Mouthful: Sebastopol's Fork Roadhouse to start year with grand opening Mouthful: Sebastopol's Fork Roadhouse to start year with grand opening

Fork Roadhouse: A few months ago, not long after the short-lived Stillwater Kitchen in Sebastopol closed, Sarah Piccolo of Fork Catering quietly leased the space, nestled in what you could almost call a hollow, on Highway 12 between Sebastopol and Freestone. The Fork catering truck is frequently parked adjacent to the restaurant, and a few times this month the parking lot has been full, with a “sold out” sign near the entrance. On December 20, for example there was a dinner and concert featuring Mike Beck.

On January 1, Fork Roadhouse hosts a Grand Opening celebration, with free mimosas for everyone who shows up in their jammies. As of this writing, we did not have hours; visit forkcatering.com or call 634-7575 as the date approaches.

Fork Catering, its truck a popular fixture at cycling and other events, does more than give lip service to the idea of using local foods. The farms and ranches they work with are identified and menu selections evolve as the seasonal harvest unfolds. Sample menus are posted at the Web site.

In the past several years, the space that is now Fork Roadhouse has gone through so many changes in ownership that it is hard to remember them all. In recent years, it has been Two Crows Roadhouse, Saint Rose, Claudio’s and Stillwater Kitchen. For a variety of reasons, none of these incarnations established a firm foothold, despite the appealing space. We’re hopeful Fork will find its home here, in a beautiful setting that is said to have been, many decades ago, a bordello.

Fork Roadhouse is located at 9890 Bodega Highway, west of Sebastopol.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The printed version and an earlier online version listed an incorrect phone number for Fork Catering. This article has been amended with the correct version.

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New Year’s Eve at Bistro 29: If you hurry, you might be able to snag one of the remaining reservations for New Year’s Eve at Bistro 29, the sweet little French restaurant in downtown Santa Rosa.

The prix-fixe menu, $75 per person, begins with a glass of local sparkling wine and a warm gougere (French-style cheese puff) with Point Reyes Cheese Toma

The first course is an asparagus soup with poached egg and brioche croutons. For the second course, you’ll choose from a braised artichoke with Dungeness crab and potato, with watercress and fennel salad; wild mushroom and potato gnocchi grain with crispy sage or crispy duck confit with black lentils, tarragon-orange sauce and citrus salad. For a third course, your options are seared scallops with butter-poached monkfish, lobster-Cognac sauce and saffron risotto beignets; grilled quail with olive oil and lemon mashed potatoes, braised kale and a vinegar-port sauce or sous-vide filet of beef with cauliflower fondue, dry roasted mushrooms and a cabernet sauvignon-bone marrow sauce.

The festive meal wraps up with a trio of desserts, pavé au chocolate with candied chestnuts, Cassis sorbet with Créme de Cassis and whipped créme fraiche and caramel beignets.

An appealing aspect of Bistro 29, other than its authenticity, is that it feels like a snug little cocoon, a tiny island of France tucked at 620 Fifth St., away from noisy crowds and loud bars. It’s a treasure.

Beverages, other than the glass of sparkling wine, gratuity and tax and are not included in the $75.

For reservations, call 546-2929 right away.

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A Delicious Start to 2015: K & L Bistro (119 South Main St., Sebastopol) will open on New Year’s Day at 9 a.m. for brunch, which will be served until 4 p.m., when the dinner menu kicks in.

Although the menu evolves with the seasons, highlights will likely include Spicy Breakfast Soup ($10), with chorizo broth, poached eggs, epazote and tortilla strips; orange-scented French toast ($9) with warm vanilla-bean-poached-fig syrup and a breakfast sandwich ($5), with scrambled eggs, Cheddar, avocado and harissa mayonnaise.

There are bottomless mimosas, a full bar, a very good wine list, craft beer and a raw bar.

West county sports fans have been packing the bar to watch football, so if that is your passion, you’ll be happy here. If, however, you prefer to enjoy your meal away from screaming fans, the dining room is pretty well insulated from the sounds of the bar, and conversation is easy and comfortable.

For reservations, call 823-6614 or visit klbistro.com.

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Seven Days in New Orleans: Sonoma County’s most southern eatery, Parish Cafe (60 Mill St., Healdsburg), is now open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Breakfast is served until 11:30 a.m., with a crawfish and andouille omelet ($14), shrimp and grits ($12) and Bananas Foster Pain Perdu ($11) among the highlights. At lunch, you’ll find po- boys seafood, gumbo, shrimp Remoulade, fried oyster salad, muffaletta, fried okra, crab claw hush puppies and more.

Beignets are served all day. To peruse the full menu, visit theparishcafe.com.

There is a beer and wine list, iced coffee, hot coffee, tea and, of course, Nola-style Café au Lait.

Parish Cafe will close at 1 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and will be closed New Year’s Day.

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New Year’s Day Hike: Want to kick off 2015 with a robust hike? You’ve got at least two great options.

You can enjoy a hike through Armstrong Woods from 10 a.m. to noon. The hike, led by docents of Stewards of the Redwood and Coast, will wind easily through old-growth redwood trees and past Fife Creek, high with rushing waters. To join in, be at the Visitor’s Center at 10 a.m. or a bit before.

From 1 to 3 p.m., you can enjoy a guided walk through rare coastal habitat along the Kortum Trail, a perfect tribute to Bill Kortum, who passed away earlier this month. Participants gather at the Shell Beach parking lot, north of the town of Bodega Bay, at 1 p.m.

You should bring water, snacks, layers of clothing and sturdy shoes. The hikes are not strenuous and are suitable to all ages.

Participation is free but donations are always welcome and encouraged. For more information, call Pete Bidigare, volunteer manager, at 869-9177 ext. 1.

For information about more upcoming events, visit stewardscr.org

Michele Anna Jordan has written 18 books to date, including the new “More Than Meatballs.” Email Jordan at michele@saladdresser.com. You’ll find her blog, “Eat This Now,” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.