"The Duck Club is the upscale restaurant at the Bodega Bay Lodge and Spa, and is one of the most romantic -- and least-known -- dining spots in Sonoma County. It has a new chef, Patrick Tafoya, who was formerly the sous chef at the Santa Rosa Golf and Country Club..."   [Photo at Right courtesy of The Duck Club]

"Chef Tafoya can ... produce incredibly delicious dishes like the Pan Roasted Salmon Creek Farms Duck Breast ($32 ), a dish that puts a special shine on the restaurant's name. A well-grown duck breast is pan-roasted medium rare and cut into eight luscious slices. Instead of saucing the heck out of it, he serves the slices laid across a just-right-for-winter white bean and bacon stew underlain with mirepoix, that essential French mix of finely chopped carrots, onions, celery and herbs that elevates whatever it touches....

"While the food is important at The Duck Club, the atmosphere makes every visit special. On a recent night, you could hear the low moan of the Bodega Bay foghorn through the filtering fog. Light from inside the restaurant fell through the big plate-glass windows and illuminated the lawn outside, where a fat raccoon waddled by. When it's still light outside, the view across the salt marsh to the ocean is a classic seascape, complete with waterfowl winging purposefully on their way to somewhere.

Inside, the restaurant is classy. A huge stone fireplace fills one end of the room. Soft ochre-yellow table linens and napkins and thick carpeting underfoot add to the luxe feeling.... The perfect venue for a romantic, ocean-view meal. Excellent ingredients, many from nearby farms and fisheries, enhance the experience..."