While we were all busy stuffing ourselves with holiday home cooking over the last month, a new restaurant in Sebastopol on the edge of Forestville was putting together some delightful home cooking of its own. Beaudry’s Roadhouse has quietly opened in the former Henweigh Café space on Gravenstein Highway North.
Owner Frank Stephenson may be new the area, coming from his from his other restaurant, Boar’s Breath Restaurant and Bar in Middletown, but he says he’s had his eye on the café since the summer of 2005 after driving past the red clapboard, green-trimmed cottage on his Harley-Davidson during vacation.
What first caught our eye on the lengthy lunch and dinner menu was spaghetti and homemade meatballs. Then it was Petaluma Farms Rocky chicken roasted, de-boned and served with potatoes and savory pan jus. Simple dishes, yes, but when they’re done correctly, they’re the stuff of dreams.
The everyday offerings lean toward familiar favorites, such as fried calamari with chipotle aioli, pan seared salmon in lemon beurre blanc, pesto fettuccine and grilled prawns in creamy basil sauce, and a Portobello-eggplant parmesan panino. But specials get fancier, like pizzas made on handcrafted crust from 16-year-old organic grape sourdough starter, and the kitchen lovingly slow smokes the St. Louis style pork ribs paired with baked beans, mashed potatoes or fries.
Already, Sundays nights are proving popular for the fried chicken feature, delivering half a Rocky bird rounded out with buttermilk mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, jalapeño cheddar corn bread and green beans, for $15.
But hold onto your wallet for Wednesdays, when Stephenson posts his extra-specials, like hamburgers, spaghetti marinara, turkey burgers, pulled chicken or pork sandwiches, ribs, or whatever else strikes his fancy from 5 to 9 p.m. or until the kitchen runs out. The bill? Just $5 for each entrée.
The idea for the nearly-free meals is “to thank our loyal patrons and get new butts in the seats to check us out,” says Stephenson.
And then, of course, to have us all come back.
Details: Beaudry’s Roadhouse, 4550 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, 707-829-7500, beaudrysroadhouse.com.