The wine hour at Brewery Gulch includes not only wine but the makings for a complete meal.
Mendocino Coast, CA — Many hotels have complimentary wine hours. But few — if any — have one on the scale of that at Brewery Gulch Inn & Spa.
Along with four local wines to sip, there is plenty of food to enjoy, too. Forget bento boxes; these are proudly nicknamed “Mendo boxes.”
They hold what’s described as “appetizers” but is in actuality enough to quality as a moderate-sized supper. That means, there’s no need to get in your car to find dinner afterward, if all you want to do is chill on the premises. At least that’s what I found when I was invited to stay as a guest recently.
The great room.
Local woodworker John Meyers crafted heavy-weight covered trays made of the same eco-salvaged redwood used in the construction of the 10-room inn, a rustic, tranquil retreat that borders 48,000 acres of meadows and redwoods of the Jackson Demonstration State Forest.
Cooked-to-order banana pancakes with blueberry compote is part of the breakfast included in your stay at the Kenwood Inn & Spa.
Kenwood, CA — A couple years ago, my husband and I happened to stay at a Four Sisters Collection inn. Since then, when we’ve traveled on our own, we’ve often chosen to stay at its properties in both Northern and Southern California.
So, when its Kenwood Inn & Spa publicists reached out to me recently to extend an overnight stay to check out its renovation of the two-and-a-half acre, 26-room Mediterranean-style property, I gladly accepted.
What makes Four Sisters lodging so appealing? The room rates are relatively reasonable, especially in comparison to other hotels in the upscale touristy areas they are located such as Santa Monica, Carmel, Healdsburg, and Yountville.
Chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies to enjoy during your stay.
Your stay at any property also includes a lot of complimentary extras, including fresh-baked cookies, a wine hour with cheese and charcuterie, and a full breakfast. When I’ve stayed on my own dime at its Healdsburg Inn, in particular, the main cook there is a delight, often going the extra mile to bake fresh apple cake or cranberry bread for guests. You can feel his pride, too, when guests dig in heartily with big smiles.
The Kenwood Inn entrance.Overlooking the interior courtyard.
It’s that more personal touch that I think sets these properties apart from a bigger corporate chain establishment.
Having stayed at the Kenwood Inn once before — 12 years ago — it was interesting to see the changes under the new ownership. The property previously had its own ambitious restaurant, headed by a former Gordon Ramsay-trained chef, that was open to guests and the public. Now, that has been jettisoned for a cafe that provides breakfast to guests only.
Ronda’s Fine Foods muhammara turns simple roasted veggies into something far more special tasting.
It’s nutty, tangy, savory, and fruity with tomato and pomegranate — and you’ll want to dollop it on most everything.
Made with ground walnuts for a chunky-textured sauce, muhammara is vegan, too.
Now, Ronda’s Fine Foods of Petaluma has debuted a shelf-stable version that comes in glass jars.
The company was founded by Ronda Brittian of Petaluma, a former trauma nurse who developed a passion for cooking from her grandparents, one set of Mexican heritage and the other hailing from the South.
The newest restaurant by Vikram and Anu Bhambri, the husband-and-wife team behind a handful of contemporary Indian establishments in the Bay Area, is a major departure.
And it’s a doozy.
Alora opened in late-January on Pier 3 on San Francisco’s Embarcadero to serve up ambitious Mediterranean fare with aplomb, as I found when I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant last week.
The couple, who have tech backgrounds, got their restaurateur start with Rooh in San Francisco, followed by a second Rooh in downtown Palo Alto. Then, came Pippal in Emeryville in November. Look for Fitoor, and Indian grill, to open March 19 at San Jose’s Santana Row.
The stylish dining room.
For Alora, they tapped Ryan McIlwraith as executive chef, who formerly held that position at Bellota in San Francisco, and was chef de cuisine at Coqueta in San Francisco and director of culinary development for Bottega restaurants in San Francisco and Yountville.
It’s an interesting setup with the main dining room in one building and the kitchen in another one a couple yards away connected by a breezeway. McIlwraith may have jested that servers have to ensure that the dill doesn’t blow off a plate in transit, but noted it’s actually a smooth path unless there’s a major storm. In cases like that, they take extra care to put covers on all plates.
