SingleThread
This meal was two years in the making! Alex and I first made a reservation for SingleThread in fall 2019, but that was cancelled due to fires in Calistoga that weekend. We decided to wait for a future date to book the meal. Then, of course, the pandemic hit. SingleThread was actually quite agile in pivoting to new concepts during the pandemic, so we ended up visiting twice in 2020. First we did their takeout meal– beautifully presented and thoughtfully designed for you to reheat at home. And we visited again when they opened their rooftop wine bar. But of course we still wanted to return for the full tasting menu meal after the restaurant reopened. So finally, in August 2021, we got to have the full experience!
The restaurant/hotel is located on a corner in downtown Healdsburg.
As soon as you enter the front doors, you can see in to the kitchen. Chef-owner Kyle Connaughton was in the kitchen and came to say hello. We had brought our copy of the Donabe Cookbook, which he cowrote with Naoko Takei Moore. Chef asked if we would like it signed (of course). I hope he enjoyed my diligently-marked cookbook with all of the handwritten alpaca sticky tabs, haha.
As soon as we were seated, a feast for the eyes and palette was already set at the table. Amongst a floral arrangement were a whole bunch of tiny dishes, mostly seafood-forward, ready to be enjoyed in any order.
Then began the actual courses. Kanpachi: ume boshi, Santa Rosa pluot, purslane, and daikon. Beautifully presented inside a basket.
Owan of summer squash: aka amadai, grilled onion dashi, and squash blossom. A crispy tilefish. Duck liver parfait: sunflower seeds, basil, corn custard, pickled beans.
Black cod ibushi-gin presented on the smoker donabe, with sides ready for you to assemble your own fish taco.
Duclair duck: mulberry, fairytale eggplant, and walnut miso.
Yaki onigiri: duck consomme, caramelized mugi, and pickled kohlrabi. Dry Creek peach: white tea, rice mousse, and raspberry.
Two very happy diners!
Sonoma cherry: chocolate, yogurt, and vanilla bean.
Wagashi: kasu albion strawberry custard; yuzu and cucumber; dark chocolate mint; lemon verbena and summer berries.
Our vantage point from the dining room, which was very comfortable! And we could get a little peek into the kitchen as well.
And finally, the menu of the night, with a little komatsuna seed packet, along with the little flower posies that were part of our table settings when we arrived.
All in all, such a wonderful experience, and well worth the 2-year wait. Congratulations to SingleThread on another 3-star Michelin rating and #37 on San Pelligrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Looking forward to returning to Healdsburg and supporting their next venture, Little Saint, when it opens!
Anna Wu is a wedding and portrait photographer based in San Francisco. She compulsively documents and blogs all of her daily adventures. Follow her on instagram and view more of her professional work at annawu.com.
