City: Guerneville, CA

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (707) 869-9093, (800) 555-8509

Address: 13555 Highway 116

Description: Snuggled among the redwoods just south of Guerneville, Applewood Inn is famed for its sophisticated meals and comfortable lodgings (see the Bed-and-Breakfast Inns chapter). It’s one of those special places you want to keep to yourself, but you can’t stop talking about it. The fire-lit dining room serves 60 at individual candlelit tables with windows facing the redwoods on three sides. The restaurant does wonderful things with a crisp duck breast set off with corn and bing cherries, stuffed pork loin cured in spiced black tea and basmati rice, or roasted salmon with mushrooms and chive-caviar butter. Leave room for the blueberry and fromage blanc cheesecake in semolina cookie crust. Applewood is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday.