Seasonal Provencçal-inspired cuisine
http://www.thegirlandthefig.com/html-sonoma/index.html
110 West Spain St. – SONOMA

By the time we ate at the Girl & the Fig, we had eaten a ridiculous number of fantastic meals. By this point we were +8lbs and had every fresh local protein available from sardines to pork, twice. This place was just as good as the others, but the atmosphere was a tad lame and the tables were too tight. Sadly we sat next to a large family (in numbers and stature) who had flown in from all over the place and listened to their entire conversation. That was a bummer. I was also not thrilled with their ‘Rhone-Alone’ Wine List of Rhone-styled California wines. Plus after 2 solid days of wine-tasing we decided on heavy cocktails! I had a delicious lavender mojito (not as good as the strawberry-mint mojito at El Dorado) and Steve had a ‘dirty’.

the girl and the fig by Julie Higgins

But, troupers that we are, we did soup to nuts. Right down to the dessert and wine pairing. We rolled out of there and walked around the center square of Sonoma, twice. Stuffed to the gills. Steve turned me on to Pepcid on this trip!

I digress…below is our meal. Really quite nice.

STARTERS
heirloom radishes. 6.25
mixed seasonal radishes, anchovy butter & grey sea salt.

grass-fed steak tartare. 13.50
traditional with raw egg, caperberries, lavender sea salt, toast.

ENTRÉES
sautéed bay scallops. 20.95
english pea purée, beech mushrooms, spring onions & veal reduction.

shellfish & saffron stew. 22.95
mussels, scallops, clams, white beans, bacon lardons, spinach & sundried tomatoes.

DESSERT MENU with WINE PAIRING
strawberry-rhubarb crisp… 7.00
walnut crisp topping, creme fraiche ice cream.
Domaine de Durban, 2006 Muscat de Beaumes de Venise. 8.00
lavender crème brûlée…7.50
Bonny Doon, 2008 Vinferno, Late Harvest White Blend. 8.00