Muy Ricos Burritos
Chef Brenda has recently added three Muy Ricos Burritos to her menu. All are wrapped with black beans, 3-grain rice, serrano chiles and either red and white onions or pickled onions, in a locally made tortilla. The Pam Chulo (chicken or pork) is seasoned with spicy and cilantro crema. The Frida Kahlo (chicken or yuba (soy)) is mixed with kimchee and Kochi Jang Sauce, which is a variation on a Korean sauce used in Bi Bim Baps. The Ponchito Ranch-Hand (slow braised beef and caramelized onions) comes with the house-made cheddar cheese sauce, rice wine vinaigrette, and sunflower and pumpkin seeds. You really can’t go wrong with any of these, unless exploring new and bold flavors isn’t your thing.
Rum Cake
I don’t know much, but I know I have more than just “a” sweet “tooth.” I am usually willing to put up with just about any old bland food in order to get to Zert. Thankfully, there is nothing bland at Secret Kitchen but Chef Brenda’s Rum Cake could coax me through a plate of cardboard, with a side of beige, washed down with warm tap water. Yes, it’s that good. And I’m not normally a fan of booze infused Zerts but this thing is simply incredible.
Secret Kitchen is primarily a pick-up (to-go) place but you can hang out at a couple of picnic tables and grub down on-site, if you wish. We covered a picnic table with all our items and found the atmosphere friendly and communal. Seeing our table covered with every imaginable dish, new customers were constantly seeking our advice, which was easy to give. “Order anything – it’s all good.” We even ended up talking to a woman from Tomales, who we later found out is the daughter-in-law of a family friend. Just like most of our Petaluma experiences, this proved once again that if you live in Petaluma long enough you are really only one person away from knowing everyone.
“Secrets eat away what is good and leave only destruction behind” – Cassandra Clare
The miracle of miracles came when at the end of our mammoth meal we discovered that our new favorite place was also our guest’s Laura’s. In fact, Laura was so excited about the food that she returned the next day with her daughter and has been going back ever since. We too returned within days in order to introduce Secret Kitchen to more of our friends …and so I could have more of the Rum Cake.
“But some secrets are too delicious not to share” – Suzanne Collins
Petaluma is all about the small town feel and when it comes to food, we only accept the best, the healthiest, and the most comforting. Chef Brenda, and her not so Secret Kitchen, take these traditions to heart and have put Secret Kitchen on the map, even if your GPS doesn’t have the easiest time finding it.