There's an undeniable charm to eating in a railway car . Chummy quarters, dim lighting and feeling transported to a slower, more romantic time when travel didn't include pat-downs and families in sweat pants. Captivated by romantic visions of the past (if not the long-term practicality of having a an entire restaurant, bar and kitchen in a space not much larger than a tour bus) SoCal transplants Ted and Heather Van Doorn have been fronting Sebastopol's funky Starlight Cafe & Wine Bar for the better part of three years. The cafe is a former Southern Pacific lounge car parked permanently in Gravenstein Station . And though he was never intended to be their permanent chef, New Orleans' Thaddeus Palmese has taken over the helm (literally), transforming it into a functional kitchen. The restaurant has flown mostly under the radar despite an enthusiastic local fan-base. With hard times hitting many eateries around the North Bay, It didn't escape BiteClub's attention that the trio have recently been plugging the space, garnering a Best Of nod from the Bohemian and KSRO radio time. Honestly, you can't help but want to cheer for this hard-working, hipster crew who've had their share of uphill battles since opening. Now settled in, t here's a lot to like about the haute homey-ness of Palmese's food , a clever but compact wine list, the Van Doorn's constant presence and unforced cross-table discussion with pretty much anyone within fork-shot. Me ...
Anytime
