Every restaurant planning to stay open on Christmas day or Christmas Eve plans a special menu for such special times. Rocker Oysterfellers out in Valley Ford, however, is fairly secure in its singular status as a restaurant offering a New Orleans–style "Revillon" repast for the holiday. Traditional to the Big Easy, revillon—which means "waking," denoting that revelers stay up late to fully feast—is connected to the Catholic tradition of midnight mass and features luxury foods too expensive or rich to eat ordinarily. The Revillon Dinner at Oysterfellers is no exception, a three-course meal with two seatings at 5:30pm or 7:30pm that features creamed winter kale with baked eggs and truffle oil, a prime rib of pork and Scharffen Berger chocolate baked Alaska among its prix-fixe offerings. Dinner is $60 per person and should be reserved. Joyeux noël! 14415 Hwy. 1, Valley Ford. 707.876.1983.
As the Napa revitalization continues with the expansion of the riverfront area and new life in the West End District, new businesses also bloom. Case in point is the Norman Rose Tavern, set to open Dec. 28 at 1401 First St. The newest venture of Michael and Christina Gyetvan, who own the Azzurro Pizzeria and Enoteca, the Norman Rose will be a comfortable fall-in-the-door spot featuring sustainable local comfort food at sustainable prices for local eaters. Featuring a patio, two bars and artisanal rootbeer on tap, the tavern starts with dinner service only, planning to expand to lunch in mid-January.
From the ever-evolving We Love Clark Wolf Files, we rush to note that our favorite international restaurant consultant and Bohemian contributor has gosh darn branded himself, entering into a collaboration with the good ladies of Cowgirl Creamery to introduce "Clark Wolf's American Cheese Collections." The author of American Cheeses, The Best Regional, Artisan and Farmhouse Cheeses, published last year, Clark has a full slate of lactic loves, none of them involving vegetable oil or the suffix "-food." Stop by the creamery in Pt. Reyes Station (inside Tomales Bay foods) or go online at www.cowgirlcreamery.com to find a "collection" chosen by the fine Mr. Wolf.
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