Healdsburg

If I had to pick a town to live in anywhere in the US, it would be Healdsburg, CA. From the first time we visited Healdsburg, it has been true love for me, from the surrounding Dry Creek Valley to the laid-back plaza, dotted with massive trees and surrounded by top-notch restaurants and wine tasting rooms.

We’ve eaten at a variety of Healdsburg restaurants, and there are so many for us still to try. This time around, we decided to do the tasting menu at Barndiva.

Located just off the Healdsburg plaza, Barndiva is rustic and elegant, and, in their own words, a celebration of all things local. It’s not difficult to celebrate local ingredients when you are in a place like Healdsburg; Barndiva sources from the variety of farmers, ranchers, and other purveyors that produce food in the region.

We arrived at Barndiva after a short but fabulous stop at a tasting room down the street, Garagiste. With the time change, it was bright for our 6:30 reservation, and we were tempted to sit outside. Later I was glad we didn’t!

I didn’t take notes on the tasting menu as I assumed I would be able to refer back to the pairings online. It was a special date night and one I wanted to remember without worrying too much about blogging, but the light was so good and the food so fantastic, I had to take photos.

One thing I will note is that, when we asked if we could substitute some European wines for California wines, our server was more than accommodating. We wanted to stay true to the local experience, and it made it that much more special to be drinking only California wine.

{Goat Cheese Croquettes with Local Organic Honey and Lavender}

Goat cheese croquettes kicked off our meal, their warm, creamy centers adorned with a pleasant crunchy coating. Sweet honey and fragrant lavender provided a sweet and floral contrast. I love all things lavender, and this pairing was lovely.

{Dungeness Crab}

It’s Dungeness crab season in Northern California, and we both enjoyed the meaty crab with avocado and crunchy, salty potato chips.

We lingered over each course, kind of amazed by the amount of sunlight still left outside.

{Caramelized Diver Scallops}

Our next course offered perfectly caramelized scallops atop a puree that I believe was potato. I cleared this plate in just a couple of minutes, loving the creamy puree and crispy bacon that came with the scallops.

{Lobster Risotto}

I started to fade at the Lobster Risotto course which was completely unfortunate because it was absolutely amazing. I just couldn’t believe I had two more courses and two more wines to go. The lobster was perfect though, and the risotto so flavorful with nice hints of shellfish brine.

{Herbed Roasted Filet of Beef}

Our final savory course of the evening was beef, and I know this one was paired with a big, bold Cabernet Sauvignon. A couple of bites of the meat and a  few sips of wine was all I could muster. So full.

{Chocolate Bavarois, Lemon Verbena Ice Cream, Cherry}

A rich chocolate dessert paired with Madeira wine (not from California) finished off our tasting menu. The Bavarois had a mousse-like texture beneath a soft chocolate shell. Need I say more?

We were incredibly full by the time dinner was done, and it was nice to go outside to walk around the plaza despite the fact that the temperature, as it often does in Sonoma County, had dropped over 20 degrees since the sun set.

I loved writing this post; it was fun to be able to relive such a memorable night, but I won’t lie, it made me want to be in Healdsburg right now. It’s hard to leave a place that feels so much like home!

Do you have a place that you would rather be living? Or is it just me dreaming about packing up and moving?