Mendocino

Good Bones, Casper, CA., 5/10/24

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building – 14957 Caspar Rd, Caspar, CA 95420

Good Bones was in a turn of the century roadhouse, the Casper Pub House(and music venue) and is currently only open for lunch Friday to Sunday.  They plan to open for dinner soon and bring live music to their stage area too.  Owner Miles McCreary has a background in cooking (as well as ceramics) and his crusty sourdough is for sale also as a loaf.   The large place opened last May after a series of pop-ups.  I loved that a large martini glass still was stenciled on the top of the roof.  A long bar with stools leads to the open room in back which has the stage area and a raised area that seemed to be for kids.  Various sized bare wood tables were available for you to chose from and art was on the walls.  A couple tables did have some of McCreary’s vases on them.   It’s definitely an out-of the way location but it’s worth the trip.  We both got a half-sandwich with soup, which does up the price to $18 if you want the pork sandwich.  The place had good honest food and the bread was outstanding.   It is a wonderful and tasty lunch spot. Continue reading →

Café Beaujolais, Mendocino, CA., 8/23/23

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building – 961 Ukiah St, Mendocino, CA 95460

Café Beaujolais is a French style restaurant that opened in 1968 and garnered some fame when Chef Margaret Fox purchased it and started serving breakfast and lunch in 1977.  Chef Christopher Kump came on in 1984 and started the dinner service.  The Brickery was added in 1990 that sells wood-fired brick oven bread and later pizza.   After several other turnovers, in 2016 Peter and Melissa Lopez bought the cafe and set their Michelin trained son, Julian up as Executive Chef.  The location is in a house that dates back to 1893 where it served as a shoemaker shop later becoming a maternity home.  It has been updated but still holds much of the original charm with music in the background, white tableclothes and black napkins, windows to the outside array of plants and photos on the walls.  The wide plank wood floor looks new and the wood ceiling has been painted but it’s obviously an old house.  Service was delightful, with our server turning out to be the owner of a farm that supplies much of the produce to the restaurant.  It was a lovely meal in a pretty setting and a fine choice for dinner when in Mendocino. Continue reading →

The Ledford House Restaurant, Albion, CA, 7/6/22

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entrance – 3000 N. Highway 1, Albion, CA, 95410

The Ledford House Restaurant is south of Mendocino on a bluff overlooking the Pacific ocean.  They can serve 65-90 people in 2 adjacent dining rooms that both are lined with windows looking through to the coastline.  It is owned by a couple Tony and Lisa Geer, where she manages the kitchen and he the front of the house.  The cuisine is influenced by southern France and the Mediterranean with an emphasis on using sustainable sources.  Open Wed – Sun for dinner, they have nightly live music but not sure when it begins as it wasn’t happening when we were there, but we were in early.  In addition to the menu, they have a 3-course bistro special and nightly appetizer and entree specials.  There is a full bar with seating and people were eating there too.  Both rooms had fireplaces and piped-in music in the background. There was plenty of parking out front and tables somewhere outside.  Inside had open windows.  Staff were all friendly and efficient.  It’s not a wow place just good solid food with fun choices. Continue reading →

Trillium Cafe and Inn, Mendocino, CA., 3/13/22

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exterior – 10390 Kasten St, Mendocino, CA 95460

Trillium Cafe serves lunch and dinner Friday thru Tuesday with indoor and outdoor seating.  It is on the bottom floor of the Inn of the same name in the heart of Mendocino.  On the second floor are several hotel rooms for guests.  Small tables are well spaced in the interior dining room and the patio winds around with a good supply of seating.  When you make reservations you can specify indoor or outdoor.  As it’s in an historic home, there are lots of windows to the street and a fireplace.  Art for sale is on the walls and there ‘s plenty of street parking.  It has obviously been restored with the old wood floors in good shape and the light fixtures replaced with those made by local artisans.  A bar was in a room to the right, when we entered but I only saw 2 vacant stools in front of it.  Service was friendly and efficient but not particularly knowledgable about the history of the place.  There were no daily specials just the changoing soup of the day flavor.  However when I compared the menu we had to what was on line there were some changes. Continue reading →

Café Beaujolais (The Brickery), Mendocino, CA., 7/23/21

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indoor restaurant

The Brickery is the pizza part of Café Beaujolais’, a complex of restaurants in the artsy town of Mendocino.  On the street is Café Beaujolais, a fine dining option open for dinner and in front of the Brickery is The Waiting Room which is a coffee and pastry shop till dinner time when it becomes a lounge.  It is a bit confusing at first but we followed the path between the buildings and found ourselves in a lovely garden area furnished with an assortment of tables and a window to place your order.  The daily menu and specials are written on chalkboards that hang on either side of the order window.  Inside you can see the fired brick oven where the pizza is cooked.  They also sell beer and wine along with offering a free jug of iced water.  After you order you get a buzzer that makes a noise when you can walk back to the other window and pick up your pie.  It is a truly lovely spot with good pizza.  You can visit the Waiting Room up near the street if you need a bathroom break. Continue reading →