| Stella’s Café 4550 Gravenstein Hwy. North Sebastopol 707-823-6637 www.stellascafe.net
California Cuisine |
Head west along Highway 116 from downtown Sebastopol and you’ll soon find a treasure along the trail. Located adjacent to Mom’s Apple Pie, Stella’s Café is a casual, friendly and elegant restaurant that’s as original in its look and feel as it is with chef/owner Gregory Hallihan’s often-changing menu.
There are two interior rooms, one of which has some bar stools near the open kitchen while the other is long and narrow. It reminded me and my friend Brennen of an old-fashioned railroad dining car. OK, wider than that but you get the idea. Both rooms have wooden furniture, cloth napkins and tiny vases on each table. Outside, there’s a wooden deck with umbrella-covered patio seating to enjoy during the warmer months.
Our meal started with a sampling of Balletto Vineyards’ “Theresa’s Vineyard” Chardonnay (pear and honey aromas, smooth, fresh and lively) paired with grilled figs and Gorgonzola toast. The figs were sliced thin and set atop the crunchy toast along with a light sprinkling of cheese. Served with mixed baby greens, it was finished with a drizzle of lavender honey that sent my senses straight to the spa. We also enjoyed the mixed baby organic greens salad featuring Gorgonzola, Port-plumped cranberries and toasted hazelnuts.
The second course began with a grassy, melon and citrus-esque (yes, I know that’s not a word) Hanna Sauvignon Blanc paired with Ahi spring rolls and Dungeness crab cakes. The crispy spring rolls came with an Asian slaw and a spicy dipping sauce. The meaty fish was seared rare and wrapped in a thin lettuce leaf. The crab cakes, in particular, went well with the wine’s mellow taste. They had a spicy aioli and came with fresh mangos and avocados.
Next came herb-crusted pork loin with a Moroccan saffron rub. It was accompanied by a harissa and Zinfandel reduction jus—an interesting combination that tasted somewhat like an Asian barbecue sauce. We also had the Grilled Hangar Steak, which came with barbecued red beans, string beans and baby carrots. It was very smoky (almost campfire-like) and enjoyable. The two dishes were served with a 2003 Fife Uplands Zinfandel (dark berries, well-rounded, dry). Brennen swirled his around and immediately decided it had “crazy legs.”
The king salmon and black tiger prawns came with a somen noodle cake (hard-fried Japanese noodles) and wasabi butter. The salmon was so tender and fresh it seemed to melt in my mouth.
The smoked ribeye steak came with creamy Pinot mashed potatoes, string beans, baby carrots and truffle butter. Served rare, it had a crisp, flavor-filled outer edge that complemented rather than overpowered the distinctive truffle essence. It was paired with a 2004 Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon blend, a smooth, luscious and silky wine with chocolate and coffee aromas.
Speaking of chocolate…Dessert started out with “chocolate oblivion” with mangos and raspberries. It looked dense but was actually smooth and creamy. Its flavor was so extraordinary I thought the chocolate could have held its own without any of the extras. We also had a pear and blueberry crisp with vanilla bean ice cream. One bite and I felt like I was in Julian (an old mining town east of San Diego, where the pies are famous for good reason). It was like a flavor transport to a fond memory. I’ll be remembering Stella’s fondly as well.
