El Sombrero

Eastside Road, September 5, 2011—

BERKELEY FRIENDS DROVE UP today to visit and to pick up some crabapples and pears (and some Kaffir lime leaves and bay leaves, and a few grapes to make some sourdough starter — it's that time of year), and we took them in to town for lunch at The Hat, as Healdsburg regulars refer to our favorite Mexican restaurant.

Funny: much as I love chiles rellenos, I'd never ordered them here. So today I corrected that, and was happy to find really flavorful peppers stuffed with cheese that had flavor too, not the bland stuff you so often find. The batter was light and fluffy, and the beans nicely cooked. We started with a bowl of tasty guacamole, and I washed it all down with a Tecate, and went home happy.

Dinner: another mess of fried padrones; another mess of marrowfat beans, some green beans on the side. Let's skip salad, yes?

Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Armento, 2009; Cabernet sauvignon, Mayacamas, 1983. (Two more dead soldiers for the recycle bin.)

• Taqueria El Sombrero, 245 Center Street, Healdsburg; (707) 433-3818