Insider guide to Fort Bragg: 20-plus delicious reasons to go there now — Part 3

May 23, 5:28 PMSF Culinary Travel ExaminerWanda Hennig

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Cheesecake dessert at The Restaurant.

Could this Mendocino County outpost be Northern California wine country's new culinary hot spot?

Continued from Part 2

It was Italian immigrants who accidentally discovered the Anderson Valley and began planting the first of the vineyards that would put both the Anderson Valley and Russian River Valley on the world wine map. Today Mendocino County has 11 approved and pending American Viticultural Areas.

Read on for the best place to get Mendocino wines in Fort Bragg, the Harvest Market’s secret success ingredient, the not-to-be-missed oldest eatery in Fort Bragg (The Restaurant), Thanksgiving coffee, the Botanical Gardens, candy cap mushroom ice cream, eight suggested restaurants to tickle your Slow Food palate and more ...

7. Harvest Market is a family-owned independent marketplace and a stand-alone foodie place that’s great to go browse. It has a wide selection of Mendocino wines, supports the local farmers, specializes in organic fare — and sells gourmet meals that hit the spot if you’re self-catering, on a budget or want to eat out, as in outdoors.

A secret of their success is the person who heads the bakery and the deli is chef and cookbook author Margaret Fox who formerly owned and ran the acclaimed Mendocino Village restaurant Cafe Beaujolais.

  8. Miscellaneous insider foodie bites for the visitor.

• First Friday (of each month) in Fort Bragg, the art galleries stay open, pour wine and serve hors d’ouvres. Go check out the current show and party.

• Thanksgiving Coffee opened in Fort Bragg in 1972. Small batch roasts, organic, shade grown, fair trade — they were way ahead of the game. Their coffee is served at several top San Francisco restaurants. They don’t have a dedicated coffee shop in Fort Bragg but try asking for it, as a tribute.

Pictured left: Gray Whale Inn edible garden.

9) The Restaurant and yes, that’s what it’s called, is the oldest eatery in Fort Bragg and chef-owner Jim Larsen is one of the town’s legendary characters. He does his veggie shopping at Harvest Market and the menu has a couple of favorite items from when he opened in 1973 along with seasonal specials. (The bagna cauda, for example, spans the ages. The platter of fresh vegetables, served with the Northern Italian dipping sauce, comes from the Harvest Market while the dish itself has been on the menu since the place opened.)

The building (418 N. Main St.) dates back to 1895. Enjoy the food and ask Jim and his wife, Susan Larsen, to tell you stories about the amazing art of Olaf Palm that hangs in abundance on the walls.

10. The Mendocino Botanical Gardens offers regular food and produce-related classes. For what’s on details, see the Web site.

And do make sure to try the candy cap mushroom (Lactarius Rubidus) flavor at Cowslick Hand Made Ice Cream (250 N. Main St. — 707-962-9271). It tastes like maple syrup but it’s just plain old mushroom, babe. Except not that plain. In fact, each year during mushroom season, these are the target of connoisseurs foragers as they're one of the world’s rarest culinary mushrooms.

And if you stop off for a beer at the North Coast Brewing Company, try the stout ice cream. It comes from the kitchen of Laureen Picciani who makes incredibly delicious and creative pastries (unfortunately only on order right now although she hopes to open a pastry shop soon).

Eight more recommended places to go enjoy the flavors in and around Fort Bragg.

These suggestions come from Slow Food Mendocino co-chairs Julie and Margaret Fox:

Mendo Bistro 301 N Main St. Fort Bragg (707) 964-4974

Rendezvous Inn & Restaurant 647 N Main St. Fort Bragg (707) 964-8142

Piaci Pub and Pizzeria 120 West Redwood (707) 961-1133

Patrona (seasonal fare plus the largest selection of Mendocino County wines) 130 W. Standley Ukiah (707) 462-9181

Mosswood Market 14111 Highway 128 Boonville (707) 895-3635

Taqueria Ricarda's 647 E Oak St. Fort Bragg (707) 964-8684

Oco Time — (sustainable sushi) 111 W Church St. Ukiah (707) 462-2422

Nit’s Café (Asian fusion — for lunch) 322 N Main St. Fort Bragg (707) 964-7187

Photos by Wanda Hennig

Copyright © Wanda Hennig, 2009