Lovely Mendocino

The village of Mendocino itself is a treasure. Finding a 19th century New England village in California, with fine dining and beautiful seascapes within a short distance created a perfect escape.

Quick Tips:

Dining at the Cafe Beaujolais and the Albion River Inn.

A trip to the Botanical Gardens in Fort Bragg.

The Skunk Railway trip into the Redwoods. The Murder She Wrote Tour of Mendocino. Walking out to the Lighthouse.

Winetasting. Cognac tasting in Ukiah and on Highway 101.

Picnicing at Fetzer Vinyards.

Best Way To Get Around:

Driving is a must to take advantage of all there is to see in the area.

The rooms range from cozy and small to large suites with jacuzzi tubs situated so that a couple can soak while gazing out on a spectacular ocean vista. We stayed in one of the prime view rooms which had a woodburning fireplace and beautiful furnishings. A more romantic retreat cannot be imagined!

The restaurant at the Inn was equal to the beauty of the setting. We enjoyed a marvelous breakfast and a fine dinner. The views from the restaurant were among the best along the coast. For those who might consider Heritage House based on the movie Same Time Next Year, pass on that place and get a premium view room at the Inn. You won't regret your choice.

The rooms range from cozy and small to large suites with jacuzzi tubs situated so that a couple can soak while gazing out on a spectacular ocean vista. We stayed in one of the prime view rooms which had a woodburning fireplace and beautiful furnishings. A more romantic retreat cannot be imagined!

The restaurant at the Inn was equal to the beauty of the setting. We enjoyed a marvelous breakfast and a fine dinner. The views from the restaurant were among the best along the coast. For those who might consider Heritage House based on the movie Same Time Next Year, pass on that place and get a premium view room at the Inn. You won't regret your choice.

The restaurant has a spectacular view of the Mendocino coast and the room is warm and inviting. Service was excellent and the wine list is rated as one of the very best. And the food doesn't let you down. It is creative and beautifully presented. If we didn't have the option of the Cafe Beaujolais 10 minutes away, we could have happily dined every night here. A few examples of their entrees are:

Grilled Atlantic Salmon, fresh fillet, served over stir-fried mushrooms, baby bok choy, cabbage & sweet peppers with steamed coconut jasmine rice, finished with spicy sweet chili glaze and sesame-marinated cucumber salad. $18.50

Pan-Roasted Grouper, rich fillet, lightly seasoned and served over winter vegetable ragout, rock shrimp & tomatoes with wilted arugula, served with creamy polenta and topped with Zinfandel wine-chive butter. $19.00.

Roast Breast of Duck, tender duckling, roasted golden and served medium, sliced thin and sauced with a tangy orange, ginger & rice wine vinegar reduction, served with maple whipped yams & zucchini strings. $21.50

Oven-Roasted Quail, tender birds, wrapped with honey-cured bacon & marinated with Burgundy vinegar, garlic, rosemary & soy, finished with sweet butter & served with toasted orzo pasta-wild rice blend and caramelized beets. $19.00

Sounds good? Tastes even better!

Having lived and traveled in France a great deal, I have experienced truly great French cuisine, including Michelin starred restaurants. I can truly say that I enjoyed the dining experience here as much as any I can recall. In fact, although we were in Mendocino only three nights, we dined here twice and would have come back for more. The service was equal to the food and we are looking forward with anticipation to our next visit. Here are some sample entrees from their website menu:

Oven-steamed blue nose sea bass, served with pink grapefruit beurre blanc, and a medley of baby broccoli shoots, ruby crescent potatoes and shiitake mushrooms (21.50).

Balsamic and rosemary roast free-range chicken served with green apple risotto with cabbage and bacon and sautéed green beans (21.00),

Niman Ranch beef short ribs, braised with red wine, fennel and carrots, served with mashed potatoes, sautéed kale and horseradish crème fraîche (22.50).

House-made tortillas with greens and wild mushrooms, served with salsa asado, spicy tomato sauce, cuitlacoche (corn truffle), coconut rice and black beans (20.75).

Broiled Niman Ranch beef filet, sliced and served with sauce poivrade, shallot marmalade, chestnut, spinach & wild mushroom ragout and lentil pancakes (27.50).

Washington sturgeon filet, pan roasted with truffle emulsion sauce, served with house made tagliatelle, wild mushrooms, beets, and snap peas (24.75).

Broiled Niman Ranch pork chop served with Beaujolais herb butter, sautéed chard, wild mushrooms and creamy polenta with fried sage (22.00).

These folks don't just write great menus; they make food that tastes as good and is as beautiful to the eye as the descriptions they write.