“Mendonoma” is a coined word that refers to the northern Sonoma and southern Mendocino coastal areas. A week-long visit last November brought back memories of early steelheading and pioneering salt-chuck adventures, armed with fly rods off the coast in small boats. This lovely area also happens to have great accommodations that range from stellar campgrounds to spectacular B-and-Bs and seaside inns. Along the way, you can find world-class food and wine, whether it comes from a deli in a picnic basket or at a table in a multi-starred restaurant.
My first steelhead trip was with lifetime friend David Draheim, who lives in the Oakland hills. We rose at two A.M. and drove on winding roads that ultimately took us down the Russian River, over the hill on the snakelike route to Fort Ross, and through dripping trees on slick pavement to the Gualala. A freezing fog hung above the river. When it lifted and the sun broke through, I found that we weren’t alone. Others had heard the reports that the steelhead were in, had left even earlier than we had, and had gotten the choice spots in the lineup. I don’t know if I made a thousand casts, but I knew at the end of the day that my shoulders and back were sore and my fingers were cracked. We had seen two fish landed out of a lineup of 20 or so anglers, but I was physically close enough to them to know that these were fish like none I had seen before. My heart ached to have a fish like that on my line, but it would not come to pass for several more years. I had dues to pay.
That night, David and I shared an upstairs room in the historic Gualala Hotel and reveled in the bar action with the fly-fishing fraternity and angling notables. Fish talk reverberated off the old walnut bar, which is still there. We gobbled down our prime rib and crashed on the cheap bedsprings of the boxy whitewashed Victorian logging hotel. It was a fabulous experience and launched both a craving and many more adventures.
In the morning, we headed north to park and walk in to Miner’s Hole on the Garcia River. I still remember the verdant coastal scrub on the arching bluff and wondering if that might be what Scotland looks like. No steelhead came to our flies, but would there be heather blooming in the spring?
That trip, and subsequent trips with my wife, started a tradition of regular journeys to the coast that spanned all seasons. Several in my fly-fishing club at the time, the Livermore Fly Fishers, knew of Timber Cove and Salt Point State Park. We would camp in the summer and fall and launch small skiffs from Dave Verona’s perilous overwater sling at Timber Cove. It was before the decimation of the fish stocks by long-liners, and the inshore fish populations were incredible. We fished for the table, using squid to catch sand dabs that became bait for ling cod and larger rockfish. We learned that split squid strips (clean the squid before getting on the swells) would entice black and blue cod, canaries, olives, vermilions, and greenlings. Our beer-batter fish fries and potlucks became legendary.
On one trip, we were preparing dinner in camp and an adjacent camper who was sautéing abalone heard us talking about the sand dabs that we were eating. She came over and wanted to trade abalone for sand dabs. That tells you how good fresh sand dabs can be . . . dabs, abalone, chunks of beer-battered ling cod with a good Asian slaw and a crisp, chilled sauvignon blanc. Though experienced years ago, that meal remains high on my all-time list.
I upgraded my 14-foot car-top Gregor boat to a 16-foot 10-inch aluminum Klamath that could still be launched on the Timber Cove sling. It had electronics and a storage compartment that always carried an 8-weight fly rod lined with a high-density shooting head. On particularly still mornings with a very low fog ceiling, dimples and swirls on the surface would prove to be the tip of 40-foot pyramidlike columns of rockfish.
Dan Blanton’s red-and-white Whistler and Ed Given’s Barred and Black showed that we could at times catch as many fish with flies as with conventional gear. In some years, salmon ventured inshore, and even bonitos did so during El Niño.
Last year, my wife and I visited too early for chasing steelhead. In addition to checking out river access points, we hiked, watched gigantic waves, tasted wine, tramped through galleries, and sampled an array of interesting bakeries and restaurants. On our way home to Grass Valley, we passed through the Anderson Valley, which was alive with a riot of fall color. You could smell the aroma of the late crushes of grapes and of apples and cider. If it’s around lunch time, we usually stop at the Boonville General Store for a sandwich and farther down the road in Philo at Lazy Creek Vineyards to pick up a few bottles of pinot noir. Later in the year, the Navarro might be fishable.
Coming from the south, the route takes you through Russian River country, with more great pinot noirs and more chances for swinging a fly. During our week-long trip, my wife and I drove south a far as Duncan Mills on the Russian to see if the Christopher Queen Gallery had any new angling art and stopped for breakfast at the reopened Timber Cove Inn, which has fabulous views. Dining highlights of our visit to Mendonoma follow.
The Elk Grocery and Deli
Driving into the community of Elk from the north, this wood-fronted building from another era beckons anyone looking for provisions or deli sandwiches, which are said to be the best on the coast. If that’s not true, I need to know who tops them. A bonus is a park across the street in a grove of eucalyptus trees near an overlook and a trail to the sea. Nearby on the same side of the road is the Elk Artist Collective, which also is worth a stop.
The Elk Grocery and Deli, Highway One, Elk. Phone: (707) 877-3411. Open seven days a week.
The Gualala Hotel
Many a steelhead has been landed at the Gualala Hotel’s historic bar — far more than ever came from the river. Iron bar stools with individual boot rails rise from the original weathered wood-plank floor. Behind a huge wooden bar, an immense mirror is framed with Corinthian wood columns. An old bar bell and a fireplace draw attention away from the obligatory stuffed deer head. Period white lace curtains grace the front windows, and seafaring and logging memorabilia adorn the walls. When you walk through the front doors, you know that you are entering another era. That is part of the charm of fishing and eating in the town of Gualala.
The restaurant’s prices are reasonable. The prime rib on Friday and Saturday nights is still there to go along with chicken dishes and several fish offerings. My wife and I liked both the blackened cod and the fish and chips. This restaurant has changed owners and reopened and closed several times, though, so check ahead for the current state of the cuisine.
The Gualala Hotel, downtown Gualala. Phone: (707) 884-3441. Breakfast, $5.95 to $9.95; lunch, $6.95 to $10.95; dinner, $11.95 to $19.00. Beer, local wines. Visa, MasterCard. Call for hours and days of operation. The restaurant has been closed at times due to the effects of an uncertain economy.
Franny’s Cup and Saucer
Franny’s is a hole-in-the-wall bakery in Point Arena with world-class delectables. We grabbed some breakfast slippers and croissants, eating off the fender of our car, since there is very little room inside. Still, locals drop in for their fix, rain or shine, and they can include sheriff ’s deputies, commercial fishermen, and loggers. The bakery’s creative offerings reminded us of the bakeries and pastry shops in Europe. It’s a quick breakfast on the way to the river. Bacon-encrusted breakfast slippers are hard to pass up. Take a look at the mini pizzas, as well. One or two could be the center of a streamside lunch. Everything is very high quality. This place is a winner.
Franny’s Cup and Saucer, 213 Main Street (Highway 1), downtown Point Arena. Phone: (707) 882-2500; on the Web at http://www.frannyscupandsaucer.com. Call for hours.
The Two Fish Baking Company
Hidden in the Sea Ranch corporate complex on the way to Annapolis and the headwaters of the Gualala is another outstanding bakery. Get there early, because they often sell out of popular items, which include bread, croissants, sandwiches, and special stuff. My wife and I stopped on our return from checking out foot and pontoon access to the Gualala and a winetasting trip to Annapolis Vineyards, which offered outstanding pinots and other wines in limited production. Controversy surrounds this area, because there are proposals before the county supervisors for much larger vineyards. The issue is water … what else is new? Of concern is the potential impact to the Gualala and its fishery from groundwater and surface pumping. The river’s steelhead and salmon populations have made some strides in recovering from watershed abuses. I love good wine, but not at the expense of the health of our salmonids.
The Two Fish Baking Company, 35590 Verdant View, off Annapolis Road, Sea Ranch. Phone: (707)785-2443; on the Web at http://www.twofishbaking.com. Open Thursday through Saturday, 7:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M., Sunday from 7:00 A.M. to 1:30 P.M.
The Pier Chowder House and Tap Room
When you are on the coast, you just have to eat somewhere near water with views of the ocean. The Chowder House fills that bill. Located down a road that leads to Point Arena Cove, the restaurant has been around for some time. You will find lots of nautical memorabilia all over the upstairs dining room . . . oars, a wheelhouse, light fixtures, old photos. The back bar came around the horn to San Francisco. It survived the quake and wound up in Point Arena years later. Nineteen stools line the great bar, and wooden Corinthian columns anchor a back wall. Wooden floors add to the ambience. A drizzly day called for chowder served in artisan bread bowls. Since the restaurant is a tap room, a brew was also in order.
Adjacent is the grounds of The Wharf Master’s Inn, with more nautical stuff and an array of succulents and perennials in fall bloom.
The Pier Chowder House and Tap Room, 790 Port Road, Point Arena, at Arena Cove. Phone: (707) 882-3400; on the web at http://www.thepierchowderhouse.com. Lunch, $12.00 to $14.00; dinner, $18.00 to $24.00. Wine, plus 31 beers on tap. Visa, MasterCard. Open seven days a week starting at 11:00 A.M.
Pizzas ’N Cream
Pizzas ’N Cream was a pleasant surprise. Decorated with colorful Asian lanterns, the small place didn’t look like your ordinary pizza parlor with screaming rug rats and cheesy nightmares. The pizza was close to European thin-crust creations. Offerings included, but were not limited to a blue cheese pesto, a margherita, and a smoky eggplant. I was tempted by a spinach manicotti and a calzone . . . burgers and crisp salads, too. We took a quart of hand-dipped Rocky Road ice cream back to our rental cottage and watched the Giants in the World Series. Pizzas ’N Cream has a pleasant staff, a pleasant décor, high-quality food, and modest prices.
Pizzas ’N Cream, 790 Port Road, Point Arena, at Arena Cove. Phone: (707) 882-1900. Open Thursdays through Mondays, 11:30 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Beer and wine.
Sea Ranch Lodge
I can’t offer a first-hand report on dinner or lunch at Sea Ranch Lodge, but close friends have spoken well of their dining experience there. We found breakfast and coffee quite good, and the views out the window of 30-foot waves hitting the headlands were breathtaking. A two-hour walk on the trails worked off some of the calories. You could feel the shudder of the massive breakers rocking the cliffs. Sea foam was catapulted high above our heads. The roar was deafening. Sea Ranch Lodge is worth a visit.
Sea Ranch Lodge, Black Point Grill, Highway 1 Sea Ranch. Phone: (707) 785-2371; on the Web at http://www.searanchlodge.com/restaurant.html. Breakfast and lunch, $12.00 to $15.00; dinner, $17.00 to $29.00. Wine, beer. Visa, MasterCard. Open seven days a week: breakfast, 8:00 to 11:00 A.M.; lunch, 11:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.; dinner, 5:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Saint Orres
This revered restaurant celebrates 34 years of service. Its unique Russian timber architecture, carefully tended verdant gardens, and walkways bordered by herbs set the stage for a magnificent evening of fine dining. My wife and I had heard mostly positive reviews, but there were a few naysayers whom I suspect were looking for the same old same old restaurant fare. Our experience was very special, starting with an interesting menu created from fresh and local ingredients. The evening began with an aperitif in a gazebo-like anteroom while we waited for our seating. It gave us time to settle in and peruse the massive beams, fireplace mantle, and stained glass. Above us rose Russian turrets and spires.
Our meal was equally inspiring, with seasonal wild mushrooms in abundance on the menu. For an appetizer, we chose crab cakes with a saffron aioli. Karen’s entrée was a pheasant breast stuffed with andouille sausage and accompanied by wild mushroom risotto cakes. Truffles, chanterelles, onion, and celery graced the pheasant breast. Her vegetable medley included asparagus, baby turnips, small peppermint beets, and corn. It worked!
My choice was a perfectly cooked fresh rabbit with shitake mushrooms, tomatoes, and black olives. I love the flavor of rabbit and its low calorie count. It left room in the diet for the dessert: chocolate decadence with whipped cream and raspberry purée.
Everything was fresh, much of it from the restaurant’s gardens. All menu entrées and specials consist of three courses, including a choice of freshly made warm or chilled soup or a salad that rose far above the ordinary. We brought a Lazy Creek pinot noir and paid the corkage fee.
You can find expensive meals everywhere, but combine a spectacular setting with seasonally fresh ingredients, creative cooking, California’s best wines, a friendly, well-trained and well-dressed waitstaff, and you have a special evening. Think about this place for a birthday, an anniversary, or a celebration over hooking a big chrome steelhead.
Saint Orres, east side of Highway 1 north of Gualala. Phone: (707) 884-3335; on the Web at www.saintorres.com. Saturday and Sunday brunch, 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Dinner: three courses, $45.00, 5:00 to 9:00 P.M. Extensive wine list, beer. Visa, MasterCard, American Express. Open seven days a week, but can be closed from Monday through Wednesday in the winter. As in any resort area, call for hours of operation.
Reader’s Suggestion: The Lewiston Hotel
There’s a fine line between staying in business and always getting a seat at your favorite restaurant. I usually don’t like to make recommendations public like fishing holes on a favorite river (some things are better off kept secret), but I’m going to forego common sense this time because I want this restaurant to stick around. When fishing the Trinity River, the best place for dinner is the Lewiston Hotel. They serve the best pizza, and I would call it gourmet pizza. Being a foodie and trained as a chef, I’ve tried a lot of so-called “gourmet pizza” in the Bay Area. Some aren’t bad, but they just don’t compare.
My favorite pizza at the Lewiston Hotel is the vegetarian, with pepperoni added. Everything is fresh and the dough is homemade. Maybe it’s just the wonderful feeling of steelhead fishing all day and having homemade pizza afterward that makes the pies here so great.
R. J. ASKELAND
Via e-mail
Foraging Book Review: Living Wild
By Alicia Funk and Karin Kaufman. Published by Flicker Press, 2011; $29.95 softbound.
The subtitle of this book, “Gardening, Cooking and Healing with Native Plants of the Sierra Nevada,” pretty much says it all. Living Wild describes 58 plants that can be used for medicine, food, drink, or other functions such as baskets, soap, even tattoos and musical instruments. Much of the information consists of advice on how best to establish these plants in a garden, but descriptions of preferred habitat, along with color photographs, have value for foragers seeking specimens in the wild.
I’m not so much interested in the medicinal qualities of wild plants, although I will note that Pennyroyal is listed as an aphrodisiac. Living Wild instead tempts me to break out my long-unused beermaking equipment to brew up a batch of yarrow ale and hard manzanita cider, and try my hand at manzanita crackers and muffins. Gotta say, though, that I wish this book had more recipes….
Richard Anderson
