Mister McGoo's - Italian, Petaluma

Best: French fries

1375 Petaluma Blvd North
Petaluma CA 94952
(707) 763-4346
Parking: in parking lot
Hours: Open Wednesday through Saturday after 5pm. Open Sunday for brunch 10am to 1pm and after 5pm.

Last Visited: August 4, 2004

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $$$

My uncle recommended Mister McGoo’s which has been owned and operated by the McGaughey Family since 1965. From what I hear, they serve a fantastic Sunday Champagne Buffet Brunch.

The atmosphere is definitely that of a classic Italian restaurant. You enter into a circular shaped lobby with two openings. Immediately facing you upon your entry is a picture of the family. To your right, the doorway opens toward the bar. To your left is the dining area.

The tables are covered with brown and white checkered table cloths. The floors are light brown and the walls are wood paneled with some brick between panels. There are three main dining areas. The ceilings are high, and the chairs are cushioned and comfortable. The restaurant definitely had a family owned feeling about it, and it was neat and clean. Silk flowers line the back counter.

Dinners include soup (minestrone or clam chowder), salad, garlic bread, vegetables, and a choice of ravioli, spaghetti, French fries, polenta, or a baked potato (baked potato only available Friday through Sunday). Pasta dinners include soup, salad, or garlic bread. The chef’s specials and daily specials are served with a choice of soup or salad and in some cases, French fries (check the menu to see what sides are served with which dish). Dinner prices range from $12 to $23.

- Garlic Bread – Garlic bread is served warm in a basket lined with a coffee filter (clever idea!). The garlic bread is crusty on the outside, soft on the inside, and crisp on top. Very nicely done. When one basket is finished, another arrives at your table. Three to four stars.

- Clam Chowder – The clam chowder was excellent. It’s creamy and rich with potatoes and meaty clams. Very nicely done and not watered down. It’s served in a cup with oyster crackers on the side. Great. Four stars.

- Salad – A small dinner salad comprised of iceberg lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage is topped with croutons and a slice of salami. Choice of dressing. The salad was fresh, but perhaps too much dressing making it slightly soggy.

- Sirloin Steak – Grilled sirloin steak is served with French fries and vegetables. The steak was large, but one side was more well done than the other even though the steak was ordered medium. There was a separation in the meat caused by a ligament, and the side with excess fat came out a perfect medium while the other side was overcooked. See a review of the French fries below. The side of vegetables were disappointing. The vegetables included green beans, carrots, broccoli, and peppers, so variety was good. The vegetables were lightly flavored by the peppers, but the disappointing part was that the broccoli had become especially soggy making it unpleasant to my tastes, though this style may be just right for somebody else.

- Breaded Veal – Two large pieces of veal are breaded and topped with brown gravy. See the review of vegetables above and the ravioli review below. The flavor is good, and the breading of the veal is crispy, but slightly it’s a bit too thick. I prefer the breading to be lighter. Veal parmigiana is virtually the same dish, but instead of brown gravy, the two pieces are topped with parmesan and tomato meat sauce.

- Raviolis – The raviolis have a meat filling and are topped with a tomato meat sauce and grated parmesan cheese. The ravioli wrappers were on the thick side, an indication of store bought raviolis. Average.

- French Fries – The French fries are cut thick and are the best fries I’ve had in a long time. It’s worth it just to come for the fries. They’re so hot that they might even burn your fingers. Fresh and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Excellent! Five star fries!
The food is okay, but the I found the sides (soup, garlic bread, and fries) were better than the main dish during my visit this evening. Portions are large and filling. Service is attentive, but not overbearing. Mister McGoo’s certainly serves homestyle Italian cooking. The French fries reign supreme here!