Page 5 - Small Shops of Sonoma County 2016

DESTINATION: Cloverdale
By Jon Russo
K r i s t i ne B o d i ly- Ga l l a g he r s s u u r r r r o ou u n nd d s s h h e e r r s s e e l l f
with guardians of the farm to table principal. Her restaurant is a bastion for serving the
f
freshest local seasonal ingredients presented in a unique and sophisticated style.
Savvy On First skillfully provides all-day
breakfast, brunch, elegant yet comforting
salads and sandwiches plus divine dinners.
The super star baker, Jennifer Holbrook,
creates an incredible array of hand pies, tarts,
t
c c h h e e e e s s e e c c a a k k e e s s , , c c o o o o k k i i e e s s , , m mu u f f f f i i n n s s a a n n d d o o t t h h e e r r p p e e r r f f e e c c t
pastries.
Everything is prepared in-house with care and great attention to detail. The
brunch menu’s Market Skillet is presented in a wrought iron frying pan and topped with an over easy egg. The eggs are harvested fresh every morning at the Nico Fiano Dry Creek farm.
Last Saturday we sat down to dinner under the chandelier in Saavy’s comfortable and cozy dinning room, adorned with embossed silver ceilings, white and black accents and highlighted by warm orange wood paneling. Kristal, our server, acquaints us to the new fall menu of Chef de Cuisine Cameron Cardoza.
Accompanied by a glass of MacMurry pinot noir, we delve into the Piquillo & Caramelized Onion Croquette with Garlic Aioli, and the Butter Leaf, Radish, Bacon, Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese Salad with Buttermilk Dressing.
The croquettes,
embellished with micro greens, are rich, buttery and aptly paired with the aioli. The silky buttermilk dressing unites the crunchy lettuce, radish, blue cheese and crisp bacon salad perfectly.
For our entrees we order the Truffled Lobster Mac and Cheese and the Beef Bourguignon with Rainbow Carrots and Marbled Potatoes. The mac and cheese is presented in a terrine cradled in a napkin on top of another rectangular plate. It is loaded with luscious Tides Wharf lobster meat, fused with cavatappi pasta and an amazing cream sauce.
The top of the dish is dusted with bread crumbs, browned under the broiler and finished with paper thin rounds of truffle. Chef Cameron had raided his private stash of truffles, from Burgundy, to top this exquisite “mac and cheese”.
Burgundy’s great wines bestow their name and character on many dishes including the beautifully presented and delicious Beef Bourguignon. Fork tender Carggiano beef was immersed with the carrots and potatoes in a delectable sauce and embellished with micro greens and edible purple flowers.
Kristine has been called a “kitchen angel” and the love she creates with her food runs through her staff and rubs off on anyone who enters her establishment.
Savvy on First, 116 East 1st Street Cloverdale 707.894.3200
Breakfast and Lunch: Wednesday–Friday 9AM-3PM; Brunch: Saturday & Sunday 9AM-3PM;
Happy Hour: Thursday & Friday 4-6PM;
Dinner: Thursday-Saturday 5:30-9:0
SS-12/16 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 5