Kathleen Hill: Restaurant reopenings, Easter events, food films and more

Wow! Sonoma reopens, partly, again

Somehow last Saturday’s San Francisco Chronicle story on Sonoma County opening for 25 percent indoor dining into the red tier on Sunday seemed to read as an invitation to Bay Area residents who flocked to Sonoma Valley on Saturday.

Wineries and tasting rooms can now open inside and no longer have to make food available, which might be more convenient for the wineries but a financial hit for food trucks and caterers.

On Saturday, many restaurants sported long lines outside, some even looked as if giant buses had unloaded hordes of tourists at their front doors, from the Girl & the Fig, Tasca Tasca and El Molino north to Palooza and Salt & Stone in Kenwood.

But not every local restaurateur flew open his or her doors immediately in a “not so fast” and “let’s see what happens” mode. And then it rained.

ABC7 came to Sonoma last Saturday and spoke to Tony Moll at Three Fat Guys tasting room, Francisco Santana of Maya and Saul Gropman of Café LaHaye.

Gropman told reporter Matt Boone that he would wait to reopen inside when Sonoma County gets to the orange tier when restaurateurs can seat guests inside to 50 percent capacity. Gropman figures that 50 percent plus his six tables on the Napa Street sidewalk add up to his previously normal occupancy. He added in his Tuesday email to customers that it would be a couple of weeks.

When restaurateurs were asked whether they would be opening this week for 25 percent capacity indoor dining, their responses were definitely mixed.

Kevin Kress of Reel & Brand was first to answer, saying “Yes!! Game on, Sonoma,” having one of the largest indoor and outdoor venues in Sonoma Valley and having reopened outdoors last Wednesday. Kress said they will social distance inside and outside in the evenings, especially if it’s cold outside. All CDC safety protocols will be followed.

The Girl & the Fig opened Sunday for 25 percent indoor dining in addition to all of its patio, sidewalk and parklet dining, saying “Quite a few of us have already gotten the first vaccine. We will be following all of the health guidelines.”

On behalf of The Mill in Jack London Village, Dana Jaffe responded, “Our employees receive their second shots on March 27. We are going to try and gauge how comfortable our customers are going to be dining inside again. We also will watch if revenue permits more hiring, so we will give it a few weeks before making the decision.”

Tasca Tasca, La Salette, El Dorado Kitchen and La Casa all reopened inside last Sunday.

Picazo Kitchen & Bar co-owner Kina Chavez said on Sunday, “We will be open today for indoor dining. We will start with 10 percent capacity and work our way up. We have taken all measures possible to safely open our doors and feel comfortable doing so now that 80 percent of our employees are vaccinated.”

Cochon Volant is sticking with current policy of to-go and patio seating only for now, according to owner Rob Larman.

Glen Ellen Star reopened inside at 25 percent last Sunday. An excited owner Ari Weisswasser said, “Most of our staff have gotten the first vaccine.”

Palooza co-owner Suzette Tyler responded that they will “wait for now” to reopen inside unless it rains on the weekend, in which case they would seat guests inside.

Belfare fried chicken sandwiches at Three Fat Guys Saturday

Petaluma’s Belfare, the catering company of chef Erik Lowe, was featured in last Sunday Chronicle’s food section as one of the best fried chicken sandwiches in the Bay Area. Get yours, dipped in buttermilk and panko before frying this Saturday and next Saturday, March 27, at Three Fat Guys tasting room on lower Broadway. 1 to 5 p.m.

Bryan Jones Catering stops meal deliveries

Bryan Jones, former award-winning executive chef at both the Fig Café & Wine Bar and St. Francis Winery, expressed “deepest gratitude” as he announced the end for now of his weekly meal deliveries as hopes for more catering gigs and events grow. He said, “With our catering obligations picking up, we are no longer able to continue this service on a consistent basis.”

Jones also referred to “creating our future event space here in the Sonoma Valley” and said he will keep us posted.

Easter Sunday Bunny Brunch at Larson Family Winery

The Easter Bunny and Larson Family Winery have paired up with nearby Kivelstadt Cellars and Eatery to create Easter brunch options for both adults and kids. The Easter Bunny himself will bounce up to pose for photos, so bring your cameras.

Adult brunch boxes include quiche Lorraine, vegetable quiche or vegan avocado toast, salad, a scone and cheeses with a glass of Larson Family wine ($55). Kids’ brunch boxes have fruit salad with a bagel and cream cheese, a Nutella and banana sandwich, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich ($35). Groups of up to six people and only one table per party. 10 a.m. to noon. 23355 Millerick Road., Sonoma. Reservations at larsonfamilywinery.com/reservations.html. 938-3031.

Tips Roadside Easter Brunch

Tips Roadside’s Easter Brunch is a “bottomless brunch (bottoms required),” according to the restaurant, served family style for all size parties that begins with a green salad and then moves on to main dishes of smoked brisket, fried chicken, shrimp & grits and scrambled eggs.

Side dishes served to the table include Brussels sprouts and root vegetable hash, housemade bacon and housemade biscuits. Then you finish it off with Tips Roadside beignets. $55 adults, $20 kids 12 and under, free for age 3 and under. Add bottomless mimosas and Bloody Mary’s for $18. Get tickets at eipsroadside.com. 8445 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood. 509-0078.

Sonoma film festival food and wine films

For a good 20 years I have been pushing for more food and wine films for the Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF), at one time called Cinema Epicuria, which seemed to imply that the festival might be about fine food and beverages.

Happily there have been standing-room-only sellouts for most of the food and wine films that have been shown, and they seem to get better and better.

This year you can watch some really fun as well as informative films about both topics, so check them out and enjoy. Passes at sonomafilmfest.org. 933-2600.

Get your reservations now for these international insights on food favorites, including a cooking demonstration prior to the film, “Truly Texas Mexican,” from chef Adán Medrano from his award-winning history and cookbook, featuring a cooking demonstration from Medrano on making Chile ancho meatballs, featured in his film and book, “Truly Texas Mexican: A Native Culinary Heritage in Recipes,” which is available at Readers’ Books in Sonoma.

Other food films include the documentaries “First We Eat,” “Gather,” “The Crossroads of Chance,” “The Dirt Whisperer,” “Shade Grown Coffee” (Presented by Lyn and Dub Hay, who is a coffee grower and world famous coffee innovator), “The Recipe of Balance (La Receta Del Equilibrio),” “A Perfect Vintage” (the director grew up in the Bay Area; appeared in “Forrest Gump” and “Rent,” and is actor/dancer/producer/director), “Holy Wine” and “Wine and War.”

New food and wine hires

Kivelstadt Cellars owner Jordan Kivelstadt has brought on Meredith Cutler as hospitality manager, who recently moved to Sonoma Valley from Washington, D.C., having studied hospitality and beverages at Cornell University in New York. Her career has focused on small hotel, restaurant and brewery management and wine and spirits distribution.

La Prenda Vineyards and Ned Hill’s Sonoma Collection welcomes Crista Johnson as marketing manager following her six years in the same position at Schug Winery. Ned Hill and Crista have known each other for 10 years. She was born in Pennsylvania and grew up in Sonoma County and has returned from 10 years in real estate to her passion in the vineyards. Johnson is a former chair of the Carneros Wine Alliance where she helped organize and produce the region’s 30th anniversary celebrations and a CWA membership map.