Grand Central Café takes off in Petaluma
This past Saturday, we had the pleasure of checking out Petaluma’s newest café – Grand Central Café (226 Weller St.) for the grand opening. What an incredible location. Everybody is used to seeing those gorgeous photos of out downtown, shot from the east, either from in the river or from the other side of the Turning Basin. However, while standing in the downtown, you never get that view because you are standing in it. Well, Grand Central’s relaxing seating area (with custom-built Adirondack chairs) offers the live version of the Petaluma downtown postcard. And with music added to last Saturday’s festivities, I can see Grand Central becoming a very popular spot as they expand their hours and offerings.
And although their café kitchen is not yet up and running, we were able to enjoy food from Trade Secret Chef (Brenda, formerly of Secret Kitchen), including an excellent sausage sandwich (using Caggiano sausages from here in Petaluma), an exquisite quinoa salad and a perfectly baked sweet empanada. Grand Central has plans to have Trade Secret Chef pop-up regularly at this location. We finished out our meal with an ice cream bar from Mariposa Ice Creamery, because why wait until you get home to raid your ice box for Mariposa ice cream when you can buy something fresh right there at lunch? A last-minute addition to the grand opening, we were excited to see Relax and Eat Bread’s tent and stocked up on several loafs, including a seed-rich rye that literally looked like a piece of artwork, and tasted even better. We also secured a couple of their wonderful chocolate chip cookies but the pièce de résistance was being able to grab a bag of their hard-to-get English muffins. We’ve never had a better English muffin and are finding any excuse to include one with every meal since Saturday’s purchase. Currently, Grand Central is offering some of their staples, such as coffee and chocolate imported from Ecuador. Check “Grand Central Petaluma” on Facebook for their latest hours and offerings.
Inside at Scowley’s Burgers
Scowley’s Burgers announced that as of today, Thursday, April 8, they will finally open their dining room for in-person dining. Out of respect for the safety of his staff, owner Robert Gaustad chose to wait until they could all get vaccinated before opening the indoors. This is a first for Scowley’s, which opened this past fall, during the pandemic shutdown, and has had to rely on take-out and delivery (through Petaluma Food Taxi) in order to launch the restaurant. Looking forward, Robert plans to add draught beer and a couple of TVs so sports fans can enjoy the upcoming baseball and football seasons. He also plans a small “novelty freezer” for specialty ice cream bars and if he can find a place to put the machine, and hopes to offer milkshakes shortly. Scowley’s is located at 229 N. McDowell Blvd. and the menu can be found at scowleys.com. You can read my recent article about Scowley’s in the online at Petaluma360.com
Tri-tip dinner for a cause
I have a hard time passing up on a tri-tip dinner, especially when it’s a fundraiser, so the upcoming Scouts BSA Troop 9 tri-tip to-go fundraiser has me licking my chops. Pre-ordering is required and that deadline is April 12 for pickup at the Elim Lutheran Church Parking Lot (220 Stanley St.) on Saturday, April 17, from 3 to 5 p.m. Dinner is a whole grilled, marinated and seasoned tri-tip for four, plus one quart of cowboy beans, a baguette, a salad kit and chocolate chip cookies, all for just $50. You can also buy dinner for friends, families or local heroes and then just have them drop by Elim to pick up their order. Additionally, they are also seeking donations to help Troop 9 scouts get to a week-long camp this summer. Orders can be placed at my.cheddarup.com/c/troop-9-scouts-bsa. “Online payment is preferred but if needed we can accommodate checks and cash on a case-by-case basis; also some delivery may be possible in certain circumstances.” (Call John Schempf at 481-9766 for more info.) People are asked to follow COVID protocols, by wearing mask and socially distancing.
Charcuterie boards
The Small Business Spring Sale Extravaganza is this Saturday, April 10, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Pinky’s Pizza with all sorts of great finds, including Elderberry syrup varieties, leather goods and jewelry, patriotic flags and tumblers, organic body scrubs, succulents and planters, candles and Color Street Nails. But what caught my attention at the last sale were the handmade charcuterie boards from Of the Woods, which boarders on Pinky’s parking lot. So often, we put together a quick charcuterie platter for surprise guests, only to find that the boring old cutting board we usually use does not do the trick. A dedicate charcuterie board is a nice thing to have on hand and Of the Woods makes some beautiful ones. We are even thinking of having something custom made.
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