Glen Ellen Star Awards

Glen Ellen Star Restaurant Review:

Nestled in the quiet hamlet of Glen Ellen is the elegantly rustic and intimate Glen Ellen Star. Chef-owner Ari Weiswasser's tenure at The French Laundry (as well as Daniel, Picholine and Corton, where he was chef de cuisine) and his wife, co-owner Erinn Benziger-Weiswasser's family roots in the local wine industry, help inform the inviting and exhilarating culinary experience. The simple farmhouse’s main dining space surrounds a tiny, active kitchen where the wood-burning oven is the namesake’s "star." Menu items skew non-fussy, seasonal and wood-roasted. Starters may include Brussels sprouts with brown sugar marmalade, loose corn sprinkled with cotija and chipotle powder, or gently-charred peaches and red onions atop a generous bed of fresh arugula. Mains offer house-made cauliflower agnolotti in rich, flavorful carrot butter, brick chicken with creamy corn succotash or spring lamb ragù adorned with artichokes, Calabrian chilis and Moroccan olives. The wine menu celebrates Sonoma labels. To end the meal, share an assortment of house-made ice creams. The former patio has given way to a sun room providing an additional 36 seats, also available for private parties.