40603 Thu Oct 20 11:00:41 -0700 2005 11 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 194510 I've done my homework and looked at a lot of postings to create a great itenerary for a first-time trip to Sonoma with my husband. The general plan: Sat we'll drive up to Healdsburg, take the Westside Road Wine Trail, stay overnight in Rohnert Park (not glamorous but affordable), then go to Glen Ellen & Sonoma on Sunday before driving home. In between wine tastings, we'd love to have some great food! Sat Lunch: Oakville Grocery, Healdsburg J Vineyard & Winery, Healdsburg ($12 food & wine pairings) Dinner: La Salette, Sonoma Sun Breakfast: Garden Court Cafe & Bakery, Glen Ellen Lunch: Basque Boulangerie, Sonoma I have just a couple of questions... We'd planned to get some sandwiches at Oakville Grocery to take to a winery for a picnic. However, I just realised I've been to their location in Palo Alto, near where we live in San Jose. Is it enough different or should we try another sandwich take-out type market/deli in Healdsburg? Anyone been to Bovolo Restaurant at Plaza Farms? Any recs for Sonoma-specific food treats we should pick up at Plaza Farms or other spots in Sonoma? I'd like to taste olive oil (DaVero at Plaza Farms, BR Cohn at the winery). Other things we should not miss? Thanks! Thu Oct 20 11:00:41 -0700 2005 0 mehenry 1 194520 I might suggest a few Sonoma adjustments. I really love La Salette, but after just eating at The General's Daughter I highly, highly suggest having dinner there on Saturday night. That doesn't mean you need to skip La Sallette. You can have lunch there on Sunday. They make crepes and lovely baked goods on weekend mornings. I'm pretty sure they are open for lunch too, but call to make sure. Basque Cafe is a place you can get a decent enough sandwich but really not a place I stop. I am not even that crazy about their bakery, but I've had some good breads from them in local restaurants. In Sonoma, stop by the Sonoma Market. Amazing ... AMAZING prepared food section. I also like their wine section which has a nice selection of local smallery wineries and low prices. They also have breads and baked goods from all of the better local bakeries like Bouchon. I also like The Cheesemaker's Daughter a little cheese shop run by the daughter of Vella cheese. A small well-thought out selection. If you have not been to Vella Cheese, take a peek in there. There are Vella cheese you don't usually see. Also they carry an excellent brand of local butter that I always buy when I stop in. Take a walk on the Sonoma green and check out the free range chicken flock that runs around. It always amuses me. I'm so easily entertained. I'm not familiar with Healsburg but two things I want to do when reading the board would be to visit the Saturay Farmers market and have the ice cream at Downtown Healdsburg bakerey. Melanie writes descriptions of these ice creams that are burnt in my memory. If you stop and see pumpkin ice cream, please posts. I think I'd make a trip to give that a try. Downtonwn Healdsburg Bakery always has my favorite baked goods at Ferry Plaza too. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/40442#193588 Thu Oct 20 11:57:41 -0700 2005 194510 0 rworange 2 194729 I appreciate the suggestions- we will definitely be adding a stop at The Cheesemaker's Daughter. After reading the earlier posts you referenced, The General's Daughter sounds delicious. My husband has his heart set on piri-piri chicken now, but I'll see what I can do about switching reservations! I'll post our experiences after the weekend, especially if we get a chance to eat pumpkin ice cream. Yum. Fri Oct 21 16:42:04 -0700 2005 194520 0 mehenry 2 194809 I agree with the Sonoma Market recommendation. This is a tremedously good grocery store. I do all my shopping there. Link: http://www.williamsandsonoma.com Image: http://napaspa.com/1.gif Fri Oct 21 23:53:00 -0700 2005 194520 0 Jeff 3 194810 Also the try the Glenn Ellen market. The same company runs them both. Link: http://www.williamsandsonoma.com Fri Oct 21 23:55:38 -0700 2005 194809 0 jeff 1 194522 Sounds like you're into olive oils, so the Olive Press driving south out of Glen Ellen after your Sunday Brunch would be a natural choice. For your Sunday lunch, you might consider putting together a picnic from the Cheesemaker's Daughter (The Cheesemaker’s Daughter 127 East Napa Street Sonoma California 707 996 4060) (www.cheesemakersdaughter.com) because it really is outstanding for cheeses, crackers, gelato, and unusual little treats. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/39775#189555 Thu Oct 20 12:08:22 -0700 2005 194510 0 j 1 194541 The food at Oakville Grocer in Healdsburg is identical to the one in Palo Alto. Thu Oct 20 13:38:15 -0700 2005 194510 0 nja 1 194597 Is the Westside Wine Trail the same as the Dry Creek Road area? Dry Creek is my all-time favorite place to lazily skip between small, friendly wineries and gorgeous backroads. I take all out-of-town visitors there. Thu Oct 20 18:40:54 -0700 2005 194510 0 Maya 2 194607 Or it could mean the wineries along Westside Road as it trails from Healdsburg to Guerneville along the Russian River Valley. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/18422#58200 Thu Oct 20 20:32:30 -0700 2005 194597 0 Melanie Wong 3 194728 Indeed, we are going to make our way from north to south along the Westside Road, stopping here and there to wine taste- and after reading your post I'll certainly have my eye out for Lalita's Tamale Cart as well! We're following the map in the link below. Depsite the fact that I grew up in Washington state and attended grad school in the Fingerlakes region of NY, I'm only newly into wine. I took a fantastic wine course last year through Cornell's Hotel School, and now I'm excited to explore the wine regions of our new home! I know we'll be going up to Sonoma/Napa again, so the challenge will be enjoying the experience and not trying to cram too much into two days. On our way up 101: J Vineyard & Winery Rodney Strong Then we'll head south along the Westside Road (may not hit them all): Alderbrook Rabbit Ridge Hop Kiln Rochioli Vineyards & Winery Sunday we'll stop in at BR Cohn Gundlach Bundschu Gloria Ferrer it sounds like from Melanie's post we should at least add/replace a stop with Gary Farrell? So many wineries, so little time... Link: http://www.inetours.com/PagesWT/WTarticles/WTrlSupt/Westside_Road_Map.html Fri Oct 21 16:34:37 -0700 2005 194607 0 mehenry 4 194806 I grew up in Ithaca and live in Sonoma. Small World. All good choices you've made. When at Garden Court in Glenn Ellen try to taste at the Navillus Birney (sullivan birney) room next door. They are very friendly and have some nice wines. You should stop at Arrowood just north of BR Cohn if you like Cabs. Taste the reserve cabs. Also ask the folks at BR Cohn to let you try their reserve cab. It is 1000% times better than the $25 bottle they have on the tasting menu. (make sure to pet the dog!) Link: http://www.williamsandsonoma.com Image: http://napaspa.com/1.gif Fri Oct 21 23:44:56 -0700 2005 194728 0 jeff 4 194854 The map below is from the Russian River Wine Road members (just the ones in Russian River Valley) and gives you a more complete idea of who's in the neighborhood. I'd skip Rabbit Ridge -- most of its better wines are made from Paso Robles fruit, so you're not getting the local taste. Link: http://www.wineroad.com/ Image: http://www.wineroad.com/images/russianriver-map.jpg Sat Oct 22 14:08:18 -0700 2005 194728 0 Melanie Wong