Chalkboard
29 North St.
Healdsburg
(707) 473-8030
Seasonal cuisine
Small plates: $6-$16
Dinner nightly; lunch Fri.-Sun.
Full bar; nice wine list
Reinventing the space that Cyrus once occupied couldn’t have been easy, but Chalkboard did it right. And I’m not just talking look and feel (more open and casual). Executive Chef Shane McAnelly’s seasonally changing, small plates menu is outstanding. The bar area serves all sorts of cocktails (the Smoke n’ Mirrors with mescal, jalapeño, lime and agave is delicious, and the Highway 101 with vodka, pineapple, orange and dried plum is sweet and tart), while the main dining area features large windows, succulents and both wood and plush seating.
The menu is has all sorts of small plates to share, starting with snacks and raw items and moving into more hearty fare. We started with six bite-sized Dungeness crab tater tots, fried deep golden brown with the fresh crab, crème fraîche and chives on top. Next came a “shot” of chilled cucumber gazpacho, which had a subtle, very enjoyable kick and lively flavor (it was also served with a dollop of Dungeness crab). Seemingly in seafood mode, we moved on to Hamachi crudo. There were five pieces topped with ruby red grapefruit, avocado and jalapeño—a beautiful presentation and so fresh it practically melted in our mouths.
The marinated beet salad had thin-sliced radish, pickled fennel and chunks of avocado tossed with balsamic vinaigrette, topped with mizuna greens. It had a nice play between the sweet beets and tangy items with great texture. The grilled Brentwood corn was very sweet and served off the cob with earthy feta cheese and creamy chipotle sauce (not for those with a fear of heat) and came with fresh cilantro and grilled lime.
From the housemade pasta selection, we chose the ricotta gnudi, which was pan seared and topped with shaved ricotta, Brentwood corn, flavorful cherry tomatoes and wild mushrooms with black truffle butter—go ahead, spoil yourself with this rich, comforting dish.
From the wine list, we chose Chasseur Pinot Noir (2011, Sonoma Coast), which was elegant and truly stunning, as well as a Chardonnay flight (there are many flights offered on the wine list). We enjoyed our selections with golden seared scallops, cooked perfectly tender and served atop risotto cakes with beet purée, grapefruit, lime and uni sauce (they were wonderful). The crispy pork belly was equally delightful, with two thick slices served alongside fried grits and a slow poached egg atop “melted” leeks and sweet pepper purée that had a mild heat and was an excellent combination with the crispy, fatty pork.
Pastry Chef Bill Woodward’s dessert selection is difficult to choose from (as is the main menu—everything sounds so good), but we settled on “the candy bar,” a rich, dense creation made with brownie, caramel, roasted milk chocolate cremeaux, nougat ice cream and peanut crunch—wow, it was awesome.
