It’s difficult to pigeonhole the new Ragoot’s restaurant on
Monterey Street in Morgan Hill. Located in the newly renovated
building that once housed the Skeels Hotel, Ragoot’s is part
bistro, part coffee shop and part gourmet restaurant, with a lot of
fun and funky touches.
It’s difficult to pigeonhole the new Ragoot’s restaurant on Monterey Street in Morgan Hill. Located in the newly renovated building that once housed the Skeels Hotel, Ragoot’s is part bistro, part coffee shop and part gourmet restaurant, with a lot of fun and funky touches.
My husband and I arrived fairly early on a Saturday evening and many of the tables were already full with happy diners. We were greeted warmly and professionally and asked where we would like to be seated. Ragoot’s is one of the few lucky restaurants which has been allowed outside dining and, since it was a nice evening, we chose to dine al fresco. We were seated and given a double-sided menu and wine list.
One side of the menu was lunch fare, which included a nice selection of hot and cold sandwiches, salads and several varieties of flatbread pizzaettes. On the flip side, the dinner menu was simple and nicely put together. There were four well-chosen entrees, a selection of pastas and a category called “Accompaniments.” This covered a broad range of foods, from a couple of small salads and vegetables, to “Not Your Mom’s Macaroni and Cheese.” All “Accompaniments” were $2.99.
The wine list, though small, had a wonderful selection. In addition to a couple of local selections, such as a Pietra Santa Chardonnay and Dolcetto, both at $6 per glass, there was an Australian Sauvignon Blanc and an Italian red. Several bottles of premium wines are also set out on an antique sideboard. These are available for retail purchase and were subject to a moderate corkage fee if you wanted to enjoy your choice with dinner. But, for all the availability, I was stopped by the entry on the wine list of Martin Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 ($7 per glass). It’s a great wine, hard to find, and here available by the glass – I was very happy!
When our wine was delivered, our waiter took our dinner order. We began with the Cheesy Foccacia Bread ($2.50) to accent the wine. Pasta appealed to me that evening and I couldn’t pass up the Truffled Mushroom Ravioli ($11.95) and a small house salad from the “Accompaniments” section. My husband the beef lover was immediately drawn to the Flat Iron Steak ($12.95), which was served with Garlic Smashed Potatoes.
We were enjoying watching Saturday night in Morgan Hill from our table facing Monterey Street, when we realized that quite a bit of time had passed since we had ordered and we hadn’t even seen the Foccacia bread yet. Hmmm. It arrived a couple of minutes later and it was delicious. Two wedges of fresh, yeasty Foccacia were topped with garlic, melted cheese and basil– an excellent appetizer! Then the wait began again. A little while later, my dinner salad appeared and it, too, was delicious. Fresh spring mixed greens with iceberg lettuce were mixed with roasted walnuts and cherry tomatoes that tasted like they had just come from someone’s garden. I had only taken two bites, however, when our entrees arrived. Hmmm. This wonderful food would have been enjoyed so much more if the timing had been more finely tuned.
Our entrees were as delicious as they had been described on the menu. My bowl of al dente ravioli, which tasted homemade, were filled with wild mushrooms and cheese and sauced with a browned butter flavored with sage. Fresh, wild mushrooms topped this very satisfying dish. My husband’s Flat Iron Steak was perfectly cooked and presented sliced and topped with Gorgonzola cheese. The Garlic Smashed Potatoes were nicely seasoned and still “chunky” rather than pureed, just the way we like them. They were topped with a reduction sauce from the steak, which had also been pooled on the plate.
We were very satiated but still wanted something sweet to top off the meal. We waited expectantly for our waiter to appear, but he seemed to have disappeared. So, my husband went inside and ordered dessert from the counter and a wedge of fresh Whiskey Pecan Tart ($4.25) was quickly delivered to our table. It was worth the effort it took to get it. The desserts at Ragoot’s are made off-site by “a woman who loves to bake,” as we were told. That was clearly evident in the tart we sampled. Their desserts, as well as a selection of their entrees, can be purchased from a refrigerator case to take home. I was tempted to buy one of each of the desserts!
After the problem with food timing, our check arrived quickly and payment processed very efficiently. The service staff, though young, are extremely courteous and personable. If they could coordinate the arrival of a guest’s meal, Ragoot’s would be almost perfect. With its delicious homemade food in a delightfully casual setting, great wines and to-die-for desserts, Ragoot’s is definitely worth a lunch or dinner time visit.
Sara Leigh has lived in Morgan Hill for 26 years with her husband and two sons, who are now away at college. She loves food and wine, and keeps all the delicious calories in check by avid race-walking. Reach her at ca*******@*****il.com. All reviews for The Dish are anonymous, and all reviewers’ meals are paid for by South Valley Newspapers.
