Della Fattoria's Reuben
I had Della Fattoria's great if slightly eccentric Reuben sandwich ($12) for lunch yesterday: nice, fatty Niman pastrami instead of the usual corned beef; Alexander Valley sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing, and their levain bread. This was one of the best Reubens I've ever had. The dressing was tangy but not sweet like Russian dressing often is. Came with a nice mesclun salad. This is up their with Wood Tavern's pastrami sandwich.
My one complaint is that the pastrami and sauerkraut weren't distributed too evenly but heaped up in the middle. I should have taken the sandwich apart and rearranged, as I would at my favorite delis in NY. It wasn't a huge serving for the price, either.
Also had a bite of a meatball sandwich, which was good but I wouldn't have wanted to trade. For dessert we had a delicious Paris-Brest and a dryish almond-polenta cake that seemed like a variation on coffee cake--both needed and were great with coffee.
Service was pretty scattered, especially considering how many staffers were working. Maybe not a good choice if you're on a schedule.
-
Della Fattoria
141 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma, CA 94952
By Robert Lauriston
on Jan 11, 2010 10:43 AM
View »
Video
One thing to note is that the menu changes fairly regularily so these items will probably be gone in a month or few months.
The service is always odd at that cafe. If you really, really press them they are useful, but it isn't an easy thing. They are just ... unaware.
Sounds like they didn't do a good job on the Paris-Brest. Hope I can give it a try to compare to the wonderful version at La Bedaine in Berkeley that was more like a cream puff
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/677463
I wonder if Cloe's in Santa Rosa or any other French bakeries are making this as this seems to be the season for it. I don't keep up with the bike races in France.
Permalink | Reply
The Paris-Brest was very good. It is similar to a cream puff, both are made with choux paste. To my taste, it needed coffee because it was so sweet. Somebody with a sweet tooth probably wouldn't feel that way.
I haven't had La Bedaine's to compare, but I would expect that his would be the one to beat.
Permalink | Reply
Thanks for the tip on the Reuben. I have had a few of their other sandwiches but never the Reuben.
Have you tried Water Street Bistro for lunch? I believe they get some of their bread from Della Fattoria.
The sandwich menu changes regularly and I have tried both some of the hot and cold sandwich options. The hot sandwiches are definitely a better bet than the cold. Price point is better than Della Fattoria. Make sure to ask for the complimentary bread which is usually of good quality.
Permalink | Reply
Water Street Bistro link
Permalink | Reply
Wonderful spot. The chef is Stephanie Rastetter, who cooked with Daniel Patterson (Coi) at Babette. Great prices.
Permalink | Reply
Water Street Bistro is one of those better-than-you-expect places. It's been on my "take visitors to" list for a long time.
Permalink | Reply
Thanks! A new place to try on the way to the parents in law!
Permalink | Reply
I tried a "green pizza" the other day: picholine olives, jalapeños, green garlic béchamel, cream, and an unspecified cheese (mozzarella?). Delicious--béchamel on pizza was new to me, seemed a bit dubious but it worked.
Had a couple of bites of a Reuben, which was as good as last time.
Permalink | Reply
Had lunch there yesterday. The hot dog with sauerkraut and pickled jalapeños was great except it was on a huge round bun, would have been a lot easier to eat in a long bun or hunk of baguette. Had a bite of a first-rate chicken salad sandwich.
They're now open for late lunch and dinner Fridays till 9pm.
Permalink | Reply