Last month my husband and I made one of our semi-annual treks to California wine country. Usually we try to hit it in the off-season, when the roads and tasting rooms aren’t crammed with summertime visitors. Late September the weather can still be quite warm, and one experiences some of the buzz and bustle of harvest and crush. In early spring, the hills are lush and green, and wild mustard brightens the fertile brown earth between the rows of just-budding grapevines. This year we arrived a bit later than we usually do, having attended a family wedding in the Bay Area and winding our way through the Napa and Sonoma valleys on our way home. No matter the time of year, there are always new wineries to discover; old favorites to revisit; and wonderful restaurants, cafés and bistros to explore. We are fortunate to enjoy the company and local knowledge of our friend June, a resident of the Sonoma Valley and a fellow lover of good food and wine. Knowing our tastes in both, she directs us to new, off-the-beaten-track options and time-tested establishments, and she has yet to lead us astray. Our latest trip proved no exception, as we dined at Café Lucia in Healdsburg. Healdsburg is my favorite town in Napa/Sonoma: Boasting a central, tree-filled, grass-covered central square surrounded by historic buildings housing all manner of fascinating shops, tasting rooms and eateries, it is small enough to comfortably navigate on foot and exudes a small-town, laid-back air that contrasts favorably with some of the high-end, overly self-conscious commercialism of some of the other wine towns. Café Lucia sits just off the main square, down a narrow alley that leads to its enclosed courtyard and stylish dining room. Chef Manuel Azevedo and his sister Lucia are children of immigrant Portuguese who settled in Healdsburg in the 1970s. Use of local, fresh ingredients in the kitchen growing up translated to the Cozina Nova Portuguesa — new Portuguese cuisine — served up in their restaurant. The lunch and dinner menus offer an assortment of tasting plates; starters; main dishes; soups, sandwiches and salads; and some truly decadent and delicious desserts. Matching those desserts or enjoyed alone is an extensive list of wines, Ports and Madeiras (including several three-selection Port flights). On a clear but breezy and cool evening we each enjoyed our different entrées: June ordered the traditional Bacalhau no Forno (a baked casserole featuring Atlantic salt cod, potatoes, olives and onions); Harry had the pork tenderloin Recheado, stuffed with olives, figs and almonds and served with potato croquettes and a rich Port wine sauce; while I indulged in a Brazilian national dish, Feijoada Completa, a hearty stew containing beef, pork, smoked sausage and black beans, served with sautéed collard greens and a “tower” of rice on the side.   It was as filling and satisfying as it was beautiful to look at. Though I didn’t need it, I also shared a side order of perfectly prepared (gently sautéed in olive oil and lightly seasoned to let the fresh flavors come through) “farmers market vegetables” with my companions. Each dish was generous in size, complex in flavor and textures and presented artfully. Although there’s always a new restaurant to try in the  area, I would return to Café Lucia in a heartbeat; its warm and inviting atmosphere and mouthwatering menu deserve another visit. — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor