Rat pack black & white images of Sinatra cover distressed brick walls. Nora Jones wafts out over the eclectic late afternoon diners in the lounge space at Dish Bistro & Bar – a new retreat in Old Town Pasadena right around the corner from bustling Colorado Boulevard, but feels like a world away from the shopping maddness.
The chef, owner and manager are all transplants from Sonoma, and worked together at Manzanita in Healdsburg. The crew brought their favorite ingredients from the valley with them. Lamb is from Sonoma Direct in Petaluma, duck from Liberty and cheese is sourced by Bohemian Creamery. So why set up shop in the middle of downtown Pasadena if you love the wine country so much?
We looked in Sonoma for a space and nothing was quite right," says General Manager Andi Miller. Chef Jobe Carder was born and raised in South Pasadena and owner Dave Johnson is also from SoCal but he always wanted to live in this area. “It doesn't feel like you’re in LA.”
What’s not imported from up north, is made in house, including pasta, breads, pesto with pistachios and deserts. Jobe even hand crafts the charcuteries made with lamb, cured bacon, duck and prosciutto which will pair nicely with one of the boutique wines by the glass--many of which are from, yes, Sonoma.
