Callie e.'s Profile

2 words. Homemade ranch.

And even-though this review could make me lose all credibility in the culinary world, I'm still going for it. Henny Pennys I (secretly) love you.  

It was late on a Monday night- 12 to be exact - and in the sleepy town of Petaluma, you're lucky to get a meal at 9, let alone 12. So, per the bartenders suggestions, we headed down the blvd. There we sat, Henny Pennys or Dennys... Umm, HP's Of course! We walked in, let out a few chuckles and headed towards a booth. Our sever wasn't gentle or kind (to say the least) and instead, she was sassy and slightly slow on her feet - but let's be real, had she been the former, it would have totally ruined the experience ;) I mean, when we asked what she suggested, she replied with 'that's not my problem - that's yours. I'll give you a few more minutes' and shuffled away. I looked at my friend with the blankest of all blank stares and then we just busted out in laughter... OMG - She and Larry David should totally hang out. I heart them both.

So any who, the food. Well, the food was everything you shouldn't eat, but want to. And, it was good! Yup, I can't believe I actually just typed that. My turkey sandwich ended up being more like a thick grilled cheese, with real (not that disgusting lunch meat stuff) slicked turkey and tomatoes... it was, delicious. Then again, I've been slightly homesick this week, so the fact this meal was very reminiscent of food served in the small midwestern country town I grew up in - well, only added to my excitement. This my friends, is true comfort food.

So yes, I could go on and on about this slightly dive diner - but I'll cut it short and just say - go with no expectations and hopefully you'll leave pleasantly surprised!

Do I own both a Green Star and Hurom? Yes. Are their still mornings where the last thing i want to do is use them? Hell yes.

And, luckily for me - I can just run to Fruit in Motion when I'm having those kind of days... The lazy ones, if you missed that.

I picked up a 24 oz 'The Works' Juice with a shot of WheatGrass mixed in - total price was $9, which I thought was completely fair. The juice was super sweet (I'm more of a green juice kind of girl), but none-the-less, extra good!

I'll be coming back for sure.

If I lived in Oakland, this would probably be my go-to bar.

Drinks: Strong
Atmosphere: great
Crowd: eclectic (you name it, they are here)
Bartenders: Beyond friendly

Overall: I want to move to Oakland just for this bar. There are just some places that you feel instantly attached to, and this, is one of them! I'll definitely be coming back. Except next time, I'm getting a burger and fries - they looked and smelled ridic.

Worst service of my life.

And, to type that sentence without using curse words, might just be the hardest thing I've ever done.

Let me break it down for you:

2,000: The number of miles my best friend flew to visit me in my new home.
8: Time of our reservations.
5: The number of open tables in the restaurant
33: The number of minutes it took to receive two cocktails
1: Number of appetizers consumed before receiving the above drinks
3: Number of times we asked about the drinks
0: Apologies received
-1: Our bitch server on a scale from 1-10
8: Our food on a scale from 1-10 (the food and drinks are actually really good!)
4: Total visits to our table from above bitch server (take order, deliver app, deliver drinks + deliver food, drop off bill)
78: Total bill price
3: Dollars left for tip
2: Number of words I thought about scribbling on a piece of paper and including with said tip.
28: Seconds spent in restaurant after paying bill

1: number of stars the above experience deserves.

Never. Again.

Pros: Fresh watermelon juice. Signed, sealed, delivered - I'm yours. Really, I am...
The salsa - Love. It was smokey, flavorful and the perfect consistency (not runny at all). I'm just pissed about the chips... See below.
The service - Friendly to the point of being adorable.
Seating - Outside, woot!

Mehs: Fish tacos. The mahi-mahi was flaky and cooked perfectly - but, I wasn't blown away by the overall flavors. I'm quite on the fence about these, but was intrigued enough that I'd definitely come back and try more dishes on the menu.

Cons: The chips. Had the chips not sucked, Grilly's would have earned an extra star. I mean really, what a disappointment - here I was with some ridic salsa and horrible chips... Sad. Face.

Overall: For a quick bite to eat - it's great!

It's Great!

I moved here sight unseen from Kansas City, MO. Yes, I'm that crazy person who starts a business, packs up their life and moves 2000 miles west to pursue a dream.

Everything from the leasing office to the maintenance staff has been great - and did I mention, the apartments are crazy nice! Moreover, the grounds are well kept and are sans bottles/trash/etc... That's a huge plus. Our neighbors are professionals that aren't trying to throw raging parties every night of the week, and so far, I've felt more safe here than I ever did back at my KC Plaza Condo... I love that.

Also, in regards to the noise - yes, it's a bit noisy, I'm not going to lie. But, you get used to the trucks and really, if that's the only downfall, well - It's not that bad guys. Oh, and the windows (because these were built to be condos) are double pained - so, just shut your windows and the noise disappears. I should note - The sound proofing in these apts is far superior to most other complexes. Huge plus.

My friend did think the price was a bit over the top, but he's from KC where  a unit like this might rent for a few hundred less and include things like water and trash. For the area, I think the price is almost right - It would be a bit more appealing if the above amenities were included, but whatever...  I guess I'm just not in Kansas anymore ;)

I love me some caffeine in the form of Starbucks... But don't love me, some waiting. And, like other reviewers have stated, this Starbucks is not the place to visit, if you're in a hurry.

Now, the staff is friendly and the drinks are good... It's just the waiting that blows my mind. I mean, the Starbucks drive through back in KC, was like a well oiled machine... No matter how long the line, you would never sit for more than 5 minutes. However, this Starbucks? Well, bring your laptop/ipad, as you'll have plenty of time to update your FB status about how bored/frustrated you are... Seriously, this Starbucks makes my monthly 3g cellular plan worth every penny.

I love you Petaluma Starbucks, but please... pick up the pace a bit.

Usually, when dining at nice restaurants, the desserts are somewhat forgetful. However, the desserts at Central Market are off the charts - crazy good.

I mean, how great is it, when a dessert actually outshines a meal - that you didn't think could be out-shined!? (I'm not sure that's the right tense, but just go with it).

Normally, I'd spend most of my characters boasting about the entrees and apps, but this review is strictly for the dessert. Get. The. Dessert.

I've dined at CM 3 times and every time have ordered the Butterscotch Pot Of Cream - Each time? Just as good as the last... It's luxurious texture and beyond rich flavor will have you ooohing and awwwing with every bite... Seriously, you will. I promise.

The macaroons are melt-in-your-mouth good. Light and fluffy, they are the perfect accompaniment to the above.

The dark chocolate tarte makes me want to cry tears of joy - and the crust isn't just good, it's #$%^&* good! Literally, I can't describe it without letting out a few curse words... It's flaky, buttery and is somewhat cookie-like in it's lavish flavor.

I also believe the first time around, my friend ordered a peach pie, and while I only took a bite of it - all I remember is how wide my eyes grew while chewing... Whoa... Pie is not supposed to be that good. Seriously - it must be laced with crack.

Any who, if you dine here (which you should) make sure you don't skip dessert - it is the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

Fabulous.

With my mom visiting this past weekend, I felt pressure to book reservations at a place, that would hopefully, blow her away.

And, after dining Saturday night, I think I did just that.

As recommended, we ordered the tempura fried veggies to start - holy crap, these were SO good. Light, crispy and bursting with flavor in every bite. I swear, I could eat these everyday for the rest of my life.

For our entrees, Mom ordered the Rib Eye with truffled mac and (goat) cheese, while I opted for the Chickpea Cakes (veg option). Basically, the Chickpea cakes were right up there with the seared Polenta from Farmhouse back in KC - which means, I was in heaven. They were dense, texturally balanced and never once, made me wishing I had ordered a flesh-based entree. Really, sometimes the best dishes are the vegetarian ones... Mom's Rib Eye wasn't her favorite (she's a born and raise midwestern - which means, she's very hard to please when it comes to steak), but her truffled mac and cheese was out of this world! I do believe she said (and I quote) 'that's about the best stuff I've ever put in my mouth'. ha - She was right, when I'm sitting in the execution chair and they ask what I'd like for my last meal - I'm saying 'truffled mac and cheese from Brix!'. Heck yes.

We skipped dessert, as we were both beyond stuffed, but I can't wait to come back and try more from this heavenly menu.

What can I say, this has become my no-fail, go-to cafe here in Petaluma.

The service is friendly, the food is good, and the ambience (sit outside!) is great. I love the abundant vegetarian options on the menu - and did I mention, they also have gluten-free treats and breads? Which means, no matter who I take here, they can always find something to eat - that's a huge plus when you have friends with special dietary needs.

As a side note, when they have gluten-free pie available - grab a piece! I'm not really a pie person, but after having a friend convince me to try it - well, I was hooked... Literally, the most buttery and delicious crust I've ever had (gluten or no). I sent a client here (for the pie) and he too, proclaimed it to be amazing! Love.