There is something for everyone here: the elegant dining rooms with their fireplaces are the ideal settings for romantic dinners, while the Grey Whale Bar and Café offer a more casual and less expensive fare and setting-though still with that incredible view of the ocean, seen from the wrap-around porch. The Bar itself is inviting to both locals and tourists, as people gather around in the living-room type setting, on either the couches or at the handsome bar itself.

But nothing stands out here more than the food of Executive Chef Alan Kantor. He takes local mushrooms and some bread and imaginatively turns them into a savory bread pudding, or pairs some Niman Ranch lamb with his own house-cured ham and ends up with a cassoulet. Treasures like blue cheese popovers, or hazelnut croute, add a creative note of interest to every dish. And he has a wonderful way with duck-it may end up in tamales, as confit, or in a salad or on a pizza. Desserts include an array of Northern California cheeses, do-it-yourself sundaes where you can combine homemade ice creams with a selection of toppings, as well as cookies, candies, Meyer Lemon Curd Trifle and more.

Chef Kantor is one of the first chefs to promote organics and sustainable farming, and even has the names of his purveyors on the menu. I must stop writing now as this is making me hungry, and I'm going to see if I can find someone to make the 2-hour trip up to Mendocino with me for one of Chef Kantor's dinners, and a night at the MacCallum House (where the rooms range from $95 - $395)! 

The MacCallum House stands out in an area of many wonderful stand-out restaurants. It is unique in its true Mendocino feeling, as it resides in a beautiful home built in 1882, and is one of the very few restaurants in the Village with a view.

There is something for everyone here: the elegant dining rooms with their fireplaces are the ideal settings for romantic dinners, while the Grey Whale Bar and Café offer a more casual and less expensive fare and setting-though still with that incredible view of the ocean, seen from the wrap-around porch. The Bar itself is inviting to both locals and tourists, as people gather around in the living-room type setting, on either the couches or at the handsome bar itself.

But nothing stands out here more than the food of Executive Chef Alan Kantor. He takes local mushrooms and some bread and imaginatively turns them into a savory bread pudding, or pairs some Niman Ranch lamb with his own house-cured ham and ends up with a cassoulet. Treasures like blue cheese popovers, or hazelnut croute, add a creative note of interest to every dish. And he has a wonderful way with duck-it may end up in tamales, as confit, or in a salad or on a pizza. Desserts include an array of Northern California cheeses, do-it-yourself sundaes where you can combine homemade ice creams with a selection of toppings, as well as cookies, candies, Meyer Lemon Curd Trifle and more.

Chef Kantor is one of the first chefs to promote organics and sustainable farming, and even has the names of his purveyors on the menu. I must stop writing now as this is making me hungry, and I'm going to see if I can find someone to make the 2-hour trip up to Mendocino with me for one of Chef Kantor's dinners, and a night at the MacCallum House (where the rooms range from $95 - $395)! 

 Well, I've found one! Tucked away in a Redwood forest just minutes from the Village of Mendocino is a beautiful farmhouse, built by the owner in 1976, with charming gardens, decks, meadows, a pond, antiques and more. The house and two cottages can accomodate up to 12 people; all rooms have private baths, and some have fireplaces. The comfortable beds and linens tempt one to sleep in, until the fragrance of the breakfast begins wafting through the house. The full breakfast includes jam, homemade by the owner from berries on the property. One truly feels at home in the dining and living areas, as well as in their cozy rooms.

 The Mendocino Farmhouse is an ideal setting for weddings, private parties, or conferences as the Owner/Innkeeper, Margie Kamb, can provide all the necessities from flowers to the food and wedding cake.

 This little charmer shines as a secluded hideaway for anyone wanting privacy, as well as being ideal for rest and relaxation, or a romantic getaway. Enjoy the true bed and breakfast experience at the Mendocino Farmhouse.

Rates for two: $139 - $159; single rates available; breakfast is included. 707-937-0241; mkamb@mcn.org; www.mendocinofarmhouse.com

The Inn is surrounded by 10 acres of woods and beautiful gardens on three sides, while the fourth side overlooks Highway one for a magnificent view of the ocean, which it shares with most of the rooms in the Inn.

 The rooms all have fireplaces, and many have a private deck. Some have Jacuzzi/soaking tubs for two; all have televisions in the rooms, and an elegant-yet rustic-ambience.

But there's more: the service is excellent, and the breakfasts include homemade breads as well as a full meal that guests choose from an intriguing menu. Wine hour offers delicious and substantial hors d'oeuvres, with many dishes made from the organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown on the property, as well as eggs from the chickens raised in this forest high above the Pacific Ocean.

In between breakfast and dinner you can wander the wooded hills, or sit by the fire and enjoy a book from their library, or a movie from their collection of videos and DVD's. If you can bring yourself to leave the Inn, you're only one mile from the Village of Mendocino, and the Innkeeper will be happy to give you suggestions as to how to spend your day.  A truly unique experience is waiting for you!

This stunning Inn is built from century-old virgin redwood logs, eco-salvaged from the nearby Big River; the design is open and dramatic, yet warm and inviting; and a beautiful dining room is adjacent to a cozy seating area in front of the ceiling-high fireplace in the majestic great room. These are only a few of the reasons why Brewery Gulch Inn is one of the most unusual lodgings in California. The warmth of the magnificent wood is a result of the beautifully burnished logs that were on the bottom of the river floor for 150 years, being enriched by minerals that gave them purple, golden, walnut, and rosewood hues.

The Inn is surrounded by 10 acres of woods and beautiful gardens on three sides, while the fourth side overlooks Highway one for a magnificent view of the ocean, which it shares with most of the rooms in the Inn.

 The rooms all have fireplaces, and many have a private deck. Some have Jacuzzi/soaking tubs for two; all have televisions in the rooms, and an elegant-yet rustic-ambience.

But there's more: the service is excellent, and the breakfasts include homemade breads as well as a full meal that guests choose from an intriguing menu. Wine hour offers delicious and substantial hors d'oeuvres, with many dishes made from the organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown on the property, as well as eggs from the chickens raised in this forest high above the Pacific Ocean.

In between breakfast and dinner you can wander the wooded hills, or sit by the fire and enjoy a book from their library, or a movie from their collection of videos and DVD's. If you can bring yourself to leave the Inn, you're only one mile from the Village of Mendocino, and the Innkeeper will be happy to give you suggestions as to how to spend your day.  A truly unique experience is waiting for you!

 Brewery Gulch Inn, Mendocino, Calfornia; brewerygulchinn.com; 800-578-4454

IN A CAJUN KITCHEN was one of the 19 cookbooks that made the New York Times Holiday Roundup--their list of the top cookbooks 2006. 

To make a dinner reservation, call: 707.937.0289 or 800.609.0492

MacCallum House: 45020 Albion Street, Mendocino, CA 

On Saturday, Feb. 17 at 8 PM, and Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 PM, the winter concert performed by the Symphony of the Redwoods will include Rimsky-Korsakoff’s Russian Easter Overture, Tchaikowsky’s Variations of a Rococo Theme, and Prokofieff’s Symphony #7. The guest cellist, David Kadarauch, is currently the principal cellist with the San Francisco Ballet and Opera orchestras.

Location: Cotton Auditorium,

, at Alder St., Fort Bragg, CA (ten miles north of the Village of Mendocino). For tickets or more information, call 707-964-0898; www.symphonyoftheredwoods.org.

Visitors and locals alike are drawn to this hilltop Inn, overlooking historic Mendocino Village and the majestic Pacific coastline. On February 16 and 17, at 7 PM, the Hill House will sweep you back in time to dance to the Big Band swing music of the 30’s and 40’s. You will also be treated to songs from torch singer Jenni Windsor, so you can cuddle up with your main squeeze to romantic tunes such as When I Fall in Love, Moonlight in Vermont, and favorites from Billie Holliday, Cole Porter, and Johnny Mercer. 

The evening includes a free glass of Mendocino County wine, and savory treats from Rick’s Lounge. Included among the treats will be Rick’s award-winning crab cakes.

As if that’s not enough, there will be a silent auction featuring current photography artwork from Lisa Kristine Gallery of Mendocino, and other local businesses.

Hill House of Mendocino:

, Mendocino, CA. 800-422-0554; www.hillhouseinn.com.