Solbar Offers Up Asian Noshes For A Limited Time

It used to be that if you got a hankering for Asian food in the Napa Valley, it was slim pickings.

But the offerings just got a little wider with Solbar Lounge now offering an Asian-inspired menu through March 31. The lounge is next to Solbar restaurant in the eco-conscious Solage Calistoga resort.

It’s in contrast to the restaurant, which serves elegant seasonal California cuisine, including lighter dishes for those watching their diets.

The new lounge menu offers an array of Asian-inspired specialties such as a Solbar sushi roll (cucumber, avocado, sweet potato and sticky rice; $8); Niman Ranch pork and ginger gyozas ($13); steamed buns with Chiang Mai pork sausage, saw-tooth herb and Chinese mustard cream ($10); and ramen with roasted pork belly ($16).

Restaurant Promotions Around  the Bay

The 12th annual “Dine About Town San Francisco” event kicks off Jan. 15-31, in which participating restaurants will offer a prix-fixe two- or three-course lunch for $18.95 and a three-course dinner for $36.95.

Among the more than 100 restaurants participating will be: Amber Dhara, Chaya Brasserie, Sociale and Waterbar. For a complete list, click here.

To get the excitement going early, the San Francisco Travel Association is hosting a launch party, 6 p.m. Jan. 10, at City View at the Metreon in downtown San Francisco.

Participating restaurants will provide tastes of their upcoming “Dine About Town” menus. Among the restaurants that will be handing out noshes that night are: B44, Plouf, and Burritt Room and Tavern.

Tickets are $50 per person. All proceeds will benefit Meals on Wheels, which provides meals to home-bound seniors.

Farther north through the end of January, you also can enjoy deals at the third annual “Napa Valley Restaurant Month.”

More than 35 restaurants are offering special menus. A number of Napa Valley hotels also will have special lodging packages.

Among the offerings are a two-course, $20 prix-fixe lunch at Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford; a two-course, $20 prix-fixe at Morimoto Napa; and a $25 three-course lunch at Bistro Don Giovanni in Napa. For a complete list, click here.

Travel south to partake in dining savings throughout January in Monterey County.

Thirty-five restaurants are offering a 10 percent discount or prix-fixe menu to customers who mention “California Restaurant Month.”

For instance, enjoy two wine tastings for the price of one at Trio Carmel; and 10 percent off your tab at Andre’s Bouchee Restaurant.

New FoodGal Recipe Index

Yes, a full recipe index for my FoodGal blog. I’ve been meaning to put one together forever, and I finally managed to do so in the New Year.

It will make finding recipes on the site a whole lot easier. See for yourself by clicking here. Or by finding the “Recipe Index” link at the top of the right-rail on the site.

Happy cooking!