The new 256 North has updated their name, menu and parking. Because owner Jan Rosen has such a great reputation for food, it makes sense that 256 North has unofficially become Rosen’s 256 North.
For those familiar with Jan’s former restaurants, such as J.M. Rosen’s, the Salad Mill, J.M. Rosen’s Waterfront Grill and Rosen’s Eastside Grill, this is a subtle reminder that if you want great food and service, you can always rely on a Rosen’s restaurant to satisfy your hunger.
Rosen’s 256 North has also updated their website, added more events to their calendar, revamped their draft beer selection, bringing in Allagash’s White and IPAs from both Seismic and Dust Bowl, as well as adding some much needed parking. Rosen’s now has a dedicated parking lot, located across the Boulevard, and a half block north of the restaurant, in the empty lot that for so many years housed a collection of junky looking old cars.
We stopped in to try their pot pie and it was as good as everyone has been saying. Cooked in a cast iron pot, this crust-less pot pie comes with a delicious puff pastry, which adds tons of buttery flavor when mixed in to each bite. This is one of Jan’s specialties, and it only takes one bite to understand why.
It goes extremely well with a pint of Allagash White beer. We also thoroughly enjoyed the shrimp and crab salad sandwich, which definitely took our taste buds back to some of the incredibly fresh flavors we remember from prior Rosen restaurants.
New Simply Strudels flavor
Simply Strudels has added Gravenstein Apple Cranberry to their already incredible award-winning lineup of great strudel options, which currently include the cheese/sweet options of Vanilla Bean, Meyer Lemon, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and double chocolate chip port, made with Sonoma Portwork’s Deco port.
Available on the savory side are bacon potato cheddar, mushroom tarragon, and garlic spinach potato. Simply Strudels is located at the corner of Petaluma Blvd S & H Street, in the old Millie’s Chili Bar, across the street from Charley’s Wine Country Deli. They are open Thursday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can either pick them up to go, or sit back and relax with some strudel and a great cup of coffee from Wake Up Coffee House, which shares their space.
Bodega for the win
Congrats to the Bodega CA food truck, and co-owners chef Matthew Elias and Laine Ayre for taking home the Judge’s Craft Cup Cook-Off award at last weekend’s Battle of the Brews for “Most Creative” dish. Bodega made a vegetarian take on a picadillo, which traditionally is ground beef cooked down with spices, like garlic and chilies, and raisins.
Bodega used chopped cauliflower instead of beef, and if I hadn’t been told we were judging a veggie dish, I would have never guessed it had no meat. Then again, the Bodega CA is one of those places where I don’t even bother to question anything on the menu because everything is always delicious. They regularly serve at the Block - Petaluma and HenHouse Brewing. Visit www.thebodegaca.com to find out where they are serving their award-winning food next.
Petaluma Drinks
Petaluma Drinks will be a celebration of craft alcohol producers from around Petaluma and has just added three more hosts - Keller Estate, HenHouse Brewing, and Fogline Vineyards. With so many great local wineries, breweries, and distilleries, this event will span the entire weekend of June 2-3.
To encourage guests to stay for the weekend, Petaluma Drinks has arranged for special hotel discounts around town, including at downtown’s Hotel Petaluma. Visit www.petalumadrinks.com for more info and for tickets, which are limited and will likely sell out sell ahead of the event.
HOP Social Club
The newly formed Homebrewers of Petaluma (HOP) Social Club not only launched their Facebook page, but will hold their first meeting on Thursday, April 26, from 6 to 8 p.m., at 405 Broadway Street, over by Petaluma High School.
If you have a homebrew to share, bring it by, otherwise just stop in and mingle with other homebrew enthusiasts. Whether you already brew, or are interested in giving brewing a try, the homebrew community is a great group of enthusiastic, encouraging, and friendly people. Although this gathering is free, I highly encourage anyone who is interested, to join the HOP Social Club, which has a $20 membership fee. This modest fee will help the club bring us future events.
Petaluma Homebrew Competition
It was while on HOP Social Club’s Facebook page that I learned of the homebrew competition to be held at the Petaluma Fairgrounds. Titled “Shades of IPA Competition,” this competition will follow the Beer Judging Certification Program (“BJCP”) guidelines, which can be found on their website at www.bjcp.org.
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