707 Scout

By 707 correspondent, Deirdre Bourdet. Last weekend I met the brave young folks behind GLEN ELLEN STAR, a new restaurant concept taking over the old Saffron space in Glen Ellen. Husband and wife team Ari Weiswasser and Erinn Benziger-Weiswasser hosted a preview dinner at Erinn’s parents’ house, where their…

By 707 correspondent, Deirdre Bourdet. Two new openings this spring will be breathing some new life into St. Helena’s historic downtown strip. The opening chef de cuisine from Martini House, Kelly McCown, returns to his old stoves this April with GOOSE & GANDER (the name references the old expression…

By 707 correspondent, Deirdre Bourdet. To judge from the first two months, 2012 is looking like another banner year for new restaurants in the Napa Valley. In addition to St. Helena’s two high profile newbies opening in the next few months (Goose & Gander in the former Martini House…

By 707 correspondent, Deirdre Bourdet. Rising star chef Aaron London of UBUNTU announced last week that he is leaving the wine country’s temple of vegetarian gastronomy to open his own restaurant in San Francisco. Ubuntu’s surprising five-month winter hiatus this year provided an easy transition out of Napa,…

By 707 correspondent, Deirdre Bourdet. THE GIRL & THE FIG helped put Sonoma on the map as a dining destination when it opened 14 years ago, and partners Sondra Bernstein and John Toulze continue to push boundaries on California wine country cuisine. They invited me over recently to check out…

By 707 correspondent, Deirdre Bourdet. ESTATE, the lone Italian member of the girl’s family, has always been known for its fun promotions, like Pizza & Pinot happy hour ($15 for a pizza and glass of local pinot noir), Sunday Bubbles & Brunch ($3 prosecco and mimosa bar, holla!), and…

By 707 correspondent, Deirdre Bourdet. There’s a lot of tasty action going down in Sonoma these days. The gorgeous and historic Ledson Hotel on the Sonoma Square recently began offering Sunday brunches at its CENTRE DU VIN restaurant, with a mostly French-inspired menu of Benedicts, quiches, crêpes, and omelets.…

By 707 correspondent, Deirdre Bourdet. Last week I had the delicious privilege of attending the media preview of this year’s PIGS & PINOT extravaganza at the Hotel Healdsburg. Our hosts had put together an express version of the event’s Friday night Pinot Cup competition led by its creative…

By 707 correspondent, Deirdre Bourdet. Don’t be disheartened by rampant seasonal closures, because January is actually the best time to eat your way through the wine country’s best, at a fraction of the usual cost. This month kicks off Yountville’s third annual MOVEABLE FEAST, a delectable discounted…

By 707 correspondent, Deirdre Bourdet. Traditionally, January marks the absolute nadir for restaurant business in Napa and Sonoma, and this one is no exception. Lots and lots of places are battening down the hatches for the winter—some for renovations, some for vacation, and others for more mysterious reasons. In…