Chef, Chefs, Restaurant, Restaurant Review, Wine Country Bay Area

Seaside Metal Oyster Bar, Chef Mike Selvera, Guerneville, Sonoma County Wine Country

June 29, 2015 DepLifestyleMag

The casual and modern 35-seats classic raw bar and seafood restaurant is located in downtown Guerneville, just a short drive from the Russian River Valley wine country, a spin-off of the popular Bar Crudo in San Francisco. Chef Mike Selvera offers a small menu with an assortment to choose from, shellfish, oysters, crudo, cold, and hot dishes. Many of the plates are on the smaller side which is perfect for sharing. To pair with these delicate seafood dishes, they offer more than 40 domestic beers and local wines.

Seaside Metal is the latest creation of Executive Chef Mike Selvera and Front of House Manager Tim Selvera to join the growing culinary scene in welcoming downtown Guerneville. When dining in the open kitchen you will experience the freshness of pristine oysters, and the complexities of his signature crudo. Seaside Metal sources local produce, artisan cheese, award winning wines, and craft beer that only Sonoma County can offer. Mike Selvera is a San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 chef that brings his ideas on seafood, from his well-loved Bar Crudo to the intimate, unique, and gorgeous surroundings of the Russian River Valley.

Beside the fresh oysters, marinated mussels, lobster are always on the menu; the seafood chowder is one of the popular dishes here. The Spanish octopus with chorizo, cranberry beans, caperberry, and tomato was unique and full of flavors. But the Arctic char remains our favorite, simple, nothing overdone, crudo at its best.

Seaside Metal Oyster Bar
16222 Main Street
Guerneville, CA 95446

HOURS: Dinner, Wednesday – Sunday, 5-10 p.m.

RESERVATIONS: 1.707.604.7250

Website // Twitter // Instagram // Facebook

by Manda Bear – Twitter | Instagram

About the Author
Manda Bear

Manda Bear, a former restaurant owner, has had a strong passion for food and wine from a very young age and has traveled the world dining at over one hundred Michelin Star/James Beard award winning restaurants. Currently with Dep Lifestyle Magazine San Francisco Bay Area, Manda Bear works as publisher and contributor Drink Me Magazine, @DepLifestyleMag, @DiningOutVegas. Previously, she was a contributor for Viet Press USA, Studio 14 Magazine, and DiningOut Magazine. Additionally, Manda Bear is a certified level II Sommelier at www.VintageWineMerchants.com on Santana Row in Silicon Valley, a PR/brand ambassador for hospitality, food, and the wine industry, as well as a Social Media consultant for high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. To follow her food and wine adventures, you can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

Chef, Restaurant, Restaurant Review, Wine Country Bay Area

Valette, Chef Dustin Valette, downtown Healdsburg, Sonoma County Wine Country

June 29, 2015 DepLifestyleMag

Chef Valette honed his craft in some of the most celebrated restaurants on the West Coast; including the Michelin-starred Aqua in San Francisco, Napa Valley’s Bouchon, and Dry Creek Kitchen, a Charlie Palmer restaurant in downtown Healdsburg.

The dream of Valette Healdsburg began some 15 years ago amongst two brothers. Dustin Valette and Aaron Garzini were sitting at their father’s house overlooking the Alexander Valley. Over a glass of wine the two dreamt of opening a restaurant that showcased all Sonoma County has to offer.

Opening a restaurant together is a dream come true for both brothers. The combination of Chef Valette’s culinary acumen featuring fresh, local ingredients and Aaron’s savvy ability to provide a warm and authentic environment has brought these two local brothers full circle, back to the land they are from, and working together in the industry they love.

Valette was born in spring 2015; Chef Valette offers the intense, flavorful, and dynamic cuisine.

House made charcuterie was a real treat. The furikake crusted Hawaiian ahi tataki; the flavors were delightful. The smoked lamb
sausage “Banh Mi” with a twisted, bold flavor, a Vietnamese influenced dish. The chicken fried chicken with organic salad, buttermilk dressing was also fantastic.

Our favorite dish was the Day Boat Scallops en Croute, fennel, caviar, Champagne Beurre Blanc was one of the most creative scallop dish. It was balanced, tasty, smooth, and explode in your mouth.

Valette

344 Center Street
Healdsburg, CA 95448

HOURS: Dinner, Monday – Sunday, 5:30-9:30 p.m.
Lunch, Friday – Sunday, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

RESERVATIONS: 1.707.473.0946

Website // Twitter // Instagram // Facebook

by Manda Bear – Twitter | Instagram

About the Author
Manda Bear

Restaurant, Restaurant Review, Wine Country Bay Area

Underwood Bar and Bistro, Graton, Sonoma County Wine Country

June 29, 2015 DepLifestyleMag

A hidden gem in West of Sonoma, Underwood Bar & Bistro is located in the picturesque Sonoma wine country, sleepy town of Graton. About an hour drive from San Francisco, Graton is the geographical hub of Sonoma’s West County, nestled in the middle of Occidental, Santa Rosa, and Sebastopol. Underwood provides classic dishes and local wines in a laid-back bistro setting. It’s a happening spot for the locals and tourists alike on the weekend, and also offers a late-night menu.

Moroccan lamb sandwich, spicy grilled lamb sirloin, tomatoes, arugula, red onion, grilled flatbread, and French fries; that tzatziki, slightly aromatic garlicky spread made all the different. It’s a perfect sandwich to fill up before you continue your wines tasting adventure.

Underwood Bar and Bistro
9113 Graton Road
Graton, CA 95444

HOURS: Dinner, Tuesday – Thursday, Sunday, 5:30-10 p.m.
Friday – Saturday, 5:30-11 p.m.

Lunch, Friday – Sunday, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

RESERVATIONS: 1.707.473.0946

Website // Facebook

by Manda Bear – Twitter | Instagram

About the Author
Manda Bear

Chef, Chefs, Culinary Events, Lifestyle, magazine, Restaurant, San Francisco Bay Area, Southern California, Southern California, Travel

5th ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL RETURNS AUGUST 27-30, 2015

June 29, 2015 DepLifestyleMag

Michelin starred honorees, James Beard Award winners, Food & Wine Best New Chefs, and 200 wineries, will once again converge on the City of Angels during the annual epicurean jubilee produced by Coastal Luxury Management.

The fifth annual Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival, presented with founding partners FOOD & WINE and Lexus, is set to feature three nights and four days of unrivalled tastings, dinners, lunches, seminars, book signings, cooking demonstrations, and special events, showcasing the finest in food.

Enjoy 4 days of the decadent in food and wine with an epic epicurean event, Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival. One of the country’s premier destinations, bringing together the world’s most revered culinary talent for 3 nights and 4 days of epicurean excellence. Headquartered in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, with main events directly in front of the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall (with closures along Grand Avenue, between 1st and 3rd street), attendees are invited to explore world-class Beverly Hills, happening West Hollywood, beach town of Santa Monica, and upcoming downtown LA, more than 100 celebrity chefs and 200 wineries come together to showcase a dynamic weekend of exceptional lunches, dinners, cooking demos, chef collaborations, live concerts, and experience the amazing Grand Tastings, featuring the industry’s leading experts and most coveted restaurants in the world.

In past years, the star-studded lineup has included celebrated chefs such as Daniel Boulud, Curtis Stone, Dominique Crenn, David Kinch, Giada De Laurentiis, Rick Bayless, Wolfgang Puck, Nancy Silverton, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Thomas Keller, Roy Choi, Michael Chiarello, Michael Voltaggio, Robert Irvine, Guy Fieri, Fabio Viviani, and Graham Elliot, as well as local favorites including Tim Hollingsworth, Michael Cimarusti, Suzanne Goin, Ludo Lefebvre, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Jessica Koslow, Ari Taymor, Ori Menashe, Josef Centeno, Sang Yoon, Ben Ford, and Ray Garcia, to name a few.

Marquee events slated to return include Live on Grand, Asian Night Market, the Power Lunch series, exclusive chef collaboration meals, and live musical performances from award-winning artists.

Lexus Grand Tastings
The Lexus Grand Tasting Tent at Los Angeles Food & Wine is the weekend’s most spectacular opportunity for maximum culinary indulgence. With over 200 wines from top-notch producers from around the world to a “who’s who” list of 30 top celebrity chefs, this is your chance to mingle, mix and sip with the very best in the field. As always, there will be opportunities for book signings and photo moments with many of the weekend’s biggest and brightest names, so buy your tickets early as this extravaganza sells out each year.