 LUNCH
Wed — Thur: 12pm - 2:30pm Fri — Sat: 12pm - 4pm DINNER Sun — Thur: 5pm - 9pm Fri — Sat: 4pm - 10pm 154 Petaluma Blvd North Petaluma, CA 94952 Map (707) 766.7600 info@risibisirestaurant.com   
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 Press ReviewsNorth Bay Bohemian  “Petaluma’s Risibisi: Italian done right”by Jeff Cox, Santa Rosa Press Democrat Friday, December 5, 2008 Once in a great while, a wine complements a dish so perfectly that they create a transcendent moment. It seems so simple, so ordinary at the time, but it lingers in memory, sometimes for years, sometimes for a lifetime. This happened on a recent night at Risibisi in Petaluma with a glass of Greco di Tufo and a plate of fritto misto.
Terredora di Paolo’s 2007 DOCG Greco di Tufo ($32), whose golden color exactly matched that of the fried food, had a soft, supple body; delicate sunny aromas, and a rich flavor with a touch of lemon. Its citrusy tang cut through the fatty seafood, lightening and lifting it. Then an amazing thing happened. The sun of Campania glinted in that wine, and the taste called forth images of golden bunches of grapes on high-trellised vines growing in the volcanic soils east of Naples. That sunlight sparkled in the wine’s color. And the seafood seemed pulled straight out of the Tyrrhenian Sea. For just a moment, Petaluma faded and I was at a sunny table on the Italian coast, looking out to sea. And just as quickly back in Petaluma. Risibisi — named for a northern Italian dish of rice and garden peas — has a new chef, Kevin Ahajanian, who replaced Fabio Flagiello. The owner remains Marco Palmieri. Chef Ahajanian has some remarkable skills, and the quality at this restaurant hasn’t missed a beat despite the change in the kitchen. The Roasted Beet Salad ($10.95 — 2½ stars) was a good if ordinary version of this old standard, with organic baby red and yellow beets and baby arugula leaves drenched in sherry vinaigrette, Point Reyes blue cheese, and candied walnuts. In the Piquillo Pepper Caprese Salad ($10.95 — 2½ stars), roasted and peeled sweet, red piquillo pepper slabs took the place of tomato. Domestic fresh mozzarella slices and basil leaves were laid on top and the salad drizzled with olive oil. When you order bruschetta at most restaurants, you get a slice of toast with garlic and chopped tomato. But Risibisi’s Mixed Mushroom Bruschetta ($11.90 / 3 stars) is for mushroom lovers. The toasted slices of ciabatta hold a mix of sautéed mushrooms — on our night, oyster, crimini and trumpet — drizzled with a balsamic vinegar reduction sauce as thick as maple syrup and sprinkled with chopped Italian parsley and just a touch of salt. Simple, but lusciously earthy. The menu calls this food “Rustic Italian Cuisine,” although, as connoisseurs of Italian cooking know, there are many regional cuisines in Italy that are quite different from one another. This menu mostly points to Rome and areas to the north with nods to southern Italian cooking. At the top of the menu, it says, “We proudly use exclusively fresh, local and sustainable products,” which is admirable and fairly typical of good restaurants in this chef’s paradise we call Sonoma County. The pork used in the Rotini with Duroc Pork Ragu ($18.95— 3 stars) is local. You may recall seeing Duroc hogs at the county fair. They’re red with droopy ears, and the breed was developed around 1830 in New England, so they are a heritage breed. The rotini are house-made curlicues of pasta. The pork is tender, shreddy, and falling apart, and the tomatoey dish is studded with mushrooms and topped with parmesan cheese. It’s yummy. On a recent night, the Risotto of the Day ($17.95 — 3 stars) was carnaroli rice with mushrooms, chicken, and English peas fresh from the pod. It was served “al onda,” in the “wavy” style Italians prefer, meaning the liquid hasn’t all been absorbed by the rice. Grana Padano cheese was grated on top to further enrich the fine flavors. Braised Beef Short Ribs ($23.95 — 3 Stars) glistened with their shiny coating of reduced red wine jus. The meat was flavorful and tender, but not falling apart. It shared the plate with steamed organic rainbow chard and pureed (not mashed) potatoes. The same chard and potatoes accompanied Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms ($21.95 — 2 stars). Plenty of mushrooms at this time of year is a fine idea. The pan roasted chicken dark meat was juicy and succulent, but the breast meat had dried out and become chewy. The delicious sauce on the plate was a boscaiola (forester’s) sauce — usually made with garlic, shallots, mushrooms and cream. Chef Ahajanian smartly substituted the natural chicken pan juices for the cream, and the resulting sauce brought the dish together. For dessert, two cheeses on the Cheese Plate ($16 — 3½ stars) made a perfect ending: Taleggio, a soft and silky smooth cheese, and Pecorino Fresco, a young, sweet cheese, are both from sheep’s milk. They were served with lavender-infused honey, candied walnuts and fresh fruit jam. Tiramisu ($8 — 4 stars*) this good is only rivaled by the one served at Graziano’s restaurant next door. How about a tiramisu-off? If you go to Risibisi, walk down the hallway, past the entrance to the kitchen, toward the back room. The walls are hung with tasty watercolors by Marti Olson Gamba that are worth a close look. The decor at Risibisi is simple and pretty. Eleven child-size chairs hang from the ceiling in front of the old brick south wall. The north wall is covered by rustic-weave drapery. A small wine bar at the back of the room faces the kitchen pass-through. Ample windows in front look out on Petaluma Boulevard. The tables are solid wood with no tablecloths. The 220 wines on the list are weighted toward Italy. Campania is well represented, with Falanghina, Fiano d’Avellino, Aglianico and Taurasi along with the Greco di Tufo. And interestingly, so is the Veneto, with three well-aged Bertani amarones from 1967, 1968 and 1976. Choose among eight white and seven red wines by the glass, or any of the good beers on tap. Corkage is $18. To sum up: Great rustic Italian food excellently prepared from seasonal, local and sustainable products. That’s a winning formula.
RATINGS:
Jeff Cox writes a weekly restaurant review column for A&E. You can reach him at jeffcox@sonic.net. 
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The Fritto Misto ($11.50 — 4 Stars) consisted of battered and fried calamari, prawns and vegetables with a small pot of Meyer lemon aioli. The pieces had been dipped in the batter and fried in hot oil, then rushed to the table still steaming. They had that lovely, fresh-fried crunchiness that disappears as soon as battered and fried foods cool off. The batter was beautifully seasoned with just the right amount of salt, and there was a whiff of the sea about the plate. The color was a light, champagne gold. And the mixed fry wasn’t wet with residual oil, but dry, with no taste of burnt or over-used oil.