Page 16 - Sonoma County Gazette August 2019

COTATI cont’d from page 15
Mediterranean Mexa Plate at Redwood Café
symbolizes the vibrant, lively, fun and adventurous spirit of Cotati. It’s a swinging and fun small nightclub with great acts yet without the smoke and stale beer smell. It’s an organic vegetarian-centric beacon of hope. It’s a meeting place for friends that want to talk without the noise of outlandish open kitchens, hard surfaces and loudspeakers of so many modern restaurants.
The shelves at Apna Bazaar, specializing in Indian, Pakistani, and Middle Eastern wares will fill your senses with the wonderment and excitement. It’s
The cooking is simply excellent, touching primarily on Americana, Mexican and Californian options. One of many standouts is the
Cotati Scramble with the eggs accompanied by deftly marinated artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, handfuls of spinach and a little sausage slathered in cheese.
worth a special trip for the spice rack alone, but there is so much more to explore, like the depth of the flour choices or dried beans, etc. The more I go to Apna Bazaar, the more I want to go back to Apna Bazaar – it’s that much fun.
proprietor’s passion for flavor shines through in every dish. The crispy crunchy shell of the fried green tomatoes is lightly drizzled with a vibrant and lively piquant sauce. Floating on a sea of perfectly frothy mashed potatoes is a nicely sized portion of short ribs accompanied by slowly sautéed vegetables and dollop of horseradish sauce. This is good eatin’ in any chateau. Everything is mouthwateringly delicious at Down To Earth Café.
Cotati’s Oliver’s Market is clearly the gravitational center of Cotati’s food scene. It boasts the largest produce selection, the biggest cheese and bulk foods departments, and the largest selection of wine, spirits and craft beers among all local employee-owned chain’s stores. How could that be? Why? It’s Cotati.
Groceries? If you want to try to
make something out-of-the-ordinary
yourself, you’ll have a much better time finding what you need in little Cotati. They not only host one of the fantastic Oliver’s groceries, but the best collection of ethnic stores, all within a two-minute drive of the nearest freeway exit.
Cotati Scramble at Marvin’s
Café? There is another restaurant that calls itself a “café” but really, it’s a whole lot more. The Redwood Café
I know, the little Asian section of the local mega grocery has the basics, but the richness of the experience,
of seeing the whole package, is so much more rewarding and really shouldn’t be missed. From dozens of sake offerings to shelves of sauces, Asiana is one of Sonoma County’s finest resources for Asian ingredients and products. The staff provides great service, advice and with happy smiles, too. Worth the trip.
The scene reflects the city, with young and old, students, businesspeople and old hippies all hanging out. It’s got moms meeting and guys watching sports, and vice versa. Everyone is all tucked into comfortable booths, picnic benches and outside tables, all thrilled with the sublime cooking and the scene. Not
Bread and Board at Red Bird
Bakeries? Cotati boasts independent bakeries, too. El Paso
is great for pastries – Mexican style. Red Bird is a special kind of bakery
– the kind that has been popping up all over our county in the past decade
to be missed are the wraps, salads, soups and specials. My favorite there, and it’s a whole meal, is the appetizer (meal portioned) Mediterranean Meza with falafel, tabbouleh, baba
ghanoush, and hummus.
or so – true passionate artisans that demand our attention and we are happy to oblige. Red Bird has incredible breads and savory things to nosh on all day with a small busy sales counter and a few tables.
Thank goodness for the “freezer jam preserves” Marvin’s serves instead of the single-serve corporate jams of most diners. If you’re going to have a breakfast joint, at least get some jam! You’ll come to appreciate Cotati all the more for those little jam jars, too.
Similarly, Asiana has been a destination for many years for my far eastern cooking flights of fancy.
There should be more vegetarian plates like this all over the county! A favorite wrap? Try the Garden, but they are all classically proportioned.
There’s Your Sweet Expectations for spectacular special cakes and macaroons. Cotati is home to a Sift cupcakes outlet and a classic donut shop called Jelly Donuts. What could go wrong in Cotati that a trip to the bakery won’t fix, right? Some days are just chocolate cruller days while others, when the sun is shining are made for eclairs. What fixes up your days? You’ll surely find it in Cotati.
The top of the hill in the culinary traditions might very well be the Down To Earth Café. It is unassuming and casual on the surface, but the
Suppose it’s Friday night. It’s been a long week but maybe you’re ready for a lighthearted relaxing moment without a lot of fuss. There are two great destinations that really count about town. The first covers so many bases; it’s a nice bar with some laughing good times and it’s quiet corners to talk about the day or the weekend or the family or whatever.
Fried Green Tomatoes at Down to Earth
Do you occasionally need a place to lean back and kick up the feet around the fire pit? The vibe at the Jaded Toad could suit your mood and the ribs, dry rubbed and slow cooked, are as fantastic as the scene is mellow.
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