Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar, Capitol Hill - Chef Drew Trautmann is Back in the Saddle!

[Pat]

Just returned from lunch with Sonoma's Wagyu burger, which is the best burger I've had in years: Deep red tomatoes, deep green greens, with grilled onions, taleggio and pancetta.

I've been on a really restricted diet for almost two years, eating very little red meat and fat. In the past few months, I've eased up a little. The first beef burger I've had since being on the diet was Sonoma's Wagyu burger. It was worth every bite. It was just wonderful. (I took part of my husband's burger at one meal, then ordered my own on a subsequent trip.) I'm glad that I like so many things on the menu, or I'd be tempted to get the burger every time

[FunnyJohn]

Dropped by today for a latish lunch since I was in the neighborhood. At that time (1ish), not so frenetic so I had the opportunity to take a tour of the space upstairs. It's come along nicely and nearly ready to open -- at least in the lounge area. Open area with arcade arched windows and wide leather chairs with little snack tables in between and a small bar with a large wine cooler. Oh, also --not that its exactly necessary right now -- a working fireplace. The small upstairs dining room which will serve more formal cuisine, and be available to the public (seating around 45) or for private parties will also open eventually, but they're no rushing it.

Edited June 28, 2005 by FunnyJohn

[tastedc]

Ate at Sonoma's Bar last night (guest was a no show, classic DC workaholic!) and have to say that I really like what Sonoma is about - upscale neighborhood restaurant and wine bar, we need more restaurants like this in general in the DC area!

I had many tastings of their wines which are priced right in the middle - not too high, but not cheap either: (shared some of these BTW with very friendly people at the bar - if you know me, this is not unusual!)

-Colosi Nero D'Avola 03 - love this varietal, it's spicy with a really rich full mouth feel, just fun in a glass!

-La Valentina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 03 - spicy too, but nothing magical, classic Italian rustic flavors

-Seghesio "Langhe" Nebbiolo 03 - wasn't paying attention, but nice Nebbiolo,

-Luna Vineyards Sangiovese 01 - had some real "stink" which I love, way to go California, you're finally getting that Italian "rustic" aroma!

Menu:

-local baby beets, lamb's quarters, ricotta salata, toasted walnuts, walnut vinaigrette - wow, what a salad - really!! the lamb's quarters were very crisp which the Mgr Adam explained to me comes from keeping them in cold water for

over an hour, but the combination of flavors was decadent - is my current favorite salad, but a close 2 goes to the Gtown Fahrenheit warm mushroom salad, that's phenomenal as well!

-free range lamb chop, cucumber-roman mint yogurt - ordered medium-rare, actually came out on the rarer side which I love - another wow (NO, they're not paying me for this review!) this was totally a minimimalist presentation, just two chops on a plate with sauce, and the sauce does NOT overwhelm the fresh gamy flavor of those 2 chops - the meat was actually pretty substantial and the fat was divine!

-vanilla panna cotta, strawberry compote - I guess panna cotta is the new upscale "flan" of yesterday - again, simple and flavorful, and there were fresh strawberries on this as well

Feedback and overall impression: the bartender forgot to mention if my wine was served in 3 oz. or 5 oz. samples, so I don't know, that should be made really clear. This restaurant fills an under-served niche - the upscale "neighborhood" resaurant - sort of like a "Firefly" but this is more "wine country" food, NOT fine dining, so it's not trying to be Citronelle, Galileo. Don't miss the point with this restaurant and compare it to those type of restaurants. It's perfect for fresh locally organic produced food (think what you make when you come home from Fresh Fields if you're a decent cook) and you can go light and cheap with cheese and charcuterie, or order "first" and "seconds" which are pricey but are "dishes".

Yes, seems like they're having some service issues, but who doesn't in this town, I mean who wants to work for server's wages, this is a problem everywhere! I ate at the bar, which frankly is safer anyway, and my food came out ridiculously fast (but I was chatty with both bartenders, that's just me!). So what's the lesson? Expectations are everything, I chatted with a few servers and bartenders and got

food toute de suite. You want a bad experience, you gonna get it, on the other hand if you believe in this little gem, they gonna make it happen, they own another great restaurant Mendocino Grill, and they're in for the long hall. Oh, somewhat similar format to Talullahs in Arlington, I like both these restaurant management groups...

[Banco]

Ate at Sonoma's Bar last night...

Thanks for the detailed post. Sounds like they've changed their menu since I was there last--must get back.

(Re service issues, Tom's chat of today mentions them as well. I have the impression the dinner crew is a bit less polished than the lunch crew. I hope they get a handle on this.)

[bilrus]

I love pasta.

So, perhaps it was natural that the pastas were what stood out to me after my first visit to Sonoma this past weekend. A chewy green pasta (I've since forgotten the name) was tossed with jumbo lumps of sweet crab, baby corn, tomatoes and a corn sauce. Late summer tastes a little early. And three plump raviolis stuffed with scamorza and greens and covered with a mix of earthy mushrooms brought out all the peppery flavor of the Montepulciano d'Abruzzi that was among the five or six wines I "tasted". (Thanks to our DR.com Italian wine tasting for turning me on to this one).

Next time I'll probably pass on the pizza and get the full charcuterie platter so I don't miss out on the speck like I did on Saturday. Is it wrong that I like almost all the food trends that come along? I'm a big fan of these things cropping up all over town whether you call them salumi platters, charcuterie or just a plate of meat. Keep it coming.

The only real low point was a slightly leaden vanilla panna cotta but it was redeemed by a very basic, lightly sweet blueberry compote.

Pasta. Cured meats. Wine. Good.

Edited July 19, 2005 by bilrus

[tenunda]

Despite being a Hill-Rat, and oft-vistor of the House side corridor, I ate at Sonoma for the first time last Thursday. I had reservations for 7, but had to wait until 7:30 for my dining associates to arrive, so I grabbed a glass of whiskey (i know i know, shame on me for whiskey at a wine bar) and relaxed. The bar was teeming with twenty and thirty somethings, and there appeared to be a fundraising happy hour going at the other end of the place. It was deafening in there. Space shuttle loud. I pictured the sound waves flying all over the place, doing gleeful little backflips from one hard surface to another as they celebrated their unchecked existence.

It fit the crowd though, so I went with it. The guy behind the bar, the waiter I chatted with, and the hostess were all really nice. The hostess wasn't at all ruffled about the tardiness of my companions, and the bartender--even though he was in the weeds--was laid back but efficient. This lent a real No. Cal. feel to the place. Is there a name for attitude terroir?

When we sat down to eat, my friends both got the pizza, and I had the burger medium-rare (with the taleggio and wild mushrooms). We shared one of the wines (Red and mildly spicy. i can never remember the names of wine, but it was something three words and italian. it was between the sangiovese and the pinot on the redness scale), which was great for sipping through our attempted conversation. It was still really loud.

Our food came, and we laid into it. The pizza, according to my friends, was really good. Not too greasy, appropriately cheesy, with a great red sauce. The burger? Not so much.

I'm the sort of guy that delights in meat's meatiness. I think the only purpose of cooking meat is to get its juices flowing. I would eat most meat raw if it were socially acceptable to do so. We used to make venison jerky under a sheet of glass in the sun, and I would let the meat barely warm up and then eat it, despite my grandmother's shit-fits about me getting "bugs." Anything above medium rare ruins the meat. You can probably see where this is going.

Friends, it was a disaster. My medium rare burger came out well done. All I could taste was the cheese. The meat wasn't pink at all. It was hot in the middle. It was sandy dry. The only difference between it and the bun was density. It crushed my soul.

I probably should have sent it back, but didn't. We were running late and the waiter was overtasked. I'm really disappointed about it, but am willing to go back, since the menu looked really incredible, and I don't think my heinous burger is a symptom of a larger problem.

[Olivia255]

I have to say - I was planning to meet a friend for a nice glass of wine today on Capitol Hill, and there was NO place to meet for wine - since Sonoma told me they didn't open until 5:30, I opted for a mediocre glass of Greek white wine at Taverna -

Now, this complaint isn't directed to Sonoma per-se, but I will say, that Sonoma is currently Capitol Hill's hope for a nice glass of wine mid-afternoon! That restaurant could OWN the category for afternoon wine-lovers!

Argh!

[Banco]

I have to say - I was planning to meet a friend for a nice glass of wine today on Capitol Hill, and there was NO place to meet for wine - since Sonoma told me they didn't open until 5:30, I opted for a mediocre glass of Greek white wine at Taverna -

Now, this complaint isn't directed to Sonoma per-se, but I will say, that Sonoma is currently Capitol Hill's hope for a nice glass of wine mid-afternoon!  That restaurant could OWN the category for afternoon wine-lovers!

Argh!

I heartily agree. I rushed in right at 5:30 yesterday because I had to get out again by 6:15. I would have preferred to come earlier. Nevertheless, despite being somewhat slammed by a line of cell-phoning staffers at his bar, Mick kept things coming my way. My heirloom tomato salad was sweet, fruity, and just all-around excellent. The lamb chops with mint-yoghurt sauce were good, but not as good as I remeber them last time; the herbs tasted a little tired. It went very well with a deep Piemonte red, though.

I'm almost glad Sonoma doesn't open until 5:30; otherwise they'd soon end up with my son's college fund!

[FunnyJohn]

Sonoma will also be closed August 21-25 for some renovations.

[Tweaked]

Hopefully they will finish decorating the dining room on the first floor...it needs some help!

[CrescentFresh]

Hopefully they will finish decorating the dining room on the first floor...it needs some help!

From my visit on Tuesday I saw posted in the mens room of the desire to fix the mens room.

[Olivia255]

Indeed, bathrooms need a little help - the toilets don't flush without lingering an extra few minutes hovered over the bowl while holding the handle down - ew.

Having been yesterday, (I managed my schedule so I could arrive at proper dining/drinking time) and I have to say the food is - wow, the food is damn good.

Kudos!

Definitely the skewered shrimp with chickpea puree. Definitely the Penne with pulled Amish Chicken. (Do the Amish chicken make their own clothes too and travel by horse & buggy?) I digress. Definitely the scallops with spring peas and pea shoots and pea puree. Definitely many "tastes" of wine. :-)

[Banco]

Some recent additions to the menu are a nicely charred morsel of Rockfish over a tangy "potato salad" of small, carefully cut cubes of potatoes; and a balsamic-honey-mustard glazed quail served over some delciously fresh greens. I had both last night and they were excellent.

[genericeric]

I was upstairs last night for a private party, and was somewhat surprised to be served warm red wine at a wine bar. The white was the appropriate temperature. Has anyone else noticed this there, or was it a one-time fluke with being upstairs?

Having said that, the crab rangoons were excellent, as was the homemade cocktail sauce served with nice boiled shrimp.

Edited August 19, 2005 by genericeric

[FunnyJohn]

Warm red wine -- most definitely a fluke since the wine -- at least what they serve by the glass downstairs is in a temperature controlled storage/dispenser thing-ama-bob

Edited August 19, 2005 by FunnyJohn

[Kanishka]

Belatedly reporting on dinner Friday night at Sonoma. We got there at 6 and bellyed up to the bar. Service was quiet and efficient and the pacing (we got three courses) was just right. First, the lowlight: though my companion loved it, something tasted off in the scamorza ravioli. It wasn't that it was too salty -- the dish just didn't have that earthy richness I remembered from the last time I had it. The broth was still fantastic, but there was an unidentified flavor in the ravioli I wasn't too keen on.

On the other hand, the venison carpaccio with micro basil was delicious. Even better was the heirloom pepper and goat cheese bruschetta, which have an unexpectedly spicy kick to it and a shmear of cheese that was about two steps beyond generous. It was pretty awesome -- tangy (the goat cheese), spicy, and sweet (the peppers). Only a slight quibble -- I wish the bread were crisper. But it was a very nice plate.

We would have enjoyed the venison carpaccio even more had we not preceded it with a half charcuterie plate -- speck, prosciutto, and Amish chicken pate. Of late I've been trying to order things I normally would not, hence the pate (not much of a fan... before). The speck was good, and the prosciutto was better. But the pate! Good god! Rich, savory, with an almost buttery texture. I wanted to ask for a tin to take home. Does anyone remember (this is sad) the "Uncle Jessie's Wedding" episode of Full House where Michelle reacted to a taste of pate by "need[ing] to go spit"? Clearly the young Mary Kate/Ashley was not served Sonoma's chicken pate.

I hereby apologize for dropping a Full House reference. It couldn't be helped.

[bookluvingbabe]

They could do serious business with the pre-game Nats crowd if they opened at 5.

I'm just anxious enough that I wouldn't want to go in right at 5:30 but if I could be there spot on 5 I wouldn't worry so much about missing the first pitch.

Jennifer

[Pat]

They're on vacation now, this week (I forget the exact dates, but I noticed it while walking by.)

The last meal I had there (beginning of August) was with someone who hadn't been there before. She really liked it. I can't remember details, except I got the bucatini with wild boar sausage, chicken pate, and a nice cheese plate. I've been there maybe 10 times or so.

[Nadya]

Wanted to add another word of praise to SonomaBurger . For those of you who monitored my relationship with burgers, it has moved along repulsion-curiosity-sly degustation-timid approval-fandom lines during the four years I've been eating here. The burgers at Palena and Mendocino have been honorary drivers of this glacially slow progress, but I'm a convert now. The burger at Sonoma is my new favorite, and I intend to get it as often as I can drag my bottom up the Hill. A big juicy hunk of ground beef, great cheese, grilled onion, tomato, pancetta - it's just full of Burgery Goodness .

My other highlight was black risotto, a hearty taste with lots of chunkiness and perfectly seasoned, too.

The bar scene looks promising, in fact, I may mosey over there tonight to survey the land and chat with Mick. A wonderful and welcoming eatery, classy neighborhood joint that doesn't skip on food or service.

[Hannah]

The bar scene looks promising, in fact, I may mosey over there tonight to survey the land and chat with Mick.  A wonderful and welcoming eatery, classy neighborhood joint that doesn't skip on food or service.

You might want to reconsider - I just called to check, and they're not reopening until Monday.

[Pat]

They're back from vacation and we had a great (last-minute--thank you, open table!) meal there last night. They've changed the menu some. I got the baby eggplant Parmesan, which was excellent. I had the bucatini with wild boar sausage for a main course, which I seem to get a lot . That seems to be getting a bit more pesto-y over time, though. My husband had the chicken with penne and (at my insistence ) the lamb chop for a main. I forget what the lamb came with, but it was really good.

It's still a bit loud, but that's okay. I was glad to get a table. It was really packed. They're changing over the restrooms, I guess. There's just one washroom (as best I could tell) with two toilets.

We got the Italian beer, the name of which I always forget, but I checked out the wine list and it seems to have changed somewhat.

[David M.]

Tom's Sept. 11 Review: 2 stars

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?n...114348&typeId=2

[goldenticket]

[Ok, somehow I just managed to close my browser window just as I finished a lengthy post about my dinner at Sonoma last night ]

Here we go again -sigh- (abridged) - I really enjoyed the evening (friend's birthday) and got to see and taste a variety of dishes. We started with a 3-cheese plate, which was on the small side for 5 people, but still enough for all of us to taste our choices - Abondance, Humboldt Fog, and Torta del Casar.

Next I had the baby arugula with fennel, lemon, and shaved parmesan. A nice combination of clean, crisp flavors. 3 others ordered tomato/mozzarella salad and thought it was delicious - 3 empty plates. There was a variety of tomatoes and it was presented on a large white rectangular plate that showed off the colors nicely. We also shared the Amish chicken liver pate - rich and smooth and very good.

Mains were all well received and included squash risotto with porcinis, flank steak and potatoes, rabbit canneloni, and venison carpaccio. I didn't try any of these dishes, but everyone maintained their Clean Plate Club membership, so I'm guessing it was all good!

I ordered the garganelli with duck ragu. It was very tasty - a penne-like pasta with lots of tender meat and a flavorful broth, a couple of colorful broccoli florets, and, for me, the best surprise was the chunks of parsnip I discovered and didn't recall seeing mentioned on the menu. I LOVE parsnips!

We covered all the bases on dessert - dark chocolate pudding, blackout chocolate cake, pistachio ice cream, and fresh berries. They were all very good - the cake was rich but not too sweet and the ice cream was full of crunchy pistachio-ey goodness!

We enjoyed 2 bottles of De Angelis Rosso Lacrima Christi del Vesuvio, made from grapes grown in the foothills of Mount Vesuvius. One of our party was put off by the mention of figs in the menu description, but it turned out to be a winner. Really nice, full, and a good accompaniment to all of our menu choices.

The service was good, not rushed, and friendly. A few little things that I attribute to inexperience, and that were kind of funny - "Who ordered the Boggle port?" Uh, that's Bogle... and the incorrect spelling of Woodford Bourbon (woodfear???) led to some difficulties locating it in the system, which meant we wound up with 3 glasses of it, rather than the 2 ordered...

The restaurant was packed, with people waiting for tables, yet the (very cool) lounge area upstairs was practically empty. I'm looking forward to going back and trying some more wines and some of that charcuterie up there!

Indeed, bathrooms need a little help -

Yes, the bathroooms...the one turn off of the evening - very cool fixtures, but could some one please remind male staff to flush (I know putting the lid down would be pushing it) since it is one unisex toilet... Edited September 21, 2005 by goldenticket

[JLK]

Is that squash risotto new? Sounds like something I need to check out!

[goldenticket]

Is that squash risotto new?  Sounds like something I need to check out!

Must be - most of the menu was nothing like what they have posted on their website. Guess they change it and incorporate seasonal items - a good thing in my book, especially when those seasonal items are parsnips . My friend said the risotto was very good and it had two fairly large wedges of roasted (?) acorn squash underneath the risotto.

I see from today's Weekly Dish that the upstairs lounge is a new thing - as I said above, it looks like a great space - don't imagine the empty version I saw will last too long.

Edited September 21, 2005 by goldenticket

[chuchelo]

I have to say - I was planning to meet a friend for a nice glass of wine today on Capitol Hill, and there was NO place to meet for wine - since Sonoma told me they didn't open until 5:30, I opted for a mediocre glass of Greek white wine at Taverna -

Now, this complaint isn't directed to Sonoma per-se, but I will say, that Sonoma is currently Capitol Hill's hope for a nice glass of wine mid-afternoon!  That restaurant could OWN the category for afternoon wine-lovers!

Argh!

I so agree! It would be marvelous for it to be open from lunch on and I think they would make a mint!!!

[Drew Trautmann]

I so agree! It would be marvelous for it to be open from lunch on and I think they would make a mint!!! 

I don't know if a half hour makes any difference, but we are currently opening the lounge at 5:00 p.m.. If we see the demand for it, it might open earlier on some days.

regards,

Edited September 25, 2005 by drewtr

[FunnyJohn]

Another good review in the Washington Times Dining Out

Stopped in yesterday for lunch with a couple of associates. There is a london broil from Sunnyside Farms on the menu served with polenta and some kind of relish. Makes a nice light lunch if you just stick to ordering one course. We didn't -- had to have dessert . There is now a chocolate cake on the menu which took the prize (although I still think the panna cotta served with blueberry compote is darned good). A huge slab which disappeared before I had a chance to ask for a bite. Oh well, next time.

[Banco]

I second the praise of the London broil, which I had a few days ago; beautifully done and beautifully presented.

I just got back from lunch with a colleague. In addition to the London broil, he had the pasta with pulled Amish chicken (who knew the Amish pulled their chickens?) and was delighted. I had the risotto with squash and have since dubbed this my official herald of Autumn. What a great way to start the season. The rosemary-skewered prawns and chickpea puree go so well together you might think they share an evolutionary history. Troy was on hand to supply an intriguing Italian varietal whose name I now forget, but which reminded me of a Savennieres or similar chenin blanc. At any rate it went very well with the prawns. I think fall at Sonoma is going to be very nice...

Edited September 30, 2005 by Banco

[Hannah]

The baked garganelli with pancetta and scamorza, another highlight of the fall menu, is particularly good - chock full of cheesy bacony goodness, with a light tomato sauce and just enough red pepper to give it some zing.

Mmmm. Pancetta.

[Spiral Stairs]

My wife and I tried Sonoma for the first time on Sunday evening. We live a few blocks away, so it is something of a tragedy that we hadn't gotten there sooner.

We started with a two-cheese plate -- a goat cheese and an Italian cow's milk cheese. Both were good, but my tendency toward gluttony wished the hunks were bigger. Luckily, two excellent salads followed. My wife had the tomato-and-mozzarella, which looked beautiful and tasted just as good. I liked the sprinkling of halved grape tomatoes around the edge. My salad was a pile of greens with a goodly and correct amount of vinegary dressing.

I had the ribeye on polenta. (Is this a different dish from the London Broil discussed above?) A few bites were a little chewy, but the beef and polenta were both tasty. My wife had the burger, which she wolfed down in record time, with only minor assistance from me. The little cubed roasted potatoes were unexciting. But I helped her finish them off anyway.

For dessert, we had the chocolate cake and the pistacchio ice cream. Mmm. Simple and effective.

I loved being able to order so many wines by the glass, as my wife rarely drinks enough to justify a whole bottle.

Service was efficient if not especially warm. And the space is tight but beautiful. It felt very much like a number of places in my old NYC stomping grounds.

My wife is threatening go back during the day with an armload of paint swatches so she can find a match for Sonoma's blue-gray walls and apply it to our bedroom walls. I say, more power to her -- as long as she's doing the painting.

[Banco]

I had the ribeye on polenta.  (Is this a different dish from the London Broil discussed above?) 

Yes. Drew told me a lot of the clientele like their steak cooked until it's grey (it is the Hill, after all) which he refused to do with the London Broil. Apparently, the ribeye is more accommodating to this aberrant barbarism.

[V.H.]

Met a friend for a quick lunch at Sonoma today. I tried to make reservations on OpenTable but they were booked until 2pm, so we risked our chances at the bar.

We ordered the rosemary skewered shrimp on cauliflower puree with brown butter, the seared venison carpaccio, the rabbit goat cheese cannelloni with kale, and the marinated octopus with new potatoes, all about $7 or 8 a piece for a first course sized portion. My friend thought the goat cheese overpowered the flavor of the rabbit just a little bit and we both thought there were a couple of pieces in the octopus dish that were bland and mushy (most of it was very good). I think the cannelloni was my favorite dish. I didn't think the goat cheese was overpowering at all and the kale that accompanied the dish had such a wonderful meaty flavor. The venison carpaccio was very mild and delicious with none of the gameyness you sometimes find with venison.

Overall, an excellent lunch for a great price and we were able to get out in about an hour.

[monavano]

Finally went to Sonoma a few days ago, and I really enjoyed it. My husband and I split a half board, with brascole, salami, and chicken pate. The foccacia was warm and yummy and the four sides a great compliment to round out the board. I enjoyed zinfindel, and my husband enjoyed iced tea lest he get a one way ticket to the slammer. He did, however, throw caution to the wind prior to our journey into the District, and gargle with Listerine prior to stepping behind the wheel

I had the garganelli (sp, sorry) with scamorzza and husband had the ribeye over polenta, just as he ordered it.

I asked our waitress about the truffled baby peaches (boy, were they unique and so good!); where to buy or how to make. Chef Troutman actually came out to talk to us about them. How very nice. (they are bought as is, and not available at times due to being held up at customs.....I have fruitlessly attempted to find them online. I crack me up sometimes )

The place was packed at our 7 pm reservations. We were a few minutes late, having not factored in parking, but the hostess was very gracious.

We will be going back again, and again. Especially after the PTB clears up this whole "zero tolerence" nonsene. I can't imagine what a downer that is for a wine bar.

[Banco]

Although I've been there more often than I care to admit, today I had Sonoma's pizza for the very first time. I went vanilla and had the red version with salami, forest mushrooms, and fresh mozzarella.

I loved it. The crust was thin and toasty-yeasty, with the perfect balance of crunchy and chewy, at least for my taste. The toppings were fresh-tasting, aromatic, and zesty.

This pizza made me think of Paradiso's version, which I would often have for lunch when I worked near Dupont several years ago. (A friend and colleague who had spent years in Italy once told me that the Chicago deep dish is the only thing that comes close around here to good Italian pizza, and that Paradiso was just all hype and fluff. I still shudder at the utter weirdness of that statement.) Sonoma's version, I would say, is a bit more elegant and understated than Paradiso's--if one can apply such adjectives to pizza.

It went great with a Cusumano they've just got in again after a brief hiatus.

[DC in DC]

Has anyone gone to Sonoma for Sunday brunch? How is it?

[DCJono]

I went about a month after they opened and it was pretty lackluster. Not bad, just not memorable in any way. It was very different from stellar dinner experiences there..

Hopefully it has improved since then. If you go, please share your experience with us!

[DC in DC]

I went about a month after they opened and it was pretty lackluster. Not bad, just not memorable in any way. It was very different from stellar dinner experiences there..

Hopefully it has improved since then. If you go, please share your experience with us!

Hmmm. I definitely want to try Sonoma out, but it seems like it's more of a dinner/lounge-y "night" type of place. What kind of brunch food was it? I am not a huge breakfast foods person, so I'd probably go with lunch-food option.

A few years ago, we had brunch at Monmarte and I had an omlette that I still remember to this day. Perhaps that would be a better option?

[DCJono]

As I recall, there was brunchy food and then more lunch type dishes. Both my companion and I had the more breakfasty options and were very disappointed. I had a frittata and my companion had the french toast. Neither were particularly good - but not awful either. I'd stick with the lunch items if I return. Also, remember, this was a couple of months ago not too long after opening.

I agree with you that the rather cold design of the place is much more conducive to dinner or lounging. It's great at those things too!

Montemartre has a great brunch. I'm a big fan... especially as the days where we can eat outside are numbered.

[DC in DC]

I had a really excellent burger at Sonoma tonight. I requested medium rare and that was exactly how it came out. Perfect seasoning + gorgonzola cheese and onions = one of the best burgers I've had in a while. YUM.

[Banco]

I had Sonoma's braised lamb shank a couple days ago, served on a bed of creamy polenta and flavored with olives and orange. This was one of the most luscious lamb dishes I've had in recent memory. The orange and olive flavorings worked together beautifully, and the light chiffonade of orange peel on top of the dish was the bee's knees. Not to be missed.

Also, the breaded Neiman Ranch pork loin was done to perfect crispy juiciness (judging from the one bite my dining companion offered me).

ETA comments on lunch today: For dessert I had the forelle pear, which is steeped in rum (I think) with cherries and spices and served with a scoop of ice cream. This reminds me of an old German tradition my mother would cultivate around Christmastime, which we continue in our household; Rumtopf , a giant crock filled with fruits and high-proof rum, left to sit for months and occaisionally refreshed with more spirits throughout the season. Sonoma's tastes quite like it, which is saying a lot, believe me.

Edited November 18, 2005 by Banco

[CrescentFresh]

A nice relaxing lunch at Sonoma on Monday, where the highlight for me was a starter of ravioli with wild mushrooms in broth. Delicious and comforting and one of the first dishes I'd like to turn to when we get hit with our first heavy snow.

Perhaps if Sonoma's website was kept up to date (still showing Spring 2005 menu), I'd be able to tell you exactly what the dish was called and what was in it....but it's not....so I won't.

[Banco]

There's also a new dish on their menu right now: boar strip loin served on savoy cabbage with apples and amarone jus. It replaces the stuffed cabbage with pheasant ragu they had a few weeks ago (which was not very successful the one time I tried it).

The strip loin is done to perfection, but for me the real highlight of this dish was the savoy cabbage--it's crispness just broken by a delicate braise and spiked with morsels of apple. I'm not a big cabbage lover, but I could have inhaled this by the plateful.

One thing that bothers me about Sonoma is the relative coldness of the atmosphere, especially now in the fall and winter months. I'm not suggesting chintz and ottomans, but they should do something to give the place a warmer feel. Some art on those stark walls might help.

Edited for wine- and aluminium-induced senility

Edited December 1, 2005 by Banco

[Elias Hengst]

Perhaps if Sonoma's website was kept up to date (still showing Spring 2005 menu), I'd be able to tell you exactly what the dish was called and what was in it....but it's not....so I won't.

Ouch! Working on updating the website menu : )

RE: Banco's comments

First, glad you like the boar! We're finding that our guests on the Hill actually have pretty adventurous palates, and that we can put things on that might not fly in other parts of town....

Second, we'd love to find a local artist to show their work in our first floor space. Of course, for every guest that feels that the space should be somehow filled or warmed up, another expresses their appreciation for the minimalist aesthetic....so far it's a tie.

The truth is that the lighted wood shelves that run the length of the right side of restaurant were to be lined with wine bottles to produce a red and yellow "glow," but they ended up blocking too much light and ruining the effect. Kind of sucked to discover that.

[Drew Trautmann]

Starting this Sunday all bottles (about 40) on Sonoma's reserve wine list will be offered at 1/2 price.

Thanks for your support,

[CrescentFresh]

Starting this Sunday all bottles (about 40) on Sonoma's reserve wine list will be offered at 1/2 price.

Thanks for your support,

All the time? Sundays only?

[Drew Trautmann]

All the time?  Sundays only?

Sorry for the confusion, The 1/2 price reserve wine promotion wil be on Sundays only, beginning today, December 4th.

Thanks,

[FunnyJohn]

OK -- Anyone looking to achieve food Nirvana in order to help cope with the Holiday stress? You need to get yourself to Sonoma toute suite! Have the whole wheat canollini stuffed with braised rabbit and goat cheese. Follow that with the wild boar tenderloin served on a bed of truffled braised cabbage strewn with apple chunks. Finish with the black-out chocolate cake. And voila, true enlightenment will shortly follow.

[Banco]

You want truffles? You want risotto? Then get yourself to Sonoma for their risotto generously bedecked with black Oregon truffles. At 14 bucks it's a pretty good value, and once you've tried black... Oh, never mind.

[Elias Hengst]

You want truffles? You want risotto? Then get yourself to Sonoma for their risotto generously bedecked with black Oregon truffles. At 14 bucks it's a pretty good value, and once you've tried black... Oh, never mind.

Thanks to a, um, "reminder," from a DR member, our current menu is up on our website. Subject to constant change and specials!

http://www.sonomadc.com/menu.pdf

Check out our updated wine list, too.

http://www.sonomadc.com/wine.htm

And, yes, ALL our our 35+ wines-by-the-glass are stored/served from a Cruvinet/Winekeeper which preserves the wine with the proper temp and nitrogen....