Tasty offerings at film festival

Yummy offerings at film festival: The 2008 edition of the Napa & Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival is under way. Among this year's highlights are several films that touch on the pleasures of the palate and the table.

On Saturday, the fest's Paseo de España takes place at the Kenwood Depot (314 Warm Springs Road, Kenwood) from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., with a Basque market, a paella class taught by chef Raquel Hermosilla, and plenty of Spanish wines. Eduardo Balaguer of Venga Paella Catering will prepare paella for tasting.

Featured films include "The Chicken, the Fish and the King Crab," which follows Jesus Amagro, a Spanish chef, as he prepares for the Bocuse d'Or, considered one of the most prestigious and rigorous cooking competitions in the world.

A live Flamenco performance from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. will be followed by a screening of "Field of Stars," a generational rural drama by Mario Camus that takes place in Cantabria in northern Spain.

Admission to Paseo de España is $15. The films and dance performance have additional admission fees.

There are too many films, receptions and events to cover in a single column, so you might want to explore the festival's Web site, www.wcff.us, for what most interests you. It continues through Aug. 3.

Traverso's first vodka tasting: Santa Rosa's beloved Italian market, Traverso's, has announced its next tasting and educational seminar, taking place from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek's Russian River Room.

Although the featured vodkas have not yet been announced, the selection will include unique brands and rare finds.

Traverso's tastings always sell out well in advance, so hurry if you want a seat. Cost is $15 for members of Traverso's wine club and $30 for the general publish. For reservations, call 542-2530 or e-mail info@traversos.com.

Tonight at Risibisi: Petaluma's Risibisi (154 Petaluma Blvd. N.) is hosting a special dinner this evening featuring J Vineyards & Winery.

We love the menu, which begins with hamachi crudo on crostini, pears wrapped in prosciutto and polenta cakes with Point Reyes Original Blue, served with J Cuvée 20 Brut.

Next comes a salad of heirloom tomatoes, more Point Reyes blue, fresh herbs and extra virgin olive oil with J 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Gris. Pan-roasted scallops, spaghettini, melted leeks, wilted spinach and roasted garlic in a white wine sauce will be paired with J 2006 Russian River Valley Chardonnay.

The J 2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir will be poured alongside braised Sonoma rabbit in a red wine and tomato sauce with pancetta, mushrooms, piquillo peppers and toasted polenta.

For dessert, you'll sip J Pear Liqueur with pear crostata and brandied pear-caramel sauce.

There are just a few seats remaining for the dinner, which starts at 6:30 p.m., so call the restaurant pronto at 766-7600.

Cost is $85, plus tax and gratuity.

Flamenco Cafe: Friday night, Mexico Lindo Restaurant (9030 Graton Road in downtown Graton), features authentic Spanish-style Flamenco music, song and dance.

Phoebe Vernier, the director of La Fibi Flamenco, will be dancing at 7, 8 and 9 p.m.

Admission is $10. Guests are welcome to come for the dance only or for a drink, dinner or, of course, both.

For more information about Vernier's classes, visit www.lafibi.com.

Puntarella comes to west county: Restaurant Eloise, which opens Friday, has nine raised beds for growing fresh produce, one devoted entirely to puntarella, an Italian chicory. The inaugural menu offers it as a salad, with this unusual vegetable served raw with chopped egg vinaigrette and a garnish of candied bacon.

Other opening-night appetizers include crispy sweetbreads with raisin-mustard vinaigrette and pickled carrots, beets and turnips and a traditional dish that makes our heart go pitter-patter: roasted bone marrow with a parsley-shallot salad, crispy toast and an obligatory pot of salt.

Entrees include fresh sheep's milk ricotta gnocchi and Maine lobster poached in butter.

There are seven appetizers and seven entrees on the menu. Prices range from about $9 for a traditional white gazpacho to $32 for that lobster.

The wine list offers six reds and six whites by the glass. By the bottle selections include four sparklers, nine whites, four rosés, 14 reds and four dessert wines, with two-thirds of the selections local and one third from France, primarily the southern Rhone. We mention the numbers because the list is so tightly focused, with each of the limited selections thoughtfully chosen.

Restaurant Eloise is at 2295 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, in the location most recently occupied by Bistro V and the longtime home of Chez Peyo. Dinner will be served from 5:30 until 10 p.m. For reservations, call 823-6300.

Michele Anna Jordan can be contacted via e-mail at michele@micheleannajordan.com.