Chef Jake Rand of Sushi Kosho has opened Salt & Sea, a fast-casual poke shop at The Barlow just steps from his longtime sushi restaurant. It’s the newest addition to the Sebastopol marketplace’s outdoor food court that also includes Osito Style Tacos, The Farmer’s Wife and Two Dog Night Creamery.

The menu is focused on hearty Hawaiian-style poke bowls filled with warm seasoned rice, raw fish marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil, seaweed, avocado and Maui onions.

Rand riffs on the classic, adding grilled pineapple and Macadamia nuts to the Maui Wowie ($24), and kimchi and gochujang sauce to the K-Pop ($21). He also creates more unique combos like the Jalapeño Jack ($22) with amberjack, yuzu soy sauce, cucumber, jalapeño and avocado. Spicy Tuna Nachos ($14) swap fried wontons for tortilla chips with fresh ahi tuna, yuzu crema, Korean chili sauce and avocado.

Don’t miss the grab-and-go case with Japanese sandwiches. Similar to finger sandwiches, these trendy treats are made with soft, crustless white bread and are filled with either fruit or savory ingredients. At Salt & Sea, they come with clouds of cream and sliced strawberries or kiwi.

The restaurant also offers boba tea, strawberry milk, taro matcha lattes, açai bowls and Rand’s fresh Hawaiian POG, made with passionfruit, orange and guava juice.
Open from noon to 5 p.m. daily. 6570 McKinley St., Sebastopol, Instagram.com/saltandseapoke

Also on my radar

Shady Oak Barrel House will host a Smash Burger Battle on Aug. 16 with Benny’s Smash Burgers, Thanks for the Invite, The Spot and Bayou on the Bay competing for the burger bragging rights. The event will also feature live music and DJs, house-brewed beers and plenty of trash-talking bun-patty-bun action. 420 First St., Santa Rosa, 707-575-7687, shadyoakbrewing.com

You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.

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Steve Decosse, owner of Acre Pizza and founder of Acre Coffee (now Avid Coffee), has soft opened a new, budget-friendly pasta spot at The Barlow.

Decosse, who previously ran several restaurants in San Francisco, has hired chef Ian Marks to create a simple menu of classic pasta dishes with optional add-ons like burrata, pancetta, Mycopia mushrooms and meatballs.

Pasta options includes spaghetti with “Sunday red sauce” ($12); housemade tagliatelle ($17); pappardelle with Bolognese ragu and burrata ($22); lumache with porcini cream ($24); and garganelli in arrabiata sauce ($20).

Several sauces are vegan, including a creamy cashew-based pesto (you’d never guess it’s dairy-free). Family-style dishes like lasagna are in the works as Sunday specials.

I’ll be doing an in-depth review soon, but an early visit left me impressed, and I spent most of the weekend eating the delicious leftovers. Acre Pasta is at 6770 McKinley St., Sebastopol (across from Sushi Kosho). Official opening May 21.

Current hours are 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 4-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Future lunch and expanded dinner hours coming soon. Instagram.com/acrepasta

You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.

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A Cafe des Croissants bakery will replace the former Pharmacy café at 990 Sonoma Ave. in Santa Rosa. It will be Cafe des Croissants’ sixth location in Sonoma County. The cafes serve croissants, bagels, coffee and other breakfast items.

The Pharmacy closed in November 2024 after nine years in business. Owner Kim Bourdet did not give a reason for the closure. She also owns a plant-based eatery, The Branch Line, at 10 Fourth St. in Railroad Square.

Sonoma Magazine reached out to Cafe des Croissants for comments and further details but did not receive a response. Stay tuned for more details. 

Salt & Sea at The Barlow

Chef Jake Rand, owner of Sushi Kosho, is set to launch Salt & Sea, a poke and smoothie shack at Sebastopol’s The Barlow, with an opening planned for early summer.

Though it’s just steps from his sushi bar and restaurant, this new spot will expand Rand’s casual dining options in the central food court. The menu will feature poke and donburi rice bowls, boba tea, acai bowls and snacky sides like togarashi-dusted wonton chips with plum sauce, spicy tuna nachos, Japanese potato salad and seaweed salad. 6570 McKinley St., Sebastopol, koshosushi.com

Mendocino Farms at Montgomery Village

Mendocino Farms, a fast-casual salad and sandwich chain with more than 50 locations, will open at Montgomery Village on May 13.

The addition is part of sweeping changes at the historic shopping center after its sale to an East Coast developer in 2021. Other food businesses on the horizon include Salt & Straw ice cream, Blue Bottle Coffee, Sprinkles Cupcakes, Sweetgreen salad chain, and Fieldwork Brewing Co. 2400 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa, mendocinofarms.com

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The former Russian House # 1 in Jenner has reopened as a casual restaurant with global cuisine. Jill Rayna Lippitt is behind the new food venture, which features a frequently changing menu that has recently included barbecue pork belly banh mi, rice noodle bowl, chicken and tofu satay, boba milk tea, Thai tea and sesame vanilla cream soda.

Russian House #1 closed in December 2021 after co-owners Tatiana Ginzburg, Tatiana Urusova and Polina Krasikova lost their lease on the experimental, pay-what-you-want restaurant and spiritual center outside Jenner. Nested on a hill overlooking an estuary of the Russian River, it boasted epic views and Russian comfort food with a side of mysticism.

Jilly’s Real Food Roadhouse is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, but call ahead to confirm before you go. 9960 CA-1, Jenner, 707-756-0119.

On the horizon

An update on the former Oyster bistro at the Barlow: Acre Pizza owner Steve DeCosse will take over the 850-square-foot oyster and champagne bar formerly owned by Sushi Kosho’s Jake Rand. DeCosse, who founded Acre Coffee (now Avid Coffee), plans to open an affordable pasta restaurant at 6770 McKinley St. in Sebastopol.

“It’s always been a passion of mine to create a family-friendly pasta restaurant,” said DeCosse. “Over the last few years, I have been traveling and studying pasta in Italy, Portugal and Spain. I have now decided to create a pasta ‘bar’ restaurant focused on simple but elevated options.”

Pasta will be made fresh daily, and DeCosse hopes to crack the code on artisan-quality pasta at fast-casual prices — ideally under $15 per entrée.

“My intention here is to offer our community a very affordable dining experience with Old World hospitality,” he said. Watch for a spring 2025 opening.

You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.

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The end of an era for Chicago’s Cock Robin burger chain signaled a new beginning for Barlow owner Barney Aldridge. Now, he’s bringing the childhood memories of burgers and shakes to Sebastopol with the help of chef Jared Rogers of Petaluma’s Easy Rider.

Rogers, who co-founded the Southern-inspired Easy Rider in 2022, is reimagining the burger and milkshake menu as Cock Robin migrates from Naperville to its new home in Sebastopol.

The fast-casual, value-oriented restaurant replaces Seismic Brewing at the 12-acre outdoor marketplace. Seismic moved into the Golden State Cider tasting room in 2022 after vacating the high-profile, 4,000-square-foot space at the corner of Highway 12 and Morris Street.

A healthier spin

Though Chicago’s Cock Robin restaurants were known for artery-clogging burgers, milkshakes and ice cream, Rogers wants to put a healthier spin on the menu while keeping the family-friendly vibe.

“I want it to be as healthy and organic as possible,” Rogers said. Though the final dishes are still in development, he plans to include salads, sandwiches, plant-based dishes, and old-school classics with a modern spin.

“The staples will all be there,” he said, including the signature “One-in-a-Million” milkshakes and malts. Aldridge purchased the brand after the last Cock Robin closed in 2008 with hopes of recreating the same magic in Sebastopol.

Rogers will continue his work at Easy Rider, so fried chicken dinner lovers need not panic.

Restaurant designer Doug Washington will bring the Barlow space to life with a large, open kitchen and family-focused details, including an expansive outdoor patio. A September opening is anticipated.

Plus, a smoothie and juice bar

Rogers is also behind the menu at the recently opened Purple Acai smoothie and juice bar at the Barlow.

The health-conscious walk-up kitchen features hefty bowls filled with frozen, fair-trade acai, a South American berry hailed for its antioxidant qualities. Toppings and mix-ins include peanut butter, chia seeds, cacao nibs, flax seeds, coconut and protein powder.

If you go: Try the Mango and Greens Smoothie ($12) with mango, cashew milk, orange juice and spinach; the Toasty Rice Tea Fusion ($10), cold-pressed juice with a green tea and ginger kick; or the Nutty Bowl ($14) with acai, candied peanuts, peanut butter, almonds, flax seed, banana, honey and bee pollen.

6760 McKinley Ave., Suite 130, Sebastopol, 707-503-6412, purpleacai.net. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

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Amidst the retail upheaval caused by the pandemic there’s also positive news: new stores are opening in Sonoma County and The Barlow is about to welcome a home decor pop-up shop.

Beginning March 12, San Francisco home goods boutique BaBoo will bring its happy strain of high-style furnishings to the Sebastopol marketplace. After moving from a Pacific Heights location to the San Francisco Design Center, the store has now embarked on a California tour where it will set up several temporary shops.

BaBoo’s first stop on its California tour was Mill Valley. The pop-up shop will remain at The Barlow until May or longer, depending on the response. After that, they have their sights set on quaint Truckee in the Sierras. Then it’s off to Southern California.

The pop-up shop at The Barlow will feature whimsical indoor and outdoor furniture and accessories for the home along with a new collection of fine jewelry and accessories made by artisans from around the world

BaBoo owner Galit Chay is a big fan of The Barlow. She likes the openness of the large white spaces and “the little bits of color” added by the restaurants. She appreciates that the atmosphere is “not too chichi.”

“Sometimes Wine Country can be threatening and people feel like they don’t belong,” she says. “Everybody feels comfortable here (at The Barlow).”

Chay, who is trained in criminal justice and organizational psychology, used to work with at-risk youth in her native Israel. In her spare time, she would make pottery and sculptures to nurture her soul. She knew she wanted to someday work in design.

Maybe seeing life’s challenges up close has influenced the way Chay looks at home decor, as something that should be both beautiful and fun; something that will lift the spirits and reflect who you really are.

“Home is about uncovering yourself,” she says. “The place you can be and do whatever you want.”

BaBoo offers a collection of design pieces that are modern but also playful. This particular blend is Chay’s response to the stark coldness of many ultra modern “museum-style” homes that lack the comfort and warmth she likes to see in a home.

In order to be included in BaBoo’s collection, a design piece needs to spark joy. “I would never bring (home) a piece of art that has some deep, dark meaning. It can be in the museum,” says Chay.

BaBoo’s design pieces have garnered a following. The shop’s felted river rock poufs, for example, provide relaxed seating on one of Sales Force’s “mindfulness floors.” The poufs, which are shaped like river rocks and made by South African fiber designer Ron’el Jordaan, come in different sizes, from one so small it can be held in your hand to large-sized seats. Other popular items include all-rubber poufs with “fur,” stools shaped like animals; even indoor swings.

Chay continues to enjoy meeting and interacting with people in her new role as a design store proprietor. “I love to work with people and talk with people, she says, “They always interest me.” This passion for interpersonal communication and customer service also informs her business philosophy: “I believe in kindness and non-greed,” she says. She will welcome visitors into her pop-up store with world music and chocolates.

BaBoo Pop-up Shop, Suite 130 at The Barlow, 6770 McKinley St., 707-824-5600, baboosf.com, thebarlow.net

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On a 7.5-ton loom affectionately named Luna, a group of women at The Barlow are meticulously crafting some of the most beautiful wool blankets in the world. Designer Jessica Switzer Green, a former Tesla executive, launched JG Switzer with the goal of creating textiles so luxurious and finely made that they will last not only a lifetime, but can be handed down to the next generation.

The bespoke blankets and throws, each elegantly edged in lustrous silk charmeuse, are primarily woven from the soft, sustainably harvested wool of rare breeds of sheep. These heirloom breeds produce distinctively different fleece—the Wensleydale, for example, has long, fast-growing fleece that must be cut twice a year.

“I’m really going for small flock animals at risk,” explains Green. “I’m choosing for the quality of the wool and the softness. And the color is really important, because I’m an oil painter, and I think of it as painting in wool.” Much of the company’s wool is sourced from nearby producers, including Sue Gustafson in Sebastopol, who keeps a small flock of rare Bluefaced Leicester sheep on her 8-acre farm. “The fiber grows in ringlets and it comes in white and in brown,” Gustafson says. “It’s a nice fiber to use for clothing and other projects because it’s not scratchy. You can wear it next to your skin.”

Green, who says she is motivated by sustainability and timeless design, is currently expanding into a broader array of natural-fiber textiles and products for the home. Says Green, “It’s about recreating and bringing excitement and a modern twist to old classics.”

jgswitzer.com

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Sebastopol’s Barlow is having its closeup moment. After some stunning lows over the years — namely the 2019 flood that left shops and restaurants literally underwater — the sprawling outdoor marketplace is suddenly a poster child for outdoor entertainment in the pandemic age.

Restaurants are bustling, as are tap rooms, tasting rooms and stores as Bay Area visitors, locals and anyone in need of a little vitamin D with their craft brew gather, socially distanced, for a much-needed outing.

The newest entrant is Blue Ridge Kitchen, a Southern(ish) restaurant that was designed to be a sort of something-for-everyone spot similar to Napa’s Rutherford Grill or the iconic Buckeye Roadhouse. With plenty of fast-casual and cocktail-cool dining concepts in the Barlow, Blue Ridge is the approachable anchor restaurant missing since the departure of Zazu Farm + Restaurant in 2019.

Not that fellow Barlow restaurants including Sushi Kosho, Farmer’s Wife, Barrio, Acre Pizza and Fern Bar don’t have their own brisk following. It’s just that Blue Ridge is where you take your mom for a two-mimosa brunch with fried chicken and waffles so good she’ll forgive you for the belly button ring in 1997.

But like a good Spongebob episode, Blue Ridge Kitchen transcends its intended audience. Chef Matt D’Ambrosi (Spoonbar, Harmon Guest House, Pizzando) is keen to throw a few curve balls with deconstructed plating (Mississipi mud pie), culinary winks such as Asian pear coulis with the tuna tartare or anise-y fennel pollen ricotta in his tomato salad or surprises like saffron bechemel or caviar classing up the Croque Madame.

Sure, there are moments when things like sumac powder or endless microgreens seem overly fussy. But chefs live for accessorizing their dishes. We think Coco Chanel summed it up best, however, when she decreed that a well-dressed plate should always have one thing removed before leaving the kitchen. Or something like that.

Best Bets

Croque Madame, $25: This showstopper is the Liberace of sandwiches. Its jeweled capelets of griddled broiche sit in a dainty puddle of golden saffron Bechemel. Up top is a jaunty chapeau of sunny-side-up eggs and sequins of caviar. Peering inside, you’ll find a symphony of fontina, country ham and freaking lobster. You can’t look away from that kind of fabulous.

Hardwood Smoked Mt. Lassen Trout Salad, $15: Chef Matt is a longtime fisherman and doesn’t take kindly to bad seafood. That’s why you can’t go wrong with his house hardwood-smoked trout with crunchy haricot verts, olives, cherry tomatoes, fennel, egg and red wine dressing. It’s a riff on Nicoise salad, a food nemesis I recoil from. This has a casual California vibe that’s far more approachable.

Peaches and Sour Cream, $9: Yes, it’s a little thinky, but go with it. Arnold Palmer-flavored granita, tart lemon curd, sour cream “foam” and macerated peaches.

Melon Tomato Gazpacho, $9: Required. Sweet, savory, tart, refreshing, perfect.

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Stone Fruit, $18: The simple seasonal beauty of a ripe tomato gets a little lost between the miso garlic vinaigrette, basil yogurt and fennel-pollen ricotta. But it’s still pretty tasty.

Ahi Tuna Tartare, $18: When Chef Matt told me this was one of his star dishes a few weeks ago, I had to stifle a snort because, really? There are maybe five Sonoma County restaurants that don’t feature this over-sesame oiled, avocado-smeared nightmare. But overlook this version at your peril. Tiny jewels of fresh tuna are so perfect with dabs of sweet Asian pear and spicy aioli. Restraint plus beauty equals delight.

Required sides: Collard Greens and Creamed Corn, $9: Sharing is for suckers.

Fried Chicken and Waffles, $19: Petite thyme and rosemary waffles that keep their structure, with two manageable pieces of perfectly fried chicken. Bigger isn’t always better. Bits of bacon and smoked syrup bring the whole thing together. I approve this dish.

Fried Green Tomatoes, $15: I’ve never understood the appeal of unripe fried tomatoes, but maybe you do. These are at least neat and tidy, crispy, with hot sauce aioli. Super-good the next day.

What we’ll return for: It’s pretty impossible to get through the menu in even three or four visits, but we’re looking forward to trying the vegan Cauliflower Steak; Matt’s Smash Burger; a dino-sized Tomahawk steak and the Chef’s Grand Platter, a fresh seafood tower.

Overall: Whether you’re stopping by for a glass of wine and a $10 app or sitting down for a $95 steak with your family, there’s truly something on the menu for all tastes and budgets. Elevated techniques and well-considered dishes make it destination-worthy.

Blue Ridge Kitchen: Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (until 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday), 6770 McKinley St., Suite 150, Sebastopol, brkitchen.com

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Region, a new wine bar at The Barlow in Sebastopol, is the first of its kind in Sonoma County, pouring 50 small production wines from self-serve WineStation machines and providing intimate access to winemakers in a casual setting. 

The WineStations use an argon gas preservation system to keep the wines fresh for up to 60 days and dispense from a tap at the push of a button. At check-in, patrons get a tasting card, which looks a lot like a hotel key. The tasting card is then linked to the patron’s credit card and they can sip the day away.  Sure, it could be a little dangerous for your wallet, but each wine is offered in a 1, 2.5, or 5 oz. pour and the machines display pricing for each wine, which range from $1 for a 1 oz. pour to a whopping $91 for a 5 oz. pour of Immortal Estate’s Impassable Cabernet Sauvignon. (Don’t worry, most 5-ouncers are priced at $15 and under.)

“We’re taking a unique approach to the wine industry and, respectfully, we want to disrupt it a little bit with this new way to experience wine,” said Region co-founder and longtime Sonoma County local Kerry Thedorf, who, along with her business partner Johan Eide, a Sebastopol native, have been working together to bring Region to life for nearly a year.

Located next door to Golden State Cider, Region partnered with 25 carefully selected producers, most of which are lesser-known boutique brands, like Frostwatch Winery, Front Porch Farm, and Thirty-Seven Wines.

“Our goal was to help the small guys that can’t afford the million-dollar tasting room or are so off the beaten path that they need help with foot traffic and getting the word out,” said Thedorf. 

The wines span 14 appellations (almost exclusively Sonoma County) and while there is of course plenty of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on offer, there are also some hard-to-find grapes like Albarino, Gewurtztraminer, Semillon, and Carignane. DRNK Wines even has an orange wine, a skin-contact Pinot Gris from Bennett Valley.

Wines can also be purchased by the glass or bottle and Region has a list of nine flights on their menu. The Au Natural, for example, highlights green-conscious growers, while Sonoma Sunset features wines that fall between red and white in color. 

Thedorf and Eide originally envisioned reclaimed wood and antiques for Region, but after realizing both were quite common not just in Sonoma County, but even within The Barlow, they went in another direction for the design.

The space is light and airy with neutral tones, poplar wood, and tile accents. Clean lines are everywhere and are meant to embody vineyard rows. Communal tables (set with leather bar stools) were partly constructed from wine barrel racks and there are a few couches for lounging. On theme with Region’s mission to do wine differently, there are two prints of aerial vineyard photography by Dan Quinones, which present the vineyard in a new, abstract way, 

The WineStations are set up in one room and, in another, there’s a tiled bar where a winery partner sets up shop each week to hand-pour a selection of additional wines that aren’t available in the machines. These wines can be anything from current releases to older vintages and verticals. Thedorf said producers should treat it as a pop-up and can get as creative as they want during the two weeks a year they are the featured winery, hosting everything from winemaker dinners to pick-up and release parties to educational seminars. Front Porch Farm is up first for the grand opening and will be bringing their farmers market stand with them. 

“We wanted to take the approach of the brewery mentality. I want that connection with the winemaker, I want to know where [the wine] is grown, I want to know all the ins and outs of it, not necessarily in traditional wine education, but easily broken down — the nuts and bolts of it,” said Thedorf, who has already seen many winemakers pop in even when it’s not their week. “It’s a breath of fresh air to have the winemakers in the space.”

For food, Region has partnered with several Barlow neighbors, who will deliver orders as they are placed. Patrons can choose from a selection of sandwiches from The Farmer’s Wife, like the Gravenstein Apple Grilled Cheese and Grass-Fed Beef Filet, or pies from Acre Pizza, like the Potato Pizza. Sushi Kosho has three kinds of poke, a Wagyu short rib, and a Bahn Mi sandwich on offer, while Fern Bar has a variety of dishes, including churros and a fried chicken sandwich. 

Region’s grand opening is scheduled for July 25, but they will be open for a preview this weekend, Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. In compliance with Sonoma County’s reinstated guidelines for outdoor seating only, Region has an expansive outdoor patio and Thedorf said they have set it up so that patrons will still be able to safely use the wine machines and interact with the featured winery. 

180 Morris St. Ste 170, Sebastopol, drinkyourregion.com.

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It’s been six months since the devastating February flood, and the Barlow is back and better than ever. There are some exciting newcomers, plenty of spots that have reopened and others that have kept chugging along through it all. Click through the gallery for a scorecard on food and beverage spots.

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