Santa Rosa restaurant owner shares ideas for romantic Valentine’s Day vegan feast

We’ve learned a few things during the past two years of the pandemic.

One is that we need to take better care of ourselves, said Kim Bourdet, creative director of the newly opened The Branch Line restaurant in Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square. That means more exercise, a good night’s sleep and a healthy dose of plant-based foods.

We’ve also learned we need to let those close to us know we love them. And there’s no better time to do both of these things than on Valentine’s Day.

“In this time of COVID, letting the people know that you love them may be more important than roses and chocolates,” said Bourdet, a romantic when it comes to home-cooked food. “Shopping for and preparing a meal is love.”

Since the mission of The Branch Line is to create delicious, plant-based and gluten-free food, we asked Bourdet to share a three-course menu of dishes from the restaurant for those who want to make a vegan Valentine’s Day dinner at home.

Vegan has come to mean an all-or-nothing lifestyle, Bourdet said, so she tries to avoid using that word.

“The V word has gotten a bad rap,” she said. “By saying plant-based, it doesn’t mean you have to be full-time plant-based, but it’s not a bad idea to eat more plants.”

Like other chefs who are omnivores, Bourdet would rather eat grass-fed meat than faux meat. Farms and purveyors in Sonoma County and all along the West Coast have made plant-based food really tasty.

“We really have everything we need here. What’s so great right now ... is to be in a place with so many fantastic purveyors,“ she said.

For a Valentine’s Day dinner, Bourdet came up with a simple but sensuous menu for those who are seduced more by nuts and grains than by foie gras and caviar.

For a starter, she settled on a Plant-Based Crostini with Ricotta topped with the Chili Crisp from Big Spoon Sauce Co. of Occidental. The condiment is available at the Mercantile, the retail food shop in The Branch Line.

“It’s super-easy,” she said of the crostini. “If you are living on a budget, you can make ricotta (from cashews), and it doesn’t spoil as fast.”

As an entree, Bourdet offered a cozy Plant-Based Miso Pot Pie made with leeks and mushrooms. Bourdet loves the umami flavor and the chewy texture of mushrooms, especially the rare mushrooms grown by Gourmet Mushrooms of Sebastopol. The dish’s deep flavor comes from cooking the vegetables in separate batches.

“With well-made, plant-based food, you’re not missing anything,” she said. “The flavor is there.”

For the grand finale, she came up with a creamy Plant-Based Cacao Avocado Pudding topped with a sprinkle of crunchy cacao nibs. The pudding, like the morning pastries offered at Branch Line, is not overly sweet.

Bourdet said customers often ask what kind of sugar the restaurant uses — cane or date sugar, for example. She’s noticed that transparency about ingredients is a growing trend for food producers and restaurants.

“We like using a little agave, and we use homemade applesauce in our vegan chocolate cake,” she said. “It has been fun to see what you can do with less sugar.”

To toast each other during the dinner, Beverage Director Danny Ortiz of Branch Line suggested the Crushing on You cocktail, made from the Pluck Strawberry Fields Iced Tea and Little Apple Treats Guava Limeade Shrub.

Special space for fast-casual

Bourdet also owns and runs The Pharmacy at 990 Sonoma Ave., which recently added a patio out front for sit-down dining. She’s building a second kitchen at The Pharmacy to prepare food for both restaurants and for her growing catering jobs.

In mid-December, Bourdet opened Branch Line bit by bit, but she’s been gearing up ever since. For now, while we’re still in the pandemic, she’s opted for to-go food.

“It’s grab-and-go at both restaurants, with outdoor seating at both as well,” she said.

Branch Line is on the bottom floor of the old Western Hotel in Railroad Square, the former home of the Flying Goat coffee shop. Bourdet has spruced up the historic space with gold leaf and other adornments; now the tile floors and glass windows shine.

“It’s such a beautiful area, and bringing a building back to life was incredible,” she said. “It just needed to be romanced.”

Although serving tasty, plant-based food is important, Bourdet believes a restaurant’s ambiance is just as crucial to making people want to come back.

“We underestimate how important aesthetics are,” she said. “This building has a ‘wow’ factor. You walk through the double doors and you see the high ceiling. ... It’s always exciting when people come in, and their eyes are wide open.”

Branch Line is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, serving coffee and tea with gluten-free and regular pastries for morning noshes. More substantial lunch fare includes a rotating menu of Buddha Bowls served warm, Grain Bowls served cold, salads, bagels with various toppings and wraps made from spelt.

“In the future, the plan is to do more weddings and birthdays here,” she said. “We want to bring back some nice nighttime events.”

Meanwhile, Bourdet has used her retail background to conjure a magical atmosphere at The Mercantile, located in the hotel lobby next to the restaurant.

At the Mercantile, Branch Line sells its own honey and shrubs along with a line of vegan dried pasta made from organic semolina and veggies like spinach and tomatoes.

“It’s nice for families, because the veggies are already in there,” she said of the pasta. “Just add some olive oil and Parmesan.”

The Mercantile also sells products from other artisan purveyors such as Gold Ridge Organic Farm Olive Oil and Little Apple Treats of Sebastopol. There’s also a vegan Dark Chocolate Sauce from Hot Cakes of Seattle.

For Valentine’s Day, Bourdet hopes to offer some fresh lemon and beet pastas for customers to take home and cook as well as some festive gluten-free cupcakes.

“When you think about serving food, I believe you have to feel good about what you’re giving people,” Bourdet said. “You can put something in a white box, but I think people want magic, to go on a journey and have a surprise and feel an emotion.

“I like magic. I think the world needs it,” she added. “Food is art, and art is essential.”

The Branch Line is located at 10 Fourth St. On Instagram: thebranchline_sonomacounty

The following recipes are from Kim Bourdet, creative director of The Branch Line restaurant.

This crostini appetizer is beautifully creamy, with a hint of spice that will start the meal with a bang, Bourdet said. The Big Spoon Sauce Co. Chili Crisp is available at The Mercantile in The Branch Line, but you can find various chili crisp products at grocery stores.

Plant-Based Chili Crisp Ricotta Crostini

Serves 2

1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked overnight or soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 large lemon

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 small garlic clove

½ teaspoon onion powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 large slice of batard bread, toasted

Drizzle of chili crisp sauce, preferably from Big Spoon Sauce Co.

Handful of sprouts (such as Earthworker Farm radish microgreens)

For ricotta: Make sure to soak the raw cashews in water overnight or soak them in boiling water for at least 20 minutes.

Combine the drained cashews, water, olive oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Note: There will be more than enough to save in the fridge to eat another time with crackers, crudité or anything you like!

To assemble: Put toasted piece of batard on a cutting board. Spread the ricotta across the batard, using as much or as little as you like. Drizzle the chili crisp sauce over the toast. Place a handful of sprouts on top and cut the toast in half to share.

This is a vinegar-based, nonalcoholic shrub, but you could add a splash of alcohol if you like. The Pluck Strawberry Fields Iced Tea and Little Apple Treats Guava Limeade Shrub are available at The Mercantile.

Crushing on You

Makes 1 serving

3 ounces Pluck Strawberry Fields Iced Tea

2 ounces Little Apple Treats Guava Limeade Shrub

½ ounce light agave, with a dash of Madagascar vanilla extract

Citrus slice of choice, for garnish

Quickly shake all ingredients with ice. Pour into glass and garnish with a citrus slice.

This comforting and unique potpie is the perfect meal for two. There are several steps, but seasoning and cooking the different vegetables in batches creates deeper flavors and better textures.

Plant-Based Miso Mushroom Pot Pie

Makes 2 servings

For crust:

1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup vegan butter, room temperature (such as Earth Balance Soy-Free sticks)

7 tablespoons ice water

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon nondairy milk

For filling:

2 tablespoons vegan butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 leeks (white part only), soaked to remove all dirt, then finely diced

2 tablespoons chickpea miso (such as Miso Master Organic Chickpea Miso)

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ cup vegetable broth

5 small Yukon potatoes, roughly chopped

Avocado oil to drizzle

12 or so cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and thinly sliced

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh thyme

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon nondairy milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To make the crust: Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl.

Break off small pieces of the butter and place into the bowl. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it has a coarse texture.

Start sprinkling in the ice water while mixing with a fork until the dough comes together and is no longer sticky (add more ice water if needed).

Form the dough into a ball, leave in the bowl, cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

To make the filling: Melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan.

Add the leeks to the pan and saute until the leeks are tender and softened.

Add the miso, all-purpose flour and vegetable broth and whisk everything together.

Once the flour is cooked through and the mixture has come together, pull the pan off the heat and set aside.

Boil the potatoes in salted water until they are al dente. Pull the potatoes out of the water and place on a baking sheet. Season them with salt, pepper and a drizzle of avocado oil and roast them in the oven until they have a golden color.

Next, put the mushrooms (make sure to dry them completely) on a baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of avocado oil and roast, also at 375 degrees, for five to seven minutes, until cooked

In a large saute pan, saute the yellow onions, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt, pepper, the thyme and a drizzle of avocado oil.

Add the butter/olive oil/miso/flour/leek mixture to the sauteed onions, carrot and celery. Then fold in the potatoes and mushrooms to the mixture until everything is warmed through.

To make the pot pie: Spoon enough of the filling into two oven-safe bowls to fill them. Roll out your refrigerated dough into two circles that fit over the bowls. Drape the dough over the filled bowls and cut off any excess dough.

Mix 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon nondairy milk, then brush across the dough on each pot pie. With a sharp knife, cut two to three slits on the dough or create a design of your choice.

Put the pot pies on a baking sheet and place in the 375-degree oven. Bake for around 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden and as crispy as you like.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes before serving.

This delicious pudding is almost too quick and easy. And you can add any additional flavors you like, such as cinnamon, chile, peppermint, coconut ... the list could go on!

Plant-Based Cacao Avocado Pudding

Makes 2 servings

2 ripe avocados

¼ cup regular cocoa powder

¼ cup cacao powder

¼ cup maple syrup

4 tablespoons oat milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon Maldon salt (add more to taste)

Cacao nibs and Maldon salt, to garnish

Add all ingredients to a high-powdered blender and blend until it’s as smooth as you like. Spoon into two bowls or cups. Top with cacao nibs and Maldon salt to serve.

You can reach Staff Writer Diane Peterson at 707-521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @dianepete56