Zin Restaurant, Healdsburg

I've been to Zin now more times than I can remember, which means it's becoming a benchmark restaurant. Chef Jeff is on site, harvesting his own veggies and eggs, and making his own cured meats; a Chef's Chef.

I was stopping in often for dessert, the carrot cake was my favorite for about 3 months, until Chef changed it for something more seasonal, like a berry cobbler. Other times it might be for the Blue Plate nightly special, fried chicken or meatloaf. But what brought me in for a lunch one winter afternoon was a Facebook post of that day's special, Mississippi Pork and beans with creamed greens.

This was American Southern Style Cassoulet, plain and simple and oh so good. Chicken, house-made andouille, and pork over beans and greens made for a satisfying lunch. Each element was fresh, tender, and well seasoned. And like a recent meal at Petite Syrah, the supporting cast brought the dish over the top. The beans and greens, never the main focus of any dish frankly, incorporated the dish together and were just as well prepared as the three individual proteins. Every bite was delicious and different depending upon the protein you selected. I took out my chicken first, then the sausage, and finally the pork. My last bite had to be slow roasted pork not chicken. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the chicken, but chicken just doesn’t compare to pork. 

Zin is exactly as you might expect for Wine Country, fresh food, relaxed atmosphere, professional service and an easy decision to make for lunch or dinner when you're in Healdsburg.