Our James Bond for the evening, aka Zacheriah, was one of the most charming and informative servers whom I’ve ever encountered. His stunt double, Nick Pitillo, also the general manager, was both friendly and eager to please, always just a few steps behind him. After much consideration, my guest and I chose to start out our mission with the Spicy Thai beef ($9), and the Mussels ($11). The beef came on a bed of mixed greens tossed in a sweet but spicy dressing and mixed fresh vegetables. The mussels were cooked in a spicy coconut broth with crisp pepper strips. Both were prepared in perfect harmony of sweet to spicy. I might add that the mussels were extremely large and very tender. We opted not to have salad, but Sonoma Grill offers a choice of three: the dinner salad ($4), Sonoma Caesar ($9), or a tomato and fresh mozzarella salad ($7). For our entrees, we chose the swordfish with a mango salsa ($18) and one of the specials for the evening, a stuffed veal chop topped with a port wine reduction ($29). Both came with boiled baby red potatoes and perfectly al dente cooked mixed vegetables, which isn’t as easy to do as it sounds. The swordfish was very refreshing, and the veal was the most tender that I’ve ever had.

To finish it all off, we selected a classic crème brulee and a chocolate hazelnut torte. Both were oh so smooth and creamy, served on frozen, gigantic blue plates, very cool. Certainly a great last impression. I almost forgot, the décor in this place is so unique, exquisite taste all of the way across the board. The portions are all more than generous and worth every bite. Definitely a mission complete.

Features: Executive Chef: David Jones Appetizers from $5 to $11 Sous Chef: John Reen Entrees from $14 to $29 Pastry Chef: Steven Amador Desserts all $6.50 Extensive and inviting wine list Great place for an impressive first date or meeting Can accommodate up to 300 guests in four private dining rooms. by Stephanie Hawkins

Sonoma Grill 5010 Main Street Snyder, NY 14226 716. 204. 0251 www.sonomagrill.com

Mission Impossible: Bring a taste of California to Western New York. And I’m not talking about cheesy, wannabe, wish you were as cool as California cuisine; I want the real deal. So crisp and refreshing, you would swear that they grow the ingredients out back. And you get the ambiance, not the trendy New York City scene, but the classy yet bright charisma that you instantly crave once you’ve visited Sonoma and have been forced to return home again. The menu must be considerate, making California approachable to all Buffalonian palates.