You feel it when you walk through the door.
The room echoes with laughter, conversation, clinking glasses and the tap of silverware on plates. Memories seem to seep from the walls. The seating wears a familiar aspect, as if each table had welcomed generations.
But Twisted Sisters Pub & Grill will not open until Saturday.
Even before the kitchen serves up their first appetizer plate, the new spot in downtown Lakeport fulfills the vision of owners Carma Jordan and Carrie Caron. The two have spent a lifetime traveling the globe, sampling everything from pub fare to Michelin star destinations. And they found a common theme in their favorite haunts.
“We know what we like — the food, the feel, the atmosphere,” Caron said, emphasizing the jumble of conviviality that makes up the latter.
The tables accommodate boisterous groups as well as intimate couples tucked in a corner. The walls show a patina of wear and the décor speaks of Lakeport’s past, settling against the background in black and white. Sliding doors milled from Valley Fire lumber separate dining rooms in the surprisingly large space and the horseshoe bar beckons.
“For us, we love the atmosphere when we go out,” Jordan added. “We don’t want to rush people out of here.”
Sitting empty before Saturday’s opening, it feels like a rare achievement. The layout and planning reflects trendy Bay Area fashion. Yet it is packaged in Irish pub comfort — the kind of place where a community unwinds, celebrates or spends an afternoon.
Yes, Caron and Jordan are sisters. And they may indeed be a bit twisted. When asked which one inspired the name, they each accused the other.
But they approached the restaurant with a keen sense of contentment. They purchased the location in April and repurposed materials in the design. They plan to use local wines and trained the kitchen to work from scratch — which includes learning to operate a pasta machine imported from Italy. They tested service over several private “soft opening” events. More importantly, they are putting the finishing touches on an upscale comfort food menu.
In soft opening meals, meatloaf prepared from brisket proved to be a popular item. Pub style fish and chips also earned accolades. The menu also lists flatbreads, burgers, pot pie, a massive ribeye steak, a clever cheese puff pastry and more.
The specialty, prepared by veteran chef Jody Hall and her team, may be something cheekily labeled “Big Cahonies.”
These are essentially the makings of a ham dinner plate rolled into a ball, breaded and fried. It is served on a salted caramel sauce that may seem counterintuitive, yet picks up on the ruddy nature of the meat.
For the full bar, they have a list of specialty cocktails, wine and beer flights and — in a unique twist (and once they get up to speed) — cocktail flights. That’s right, samplings of different martinis, margaritas and other drinks.
Of course, the confidence found in the space and the exuberance of the owners is tempered by the usual opening day jitters. Each day passers by peer in the windows in anticipation. And although the sisters are rookies when it comes to the service industry, they know the frenzied first month exposes flaws not discovered in the more relaxed soft opening meals.
“We’re trying to figure out timing,” Jordan said. “And we’ve been going back and forth on plating.”
Tuesday new boxes of plates arrived, giving kitchen staff and waiters limited time to gain familiarity.
“It’s kind of scary,” Caron pointed out.
At the same time, it’s an exciting moment. Saturday at 11:30 a.m. the new and much anticipated restaurant will throw open its doors. Today it is poised in anticipation, as ready as it will be for the initial rush.
Yet Twisted Sisters already feels like it belongs, as if it has been a community destination for quite some time.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
