By Jima Abbott Artists are an experimental bunch, always ready to ...

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Mendocino County Restaurant GuideMendocino County Restaurants –Something for every dining desireMendocino County boasts a bountiful array of uniquerestaurants, with memorable dining experiences, magnificentviews and delectable delights to satisfy any craving.Locally produced and organically grown ingredients, as wellas freshly baked goods, are a hallmark of many restaurantsthroughout the county. You'll find cuisine ranging fromThai to Italian to French to North Coast favorites, andenjoy ambience spanning from fine dining to cozypubs to comfortable, relaxed coffee houses. Pick one.You can't go wrong!Check Out These Special RestaurantsThe Ravens’ Restaurant:Conscious Diningby Gus T. TorreyOutside generous western windows, a kettle of ravensgyres above the trees lining Big River. “They’re digging upthe garden,” grumbles our host, but we can tell he’s not reallycomplaining. These birds named his gourmet vegetarianrestaurant, and a little late winter forage is not begrudged.The folks at The Ravens Restaurant at Stanford Inn are seriousabout the serving of local, slow food. Their ambitiousmission is to demonstrate that healthy and satisfying foodcan be produced and cooked with a lighter touch on ourenvironment, and to “seduce” those who doubt that a meatlessdinner can satisfy.Gracious table settings, accommodating service, and apromptly served amuse bouche—bright orange carrot patéserved with dark, tasty flax crackers—let us know this willbe no ordinary meal. I ask about the crackers, and our serverenthusiastically lists their ingredients and explains thatthey are dried, not baked, whole-food style, to preservetheir goodness.We begin our meal with futomaki rolls: daikon radish,shiitake mushrooms, carrots with green tea infused ricerolled in locally harvested nori, accompanied by shoyu,toasted sesame dotted wasabi, and superb house pickledginger.The Caesar salad is inventively seasoned and surprisingyet still easily conformsto the definition ofCaesarness. A beet saladmatches mellow PointReyes Bleu with yellowand red beets on a bedextraordinarily rich infresh tiny lettuce leavesperfectly dressed withMeyer lemon vinaigrette.The menu is seasonalbecause so much of the produce is grown in the certifiedorganic gardens visible below. These colorful gardens, 21years in the making, are the mainspring of the restaurant.It’s late April, a quiet weekday evening, but the windowtables are all filled with appreciative diners. We try a newentrée, Lemongrass curry with bok choi fresh from the garden.We note with pleasure that the ambience, service, andpresentation are outstanding even among local restaurants,formal enough to honor the fineness of the food, yetrelaxed and homey. One of the house cats strolls alooflythrough the room. We all clean our plates and smile at eachother in satisfaction, replete without the heaviness thatsometimes accompanies meat.Our server hopes to tempt us with the all-vegan (noanimal products) desserts, and they do sound delicious. Wepromise that next time we will order conservatively fromthe Local Specials menu (ID may be required), and saveroom for dessert.Coast Hwy One & Comptche Ukiah Rd. 707 937-5615or 800 331-8884. Website: www.stanfordinn.com35
Fine Dining in Hopland – Shotgunby Pete HalstadShotgun Restaurant is an elegant dining place in downtownHopland, an eclectic blend of Old World, Wild West,California Mission-style and Northern California WineCountry. It is a marvelous addition to the little town that hasseen such wonders as the Hopland Brewery, Bocce Ball atBrutacao’s, the Solar Living Center and the famous (now,alas, defunct) gardens at Valley Oaks.Located on Highway 101 in Sanel Valley at the southernentrance to Mendocino County, Lawson’s Station providesvisitors with first-class lodging, dining and wine-tasting.Local entrepreneur Jim Lawson, whose partner in McNabRidge Winery, John Parducci, is the dean of Mendocinowine makers, spared no expense in creating the hotel andart-filled restaurant to showcase the local landscape, viticultureand cuisine.Shotgun’s menu features lean and delicious (as well ashormone and antibiotic-free) bison meat from Lawson’sown “J Bar S” Ranch near Potter Valley and highlights localMendocino County wines, such as Monte Volpe, Fife, Jerikoand, of course, McNab Ridge.Restaurant Manager Timothy Lindsey points withpride to a feature of the Shotgun menu, its emphasis on“handmade” food. Executive Chef Taj McMinn (a localproduct who grew up in Redwood Valley) presides over“made-from-scratch” delicacies like various fettuccine, linguineand ravioli dishes,bison salami and pastrami,prosciutto, duck patés, confitsand terrines and aiolisauces. Even the “too-goodto-be-true”desserts of icecream, sorbets, gelatos,cookies, brownies andcakes, are handmade by Tajand his skilled staff.Tim recommends the unique Bison Filet Mignon,served au poirve with brandy peppercorn cream sauce,mashed potatoes and a vegetable dish. The lunch menushowcases pasta dishes (try the handmade linguine withchicken breast, andouille sausage, and chipotle sauce).Shotgun Restaurant is open for lunch from 11:00 a.m.to 3:00 p.m. and dinner from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., Wednesdaythrough Saturday. Sundays dinners are served from 4:30 to9:00 p.m. The menu is seasonal, with nightly specials. Therestaurant also hosts periodic “Winemaker Dinners,” fivecoursewine and cuisine pairings featuring presentations bylocal winemakers.Guests at Lawson Station may arrange for wine tours,which include a beautifully appointed hotel suite and achauffer-driven tour of selected local wineries.13441 South Highway 101, Hopland—707 744-1988 or744-1977. Website: www.lawsonsstation.comSpecializing in GreatBreakfast Burritos • Organic SaladsMexican & Grill SpecialtiesConvenient ShoppingBeer • Wine • Liquor • GasAlways With A View7746 N. Highway 1707 937-5133Open 7 days36
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