wine country weekend (healdsburg, ca and beyond)

For Memorial Day weekend, some friends and I headed down to Healdsburg, CA (population: 11,254) for a few days of wine, food, and glorious sunshine. Located in the middle of three wine producing regions of Sonoma County (Russian River, Dry Creek, and Alexander Valley), Healdsburg offers a quaint, small town feel in the midst of breathtaking scenery and exceptional food and wine.

Sunny afternoon in the Dry Creek Valley.

Sunset over Alexander Valley.

The Wine

Immediately after arriving at the Santa Rosa airport (Hi, Lucy!), we headed straight to Zichichi Family Vineyard to pick up our long awaited "futures" purchased on our visit in 2011. The 2010 Estate Zinfandel didn't disappoint, and we are tempted to order this year's futures as well.

Tasting resumed the next day with stops at Ferrari-Carrano Vineyards and Winery, Dutcher Crossing Winery, Papapietro Perry Winery, Kokomo Winery, and Seghesio Family Vineyards. Here is a summary of our visits.

Ferrari-Carano has beautiful gardens.

Lush gardens at Ferrari-Carrano.

Dutcher Crossing has a nice aesthetic and pretty views.

A vintage high-wheel bicycle is also displayed inside
Dutcher Crossing's tasting room.

Papapietro Perry makes amazing Pinot Noir (the Pinot from the Leras Family Vineyards is especially tasty).

Papapietro Perry Pinot!

Kokomo, a newer winery named after winemaker Erik Miller's hometown in Indiana, has a playful vibe and a tasty selection of whites and reds.

Kokomo's decor shows its playful side.

Seghesio has excellent Zinfandel, Sangiovese, and red blends (I'm currently enjoying the Omaggio, a blend of Cabernet and Sangiovese), as well as a large picnic area for enjoying wine and snacks.

Welcome to Seghesio.

The Food

On Sunday afternoon, we headed south to the beautiful and food-centric town of Yountville. Home to restaurants by chefs Thomas Keller and Michael Chiarello, this is where foodies congregate. And congregate they do, especially outside Keller's Bouchon Bakery. The line was at least 25 people deep the entire afternoon.

The constant line outside Bouchon Bakery.

I snuck in through the side door to get a glimpse of what made this place so popular. And suddenly, there they were -- row after row of gorgeous pastries including the highly coveted French macarons.

Gorgeous pastries inside Bouchon Bakery.

Directly across the street are Michael Chiarello's restaurant, Bottega, and shop, NapaStyle, and a couple blocks north is Thomas Keller's famed The French Laundry. I'm dying to eat there, but we didn't get a chance to do that on this visit. However, I did stroll through the spacious gardens across the street and take some photos. The baby artichokes were my favorite.

Baby artichokes at The French Laundry.

By now you may be wondering, where did we eat in Yountville? Bouchon!

Bouchon in Yountville, CA.

Another Thomas Keller restaurant, Bouchon serves casual French bistro fare (there are two additional locations in Las Vegas and Beverly Hills). From the hors-d'oeuvres to the desserts, the food here was outstanding. The service could stand to be improved (our server was relatively new and was often unable to answer questions about the menu), but this was easily overlooked as soon as the plates began arriving at our table. My mouth waters just thinking about the braised pork.

Kumamoto oysters from Washington state.

Épaule de Porc: Braised pork shoulder with potato purée, peas,
carrots, and whole grain mustard sauce.

Pot de Cr ème: Lemongrass infused custard with blackberry compote.

Before heading back to Seattle on Monday, I made a final stop at my favorite Healdsburg bakery, Costeaux. This was my second visit in two days, but that's nothing compared to Tony Bennett's rumored three-visits-in-one-day. Regardless, I stake my claim as Costeaux's most loyal out-of-town fan.

In the bag: Costeaux's Best of Show multigrain batard
and chocolate crinkle cookies.

hhf says: Outstanding wine + delectable food + endless sun (that's important to Seattleites) -- Healdsburg has it all. I'm sure I'll be heading back soon!

Manolo Blahnik white patent leather thong wedges.

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik white patent leather thongs with a lacquered cork wedge heel. The perfect summer shoe.

beauty only goes so far (bastille, ballard)

In search of a dinner spot last week, a friend and I found ourselves at Bastille Café & Bar. I'd been to Bastille a number of times before, including once with the same friend when the café first opened almost three years ago. Aesthetically and philosophically speaking, I'm in love with this place. But when it comes to the actual food, there's something left to be desired.

Bastille Café & Bar: 5307 Ballard Avenue NW

Located along Ballard Ave. amidst the many shops and restaurants and shops, Bastille stands out with its large picture windows, expansive ceilings, dark wood, and white subway tiles. Combined with its decorative accents, including sparkling mirrors and vintage pieces throughout, the space has an airy, French bistro look. It's obvious there were many hours of careful planning to create this space, and its beauty is not lost on those who visit.

The front dining room as seen through one of the many mirrors.

In addition, I've heard that Bastille has an impressive rooftop garden built by Seattle Urban Farm Co. Many of the produce and herbs used in the dishes are grown right above the dining room; the salads are an excellent display of their urban gardening efforts. I've never seen the garden in person, but photo evidence can be found online.

Bastille's rooftop garden.
(Photo borrowed from My Ballard.)

Unfortunately, all the lovely décor and dedication to sustainable agriculture can't mask the unremarkable food served here. The concepts are excellent -- house-made pastas, moules (mussels) frites, steak frites, roasted Toulouse sausage, etc. -- but the execution is, shall we say, comme ci, comme ça (so-so).

On this particular visit, I ordered the pasta du jour: cavatelli noodles with spinach, bacon, grana padano, topped with a poached egg. The rich flavors were wonderfully paired, and I really enjoyed the first few bites -- and then I began to notice the chewy, denseness of the noodles and my jaw began to tire.

Cavatelli with spinach, bacon, grana padano and a poached egg.

The Toulouse sausage, a traditional sausage made with pork, wine, garlic and other seasonings, had a nicely crisped outer layer and was full of juicy flavor on the inside. But the accompanying herbed spaetzel was a bit over cooked for my liking and, according to my dinner partner, the jus was a little too salty (gasp!).

Roasted Toulouse sausage with herbed spaetzel, peas, chicory,
and morel jus. 

The food this evening simply missed the mark, conjuring up past memories of gristly steak frites, too-fishy mussels, and overdone lamb burgers. My one brunch visit was quite disappointing as well. However, I should point out that the salads and croque monsieur are wonderful, and both are available on the happy hour menu along with outstanding cocktails.

hhf says: Bastille describes itself as serving "damn good French cuisine," but I've yet to see this claim in action. Still, I find myself drawn back to this beautiful space again and again. If you go, I'd recommend happy hour in Bastille's Back Bar -- literally the bar at the back of the café (walk past the bar in the main dining area and down the hallway).

Jimmy Choo pointed-toe pumps with suede trim and button accent.

Shoes: Camel-colored, pointed-toe pumps with suede trim and button accent by Jimmy Choo.

fried chicken! (ma'ono fried chicken and whisky, west seattle)

In honor of Derby and the good ol' South, we made our way to West Seattle for some delicious fried chicken. Ma'ono Fried Chicken and Whisky is the re-invention of the former Spring Hill, serving fried chicken seven-nights a week.. a fun extension of Spring Hill's popular Monday night chicken dinners.

Ma'Ono Fried Chicken and Whisky: 4437 California Ave SW

Supposedly the name, Ma'ono, is Hawaiian for flavor. I've only known the word "ono" to be used as an adjective meaning tasty or delicious ("So ono!"), but what do I know? Either meaning is a fitting choice for this vibrant spot at the north end of the West Seattle Junction.

The food here is more Hawaiian than Southern, featuring many Chinese- and Korean-inspired dishes found on the islands: kalbi, Korean beef short ribs, and manapua, a Hawaiian-style Chinese pork bun. Many of these dishes are a little more sophisticated than the original -- sometimes it works (kalbi -- great flavors with a little spice) and sometimes it doesn't (saimin -- too fancy and complicated with overcooked pork belly). Regardless, it's the fried chicken that's the real draw to this place, and I'd be willing to bet that it passes muster with Hawaiians and Southerners alike.. and anyone else with an appreciation for deep-fried and happily raised poultry.

Wood grilled kalbi (Korean beef short ribs)

Reservations are highly recommended, and not just for a table. I once made a reservation online and was promptly called to ask if I would like to reserve a fried chicken as well. Ma'Ono easily sells out of chicken on most nights. The way it is served has changed a bit over the past several months. It used to be offered in original style (just perfectly seasoned and fried, golden brown chicken), or tossed in two different sauces (you could choose one or get a half order of each). It's much simpler now: you order the chicken, and it comes with the two dipping sauces on the side (honey mustard and red chili).

Fried chicken with kimchi, rice, and dipping sauces.

If you're not from Hawaii, the sides of kimchi (a Korean staple consisting of spicy, fermented vegetables) and rice sprinkled with furikake (a salty Japanese condiment of dried seaweed, fish flakes, sesame seeds) may seem a little strange. But try it -- you may like it! You can also order other sides, including warm sweet rolls with whipped pan drippings and Hawaiian sea salt (yum) and grits (not so yum).

Warm sweet rolls with whipped pan drippings.

Finally, I should mention the whisky. There are 30 types of whisky listed on the menu, along with a dozen or so scotches. If you're not a fan of straight whisky (I hear that's blasphemy, and yet I still can't drink it), there is a great selection of whisky cocktails and other liquors and wines to choose from. My favorite cocktail here is the Napoleon's Kick: Four Roses whisky, lemon, sugar, and falernum (a sweet, spiced Caribbean syrup).

Woodford Reserve neat, in a stylish glass.

Napoleon's Kick: Four Roses whisky, lemon, sugar, and falernum.

hhf says: As their name clearly states, it's all about the fried chicken and whisky at Ma'ono. Reserve your table, and your chicken, immediately. 

Jimmy Choo natural canvas and leather peep toe heels.

Shoes: A spring/summer staple -- Jimmy Choo natural canvas and leather peep toe heels. They're several years old and a bit tattered now, but nothing ever comes close to replacing them!

a hop, skip, and a jump across the border (vancouver, bc)

The other weekend I found myself in Vancouver, BC, with good friends and requests for delicious food. With a little help from Zagat, Google, and my favorite cookbook store, The Book Larder, I was ready to eat my way through this Canadian city. My favorites from the weekend are described below.

Steam clock in Vancouver's Gastown.

Vij's Rangoli: This was possibly the best Indian food I have ever tasted (keep in mind that I've never been to India, so I don't have that as a comparison). And if the wait on a Thursday evening at Rangoli (30+ minutes) and its fancier counterpart next door, Vij's (90+ minutes), is any indication, I'm not the only one who thinks so. Everything on the menu sounded amazing, and according to our server, everything would taste amazing as well (she was right). After many minutes agonizing over what to order (because deciding to order one dish meant not tasting another), the three of us finally settled on the following:

• Lentil, paneer, and chickpea samosas with cilantro-jalepeño chutney (starter)
• Portobello mushroom and red bell pepper curry on paneer with beet salad, and naan
• Chicken cutlets with bacon, buttermilk, and garam masala curry with vegetable rice pilaf
• Beef short ribs in kalonji curry with spicy pickled vegetables, rice, and naan
• Goat and jackfruit in creamy curry with coconut cabbage salad, rice, and naan
• Meeti roti: Custard on demerara sugar and cashew chapati with fresh mint (dessert)

Lentil, paneer, and chickpea samosas.

Portobello mushroom and red bell pepper curry.

Beef short ribs in kalonji curry.

Custard on chapati filled with demerara sugar & cashews.

Yes, I did say there were only three of us. And yes, we devoured every amazing bite. I would have gone for seconds on the dessert if it didn't take 20 minutes to prepare... 

Miku: Apparently when you visit the west coast from Indiana, sushi is big on the list of foods to eat. As you might have guessed, I was more than happy to accommodate this request. Miku came highly recommended from a variety of sources, so I made our lunch reservations weeks in advance and eagerly awaited this meal. Disregard it's location in an office building -- Miku was bustling with energy and every seat was filled when we arrived. They're best known for creative oshi (pressed) and maki (rolled) sushi, so we ordered a mix of these along with a server-recommended hamachi carpaccio and a few staples (aka spicy tuna handrolls and sockeye salmon nigiri). 

Hamachi carpaccio with avocado sauce, sweet soy
drizzle, olive oil, and black pepper. 

Sockeye salmon nigiri.

Aburi salmon oshi sushi: Local salmon pressed and dressed
with Miku sauce, topped with sliced jalapeño.

Red wave roll: Snow crab and avocado wrapped in maguro,
topped with masatake sauce (soy, sesame oil, and onions). 

Una-kyu roll: Barbequed fresh water eel tempura, cucumber,
seven spice salt, and unagi sauce.

If you can't tell from the pictures, both of us were happy diners despite the food coma that ensued.

Twisted Fork Bistro: A last minute search for a worthy brunch spot led us through the relatively non-seedy adult entertainment blocks of Granville Street to the Twisted Fork Bistro. Touting locally sourced ingredients, house-baked bread, and house-made jam, this small spot gathers quite a crowd for its weekend brunch (they also serve dinner every night). We managed to snag a table in record time (less than 10 minutes) and were soon enjoying French-pressed coffee (her), a Twisted Mary (me), and two freshly baked asiago scones with butter and blackberry jam. Following the scones, we had the well-done gruyère baked eggs (yuuuum) served with bacon, roasted tomatoes, and sourdough toast and the eggs benny with bacon -- poached eggs, hollandaise, sautéed spinach, and bacon served on toasted brioche. Both dishes also came with rösti (grated and fried potatoes, similar to hash browns) and baked beans.. not sure how the beans fit in with breakfast, but they were pretty tasty regardless.

Asiago scones.

Well-done gruyère baked eggs.

Eggs benny with bacon on toasted brioche.

hhf says: Get out your passport and head to Vancouver. There is good food to be had! Oh, and did I mention the shopping?

Louis Vuitton Merry-Go-Round pumps and mules from the
Spring/Summer 2012 fashion show.

Shoes: In the lobby of the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is a beautiful Louis Vuitton maison store filled with Spring/Summer 2012 runway exclusives like these Merry-Go-Round pumps and mules. I wasn't convinced that I needed these shoes.. yet.

Side note: I realize that the title of this posting utilizes incorrect parallelism. Corrected, it would read "a hop, a skip, and a jump..." or "a hop, skip, and jump..." And yet, that's not how the idiom goes. Darn you, idiom!