Chefs Conjure Up New 'So-Co Med' Menu For Healdsburg's Spoonbar

HEALDSBURG, CA—Chef Ryan Fancher, executive chef for Piazza Hospitality Group, worked with Chef Wyatt Keith at Spoonbar to bring a new vision to life: the critically acclaimed signature restaurant of h2hotel in downtown Healdsburg has updated its menu to focus on "SoCo-Med" cuisine, bringing together the bold flavors of the Mediterranean region with the bounty of Sonoma County.

Climate-wise, there are several parallels between Sonoma’s inland hills and cool coastal regions and the lands that flank the Mediterranean throughout Southern Europe and North Africa. The two regions are a world apart but also share a creative flair.

"We know our customers are looking for food that will make them feel good — simple, healthful ingredients, perfectly prepared, with stand-out flavor," Fancher said. "Knowing that, it felt natural to combine our love for bold Mediterranean flavors with the incredible bounty and creative spirit of our home here in Sonoma County."

Fancher, a native of California’s Central Coast, rose through the ranks of acclaimed kitchens like Santa Barbara’s San Ysidro Ranch to eventually help Healdsburg’s Barndiva before returning, as executive chef, to the Central Coast to open the Michelin-recognized Ox +Anchor at Hotel San Luis Obispo. To Chef Fancher and Chef Keith, the ingredients of Sonoma County — with its sun-parched hills and cool coastal climes that are so similar to the Mediterranean region — are a natural fit for the broad palate of Mediterranean flavors.

The chef duo will continue sourcing local ingredients from farms and purveyors, including Front Porch Farms for heirloom grains, vegetables and herbs, and Russian River Organics and Skyhill Farms for local honey and artisan goat feta. The updated dinner menu reaches beyond the well-known Italian palate by dipping into the color and spice of places such as Morocco, the South of France and the Levant. It’s a combination that complements the creative spirit of the growers and makers in Sonoma County and the vibrant, convivial atmosphere of Spoonbar and h2hotel.

Shareable, gluten-free bites like crispy garbanzo beans with harissa ($8) and house-cured olives marinated in citrus and chili ($12) are ideal pairings for Spoonbar's signature cocktails and wines. Starters also include creative, gluten-free dishes that spotlight seasonal produce, like the silky grilled confit artichoke with lemon aioli ($17) or a beet salad with stone fruit, herbed goat cheese and pistachios ($15).

Main dishes are highlighted by the return of Spoonbar’s signature crispy-skin chermoula-roasted chicken served with fragrant couscous ($29). Seafood takes the stage with dishes like gluten-free butterflied branzino nicoise ($44), gluten-free Alaskan halibut "saltimbocca" with caramelized fennel and piperade ($38), and a seafood bouillabaisse with saffron brodo ($38). Diners can also find gluten-free summer corn risotto ($30), the famed h2 cheeseburger ($32) on the menu, and a selection of gluten-free "steak frites" with a creative take on Yukon gold "fries" ($45-$58).

Desserts range from a citrus olive oil cake ($12) to a seasonal stone fruit creme brulee — with cherries, plum and Thai basil — to a dark chocolate pot de creme topped with blackberries and shaved Valrhona chocolate ($14).

Diners may start the meal with an array of Spoonbar's seasonal cocktails, including the Rosen Spritz with Rosa Alpina bitter ($15), soda water and Prosecco, or the savory My Smokin Date with Woodinville Rye Whiskey, Averna Amaro, date liqueur, Ardbeg Scotch wash and Pecan wood smoke ($20).

The wine list highlights many small-scale, locally grown boutique wines, including Sonoma Coma Pinot Noir ($17 glass/$64 bottle), Spicy Vines "Zin Master" Zinfandel ($15/$56) and Wayfarer Fort Ross Chardonnay ($168 bottle)— all pairing nicely with Spoonbar’s menu. Diners will find classics crafted with intentionality to capture the terroir, like crisp, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc from Russian River Valley ($40 bottle) and lush, rich Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley ($59-$186 bottle). They’ll also find an array of varietals from the South of France, such as Carignan ($44) and Viognier ($60), which play well with Mediterranean flavors.

Spoonbar—named for "Spoonfall," an outdoor water sculpture of 3,500 espresso spoons situated just north of the establishment—is h2hotel’s signature restaurant. It is on the property's ground floor and is open for dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Happy hour is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday and from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. Visit Spoonbar.com to make a reservation or find additional information.