Chef/owner Jude Affronti is taking over the food-and-wine side of The Palette Art Cafe in Healdsburg and plans to open it as Affronti restaurant in October.
The remodeled restaurant will offer an all-day, continuous menu of mix-and-match small plates, salads and bar bites with Mediterranean influences.
Entrees, ranging from $8 to $12, include Sonoma Roast Chicken, Braised Short Ribs and Local Fish en Papiote.
Salads, ranging from $5 to $9.50, include a classic Nicoise and a Spinach with mushrooms, roasted peppers, bacon and Gorgonzola. Bruschetta, tartines and panini (at lunch only) round out the menu, along with a side dishes for $4 to $8 and an array of bar bites, charcuterie and desserts.
The wine list, organized by Adam Jed, will include more than 30 wines from Sonoma and Southern Europe, with an emphasis on Mediterranean varietals. Wines by the glass will range from $7 to $14.
The restaurant plans to host Thursday night jazz, monthly wine or beer pairing dinners and family-friendly Wednesdays.
On weekends, Affronti will serve Sunday brunch and provide an afternoon tea service that combines pastries and tea sandwiches, with a Wine Country twist.
Affronti graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and cooked at Po in New York City and Stars and Zuni Cafe in San Francisco. He served as executive sous chef at Bacar Restaurant and Wine Bar in San Francisco.
After moving to Healdsburg in 2006, Affronti cooked at Charcuterie on the Plaza and then moved up to Santi in Geyserville.
Affronti is located at 235 Healdsburg Avenue, behind La Crema tasting room. It will offer continuous lunch, brunch and dinner service starting at 11:30 a.m., with extended hours for entertainment. It will be closed Tuesdays.
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