GG’s Earth and Surf
630 Third St., Santa Rosa
(707) 528-1445
www.ggsearthandsurf.com
Locavore Cuisine
Lunch weekdays, dinner nightly, Sun. brunch; closed Tues.
Small plates: $5-$12
Full bar; good wine list
Editor’s Note: Since this review was published, GG’s had to move from its Third Street location. We’ll let you know as soon as we can what the new address is.
Already creating a buzz among local foodies (and beyond), GG’s Earth and Surf is a welcome addition to Santa Rosa’s downtown restaurant scene. The vegetarian, vegan and seafood-based menu is absolutely packed with bold flavors and attention-grabbing combinations. Everything is organic and/or sustainably produced (including the wine and spirits). The term “locavore” refers to owner Suzan Fleissner’s effort to purchase as much as possible from producers located within a 150-mile radius. And Chef Trevor Anderson’s expertise and talent is obvious from the get-go.
The menu is made up of small plates that are meant for sharing. We started with the chef’s daily crostini creation. There were two large slices: one topped with crème fraîche, fresh shaved fennel and blood orange slices; the second with goat cheese, kumquats, red beets and chopped sorrel—both beautifully presented and delicious. Along with this we had a cucumber martini and a glass of Pedroncelli Zinfandel from the bar menu of specialties, beer and value-priced glasses of wine.
The next course was soup: a creamy asparagus soup garnished with a dollop of Meyer lemon sabayon and fresh chives; and a decadent, rich crab bisque that was saffron yellow and had chunks of fresh crab and a sprig of greens on top.
For our salad, there were halved and quartered pistachios combined with creamy goat cheese placed on whole baby greens and sprinkled with tiny wild rocket flowers, dressed in a vanilla vinaigrette that tasted as good as it smelled.
The 2007 St. Clement Napa/Carneros Chardonnay was a great match for our “earth plate,” a thin-crust flatbread baked golden brown and topped with buttery melted brie, caramelized onions and lush, sweet sun-dried peaches with fresh arugula. Shaped round and sliced like a pizza, its sweet and savory elements were a delightful combination.
Our “surf plates” included a tender petrale sole, which was broiled and served with melt-in-your-mouth new potatoes and spring onion hash with a horseradish crème fraîche for just the right touch of heat; and a thick, moist filet of roasted halibut with fresh English peas, leeks and a pea vinaigrette.
I’m one of those people who gets just as excited about dessert as any other part of the meal, and GG’s doesn’t disappoint. We tried two: a light vegan chocolate cake sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with chai ice, which had a hint of cinnamon and no associated guilt whatsoever; and a creamy, rich chevre cheesecake with brown butter crumbles (we detected a dash of salt) and honey straight from the comb.
I’ve already gone back to further enjoy this delicious place—everything from the décor, service and especially the food has good vibes and great quality.
