The big news about K&L Bistro in Sebastopol is that the cramped little dining room with a small wine and beer bar has now doubled in size.
It reopened about a month ago after many months of expansion and refurbishing. The north wall has been knocked out and the new space holds 13 freestanding and banquette tables. Kitchen space has been opened up, too. A full bar now serves good cocktails along with beer and wine.
Chefs and owners Karen and Lucas Martin opened this French restaurant in 2001 and from the beginning have earned high praise for the refinement and delicacy of their dishes. But there can come a point where a recipe becomes so delicate it loses touch with the food’s character.
For instance, Carrot Ginger Soup ($6 a cup **
) was bland. It tasted mildly of carrots, but if there was any snappy ginger in there, it wasn’t discernible. A spoonful of crème fraiche had been swirled through the creamy puree and a pinch of microgreens dribbled on top, which added a little flavor.
Roasted Rosemary Black Mission Figs ($12.50 **
) sounded like it would carry a flavor burst, but the four roasted figs just seemed like saggy versions of their plump sweet fresh selves, and where was the rosemary? Still, there was a lot to like in this appetizer. A fat and luscious burrata studded with pine nuts sat atop a handful of arugula, and sweet saba was sprinkled here and there. Saba, known as defrutum in Roman times, is grape juice gently boiled down to a sweet syrup. It’s still popular in Italy but not much used in America. It’s good to see the Martins using it on this appetizer.
One of the four salads on the menu was County Line Baby Greens ($9 **
), which featured three kinds of lettuce leaves. Although called “baby” greens, that term refers less to the youth of the plants than to the marketing departments of the seed companies, who use it to describe varieties with compact heads.
The three varieties - Breen, Green Oakleaf, and a speckled romaine called Forellenschluss - were pretty much full grown leaves, certainly not babies.
The dressing of oily sherry-shallot vinaigrette quickly soaked through the delicate leaves, rendering them limp.
Things improved with the arrival of house made Guinea Hen Terrine ($12.50 ***
), a four-by-four-inch square, one-third-inch thick slice of rustic pate. This tasty spicy terrine came with cornichons, celery root remoulade, and toasted slices of baguette.
The wine list, including many wines by the glass, is chockablock with about 100 treasures. If I could only have one white, it would be the 2011 Trimbach Alsatian Pinot Blanc for $36.
For a red, the 2011 Emeritus “Hallberg Ranch” Pinot Noir for $65 is a stand-out. If you bring a bottle, corkage is $15.
Service at K&L is pleasant and casual rather than perfectly professional - but hey, this is West County and all.
One of the 12 entrees offered on a recent night was Fresh Dungeness Crab Cakes ($28.50 ***
). Though it may seem like a high price for crab cakes, these two large cakes with an ultra thin, lightly browned crust contained major amounts of crabmeat, including lumps from the body of the crab, a little creamy binder, and nothing else.
Since the delicate flavor of crab is best not stomped on with intense condiments, this is a dish where delicacy is rewarded.
The highlight of the evening was a plate of House Made Boudin Blanc Sausages ($21 ***
½), made in the French style with pork (without blood), eggs, and milk, perfectly grilled, and just as ethereal as any sausage has a right to be.
The two boudins came with a salad of red Belgian endive and pear slices, and K&L’s signature perfect French fries cooked in rice bran oil.
For dessert, Crepes Suzette ($9 *
½) was a failed attempt at this classic.
The crepes were tough, it wasn’t flambé when brought to table, and there was an unnecessary scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. The beurre Suzette sauce was fine.
To sum up: K&L Bistro is back, but still working to get back on track.
Jeff Cox writes a weekly restaurant review for the Sonoma Living section. He can be reached at jeffcox@sonic.net.
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