Christina Waters

Welcome new chef Sean Baker to Gabriella Cafe, and get ready to be impressed. Baker comes from Zibibbo in Palo Alto, and before that, Millenium in the City. A few nights ago Baker blew away a packed house at a Bonny Doon wine dinner, with his multi-course magic that produced raves from winemaker Randall Grahm and other finicky gourmands. Out-going chef Rebecca King, now the proud owner of a sheep ranch, is still doing the pastries at the tiny restaurant. But back to the wine dinner.

I was seated with a brain trust of oeno-logic, including wine marketer Bob Marsh, Gabriella owner Paul Cocking, Bonny Doon’s new marketing maestro Burke Owen and BD president-for-life himself, Randall Grahm (shown here considering the Albariño). So the wine talk flew thick and fast throughout dinner. Be that as it may, it didn’t take long before dinner itself became the topic of collective admiration. “These wines make me think,” admitted chef Baker of the BD array he tasted before designing the menu matches. His thinking made delicious sense with a half dozen wines, many from the winery’s biodynamic Ca’ del Solo vineyard near Soledad.

Starting with a bravura dish of tiny calamari and young English peas, bathed in a broth with fresh mint and a distinctive jolt of chile, the meal never stopped knocking us out. The calamari (I’m so mad at Tana Butler for having such a GREAT shot of this dish on her site today!) paired smoothly with a light, crisp 2006 Albariño, Ca’ del Solo Monterey. Next came an equally glamorous salad of wilted baby red chard, with lentils, blood sausage — thanks to Justin Severino and the gorgeous pork raised on TLC Ranch - carmelized fennel and apples. A tart vinaigrette pulled the dish together, as did an astonishing Cigare Blanc 2005, one of the top Rhône-style whites on either side of the Atlantic. Even the winemaker was impressed, noting the quince and lime notes in the Roussane/Grenache Blanc blend.

With rare lamb chops, presented with two sauces - a rapini pesto and a cook cucumber-cumin yogurt - the chef and winemaker had chosen a 2003 Le Cigare Volant, the beloved flagship of Bonny Doon Vineyards for many years. Loaded with blackberries, licorice and casses, this “state of the Doon” beauty could, in the judgment of Owen, easily go to 2013 and beyond. Oh I forgot. There was a pretty intermezzo of a single fresh strawberry and mascarpone, joined by that “pink wine” that Grahm adores, the ‘06 Vin Gris made from old vine Cinsault grapes.

A second entree of pappardelle with rosemary venison ragout proved both decadent and intense, and perfect with a bright, spicy 2004 Nebbiolo, also ca’del Solo, Monterey Vineyard. “nebbiolo’s a very challenging grape,” Grahm noted. “We added 15% Barbera skins, to give it a certain je ne said quoi - a little bit of an edge. And dessert was an olive oil orange cake with muscat candied kumquats - an inspired match with the 2006 Ca’del Solo Muscat. Every dish devised by the crafty chef resonated with the mineral and floral bouquets of the selected wines - in other words, this was one of those dinners in which the flavors and the wines really did collaborate.

There’s a rumor that the calamari dish will become a permanent member of the Gabriella menu. Pray that it does! And make reservations to check out the new culinary star in town — Sean Baker.

Gabriella Cafe - 910 Cedar St., Santa Cruz (831) 457-1677.

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