A Pole that Really Pleases
Occidental's West Pole Café, Purveyor of Pizzas with Panache.

It seems like every time you turn around these days there's a new bakery opening somewhere in Sonoma County. Who knew the economic upturn would begin in the brick oven-baking sector. With so many new arrivals in the oldest profession in cooking--the making of bread--you had better be sure you can compete. Occidental's West Pole Bakery Café leads the pack.

The Menu

The folks at West Pole don't make it easy on their patrons when it comes to choosing from their sumptuous menu. You will find pizza staples like the margherita (tomato and basil), as well as unique creations combining crimini and porcini mushrooms with sausage--a fungi-phile's delight. There are two wood-fired pizzas that I highly recommend.

The first is the Westpolian ($12.50). Imagine a crisp pizza crust hot from the oven delicately layered with eggplant, caramelized onions and roasted garlic and tomatoes. But West Pole doesn't stop there, a basil pesto, fresh diced peppers and goat, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses additionally adorn this pizza pie. All these wonderful taste sensations exist harmoniously on a deceptively thin pizza. The Westpolian is not one of those pizzas used as a dumping ground for ingredients. It's a carefully constructed masterpiece in pizza form.

The Ring of Fire pizza is as simple as the Westpolian is complex: spicy sausage, garlic, peppers and cheese. This piquant pizza pleaser certainly earns its name. You'll want to keep a glass of iced chai tea ($2.00) in easy reach.

And though the fixings are simple, the way they complement each other is not. The roasted garlic and peppers gently mellow the fiery sausage (which is made in-house), giving your mouth a slight respite between mouthfuls of West Pole's hot sausage. I can unabashedly say these pizzas are the most satisfying twelve inches in West County.

And pizza is not the only thing they do well. In addition to a breakfast menu, they also offer delicious panini (Italian sandwiches) and piadinas (Italian-style tacos).

And of course there's the bread. Try a loaf of the Turkish Apricot ($5.00) with dates, raisins and almonds. It makes wonderfully sweet toast.

Or if you're feeling a bit of regional pride, for $3.25 sample a loaf of the Pane de Campagne, which roughly translates to "bread of the countryside." And that's exactly what this sourdough is--a piece of Occidental. Their original sourdough starter was concocted using, among other things, a sampling from a local freshwater pond.

The Milieu

And if wonderful food at fair prices isn't enough to sell you on this charming addition to West County, add to the picture a bustling but homey atmosphere.

The waitstaff is a bit overeager, you may have a few fervent servers ask you if you're ready to order. Personally I prefer enthused service to idle.

And while the table service needs a little fine-tuning, the workings of the open-air kitchen are in perfect harmony. You may even catch pizza chefs showboating, tossing pizza dough behind their backs and over their heads and catching it in mid air with practiced ease.

The Men's Room

West Pole's men's room is actually an outhouse. Well, it's not really as rustic as all that, but you do have to leave the restaurant to get to it. However, the short jaunt out the door and around the corner is certainly worth it. Clean and well lit, this restroom is an inspiration to all others. Additionally, pains were taken to continue the look-and-feel of the restaurant's interior. Note the matching of the tiles in the lavatory with those on the ovens, nicely done!

Whether you're looking for someplace to take your girlfriend for a wonderful breakfast the morning after a night of fireworks or a place to take that sexy otter you just met during Lazy Bear Weekend, The West Pole Café can't be beat.