The second location of Sonoma is in the midst of its “soft opening” in The Heights. In fact, it dared to open on White Linen Night on August 4, and Heights residents didn’t hesitate to take advantage of the new spot. “We were surprisingly busy,” said Angie Chang in an obvious understatement. Chang has been the manager and assistant wine buyer with the original Sonoma on Richmond Avenue for more than four years.
The new Heights location used to be a frame shop in the 1960s. It still has the original windows, which will be thrown open when Houston is graced with cooler temperatures in the fall and spring. Thanks to the work done by BuildOut Services, the interior is now painted in cool grays, with splashes of royal purple here and there.
Owner Farrah Fatouretchi Cauley is committed to the idea of Sonoma being a helpful addition to The Heights. “We want to be a good neighbor, and we’re very interested in finding out what the needs of Heights residents are. So far there’s more demand for dessert wines here, as well as half-bottles. We’re working on getting more of these in stock.”
Cauley pulled off quite a feat in just getting the wine bar open: She did it while expecting and giving birth to her first baby. “Yeah, I was fielding phone calls from vendors and the TABC the day after,” she laughs.
Sonoma, as you might guess by the name, is pretty heavily focused on New World wines, and you’ll find many from California here. I made myself comfortable with a 2010 Elizabeth Rose Pinot Noir. If you’re with a companion or a group at Sonoma, I recommend you just go in for a bottle, as you’ll likely be hanging out for a while, especially if you order some food. (I found $20 for a glass of Cakebread Chardonnay to be a little steep, but
Sonoma also has a well-equipped kitchen, which chef James Hackl is putting to great use. I was pleased to find not just the standard meat-and-cheese platters on the menu, but a few well-chosen entrees, as well as several other composed dishes. This means that someone can drop in after a long day at work and not only relax with a glass of wine but get a satisfying meal as well.
This talented chef has a lot going for him. Exhibit A: a salad that was made fun with the addition of a generous stack of crisp, fresh-from-the-fryer beet chips. The smell was pure seduction. The salad itself was pretty sexy, too. It was topped with a rounded mound of Pure Luck goat cheese decorated like a jewel with chunks of red and gold beets. It was a bargain at just $9. My only regret is that Sonoma doesn’t sell those beet chips by the bag. I would have happily taken some home.
This was followed up by a Texas-raised, seven-ounce, bone-in pork chop with scalloped potatoes, a hash of Brussels sprouts with bacon and radicchio (the slight bitterness worked surprisingly well with the sprouts) and a raspberry gastrique. The pork chop, while cooked through, was juicy and hearty like a chop should be. The only dish that seemed to need work was the scalloped potatoes. The slices were so thin that they just kind of clung together in a mashed potato consistency, and I would have liked some more creaminess to the dish.
And at the end? A slam-dunk of an ice cream sandwich. Espresso-infused rounds of ice cream nestled between warm chocolate chip cookies. Yes, the warm cookies made the ice cream slide around a bit, we couldn’t have cared less. For that matter, if they decide to do an ice-cream-sandwich-of-the-week program, I’m down with that.
If you still just want an appetizer platter of meats and/or cheeses to go with your wine, Sonoma will provide. You can build your own, or just pick one of the four combinations on the menu.
Ours came with well-aged salami, burgundy-hued bresaola and the ever-welcome prosciutto di Parma. On the cheesy side of things, there was also St. Andre, a four-month manchego and a one-year Grafton cheddar. A wine-spiced pear was a lovely, unique addition.
Sonoma also carries some cheeses sourced from the Houston Dairymaids. An assorted brie plate caught our attention as well, but that will have to wait for next time.
Go for the wine, but you’ve been warned: You’re going to stay for the food. Block out an hour or two in your calendar and go relax for a while.
SONOMA, 801 Studewood at E. 8th St., 713-864-WINE (9463), sonomahouston.com