Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Where Grease Is the Word
Probably because the area hosts a large number of summer visitors—and
partly because people eventually feel overfed on gourmet dinners—the
region retains several old-fashioned drive-in burger joints that date back
to a time when the area was strictly agricultural and families might have
piled into the pickup for a comfort meal on a summer evening. If you're a
fan of streamline architecture and home-cut french fries, several heart-
clogging doses of nostalgia await. None of them actually employs roller-
skating girls, but they're quintessentially local. After all, this is the land
where
American Graffiti
was filmed.
Carr's Drive-In
(6533 Covey Rd., Forestville;
%
707/887-7053;
Mon-Sat 10am-7:30pm, Sun 11am-7:30pm; cash only)
serves malts, bur-
gers, and other treats that would get a cardiologist clucking. Also, try
Taylor's Automatic Refresher,
St. Helena (p. 230).
The specialty of
Sequoia Drive-In
(1382 Gravenstein Hwy. S./116,
Sebastopol;
%
707/829-7543; www.sequoiadrivein.com; Mon-Thurs
10am-8:30pm, Fri 10am-9pm, Sat 8am-9pm, Sun 8am-8:30pm; MC, V),
besides the usual burgers and fries, is “barrel chicken” cooked in weird-
looking, handmade ovens.
Fosters Freeze
(935 Gravenstein Hwy. S./116, Sebastopol;
%
707/
823-1644; www.fostersfreeze.com; daily 10am-9pm; AE, MC, V)
is a California
chain. Its claim to fame is classic drive-in food, from burgers (its “Big Boss”
is topped with fried onion rings) to soft-serve ice cream.
$$$$
Another source of excellent, carefully sourced and prepared dishes, one that
won't skin you alive or make you feel like you don't belong, is
Sonoma-Meritâge
Martini Oyster Bar & Grill
(165 W. Napa St., Sonoma;
%
707/938-9430;
www.sonomameritage.com; Wed-Mon 11:30am-3pm and 5-9pm; reservations
recommended),
a labor of love off Sonoma Plaza by chef Carlo Cavallo. Oysters
and fresh seafood are, as you can tell by its name, its specialty, and it also has a list
of excellent (and reasonable—$8) specialty cocktails. For dinner, the menu is full
of French and Italian influence, such as a few pasta choices (starting at just $11),
slow-roasted wild-boar ribs, risotto with scallops with a spicy tomato sauce, all in
the mid-$20s. At lunch, the dishes are simpler—upscale sandwiches, entree-size
salads, and the like—but they're made from the same fine local ingredients that
Cavallo cares about, and they're priced at only around $10 each. The olive tape-
nade that comes with the focaccia bread may be reason enough to book a seat here.
AROUND NAPA
$-$$
The original drive-in that spawned the popular outpost in San Francisco's
Ferry Building,
Taylor's Automatic Refresher
555
(933 Main St., St. Helena;
%
707/963-3486; www.taylorsrefresher.com; daily 10:30am-9pm; AE, MC, V)
