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A Divine Affair - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Ukrainian American (New), Ukrainian [Edit]
330 Healdsburg AveHealdsburg, CA 95448
(707) 433-1035
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
31 reviews for A Divine Affair
Review Highlights
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"Love the back patio in the early evening." In 3 reviews -
"...had the lamb chops, hangar steak, salmon, and Moroccan meat..." In 3 reviews -
"The short ribs were insanely tender and the pool of..." In 3 reviews
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31 reviews in English
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Review from William A.
Healdsburg, CA
1/9/2011
Healdsburg has many gem restaurants and this is one you should put on the list when visiting.
Unfortunate to see the one stars, but # of those involve not actually eating there,, and should perhaps be removed. Complaints on space? yes its a very cool old building, and it's much like eating in a San Fran or NY restaurant, and we have other restaurants off the square of similar size. Try Dallas if small venues bother you. ;) In the summer when its warm (which isn't every night in N Sonoma) the back patio is a great place to dine as well.
The wine list, as others noted, is phenomenal with many of my favorite local small producers that is you aren't from here you may not have heard of, and are worth trying. (Mounts, Sheldon, others, and the list changes.)
The menu changes regularly, and is fresh, creative and always good.I have eaten there many times, and always pleased.
When its not busy, Kahleen the owner/chef does come out from the kitchen and say hi to the guests. When its packed, which it does get, she is a one woman wizard and may not be able to, that's simply small business reality, don't be offended.
Locals, check regularly for locals night, free corkage, and specials.Listed in: Healdsburg and Russian River…
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Review from Ping P.
East Bay, CA
1/4/2011
We dined here about a year ago. I wrote a review then, but it mysteriously disappeared. I changed my stars to 3 as my intent is to educate not infuriate. The food was "okay" and probably deserves 4 stars. Our experience was a 2 star. So average to 3.
We dined at a wine makers dinner. The wine was terrific! The food was "okay".
My review is to point out two things:
* Use of a credit card with this establishment - make sure you use the card initially that you wish to have all the charges on
* Winemaker dinners: just know that the place may be packed and if you are a larger person you may be uncomfortable.
Our Experience:
1) when I called to make our reservation I used a credit card that I didn't want to use and asked if I could call back with another card and have it changed. I was told that was okay. When I called back I got someone else and was told there was a fee for changing the card as they had already put a "provisional charge on it" and it would cost them money to make the change. Finally got them to make the change without charging me extra. Later I found out the charges went through on the original card anyway. To clarify - our challenge with the credit card had nothing to do with cancellations or refunds. We only had one reservation and we honored it.
2) When we got there the place was packed and had us squished in like sardines. Some folks being a bit larger (longer legs etc) were really uncomfortable. I thought they put way too many folks in the restaurant. Neither one of us is 'above average' in height or other body proportions. I guess it was just not what we expected and we felt uncomfortable as did our table-mates. It wasn't the space that was an issue that particular evening - it was the excessive (in my opinion) number of folks in it that caused it to be uncomfortable.
Seems folks who dine here on regular evenings are happy, probably because the guests are staggard and not all seated at once (??).
______
RE: the owners note - clearly has us confused with someone else. We are not above average in stature nor did a winery cancel, we never asked for a refund or rebook. We booked for one dinner only and we paid for it, but not on the card that we wanted to use due to the issue described above. We did receive correspondence on our previous review as described. I don't see value in copying and pasting as it isn't necessary to the point of my review.
I did go in and change my stars to 3 as my intent is not to infuriate as I mentioned. I am sorry that she felt attacked as it wasn't my intent. Cheers! -
Review from Tyler G.
San Jose, CA
12/21/2011
They are so slow. It is a small restaurant. There was no one there. Not busy at all and it took them forever to cook the food. We waited over an hour to get our food. The food portions were not enough to feed a mouse. Never going back.
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Review from OKAY O.
Sebastopol, CA
9/21/2009
Not what we expected...given the reviews. Sadly, I don't think we'll be back. The patio was lovely...and the waiter, host, and chef were all very kind.
Although they use quality ingredients, they really need to cut back on the oil. Both of my dishes sat in a relatively deep pool of oil and it wasn't the sort of thing you'd want to scoop up with bread, either. The fact that this was the execution on two back-to-back, costly dishes really didn't help. Bottom line is that the presentation needs to improve, as do the portion sizes.
The pricetag was exaggerated given the amount of food (entrees in particular); I can think of several other places in the vicinity where the tab would've been the same or even lower-- but the portions would've been more generous...and, oh, not sitting in a pool of "decorative" oil.
I hate to sound cruel given how cute this place was but it's a very competitive market and blowing smoke up their butts won't help them improve or survive, for that matter. Also, I really want the very best food for my hard-earned dollar...and this wasn't it.
------
The owner later wrote me in public (as shown below) as well as in private. The private email was unkind to say the least...and the intention was clearly to insult. Nice approach! Not exactly what I would've done...but hey, who am I to voice my opinions on YELP...if I'm not an expert?
My review doesn't exactly warrant being bombarded with remarks about my not being an "expert" and worst of all, she read all of my other reviews in order to determine who we were. WTH? That kind of harassment should not be allowed, as she already wrote the public remarks to "defend" her honor/ego. Wow...truly baffling and entirely unnecessary defensiveness and aggression.Comment from Kahleen N. of A Divine Affair 9/25/2009
Its unfortunate that for as many times my staff engaged, not… More » -
Review from Tom N.
Healdsburg, CA
10/3/2010
Our birthday dinner for my wife was excellent. Our server, Ashley, was very knowledgeable about the food and made a good suggestion for wine pairing. We started with moist, flavorful, lightly fried dungeness crab cakes with a nicely spicy remoulade. Pickled shallots made an interesting and delicious garnish. My wife had an very tasty seafood risotto that included mussels and scallops. I had a duck breast that was cooked perfectly, over quinoa with a cherry reduction sauce. Orange supremes for garnish. Both meals were, at out server's suggestion, excellently paired with a terrific Pech-Merle Sauvignon Blanc, from a relatively new Healdsburg-based winery.
As the meal was ending, we had the pleasure of chatting with Kahleen Nowak, the chef/owner. We'll be back! -
Review from Chris J.
Windsor, CA
7/13/2010
Hard to think of anything negative to say, when the service was perfect, the patio was warm, inviting and cozy and most importantly, the food was all spot on. It doesn't hurt either that the chefs mom, who stopped by our table on numerous occasions to make sure everything was ok, was one of those charming people that you just want to hug.
This place is tucked away and fairly easy to miss, but you'd be doing your stomach a disservice if you didn't take the time to find it. We sat out on the patio (which means you get to walk through the kitchen and do some mental pre-planning as to what looks good), which was quite and serene. Our server was friendly and went out of her to make sure our questions were answered. She also provided some good recommendations.
The best way I could describe the food would be warm and comforting. The charcuterie and cheese were a good way to start (the Mt. Tam cheese is not to be missed). The "fiery mac and cheese" (aptly named) had the perfect amount of lingering burn and it produced numerous smiles at our table.
The short ribs were insanely tender and the pool of reduction they sat in was perfectly seasoned and a nice departure from the standard red wine braise. And I'd be doing everyone a disservice if I failed to mention the tasty bread with honey butter. I had to restrain my self from devouring whole baskets of it.
If I was forced to come up with a few criticisms:
1. Served on top of the braised short ribs and potatoes was a small green salad. Which didn't seem to really go with the whole dish. The pickled shallots made sense, but all the greens seemed unnecessary and only proved to be a barrier to my fork diving into the tender ribs.
2. The wine seemed surprisingly reasonable in terms of pricing. That being said, I noticed PBR on the menu for $5. I realize it's the trendy beer now, but it still deserve a price break.
Take the time to wonder down Healdsburg Ave and find this place. You wont be disappointed. -
Review from amul s.
San Francisco, CA
8/16/2010
I've been to Healdsburg twice and to A Divine Affair twice. I plan on going to healdsburg 100 more times and to A Divine Affair a 100 more as well.
Kahleen and Rose treated us and our dog extremely well. I came across the place when I was looking for a dog friendly restaurant in healdsburg for a weekend trip in wine country. I called in to ask if we could bring our dog and they were really happy to have us. We sat on the back patio which is really cozy and quaint, a nice break from some of the busy outdoor seating areas at restaurants down the street.
We've had the dueling goat cheese plate and the mount Tam cheese plate, both are stellar. The fig jam and apple pair really well with the mount Tam. For entrées, we've had the lamb chops, hangar steak, salmon, and Moroccan meat balls. All were amazing. The menu changes based on whats local, fresh, and available during different times of the year.
We really liked that Kahleen comes out of the kitchen to chat with everyone, she's extremely friendly and you really feel welcome in her restaurant.
A Divine Affair is one of the most dog friendly restaurants we've been to. All their wait staff have dogs (not sure if its a requirement!) so they know how to approach your pooch. Rose even remembered our dog Olivia, by name the second time we came.
We came back to A Divine Affair the second time because we were so impressed the first time. The back patio is such a nice atmosphere that I proposed to my girlfriend there.
We'll definitely be back next time we're in town!Listed in: Dog Friendly Wine Country -…
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Review from Jane R.
Los Altos, CA
9/11/2009
MMMMMMMMM. Very good food in this little dining spot on the main street of Healdsburg. Patio dining was full so we dined inside the spare but comfortable restaurant. There are many collectible gnomes (!?!) scattered throughout the place, art on the walls, a full bar area and friendly servers. We were kept waiting, however, for quite a while for menus, then for the wine, then for our entrees.....it seems this new place has some glitches to work out.
When the food did arrive, it was outstanding. Fresh and thoughtfully designed, we thoroughly enjoyed out tasty salads and entrees.
This was our first time visiting this little town and who knew? It's quite a cool destination for a day or weekend getaway. -
Review from amy b.
Pacifica, CA
10/7/2010
Can't wait to eat here for real.
Looking for a place to grab a glass of wine before late dinner ressies, we happened upon this little gem just walking around.
Bellied up to the sweet little bar and Shawn helped us choose some really interesting and yummy wines we had never ever seen before. Smelled so good we got a couple of appetizers to nosh on while we killed some time. Sarah and Kahleen were very nice, and the cafe just felt really sweet and European....narrow, warm lighting, homey.
I couldn't believe it when Kahleen pointed us to the outdoor seating area on our way out - can't wait to sit out there with a bottle of wine and Kahleen's delish food. -
Review from Nadia K.
Healdsburg, CA
1/3/2011
I should start this review by saying that the lack of stars is not concerning the food. As far as I know, the food could be amazing, but to me, the people involved in this business will make me never come back to find out. I'm sure I'm going to get a rude comment in response by the owner for this post, but I'm an honest person and I hate confrontation, so I'm not exaggerating or embellishing any parts of my experience for attention or out of cruelty.
This past New Year's Eve, my boyfriend and I were looking for last minute dinner plans and decided to see if there were any reservations still available at A Divine Affair. My boyfriend called and talked with Kahleen (the owner) who informed him that there was a 9:15 seating available. She asked for his credit card number in order to hold the reservation. Looking back on the situation now, I think I should have asked him to ask Kahleen if it was a set price menu. I was aware of the fact that many restaurants do have set menus on New Years Eve, but after looking at the restaurants website, I only saw that they were serving only certain foods this night, not ever mentioning a set price per person. Later, I did discover that it had been posted here on Yelp, which seems strange to me to post here and not their own website. Anyways, we were neither informed of the set price over the phone when making the reservations and I guess in retrospect we also made the poor decision not to ask. I should also mention that we had no intention of going to dinner that night and ordering two waters and splitting a salad. We knew we were planning on spending some money on a couple of drinks and a couple of different plates between my boyfriend and I. This review is not coming from being a cheap person or anything of the sort. When 9:15 rolled around that night, we came into the restaurant and noticed it was completely packed except for a small two seat table directly in front of the door that was to be our table. As I looked down I noticed in clear large type across the menu that it was a set price of $59 a person for the evening. I immediately turned to my boyfriend and asked what he thought we should do. Again, we were planning on spending money this evening, just not $120 before tip, especially since we had no idea. My boyfriend and I are both nice people and were honestly embarrassed about having to tell them that there was no way we could afford the price of the dinner. There was no anger or trying to be difficult on our part, just an honest mistake for not asking over the phone to the owner if it was a set price and assuming that if there had been it would have been posting on their website for the evening.
My boyfriend, who had known the owner before on previously good terms, walked to the back of the restaurant and asked the older lady, who is the owner's mother, if he could speak with Kahleen. Her mother went into the kitchen in order to get Kahleen, but a waiter was sent out instead to talk to my boyfriend. The waiter said that Kahleen was busy in the back and that he'd have to talk with my boyfriend himself. My boyfriend then began to explain the entire story and that as much as we wanted to eat there, we just couldn't afford the set price. The waiter then said he would have to charge my boyfriend's credit card $100 for canceling the reservation. To this, my boyfriend fought as hard as he could to explain how unfair this charge would be since we were not trying to blow anyone off and the fact that there were people already behind us waiting for a table. After a back and forth conversation getting nowhere the waiter finally said that he needed to "get something out of" him and asked for $50. Just to make the confrontation end, my boyfriend agreed. I should also mention that this entire time, the owner was glancing back and forth at the two of them obviously trying to avoid my boyfriend and handling the situation herself while conversing with her mom. After all was said and done, we left with $50 less and shocked.
What I want to get across in this review is how important customer service is in the food industry and ESPECIALLY in such a small town like Healdsburg. My boyfriend and I were born and raised here, and treating the locals as she did really does not bode well for her reputation. I have no doubt that she can continue to survive based on the strong tourist presence here since they are walking in with no background information, but as far as creating a strong community reputation, she will fail if she continues to treat people like this. Regardless of the fact that I felt the entire transaction was very greedy, it was just down right amazing to me she felt it was ok for customers to leave feeling the way we did. Had the situation gone differently, we would have been more than happy to come back on a night without a set price and spend that $50 on trying to experience what there was to offer as far as the food is concerned. Unfortunately, we wont be returningComment from Kahleen N. of A Divine Affair 1/11/2011
~ So you are displeased that we are a business that follows… More » -
Review from Heather S.
San Francisco, CA
Yum, yum, yum! Sadly, as this is 1.5 blocks away from the area where restaurants and bars are one after the other, it can easily be overlooked. For appetizers we ordered the two specials, the Moroccan spiced lamb meatballs served over quinoa w/ a lemon, tomato broth, and steamed clams and mussels. Both were very good. The shellfish was perfectly steamed in a nice broth. The meatballs were nicely seasoned and the broth was tasty, but there was a little too much in the bowl. The quinoa was in the broth, the meatballs were not on the quinoa. Also, the addition of their honey butter to the hot broth added a richness and toned down the lemon.
My husband had the short ribs and they were incredibly savory, fell off the bone and were served with some demi. What a great dish! I had the Saffron risotto with scallops and shellfish (mussels and clams). The scallops were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The mussels and clams were expertly steamed. The saffron risotto was creamy and delicious. The only thing I didn't love about the dish, was the garnish. I felt it was too heavy handed. I love tarragon and parsley and the pickled onions are good too, but there was a fistful on top. I would have thought that would be better on a steamed mussel dish.
The server was very nice and did a great job. The chef/owner's mother came around to see how we liked everything. Very enjoyable dinner. -
Review from V b.
San Carlos, CA
8/24/2009
Amazing food, excellent service and great ambiance!!
My husband and I went here for our 1st anniversary dinner. The food was excellent and the service was amazing. Once they found out that we were celebrating our anniversary, they brought us out a yummmmyyy dessert.
This place is a real gem! -
Review from Michael K.
Glendale, CA
7/3/2010
First-off Sean, my Waiter/Sommelier just NAILED my finicky taste with Zinfandels by asking me just a few questions, and later hooked me up with some passes to visit some of his favorite wineries.
I got to meet chef Kahleen and her charming mother, Rose. I started with the Romaine Salad which was refreshing and fun. I could not resist the hanger steak which exploded with flavor and was a real treat. The potatoes were grown in her father's garden and were expertly prepared and absorbed all of the juice from the steak. I ended the evening with the home-made strawberry-chocolate ice cream which was a perfect end to an excellent evening.Comment from Kahleen N. of A Divine Affair 8/22/2010
Michael, Thank you for your review. We look forward to… More » -
Review from Martin S.
Healdsburg, CA
1/29/2011
Please ignore the snarky reviews and try this place for yourself. I've dined here twice and have been pleased with both visits. The dishes are very flavorful, creative, and well-presented.
It's real easy to overlook this restaurant from the street, but I'm glad I took a chance to check out this small restaurant. The atmosphere is cozy and the server was helpful and nice. I'm looking forward to my next visit. I wish Kathleen and her staff success and the best of luck. -
Review from Sasha R.
12/21/2009
This cute little spot tucked away just off the main square offers reasonable food at reasonable prices, which is served with attention and grace.
The borscht is made in a sort of consomme style -- good for those who luuvv sauerkraut, perhaps not as good for those who are used to mama's mo' chunky, mo' sweeter soup. Food winners were the root veg bisque, ham sandwich and the side salad and Jo-jo fries.
Altho the real winner for me, in this wine-centric town, was the wine list, with its surprisingly long list of wines by the glass for such a small menu. -
Review from Smitty S.
Washington, DC
9/28/2009
If we're ever back in the area we will be stopping here! The best service from the owner, chef and waiter. The food was so perfect, had all appetizers (fingerling potatoes, caprese salad, the borscht! and prosciutto wrapped prawns). Had been tasting wine all day so all we wanted was a cold beer, so the local Boont Amber Ale and a PBR for the wife and we were all set.
Thanks to Rose for the sparkling wine and everybody there for a great meal. The patio was great and we enjoyed walking through part of the kitchen and saying hi to the chef on the way in and out. Very cool. -
Review from Taylor M.
Healdsburg, CA
6/17/2009
My favorite spot in Healdsburg hands down.
Fabulous food- I tend to try something new each time I visit, not one complaint. Each plate is delicious and unique. The space is darling; cozy inside dining as well as a cute, secluded patio. Extremely attentive and friendly staff. The chef takes time to visit each table and make sure everything is going well. A divine affair indeed. -
Review from Anthony D.
Healdsburg, CA
5/11/2010
Went here on Mothers Day with my mom, fiancee and future mom in law. Was not impressed, which is too bad, because i've been wanting to come here for some time now... wish i had waited longer.
So what went wrong??
#1 service
We were poorly attended to, by a brand new waiter (second day on the job) who had zero knowledge of the menu, the wine list, or how to treat a couple of Moms on Mom's Day. His poor excuse for humor was not widely appreciated at our table. Also, after we found a worm in the salad (more on that later!) he did not even offer to comp the dish, or offer any free dessert.
#2 Ambiance
The restaurant is very narrow, and sitting a table of four means one person (me in this case) is getting bumped into by every single person traveling the length of the restaurant. I was getting annoyed at the people bumping into me, until i got up to use the restroom and subsequently bumped unto every person on my way there, I realized its very hard to avoid. Also, the front door is not spring actuated, which means that when customers happen to forget to close the door, it stays wide open, allowing a draft to come in. Four times I got up to close the door, as it was a chilly day, and my mother doesn't like to be cold... That's partially a knock on the customers, many of which seem to have been born in a barn, and partially on the wait staff for not recognizing the issue. After once or twice of having to get up and close the door, I would have appreciated a hand with it on the 3rd and 4th time.
#3 Food
Normally, I can forgo the service and ambiance complaints if the food is exceptional. In this case, the food just made me even more grouchy.
The Antipasta Prosciutto was delicious, as was the Mt. Tam triple cream cheese. Albeit small, the antipasta plates were yummy. For the main course, I had the Pulled pork Sandwich. My Mom had the Burger. My future mom in law had the lox bagel sand. And my fiancee had the Crab Cake Po-Boy sand. We all had side salads, and shared an order of the Fiesty Mac n Cheese to split.
Burger was dry, lacking the blue cheese that was stated on the menu, and about the size of a baseball. Not impressed.
Pulled Pork Sand was also dry, no sauce to speak of, also the size of a baseball, and lacked any good pork juicyness.
Lox sando looked decent, FMIL liked it, said it was "OK"
Crab cake po-boy was not a po-boy at al, served on a foccacia-style flat bread, and was only rated So-So by my Fiancee. Also, in her side salad, she received a complimentary worm without even having to request it. Mmmmmm worms!
The lunch entrees were priced 13 on average, and none of which were even close to being worth it.
Overall, i spent 120 bucks on a lunch that was very regrettable. For a good Burger, i could have gone to Ravenous. For a good pork sando, i could have hit up Zin. For worms in my salad, i could have gone home and picked them out of the garden.
2 stars for wine selection.Comment from Kahleen N. of A Divine Affair 5/12/2010
Thank you for your feedback Anthony. Rainy day Mother's Day… More » -
Review from Shad A.
Fayetteville, GA
7/31/2009
You will not find a more intimate dining experience. The entire staff exudes hospitality, culinary excellence and knowledge of all things local. Kudos to Kahleen the master chef. Along with a boutique wine list at reasonable prices, the dinner tonight was truly a divine affair.
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Review from Lance C.
Herndon, VA
8/9/2010
I have eaten here 3 times so far and all have been excellent. The service is warm and personal. The food is creative and excellent, and the chef will often come out to talk to the patrons. This has become one of my favorite places in Healdsburg.
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Review from rose y.
San Francisco, CA
10/11/2009
A divine affair was just divine. This little restaurant was warm, elegant, and friendly. My friend and I had a fabulous nite here drinking and eating. The food is simple but delicious. We started with pork rillettes and prosciutto with figs and blue cheese. (OMG the figs) Then we had steak and rabbit cassoulet. I just got back from France and the cassoulet was just as good here. Dessert was an olive oil cake with goat cheese cream and more figs. :) This was all paired with sparkling wine, a bottle of great zin, and finally a little bit of port. It was a very very good nite :).
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Review from Dan J.
Healdsburg, CA
1/13/2011
Wow Kahleen! After reading some of your other reviews and your response to my girlfriends review, I have no choice but to share my critique. First let me start by saying your grammar is horrid, your first sentence in response to Nadia's review is an obvious childish temper tantrum in which you proceeded to rant with terrible structure and direction(See what I did there). Maybe check out some more comma's or a period. As for being an employee, thankfully I was only graced with two shifts underneath your tyrannical vice. The first of which(shift) I helped a friend who informed me the restaurant was short staffed and needed an extra hand. My second(and last thank goodness) was only due to a work meeting. My apparent "schedule" was to be explained over the phone in the upcoming days. Also let me point out at this time, there was no written or posted schedule. Any shifts were reported over the phone, a text message, or in person. I received a phone call from Kahleen 3 weeks later informing me she expected me at work at 6.p.m. This was only due to the fact that my good friend(another busser), who had gotten me the job, had recently quit due to similar abuse and neglect. Needless to say I didn't show up for my shift that night. I learned the following week our other friend had quit as well. I can only hope things are better presently for her current employees. Now let me jump into the real review of my latest encounter with A Divine Affair. My experience and reason for my girlfriends recent review was not a pleasant one. I called on New years eve at about 3:00p.m. to book a reservation, and spoke with Kahleen myself. This policy she speaks of in her response to Nadia Kosman, was one that was never explained over the course of our conversation. Nor did she inform me that there was a set menu and price, which is what this whole ordeal is sadly about. Upon arriving, we were both a little shocked to see our bill would be a minimum $130.00 not including tip. We were both on tight but reasonable budgets(we feel), and were looking to spend about $70-$90. I tried to explain my situation(keep in mind we both felt embarrassed), to the Hostess. I ended up getting to discuss the situation with a waiter(Billy) about this issue, who personally I feel should have never been involved. Apparently, when you're the owner of the restaurant handling managerial issues is not your responsibility. Anyways, Billy then proceed to demand he get $50 or I would be charged the full course of the meal. I gave him fifty dollars to resolve the issue but more importantly to save myself and my spouse the displeasure of anymore of their torture. The food is however tasty. I would recommend it to anyone seeking some borscht. I hope in the future Kahleen lets her Mother respond to these reviews. She's a much more reasonable person. Also I hope anyone reading this review will take into consideration the people you will be dealing with, should you choose to cancel your reservation. Sadly I don't think we'll be going back.
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Review from Jan T.
Frisco, TX
7/4/2010
We were recently in the wine country and dined here. It was simply divine. The service was outstanding and the food was delicious. We enjoyed our waiter and the chef was kind enough to come out and thank us for dining with them. We thoroughly enjoyed the food and service and definitely would go back.
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Review from Brittany C.
Oakland, CA
10/24/2010
If I could give six stars I would! Came here for my friends birthday and was wowed! The service was amazing. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable. It was a small cozy space slightly off the square. The food was cooked to perfection. We had the hanger steak, short ribs and dungeness pork. For appetizers we had the duel goat cheese plate, and some prochuitto with roasted garlic and hummus. It was all good but we could have drank the sauce from the steak and ribs. The chef came out to say hi at the end and was very nice. I could not recommend this place more.
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Review from Lisa M.
Healdsburg, CA
10/10/2010
One of the most overlooked places in Healdsburg. Cute, quaint and for the first time, I saw their wonderful patio that is great to just kick back on. I don't know why it's not more crowded except it's just overshadowed by so many choices in town it's not top of mind.
Our whole experience from Shawn our server, to Rose (mom) and Kahleen, the owner/chef was wonderful.
We were starved when we arrived so we tried alot of different things. The perogies, crab cakes, pears wrapped in prosciutto were wonderful We split the romaine salad with blue Cheese as well.
For dinner, the salmon, hangar steak, dungeness pork chop and duck were all cooked perfectly and wonderful. Thumbs up from this whole table of critical eaters!!
It will be one of our "must go places" in town on a rotating basis now.
Although I hope they soon have lines flowing out the door, it's great to have a place in town that if you feel like going to dinner at the last minute, you may be able to drop by and get in. -
Review from Courtney S.
San Francisco, CA
12/29/2008
We were a party of four that ate a late lunch on 12/27/08.
We found a cozy space, attentive staff and were pleased that the proprietress came out after our meal to chat with us. (I'm am a fan of exposed brick, open kitchens and culinary education about our meal.)
The food was perfect for a cold, rainy day. Stand-outs from our order were the French Onion soup (surprisingly light and refreshing), Beef Stew (one guest wanted the recipe to recreate the dish at home) and the Airline Chicken. The chicken's brine was superb -- the flesh was succulent and tender.
Originally heading towards Bistro Ralph , we settled for Divine Affair because they were still serving. We look forward to going back (I, as the soup enthusiast, want to try the Borsht) and we wish this little gem of a resturant success in 2009. -
Review from stephanie m.
San Jose, CA
1/26/2010
This place is accurately named! Simply divine. Starting with the venue -- quite quaint and cozy. The food was delicious. The hangar steak with mushroom sauce served with mash pototoes with celery root. YUM YUM!
The service was wonderful Sean very attentive and knows his wines! The owner was friendly and available, and to top it off, her Mother was there to help and provide excellent conversation!
Worth every minute of the drive! -
Review from Greg B.
San Diego, CA
4/1/2010
This was the best place we ate at in Healdsburg. It was by far a wonderful meal and experience. A major step above the other restaurants we tried in town. The atmosphere was fantastic; very classy yet comfortable and non-pretentious. The staff and especially the owner were very friendly and accommodating. There was a wide variety of items on the menu to select from that was far from the ordinary. We will definitely go back the next time we're in the area.
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Review from Mi W.
Mountain View, CA
9/16/2010
I had a family emergency and could not make the reservation. I called 2 hours before and the server said we would not be charged a cancellation fee. A few days later I get a call from the owner saying she saw a message about a dispute but was charging me $150. I called to speak with her and she was the rudest person I've ever talked to...lecturing and yelling at me...THE CUSTOMER. I will never go to this restaurant and neither will any of my friends. I recommend that no one out there provide them with a credit card to reserve a reservation because they will charge you a huge fee if anything happens and cant make it...and you might get a nice lecture from the not-so-sweet owner.
Comment from Kahleen N. of A Divine Affair 9/16/2010
Mia, thank you for having your friends post multiple 1 *… More » -
Review from karen r.
Windsor, CA
7/24/2010
My husband and I went here a few weeks ago. I had the Moroccan Lamb meatballs w/ Quinoa and he had the Hanger Steak w/ creamed greens, Yumm! Love the back patio in the early evening. Nice local wine menu. We have eaten here several times and have always enjoyed our experiences. This is a hidden jewel in Healdsburg.
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Review from Shannon C.
Alameda, CA
1/1/2010
Spent a really lovely New Year's Eve 2009 here, and if this restaurant can handle "amateur's night" with such aplomb and grace, it must be the best restaurant in Healdsburg on a normal night. A narrow little brick-lined room with interesting artwork and a lot of atmosphere, but it's really the service that stands out. The owner and her mother walk around the place, personally checking on each table. The rest of the wait staff is attentive and highly professional. They noticed my husband's discomfort with his seat without us having to say a word, and immediately moved us to another table. The food is, as other reviewers have said, changed daily, on the basis of what's fresh, and it really shows. The risotto I had was as good as anything I've ever gotten in Venice, attractively and creatively presented, as was my husband's duck breast. The desserts were a big plus: the goat's milk brulee had a delicious creamy texture and a flavorful complexity that one rarely encounters in this oh-so-common dish. Everything is obviously prepared with a lot of attention and supervision from the owner. Eat here while this place is still a hidden gem, because I don't think that it's going to be hidden for much longer. I overheard the chef talking about an upcoming review in the Press-Democrat, and if it isn't positive, there's something wrong with the reviewer.
