Sonoma's the Girl & the Fig is a major find for frugal diners

Each Tuesday the Register reviews an area restaurant, with an emphasis on establishments where a couple can dine for $30 or less. Reader suggestions are welcomed.

A warm rain fell over the square in Sonoma, prompting everyone but the ducks to run for cover. Those who fled into the girl & the fig were the lucky ones.

Housed in a 19th century hotel at the square's southeast corner, this intriguingly named restaurant serves an affordably priced all-day menu touted as "country food with a French flair."

Arriving without reservations at 2 p.m., we were told the wait would be an hour. We could have hung out at the bar, where some patrons were having meals. Instead, we cruised the square for a half hour. When we got back, a window table in the dining room was ready.

With its warm yellow walls, wood floor and impossibly tall ceiling, the girl & the fig is a warm, bright place to dine on even the coldest days.

Given the charm, our expectation was that the menu would be more expensive than it is. There are a half dozen sandwiches and egg plates from $10 to $15, including a top sirloin burger with choice of cheese and matchstick fries for $11.95.

Besides starter courses such as steamed mussels and steak tartare for $12.95 and a charcuterie platter for $11.95, the girl and the fig promotes cheese plates. Cheese and sausage with a baguette is $12.95. For $2 more, you get seasonal fruit. A sampler of local and imported artisan goat cheeses is $12.95.

One of the salads features -- what else? -- figs with local goat cheese for $10.95.

Mid-day diners with large appetites or those having dinner can choose from heavier fare, including a squash and Roquefort cheese pasta for $18.25, beef short ribs with black mission figs for $21.95 and a grilled steak with potato pancakes and sauteed broccoli rabe priced identically.

We ordered from the smaller plate section: the omelet du jour for $10.95 and the quiche lorraine for $12.95. Both came with salads, while the quiche also had matchstick fries.

The dining room, a series of three rooms that flow from one to the other, was still nearly full with couples, families with kids and several large holiday groups. Were they tourists or merely locals enjoying themselves like tourists? We couldn't tell.

Our server was courteous, non-pressuring and gave us added time to decide our order. We were in no rush. In a dining environment this nice, the Fork wanted to linger.

The piece of protective paper on the tablecloth was printed with the girl & the fig logo. Recorded jazz drifted in from the bar as did happy chatter. The art on the walls featured naked earth goddesses.

The two-page wine list featured lots of West Coast wines from lesser known Rhone grape varieties such as mourvedre and viognier.

The omelet of the day, featuring duck confit, grilled red onions and goat cheese was a success. It was beautifully yellow without a brown edge. Each moist bite featured warm, stringy cheese. The duck morsels were loaded with dark meat flavor.

Our salads were a mix of lettuces with thin radish slices that added a sweet touch.

By itself, the omelet would have been a hit. It suffered only in comparison to the quiche lorraine, which I considered one of the best I have ever encountered.

Fluffy, creamy, loaded with bacon, the quiche packed an intense punch. There was no stinting on the cream or the crispy bacon. The crust was firm and flavorful.

The quiche came with the tiniest fries sprinkled with parsley, with a cup of tarragon aoli for dipping. They were delightfully light and so unlike everyone else's fries.

We considered the fig & the girl to be a major find, a place where fine food can be had at a reasonable price.

A minor service note: Our water glasses were not refilled until our meal was essentially over.

On the plus side, we received a basket of sweet French bread that nicely launched our meal. Our table had a lit candle.

The folks behind the girl & the fig are serious entrepreneurs. There is a second restaurant, the Fig Cafe and Wine Bar in Glen Ellen. Also, the restaurant produces a catalog of specialty food products, including dressings, confits, compotes and chutneys. Most feature figs.

Product samples can be tasted in the bar. Even people who do not think of themselves as fig lovers will be pleasantly surprised.

The restaurant, located at 110 W. Spain St., is open daily, with one menu for dining between 11:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. There is a limited brasserie menu until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and a Sunday brunch starting at 10 a.m.

Readers with tips about interesting places to eat should e-mail diningout@napanews.com