sonoma wine garden

having been to sonoma wine garden when they first opened for breakfast (see my previous post ), i have been wanting to go back for a meal and finally did last week. sunset on a balmy southern california day is the perfect time to take advantage of the rooftop views of the pacific and to bask in the last rays of sunshine on the outdoor patio. the tomato basil soup with a drizzle of basil oil and garlic croutons, was a perfect way to start. i chose the caesar salad ($12) because it had white anchovies (my favorite), but i was pleasantly surprised by the high garlic content of the dressing and the parmesan crisps which added a nice crunch to the crisp leaves of romaine. cindy chose the beet salad with shaved fennel and goat cheese ($12) and cleaned her plate. she loved the presentation as much as the flavor combination. we both had the 2005 jordan cabernet sauvignon from the alexander valley and very much appreciated the ability to order a half as well as full glass (cindy never drinks mo

you know that feeling where you take baby steps into that picturesque pool at your all-inclusive resort, and you edge your way to the swim up bar? you order your first drink of the holiday, take that first sip of that delicious cocktail, and take a second to gaze around at the beauty of it all? that’s what it’s like at sonoma wine garden. huddled inside the 3rd street promenade, swg has this incredibly friendly, airy feeling about it. in the middle sits a 3-sided wraparound bar with tables around each side (so that bar sitters and table sitters are at arms length apart). surrounding the bar sides are upper level outdoor seating areas with virtually no walls enclosing any of these areas. there are only superficial barriers such as tables or half doorways or stairs. the entire concept is very inviting and unpretentious.

fun atmosphere!. great place to grab drinks or go for a full meal. ambiance is fantastic and the staff is great. the truffle fries are incredible.

[the taster plate] was a great combination of cheeses and meats, and i think my only complaint would be that the bread tasted just a little bit stale.

disorganized, overpriced. their motto should be, "thank god for captive audiences." the physical facility is beautiful and located in the best spot in santa monica place. the flavor is right out of "entourage." food is ok, not super creative or unusual and way overpriced. but the most annoying aspect is the service...total chaos. staffers are very cordial and willing but the problem is that everyone seems to believe that "it's someone else's task." we ordered a salad---it was forgotten. we told the waiter and he disappeared. next we flagged a supervisor and he got the salad immediately. but they made the wrong entre. other tables received bread but not us...we had to ask. it's depressing to see someone spend around $1million on construction and start up and then be clueless about how operations are ruining the business. this was dec 2010 so maybe it's better now.