Mendocino is known for its laid-back style and
all-natural approach. The area’s food scene reflects the innate casualness of
the community – everyone is welcome here – yet there are good choices for even
the most discriminating diner. For a complete look at my family’s recent visit
to Mendocino, take a look at the video.
Mendocino
Begin your Mendocino adventure in the lounge at the
5200 Restaurant & Lounge at the newly remodeled Heritage House Resort (5200 North Highway One, Little River, http://heritagehouseresort.com/).
Martinis, such as a Lemon Gin Collision, are modern riffs on classic
cocktails and suit the updated hotel’s time-honored spirit. Carry your drink
into the dining room or enjoy your meal in one of the bar's comfy chairs. In either
locale, the French-accented American menu from chef Fabrice Dubuc has broad
appeal. Wild mushroom terrine is made with locally foraged mushrooms;
pan-seared salmon features just-off-the-boat fish from the nearby waters of Fort
Bragg and a pinot noir sauce. Mendocino’s ubiquitous arugula salad is not here;
in its place a balanced stone fruit salad with walnuts and vanilla bean
vinaigrette. Kids have their own menu and a
portion of penne with cheese and a side of carrots and broccoli could easily
feed two adults.
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Stone fruit salad with vanilla bean vinaigrette at 5200 Restaurant
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For an experience that most closely reflects fine dining
in San Francisco, head to the newly opened Trillium
Café (10390 Kasten St., Mendocino, http://trilliummendocino.com/)
where chef Daniel Martin Dzul designs seasonal dishes with modern flair. Game
hen glazed with ginger-soy was juicy with surprisingly crisp skin. Pork loin,
too, was perfectly cooked, no small feat for this typically wan cut. Curried
acorn squash, cut into a wide ring, was stuffed with fruited wild rice. The
effect was festive and flavorful. A
large fireplace anchors the warmly lit room, the flickering candlelight
reflecting off the golden-hued walls. Were it not for my children, I would have
lingered here for hours, sampling fine wines and enjoying the relaxed service.
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Curried, stuffed acorn squash at Trillium Cafe |
Walk up the stairs of one of downtown Mendocino’s
iconic wooden water towers to reach Flow
(http://www.mendoflow.com/ , 48450
Main St., Mendocino, 707.937.3569). Stunning views of the sunset await on the
broad patio. Unadorned, glossy pine tables hide dark wood chairs and, as the
sun sets, the light dims to something resembling romantic. The menu, a trifold
affair with a page of daily specials, boasts cleverly named cocktails like
Smoke on the Water (which advises reader to “do as the Mendonesians do…”) and flights
of mezcal, bourbon and rye. The bar, tucked in the back of the restaurant,
remained empty for the duration of our stay.
Flow's food is upscale diner with portions sized to
match. The day’s special salad boasted Pennyroyal Laychee chèvre from Anderson
Valley under a mass of wild arugula, prosciutto and fresh figs. Beware its entrée
size! Mixed baby lettuces, listed under Salads on the regular menu, was indeed
an appetizer. Draped with crispy leeks, beef brisket arrived atop a mound of just-right polenta and a moat of
gravy. Elegant? No. Delicious? Yes. Pan-seared local Rock cod had a gentle
crunch and the tang of lemon. The accompanying cole slaw, dressed with malt
vinegar and a touch of mayo, was impossible to stop eating. Fries, wedged
between the slaw and the fish, enhanced the tower imagery, but the slaw’s
dressing left them unappetizingly soggy.
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Pan-seared (gluten-free) local Rock cod at Flow |
Flow’s wine list is worth more than a glance. Many
unique bottlings from grapes sourced in Mendocino are available, and many are
not available outside the region. Too, most ingredients here are organic and local. Next to each menu item, icons clarify the level of edibility for gluten-free and
vegan diners; a nice touch.
Gluten-free options are de rigueur in Mendocino and two cafes, just steps away from each other, are packed to bursting on
summer weekends. Goodlife Café
(10483 Lansing St., Mendocino, http://goodlifecafemendo.com/)
has gluten-free soups, salads and macaroni and cheese made with quinoa-corn
pasta. The Goodlife curry bowl is vegan and gluten-free and can be topped with
chicken or tofu. Known for their morning menu (served all day) of coffee, breakfast
burritos and bagel and lox plate, Goodlife Café offers continuous service
during operating hours, a boon when you want a meal at 3:15 p.m. Just about
everything is portable, the makings of a spontaneous picnic within reach.
Exciting flavors? No. Hearty food, fast? Yes.
A few doors down, Mendocino Café (10451 Lansing St., Mendocino, http://mendocinocafe.com/) focuses more
sharply on international flavors and less intently on gluten-free choices than
its neighbor. Vietnamese salad is served in traditional style with a pile of
fragrant herbs on top and sauce on the side. Burritos (choice of Soyrizo or
bacon) and other Cal-Mex standards are here, too but with a touch more
refinement in the platings. Perhaps this is what attracts the locals, who
outnumbered tourists the day we visited.
Fort Bragg
Mayan
Fusion (32351 North Harbor Dr., Fort Bragg, https://www.facebook.com/Mayan-Fusion,
707.961.0211). Owned and operated by Silver Canul, a native of the Yucatán, the food
is definitively Mexican with hints of California Cuisine. Dishes such as
grilled Mayan sweet white corn, dressed with lime butter and Parmesan cheese,
salbutes, flash-fried tortillas topped with fresh Bay shrimp and a dollop of
guacamole or house made empanadas, stuffed with chicken and cheese and topped
with pickled onion, are Mexican through-and-through with the freshness that has
come to symbolize California Cuisine. The vibe is casual with paper napkins,
colorful tablecloths and whitewashed walls and
portions are ample. The quality
and flavor of the chef’s food in this down home establishment, open since May, make
this a hidden gem worth discovering.
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Salbutes at Mayan Fusion |
Boonville
Lauren’s
(Lauren’s / http://laurensgoodfood.com/
/ 14211 Highway 128, Boonville / 707.895.3869) is a quick and easy stop for a
satisfying and simple lunch. Situated in downtown Boonville, it is roughly halfway
between San Francisco and Mendocino. Tables are widely spaced across the broad
dance hall floor and into the bar area at the back. Lunch is a seasonal affair,
available only from May through October and from Thursday through Sunday. The
menu tilts towards California diner - think BLT sandwich, quiche, salad and
tostadas – but careful sourcing and a light touch is evident in each dish.
Squash soup is made without butter and, though simply
seasoned, tasted deeply of autumn. Roasted chicken sandwich with caramelized
onions and greens was adorned with a bit of oil and vinegar while a smoked
turkey quesadilla was topped with mango salsa and sour cream. A small kids menu
features portions sized for petite appetites and fruit or veggies with each
dish. Can’t get your kid to eat and need to get back on the road? Choose the
highly portable pizza or grilled cheese, winners every time.
Labels: 5200 restaurant and lounge, flow restaurant, goodlife cafe, heritage house resort, lauren's restaurant, mayan fusion, mendocino cafe, mendocino dining, mendocino hotels, mendocino restaurants, trillium cafe