurs see us bloggers as somehow out to destroy them.  They interviewed Jason Travi of Fraiche, who was concerned that food bloggers can say whatever they want, and no one knows if the bloggers actually know what they are talking about.  Mr. Kohan seems to agree with this, adding “It’s not fair. A lot of these people don’t have pedigrees to be putting a restaurant on blast without any kind of true culinary experience.”

And of course, let’s not forget the argument over whether or not food bloggers hide behind their, ahem, Internet identities.  I have written about anomnimity before when the LA Times brought this up, and I don’t really want to bore you with all of the pros and cons.  I originally started with a pen name because I thought it would make me a more credible critic.  Since then, I have realized that this doesn’t matter at all.  I highly doubt I would be recognized walking into a restaurant.  However, I am pretty sure I blow my cover every time I bring out my camera and try to get my food in the best lighting.  Actually, now I prefer the pen name because it separates my work life with my blogging life.  And, blogging is just a hobby.  I doubt that I can make or break the reputation of any restaurant in the city. 

Which brings me to my next point.  Do I need any sort of degree to express my opinion on the restaurants that I visit?  This is another topic I have already expanded upon.  My feeling is that, since I have spent my hard-earned money to dine out, that gives me the right to an opinion.  Now, I don’t “blast” restaurants constantly, telling people never to go.  But, sometimes places are overpriced.  You don’t get what you pay for, period.  And, other times, you get what you pay for and more.  I want people to know about these experiences.  Normally, I go to a restaurant a few times before writing a review.  But, let’s be real.  This isn’t my job.  No one pays me to do this.  So, I won’t go to a terrible restuarant five times, and pay a few hundred dollars out of my own pocket so I can lend more credibility.  I try to be fair.  Yes, everyone has a bad night or two, when something is off.  But, we can all tell when a restaurant is simply all hype.  Or when the prices don’t match the portions.  Or when the food is simply just not good. 

Everytime I plunk down my credit card, I simply want to get what I pay for - a delicious meal, decent service, and I want to leave not feeling ripped off.  I don’t expect to be blown away, and I won’t give a bad review if I am not. But, I will tell the truth, as I see it.  If I help someone choose, say, Pizzicotto, over some other similarly priced Italian restaurant in the same neighborhood that isn’t as good but is way over-hyped, well, then I feel I have done a good thing.

But, I think most of my readers (as small as that group may be), realizes that this is just an opinion.  Just my opinion.  They can take or leave it.  Most likely they will add it to the big pile of Internet opinions that they find, and then decide for themselves. And, I think that previously-mentioned, over-hyped Italian restaurant is doing just fine, considering how hard it is to get a table over there.  Which is why it’s just my opnion - I guess others don’t always agree.

You can read the whole story on ABC7.com, in case you missed it last night.  They also have clips to view!

By far, the best meal that I had in the Wine Country was at El Dorado Kitchen, located in the historic El Dorado Hotel in downtown Sonoma. A favorite of our friend KJ, with whom were were staying, El Dorado served up the exact type of food I was expecting from Wine Country - simple, fresh food, served beautifully and prepared perfectly. It’s not pretentious, tiny plates, but bold food served in a casual atmosphere.

For those of us who don’t quite make enough money to dine at The French Laundry, don’t despair. Head chef Ryan Francher was once sous-chef there. He brings his expertise to EDK, but leaves behind the hautiness and high prices. The menu is short, but sweet, featuring items such as crispy fried asparagus and truffle fries.

And what did we start with? Why the crispy fried asparagus and truffle fries, of course!

The truffle fries simply must be tried - they are skinny (”thin”, for those not from LA) fries made from fresh potatoes. Perfectly seasoned with salt, parsley, and Parmesan cheese, they are brought to a new height with the toss in truffle oil they make before heading to your table. These must be the most decadent and addictive fries that I have ever tasted. Trust me, everyone at the table will be arguing over who gets the last one. And don’t they look beautiful posing next to my crisp glass of rose?

The crispy fried asparagus were made with thick, flavorful stems, which were battered and deep fried until nice and crispy. They were served with a tarragon aioli and meyer lemon for squeezing. They were amazing, and I definitely suggest them. (Though, if I could only choose one starter, it would have to be the truffle fries, because really - they’re French fries seasoned with truffle oil.)

Next up, were the entrees. Let’s start with the husband, who ordered the bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin. Yes, pork-on-pork. The bacon on the outside provided for a flavorful, juicy piece of meat that was cooked to pink perfection. It was incredibly tender. It was plated on top of garlic polenta, fava beans, and prosciutto vinaigrette (yes, more pork!). The polenta was creamy, as were the fava beans. And the vinaigrette added a nice, tangy bite to the whole thing.

KJ, our wonderful hostess for the weekend who brought us to El Dorado Kitchen, ordered the beef tenderloin with mushroom risotto, watercress, and glazed carrots. It was another beautiful presentation, each item piled neatly on the other, in descending size. The beef was tender and perfectly cooked, and there was enough to bring home for salads the next day. The risotto was creamy and tender, with a strong mushroom flavor throughout. And, the sweetness of the carrots balanced out the dish.

Finally, there was my entree. I ordered branzino fillets - two fried fillets of white fish, perfectly seasoned, served over tangy, roasted baby artichokes, caramelized fennel, olives, and piquillo peppers. The whole dish came together perfectly, and it was best to get a bit of everything in each bite. The fish was beautifully cooked - the skin was crispy and salty, and the inside was creamy and tender. And again, it was a wonderful balance of savory, tangy, and sweet.

Now, here’s where I have to admit that I made a terrible error as a food blogger. We ordered two amazing deserts. The chocolate s’mores tart and the ice cream sandwiches. They were beautiful, but so delicious that we gobbled them up before I remembered to take a picture. I do apologize, and will do my best to describe them. The s’mores tart was rich and chocolate-y, though I didn’t really taste the “s’mores” aspect of it. The crust was made of graham cracker, but that is where the similarities ended. The chocolate in the tart was rich and dark, and instead of marshmallow, there was Italian meringue. Not that it wasn’t delicious, but just not what I expected. Still, if you are a chocolate lover, this is a must-have. As the husband feels that dessert isn’t dessert if it’s not 99.9% chocolate, he loved this tart.

KJ and I were smitten for the ice cream sandwiches. There were two sandwiches: peanut butter cookies with mocha ice cream, and carrot cake with vanilla ice cream. The ice creams were homemade, as were the cookies and cake they were between. The dish came with white chocolate & caramel dipping sauces, which I could have eaten with a spoon they were so good (okay, could have? I did actually eat them with a spoon once the sandwiches were gone). The best, by far, was the carrot cake sandwich. It was truly delicious, especially when dipped in the caramel.

In the end, this was a great meal. From beginning to end, the food was amazing, the service was friendly, and the atmosphere was both sophisticated and laid back. This is the type of place to go for special occasions or just because you’re in the neighborhood. If in the Wine Country, please put this charming restaurant on your list.

El Dorado Kitchen is located in Sonoma’s town square at 405 First Street West, Sonoma, CA 95476
Phone: 707-996-3030

The Reviews