Where I’ve Been Getting Takeout of Late, Part 40

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Feast your eyes on the "Italian'' at Troubadour.
Feast your eyes on the “Italian” at Troubadour.

Troubadour, Healdsburg

How incredible are the sandwiches at Troubadour in downtown Healdsburg? After I scarfed down an entire one in no time flat, I actually contemplated getting another. Yes, that’s how amazing they are.

The sando shop, which opened earlier this year, can’t be missed, not with its adorable sign that’s like a toad in the hole, except this is a slice of bread with a “T” stamped in its center.

A great sandwich has to start with fabulous, fresh-baked bread, and Troubadour has no shortage of that, thanks to the fact that it’s owned by the same folks behind Quail & Condor bakery on the edge of Healdsburg.

The sign that marks the spot.
The sign that marks the spot.

Both establishments are the brainchild of couple, Melissa Kane and Sean McGaughey, who both worked at Michelin three-starred SingleThread in Healdsburg. That pretty much tells you all you need to know about the quality you’re in for, too.

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Low-and-Slow Spiced Chicken Legs with Garlic Crunch-Crumbs

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Chicken leg quarters roast in the oven in an unusual method.
Chicken leg quarters roast in the oven in an unusual method.

When it comes to battered, fried foods, I often think the best part is the little bits of golden, crunchy crumbs that fall off, which get eaten with your fingers with no shame, just total abandon.

If you’re with me on that, then you’ll go crazy for “Low-and-Slow Spiced Chicken Legs with Garlic Crunch-Crumbs.”

Because crunch crumbs — galore.

The recipe is from “That Sounds So Good’ (Clarkson Potter, 2021), of which I received a review copy, by Brooklyn’s Carla Lalli Music, former food director of Bon Appetit magazine, and founder of “Carla’s Cooking Show.”

The book includes 100 recipes for weekday and weekend fare, each helpfully complete with suggested ingredient swaps, in case you don’t want to run to the store for something you don’t have on hand or if just want to shake things up a bit.

For instance, “Pasta with Cacio e Walnut” can be made with Pecorino Romano or aged Gouda instead of the original Manchego; or almonds or pistachios can stand in for the walnuts. In “Grilled Squid with Blackened Tomatoes,” sea scallops or large peeled shrimp can be used instead of squid; and fennel seeds can trade places with the original cumin and coriander seeds. If the “Vanilla-Brown Butter Pear Tart” has caught your eye, but it’s not pear season, then use Pink Lady or Granny Smith apples; or peaches, nectarines or plums with a smidge of cornstarch to thicken their juices.

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Where I’ve Been Getting Takeout of Late, Part 39

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The jerk chicken plate from Back A Yard.
The jerk chicken plate from Back A Yard.

Back A Yard, Menlo Park, San Jose, Campbell

There is comfort food. And then, there is comfort food with panache — heady with loads of allspice, ginger, and garlic.

That’s what Back A Yard serves up in spades. And for those still indulging in takeout, you’ll be glad to know this Caribbean fare travels well, too.

The plates come complete with a starchy mash of rice and red beans, and thoroughly addictive sweetly caramelized plaintains. You choose a main or a combo of two. The jerk chicken plate ($10.95) includes three pieces of tender dark-meat poultry, seasoned in a moderately spiced jerk rub redolent of fragrant cloves and allspice. You could also get all-white chicken for $11.95, but why? The dark meat is where it’s at.

Jamaican beef patty with a shatteringly flaky crust.
Jamaican beef patty with a shatteringly flaky crust.

The oxtails ($14.95 for a plate) are fabulous — fall-apart-tender in a sticky, reduced sauce, and with that fatty, meaty unctuousness that can’t be beat. It’s a rendition you’ll be craving anytime the weather turns chilly.

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The Best of Both Worlds In Charred Carrot Soup with Miso

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The oven does most of the work in this easy soup that delivers real bang for the buck.
The oven does most of the work in this easy soup that delivers real bang for the buck.

As much as I love miso soup, I sometimes wish it was more substantial in body.

And as much as I enjoy carrot soup, I often wish it weren’t so one-note.

Now comes “Charred Carrot Soup with Miso” for the win.

It is indeed the marriage of carrot soup and miso soup that results in perfect harmony and happiness.

This superlative soup is from the new Food52 Big Little Recipes: Good Food with Minimal Ingredients and Maximal Flavor” (Ten Speed Press, 2021), of which I received a review copy. It was written by Emma Laperruque, the food editor at Food52.

As the title implies, this collection of recipes is all about making the most of a handful of ingredients to draw out deep, true flavors.

The beauty of this book is that it’s the way most of us want to cook at home, relying on a few staples to get food on the table with little fuss but loads of satisfaction. You’ll find just that in recipes such as “Rigatoni with Corn Sauce and Sizzled Corn,” “Braised Brisket with Forty Cloves of Garlic,” “Pork Tenderloin with Buttery Kimchi & Apples,” and “Low-Maintenance Oatmeal Cookies.”

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Dining Outside at Glen Ellen Star

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The incredible beef bolognese bianco pizza at Glen Ellen Star.
The incredible beef bolognese bianco pizza at Glen Ellen Star.

For years, so many respected chefs in the Bay Area have raved to me about Glen Ellen Star. Last week, I finally made it to this beloved restaurant in Sonoma County, and it thoroughly lived up to the fanfare.

So much so, that it was even worth dining outside there in — gulp — 38-degree weather.

Oh, yes, I did that.

Who knew when I planned this outing that our early-spring T-shirt weather would give way in a snap to thermals and down jacket frigid temperatures?

But my husband and I soldiered on. And now, we feel like we can tackle anything, especially when fortified with food as stellar as this.

The tented outdoor dining area at the front of the restaurant.
The tented outdoor dining area at the front of the restaurant.

The outdoor tables are set up at the front of the restaurant with party-like tents covering three sides. The back of the chairs are even draped with blankets, a thoughtful touch should you need to envelop yourself in one. Squat portable heaters provided a good amount of warmth, especially as the staff kept bringing out additional ones as the night wore on. If you notice a red cast to some of my photos, that’s actually from the glow given off by the heaters.

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