la cena di famiglia @ estate, sonoma.

our first night in sonoma, we made reservations at estate, as recommended by the bungalows we were staying at. the restaurant itself is in an old house that has been updated to be a restaurant, so it has a very cozy feel to it.

they have a five-course $26 per person family dinner that we just couldn't refuse.

we started with a glass of zinfandel for james and and aperol spritzer for me. and because i couldn't not order it, the buttermilk fried chicken livers (with frisee, pickled shallots and harissa). while chicken liver is no foie gras, i still love it and these were delicious bite-sized morsels that were both crunchy and creamy, and packed with flavor.

the family dinner then started with some market antipasti, which in our case, included olives, onions, some cured meat and a crudo crostini. the fruit chutney (or maybe it was a gelee) worked so well with the cured meat - like prosciutto and melon; the crudo was simple and fresh. the primi was fried pork belly with wood-roasted asparagus, frisee, leeks, and a farm egg vinaigrette - a sort of frisee aux lardons. i only wish there was more of it; i'm a sucker for an egg vinaigrette. and pork belly. and frisee.

the secondi was braised lamb shoulder over umbrian lentils, and contorni was a bowl of wood-roasted apple and celery topped with bacon. the lamb was very good, though a bit on the dry side for being braised. and while the lentils were good, there was simply way too much of it. a couple spoonfuls was plenty for me, but there was an inch deep of it in the dish. i wasn't sure if i'd enjoy the apple and celery - i absolutely cannot eat raw celery, as it stimulates my gag reflex and always have. the only times i can eat celery is if its been completely cooked down in a chicken pot pie or something, and since these were just roasted, and still looked to have some crunch, i was a bit concerned. however, i was able to eat it just fine, and rather enjoyed it.

and finally, for dolce we were served a caramelized banana napoleon with sweet mascarpone, an almond crust and spiced caramel sauce. all ingredients i love without being too sweet.

all in all, it was quite a good dinner. the service was spectacular. our reservations weren't until 8.45, and they technically close at 9.30. by the time we were on the lamb we were the only ones in the restaurant with kitchen and serving staff who were cleaning and prepping for the next day. even then we never felt rushed. in fact, we tried to give our server a credit card when the dessert arrived and she refused to take it, and told us to take our time. and with the family dinner being only $26 a person, we spent far less than we had anticipated (most entrees alone are in the mid-$20s range).

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estate
400 west spain street
sonoma, ca
707.933.3663