"She understands both the thrill and the value of making her food accessible." "Duskie is a playful person with an incredible palate," says Daley. In a Food Network Challenge mac 'n' cheese cook-off last spring, she served one made with truffled sheep's cheese and cauliflower-and topped with bacon. At Zazu you can just as easily order tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich (made with local cheese, of course) as you can tuck into a plate of red-wine-braised rabbit paired with mushroom risotto and rapini. A pair of Babydoll sheep named Pickles and Pancake fertilize and weed their vineyard, which produces a red wine called Holdredge Schiopettino MacBryde Vineyard, available only at Zazu and at the internationally renowned restaurant French Laundry.Įstes, who wears a sparkly nose ring, takes a hearty, irreverent approach to life and food. The couple and their two children live close by on a small farm where they raise chickens and grow figs and Meyer lemons, among other things. They serve casual Italian dishes with an American accent, reveling in seasonal, local ingredients. Today Estes and her husband, John Stewart, own two restaurants, Zazu and Bovolo, in Sonoma County, California. Or clean up.Duskie Estes takes the heat in Zazu's kitchen. It’s like a fabulous home-cooked meal that you don’t have to cook. If you can get to Zazu on Monday for Farm Supper, you won’t be disappointed. Thanks Dad for being the designated driver (it really is a bit out of the way…) so that we could enjoy this meal with the wine pairings. This was a wonderful early evening meal in a cozy, friendly environment. Not as heavy as it looks or sounds, either. However, one mouthful in and we all agreed that despite the strangeness of the concept (pound cake covered in strawberry gelato and covered with molten chocolate sauce) it really worked. Then when it came, we were still skeptical… This at least made us feel like we had eaten our vegetables □įor dessert, we were a little dubious to read about the “Chocolate and Strawberry Gelato Icebox Cake”. Your perfect pot of “cowboy” beans and a light coleslaw not laden with heavy creamy dressing. Served with the quintessential baked beans and coleslaw: So flavourful, falling off the bone, lip and finger smacking!!!! We all love them but they’re so messy to eat and who can ever make them perfectly at home anyway? Paired with a Zinfandel Rosé, it was perfect.Įverybody was delighted to see that the main course was sweet-n-smokey BBQ spareribs. I could have eaten the whole plate of them and left completely satisfied. Served with buttermilk ranch dressing, these were out of this world. Our entrée (sorry, starter for you North Americans reading) was corn and zucchini fritters: Mini corn muffins were brought to the table to share:Ī revelation for my mum and dad who are not big fans of cornmeal (my dad doesn’t even much like corn! What’s wrong with him?). Neil, dad and I couldn’t resist this beer: Can you imagine? She didn’t eat much that night). (On a side note, the night we were there a diner at a neighbouring table was allergic to garlic. On Monday nights, there’s not much to think about when it comes to the menu.Įxcept if you want the vegetarian option or not. Quite the accolades for an unassuming roadhouse that doesn’t look like much from the outside but which is bursting with country charm and warmth on this inside. In 2009, Duskie & John received the Rising Star Chef Awards for Sustainability. In 2008, 2009, and 2010, Zazu was included in the San Francisco Michelin guide as an Inspectors Favorite for value, receiving a “Bib Gourmand”. Zazu was also rated in the Top 10 Italian Restaurants in Northern California by Zagat and Top 50 restaurants in the Bay Area by San Francisco Magazine. Zazu was named a TOP 10 best new restaurant of 2002 and was listed in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 restaurants in 2003, 2004, and 2005. For those of you who don’t know, Zazu is a roadhouse restaurant, serving Americana and rustic Northern Italian inspired-cuisine.Īccording to their website, Zazu restaurant and farm was opened in 2001 by Duskie Estes and John Stewart. Even though it was a little off the beaten path for a dinner (since we were staying in the Napa Valley), I couldn’t resist Zazu Restaurant and Farm in Santa Rosa, especially when I realised that we would be there for the Monday Night Farm Supper (3 courses for $39, before beverage, gratuity, tax).
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