Sassafras Restaurant & Wine Bar

A longtime mover and shaker on the Sonoma culinary scene, Michael Hirschberg scored huge points when he opened this New American gem. Its ingenious main courses include Pennsylvania Dutch-style chicken pie with saffron sauce, CK lamb pot-roast with zinfandel-herb jus and garlic mashed potatoes, and Angus strip loin with shallot-blue cheese butter and creamed spinach. The restaurant's clean-lined interior is punctuated by a smooth blend of greens, yellows, and blues, giving it contemporary panache.