GALT Magazine:
SONOMA VALLEY: Hospitality Town
LAYLA AT MACARTHUR PLACE
29 E. MACARTHUR STREET | SONOMA, CA 95476 | 707-938-2929 | MACARTHURPLACE.COM
“Our virtuous and honorable love affair with Sonoma Valley and all the fine food it holds brought our happy hearts to MacArthur Place. This setting wants to renew your cells, too, with top-tier lodging, spa amenities, and a tranquil setting to simply have a quiet walk. Whether a guest at The MacArthur Hotel or not, the welcome mat is unfurled for all.
A great way to explore any town’s culture is through its culinary scene. Let your senses be won over, for starters, at The Bar at MacArthur Place. With soft, neutral wood finishes and custom-crafted furnishings, recap what you found shopping today alongside an old-fashioned martini, craft beer, or exceptional wine paired with Spanish octopus or gnocchi with veal Bolognese. The setting has a “come hither” feel written all over it.
Make your way to the back patio and settle in for dinner. Savvy travelers and locals already nestled into this beauty consider Layla at MacArthur Place a necessary passageway to well-being. It’s a very familiar and comfortable setting with a communal vibe. State-of-the-art heaters weren’t the only warming factor; a genteel server will also offer up a blanket for your lap if so desired.
Mouthwatering herb-marinated lamb chops and a Tuscan grilled ribeye seem to be the only reason neighboring tables broke in conversation. Each delicate bite of my dinner choice—the whole roasted sea bass with fingerling potatoes, fennel, and pearl onion finished with lemon and garlic—took me as far away from reality as I needed to be. My dinner date got equally lost in every bite of the porchetta with confit baby fennel, Cara Cara orange salad, and salsa verde.
Worthy of its own spotlight is the homemade pappardelle with local wild mushrooms. We packed up this creamy delight (suggested by our server, thank the heavens!) and took this back to our mini fridge at the Kenwood for later. If only the stain of porcini cream on my pajamas could talk.
The spice trade is alive and well inside Layla at MacArthur Place. From Gambas al Ajillo (jumbo prawns, garlic, lemon, smoked paprika) to the Lebanese Tabouleh—we loved and savored every bite. The presentation is so on point; you may not want to disturb it.
But please do.”
