BiteClub: Ramen pop-ups, magic ice cream and more

It’s harvest season, when things get insane in Wine Country, and this week is no exception.

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Ramen Pop-Up, Part 2: I mentioned the new ramen pop-up, Ramen Gaijin, recently but hadn’t actually experienced it first-hand yet.

However, last Monday I got access to the kitchen, where chefs Moishe Hahn-Schuman and Matthew Williams were prepping for that evening’s sold-out dinner. It’s a whirlwind, with trays of buckwheat noodles, pork belly and miso in the hours leading up to the first seating at 5:30 p.m.

Suffice to say, I was totally wowed at the results. We absolutely loved the donburi ($11, chicken thigh with a 6-minute egg, burnt kale, salmon roe), heirloom tomato salad with creamy tofu and shiso ($9) that was so of the moment in this late August heat, and both the vegetarian and Shoyu ramens.

I won’t claim to be any kind of ramen expert, but nearby slurpers seemed totally sold. With ramen, it’s all about the broth, and chefs often guard their recipes closely. What I can say is the Shoyu ramen is heartier and meatier (dashi as the base, layered with chicken broth, ham hocks and a dose of pork belly fat) topped with a host of Japanese ingredients like toasted rye noodles, pork belly, bamboo, leeks, woodear mushrooms and wakame.

Miso ramen has a lighter, brighter, tangier flavor and is completely vegetarian (unless you get extra pork belly in it).

Leave room for dessert, though. Though they change up weekly, we were fairly swooning over a blackberry sorbet with yuzu curd, coconut and sesame granola and blackberries.

Lots of pix at BiteClubEats.com that will have you salivating. The next popup is Sept. 8 at Woodfour.

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Shuffles Magical Ice Cream Shoppe: Local magician John-Paul Scirica, who’s worked on cruise chips and for celebrities and learned his craft here in Santa Rosa, is opening an ice cream and magic experience in the former Seven nightclub.

Shuffles Magical Ice Cream Shoppe will be a family-friendly spot to grab a scoop or two, sundaes, shakes, smoothies, and other frozen treats with a side of fun. He plans to entertain folks both table-side or at the shop’s magic counter.

Shuffle’s stage will host a weekly Saturday morning magic show, monthly dinner magic show, and provide a backdrop for private events, such as birthdays and company parties.

They’ll kick things off at 528 Seventh St., Santa Rosa on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. with a ribbon cutting, strolling magicians, mini-magic shows, balloon animal twisters, face painters, and jugglers performing until 2 p.m. The first 200 customers through the door will receive a scratcher to win prizes and discounts, including free ice cream for a year for two lucky attendees. Presto!

Nearby in the Brickyard Center, La Perla Peruvian restaurant is slated to open in the former California Thai. Not much info yet on the owners or opening date, but we’ll let you know.

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Cappuccino Potato Chips? Its time once again for the Lay’s potato chip flavor challenge.

Last year millions gave suggestions for new flavors on their website, with Chicken and Waffles, Sriracha and Cheesy Garlic Bread going into production. (Garlic bread won.)

This year, from a pool of more than 12 million contestants (including me, with lasagna flavor), they picked - prepare to be disappointed - Mango Salsa, Cappuccino, Cheesy Bacon Mac and Cheese and the only salvageable one, Wasabi Ginger.

As you might guess, local grocery stores have Cappuccino by the truckload. Finding Mango Salsa is also fairly easy. Ginger wasabi is scarce, but doesn’t hold a candle to the Bacon Mac chips, which are so rare that folks are actually selling them on Ebay for $11 (plus $5.95 for shipping). Look for whatever you can find at Target, Lucky and Safeway.

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A Spirited Dinner: Zazu Farm + Kitchen, Sonoma County craft distillery Spirit Works and KRSH Radio’s Ziggy the Wine Gal will host a cocktail-focused dinner on Sept. 4. The evening kicks off with a guided tour and tasting at the distillery (Sebastopol’s Barlow center) with founders Timo and Ashby Marshall, followed by a three-course seasonal meal at Zazu. $89 per person, before gratuity & tax. Call 707.523.4814 to secure your spot at the table.

Still hungry? Check out Heather’s food and dining blog at BiteClubEats.com.