The Front Room Bar at John Ash & Company
Man in the Green Suit / Weather Report
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I lived in Santa Rosa for four years in the early part of this century and heard of the legendary John Ash restaurant but never ate their. Until this current trip to Santa Rosa in December of 2023 to be with my step-daughter and son and their new baby.
We’re renting a house just across 101 from the restaurant in the north Santa Rosa suburb of Wikiups. We’re out getting a few things for the new mother at CVS and on our way home. But we’re close to John Ash and figure its a good idea to stop at the bar of the restaurant as I’ve read that they have a great Happy Hour is from 3 – 5 with many special features from the restaurant. We ordered the CHARCUTERIE & ARTISAN CHEESE BOARD with House-Made Spanish Style Chorizo, Bresaola And Journeyman Meat Co. Soppressata; Valley Ford Creamery Grazin’ Girl Gorgonzola, Bohemian Creamery Boho Belle & Californio; House-Made Crackers & Flatbread Rosemary Nuts, Pickled Vegetables and Mustard. It went well with the Chalk Hill Chard. The wine is $15 a glass and the cheese board is $36.
We have to get home to the new mother and father now but we plan on coming back for dinner. At last, a chance to eat dinner at a restaurant I have heard about since I was first out here. Founded in 1980 it is recognized as one of Sonoma County’s original farm-to-table restaurants situated in a beautiful vineyard setting. Today, Executive Chef Tom Schmidt continues the tradition by selecting fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs from our own culinary gardens, including our fig and olive orchards. The restaurant also sources ingredients from over 30 local farms and food producers.
I’m interested in writing about the food and dining experience at John Ash. I wrote a post on the French Laundry but have never eaten there. It was really on Sally Schmidt. I made a promise to stop at the French Laundry when in Napa. But now, we’re in Sonoma. In fact, is John Ash the Sonoma version of the French Laundry?
