Coq Au Vin

I never felt like I needed this phrase: I wish there were more stars!

We were looking forward to our meal here - we'd tried to get in a few times with no luck, and were finally able to plan ahead and get a reservation. I was expecting a perfectly good meal. Instead, perfect perfect perfect. Coq Au Vin has rocketed to the top of my list of favorite meals of all time.

We started with the salmon rillettes and it was the kind of dish that made you realize you were in for something special. I always thought rillettes worked because they were made with a fatty meat. And, yeah, salmon is a fatty fish, so I guess it makes sense. But this was remarkable and surprising and smoky and salty and rich and yum. With warm toast and mustard that was better than mustard. Honestly, we could have left right then and died happy.

But...then came our entrees.

The mister had the pork loin with a normandy sauce. Amazing. But I have to say - my filet mignon au poivre was maybe the best thing I ever ate. Words can't describe it! You think you've had filet mignon before, but you haven't had this. It was the sort of dish that made me think I could never, ever attempt to cook filet mignon again. You should order it. I'm not kidding. YOU SHOULD ORDER IT.

We also had the raspberry tart for dessert. That crust! It was a lovely finish.

Add in the Claudia Springs Petite Syrah - what a great wine, and winery. You'll be missed Claudia Springs!

I love this restaurant. I can't wait to come back.

Tasting pinots in Anderson Valley last week and three different wine makers mentioned Coq Au Vin as one of  top places to eat in the Valley.  Had to try it and we weren't disappointed.  Gracious and welcoming, this family-run restaurant serves up local fare in a way that leaves you feeling like you're eating in the country-side of Normandy. Well chosen and priced wine lists gives a good introduction to just how food the wines of this region can be. Now if there just had been an Armagnanc to end the meal ...

As a resident of the Mendocino Coast I was so pleased to see that a new eatery had opened at the west end of the Anderson Valley.
I held off on going there until they had been open for a month.  When I did finally have dinner there the entire experience was awesome!
We locals are so fortunate to have such a wonder restaurant in our area.

Keep up the good work!!