Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar Seafood. $$. Delicious preparations of the freshest fish and shellfish. Lunch and dinner daily; dinner, Mon-Sat. 403 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg. 707.433.9191.
Yao-Kiku Japanese. $$-$$$. Fresh sushi with ingredients flown in from Japan steals the show in this popular neighborhood restaurant. Lunch and dinner, Mon-Sat. 2700 Yulupa Ave, Santa Rosa. 707.578.8180. Zazu Cal-Euro. $$$. Perfectly executed dishes that sing with flavor. Zagat-rated with much of the produce from its own gardens. Dinner, Wed-Sun; brunch, Sun. 3535 Guerneville Rd, Santa Rosa. 707.523.4814.
MA R I N CO U N TY Arigatou Japanese Food to Go Japanese. $. Cheap, delicious and ready to go. Lunch and dinner daily. Miracle Mile Plaza, 2046 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.453.8990.
Avatar’s Indian-plus. $. Fantastic East-meets-West fusion of Indian, Mexican, Italian and American, with dishes customized to your palate. Lunch and dinner, MonSat. 2656 Bridgeway, Sausalito. 415.332.8083.
Bay Thai Thai. $. Fresh Thai food with curries that combine the regions classic sweet and tart elements. Some of the best fried bananas to be found. Lunch and dinner, MonSat; dinner, Sun. (Cash only.) 809 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.458.8845.
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SMALL BITES
Scream for Joy Jazmin Hooijer knew exactly what to do with the bounty of figs delivered straight from the backyard tree to the ice cream cart— caramelize the figs, add a dash of verjus (the tart juice from unripe grapes used for centuries in European and Middle Eastern cooking) and swirl it all up in a mascarpone ice cream. That flavor is just one of the delicious concoctions on Nimble & Finn’s Ice Cream menu after Hooijer, who lives in Cazadero with her family, launched the tiny business in May 2013. Summer flavors range from a bright and tangy lemon verbena and Meyer lemon olive oil with dark chocolate chips to more traditional offerings like blueberry cheesecake, chocolate with salted pretzels and one of the most authentic tasting mint ice creams I’ve ever come across. “I like to take classic flavor profiles and do something new and unusual,” explains Hooijer, as she describes a woodsy, sweet and earthy tasting coriander ice cream with a vanilla base. Made with mainly seasonal, organic and local ingredients, flavors shift on a weekly basis. “We wanted to have a homemade feel, but really nicely homemade and extra delicious,” says Hooijer, a baker who shifted to ice cream after taking time off to raise her two children, now two and four. Her plan is to continue selling at farmers markets while expanding into festivals and private events, with a possible storefront in the future. “Selling ice cream, well, it doesn’t get much happier than that,” she says. “People literally squeal and dance and scream for joy when they see what I have.” Nimble & Finn’s Ice Cream is available at the Occidental Bohemian Farmers Market and West End Farmers Market. www.nimbleandfinns.com. 707.217.5885.—Leilani Clark
Benissimo Ristorante & Bar Italian. $$. Hearty and flavorful food in authentic neighborhood-style Italian restaurant. Lunch and dinner daily. 18 Tamalpais Dr, Corte Madera. 415.927.2316.
Boca South American. $$$$$$$. Enjoy flavorful and rich regional fare in the rustic décor of an Argentinean ranch. Lunch, Mon-Fri; dinner daily. 340 Ignacio Blvd, Novato. 415.833.0901.
Bubba’s Diner Homestyle
Buckeye Roadhouse
American. $-$$. Comforting Momma-style food like fried green tomatoes, onion meatloaf and homey chickenfried steak with red-eye gravy in a restaurant lined with cookbooks and knickknacks. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, Wed-Sun; breakfast and lunch, Tues. 566 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo. 415.459.6862.
American. $$-$$$. A Marin County institution. Delightful food, friendly and seamless service, and a convivial atmosphere. Try one of the many exotic cocktails. Lunch and dinner daily; brunch, Sat-Sun. 15 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley. ) 415.331.2600.
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NO RTH BAY BO H E M I AN | JULY 24– 3 0, 20 1 3 | BOH EMI A N.COM
on tap (wine list available). Fourteen flat screen televisions to watch all of the hottest sports events. Two great pool tables. Lunch and dinner daily. 3082 Marlow Rd # B8, Santa Rosa. 707.573.9453.