Rocket Catering

They just started serving piroshki on Thursday and Friday. I suggest placing order ahead of time by phone and go early!!! Very close to the Moosetta’s that I remember.

The Rocket crew is stellar. Led by head astronaut Molly Hyerly, classically trained but rooted in experimentation, this golden haired goddess has stolen my heart and my taste buds every time I have attended the launch pad. She routinely changes sous-​chefs, enjoying the bounty of traveling fledging soon to be’s in a Foodie region and yet maintains her right hand woman, Fabiola for rigid consistency and adherence to perfected practice. Parties, weddings, corporate needs, and green room goodies… Ground control to major Mol…

I originally really liked this little café but it has been closed more than it has been open for the last several months. It offered something different from the most of the restaurants in Sonoma and the Springs but given it’s current state, I can’t recommend the café any longer.
I hope the catering is still happening but I haven’t experienced that lately so I can’t comment on it.

Rocket recently catered a friend’s wedding in Duncans MIlls (Sonoma) and I was blown away! The food was truly incredible. Entirely seasonal fare, fresh bright flavors, beautifully plated and well-​paced. I was really impressed and even more so when I saw the tiny kitchen they were working out of at the venue. According to the bride, they were wonderful to work with, too.

I used to really like this place as it is close to my house and the owners are cool, and the food was good. Emphasis on was. When I went, on a Tuesday, they were out of stock on basic items, the menu was limited, and the place was totally understaffed.
To make matters worse the sushi chef did not seem to exhibit much expertise, as it took him 45 minutes to get me anything close to my first dish. And the sushi pieces had shrunk to a very, very tiny near ½ thumb size bites.
No excuses, this was bad. I’ll wait to go back when I hear they have fixed the issues and are ready to be a top flight operation. They came in so strong too, shame.

Just went there on a Friday night after the movies and the place was empty at 9pm! I guess it’s the «off the beaten path» location or maybe people in Sonoma just need to explore more, but Rocket is excellent. Incredibly nice staff and very laid back. Great outdoor patio in the back and very, very yummy Tuna tar tare and Salmon teriyaki. Great alternative to the usual Plaza touristy blah.

Went to the Rocket on the recommendation of my brother, who still lives in Sonoma. We went originally because my brother knew the owner and the chef, but have gone back many times since because the food is AMAZING and so is the atmosphere.
We’ve had sushi twice and it’s absolutely some of the best we’ve ever had. But you must, must, MUST go for brunch. The best brunch food in Sonoma that we’ve had in several years. Love the idea of them having a theme for each month and using fresh ingredients. Everything is very tasty.
One note on the atmosphere. The art is amazing and you should sit in the back patio of available. They are very laid back and friendly. This may mean slightly slower or more relaxed service. Expect to go there and relax and take your time. Not sure I’d recommend it if you’re on a tight schedule.
But definitely worth going for the food no matter what.

I know Rocket has plenty reviews of their awesome food, staff and relaxed and hip restaurant in Sonoma but I wanted to add that their catering is above and beyond.
I own a catering company in San Francisco and when it was my turn to get married we looked at Rocket Catering in Sonoma for our Mill Valley wedding.
Their service, professionalism and food is unmatched.
Service: This, for me, can almost be more important than the food. There is nothing worse than having wonderful food and a great event and bad service. The service last night was amazing. The staff was friendly, attentive, professional and all looked like they were having a great time, too!
Food: What can I say? I’ve gone to a lot of weddings for friends and family over the years (ones I haven’t catered :)) and the food is always the same. Whether it be dried out filet mignon overcooked and wrapped in bacon served in a scratched up chaffing dish, to gluey pasta alfredo. Rocket’s food were neither of those.
They served herb marinated and grilled chicken, tarragon oven roasted halibut with what I think was an amazing crème fraîche and tangerine sauce, a white peach and heirloom tomato and corn salad that was SO fresh and perfect for summer, an arugula, watercress and beet salad that was a perfect compliment to everything and a pasta with tender crisp asparagus, farm fresh peas that I saw them shucking in the kitchen in a lemon herb light, not oily, sauce.
The appetizers were equally beautifully presented and impressively delicious. They had corn cakes with cumin scented prawn and avocado crema, croustini with goat cheese, panchetta, cherry tomato and basil (like a perfect blt bite!) and for my Greek heritage, tiny chicken and pistachio dolmas with lemon and herb yogurt.
If I ever get married again (just kidding) or more likely have another special event or have any client looking for wedding caterers in the wine country I would definitely recommend Molly and Liz Heyerly at Rocket Catering.
We loved it so much we’re going to dinner there on Thursday night!

I had Rocket’s food at the Sonoma Intl Film Festival tent, and it was delicious! I especially loved the beet salad, yum!

My experience with Rocket was OK. Just OK. The food we ordered wasn’t bad, but the service was shit and the menu is sparse.
Per Katie W’s excellent review, we dediced to finally give Rocket a try. The website mentions happy hour and says that you can get a hand roll and beer for $ 5. So we arrived at about 5:45 with plenty of time to order a beer and handroll, so we thought. But since our server didn’t come back for like 10 minutes, imagine our surpise when she said happy hour was over. WTF. So now we’re already starting on a negative note. Boyfriend orders a beer anyway, I decide to pass. He wants a draft Lagunitas. The girls says «OK.» She comes back to the table with some bottled amber style Lagunitas and says «I forgot our tap hasn’t been working for like a week. I hope this bottled beer is OK» WHAT THE FUCK!
Now I’m getting irritated. At first, we were the only people in here so I was especially annoyed with the poor service, but now a group of ladies come. I hear them order the Bundles of Love which we had also ordered, at least 5 minutes before these broads even came in. Now I could tell this group new the server/​owner and they started chatting. Well, next thing you know, their Bundles arrive in no time! And Boyfriend and I are still sitting and waiting… and waiting… and waiting… for ours. WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK!
The Bundles of Love were actually really good, but worth the wait? No. The Drawn in Butter roll, also delicious. Everything else we ordered was so/​so. It seems like all the rolls here involved some kind of deep frying. One of the main reasons we like to go out for sushi is because it’s fresh and light — there’s is not.
HOWEVER, do they make other rolls? We wouldn’t know because the server never took the time to explain to us how this all works, seeing as it’s not a sushi place but they serve sushi and have a sushi bar? I left confused and mostly unsatisfied.
I’m not sure if we’ll go back to this place or not.

AS my policy dictates I post all responses from owners and chefs as updates along with my response to them–
From Rocket–
just read your review and i wanted to respond. I am the sushi chef at rocket and did use to work at shiso. unfortunately you ordered delivery while I have been out on paternity leave. needless to say I am sorry you had a bad experience. I will be back in on Friday full time with our regular hours and menu I do hope you come and try us again. if you do, please introduce yourself, i would love to chat with you.
our hours are 5 to 9 Tues thru Thurs. 5 to 9:30 Fri and sat. sun brunch too. (no sushi).
thank you
Jacob.
My response
Thank you for responding to my review! I will post your note with my response as an update.
Congratulations on the Birth of your child! And I will be happy to pop in at some point in my travels and give you all another try… although that defeats my whole rant about what a great thing it is to have delivery of a good food in Sonoma rant… ;-) And with Ed gone (although rumor has it that he kept the phone # and is catering as Shizo?) you all are the only game in town, I will add back a star for your caring enough to respond– but will caution that a kitchen cant falter and serve sub par food just because you are not at work that day (we still pay the same price, no?) see you soon…

I am starting with 3 stars. I have been here twice. Both times the food was good. The second time, the service was… well crap. Luckily, the sushi saved them.
They don’t seem to do too well with people meeting up last minute there and changing tables. I can see how it would be a little complicated as the dining room is über small.
After Sushi-​noma left town, my husband and I have been at a loss of where to go. We’ll go again. The only bummer is that it is not very clear when they are open.

Rocket catered my sisters baby shower this Spring.
The spread was delicious & the presentation was amazing! Flavorful gumbo, fabulous appetizer platters and the best cupcakes ever.
Would absolutely recommend them for catering your next event.

Rocket has become the epitome of ultimate flavor.
They have tried their hand at sushi, and I am not one iota exaggerating when I tell you; it has ruined all other sushi for me.
You other «sushi» restaurants are mere peddlers of Long John Silver’s «fish.»
Each roll was fresh, it was bright, it was a sensation of texture and taste. I have said before, of sushi I am not a fan.
I am now a contented — nay excstatic convert.
Bundles of Love are a crispy tempura pockets of rice, tofu, crab, tuna spicy scintillating inner. So simple it sounds, but this combination packs a punch and doesn’t quit. You will order to share, but then you won’t. These were meant for you and you won’t give them up.
Yo Mama is a more traditional roll, but not at all boring in taste. Rice, ahi tuna, crab, avocado tempura shrimp and an aoli to inspire a tune — and you don’t sing.
Hawaii 5.0, my personal favorite with no rice, mango, tuna, cilantro, tsume sauce — add some crunchy macadamia nuts and coat the whole thing in a batter and call it a day. It doesn’t get better.
Then there’s the Drawn in Butter. Prawns. Crab. Hot butter dipping sauce. What else is there to say? Buttery, unxious, sweet sweet seafood.
This is sushi to change the life of the Anti, of the Eater, of your Mother’s Best Friend’s Neighbor.
I want to tell you not to miss it, but I am too selfish. Go ahead and order that take out, that cardboard pizza.
I’m claiming this treasure for my OWN.

The staff is amazing… and even though they were closing up, and had even turned the sign off, they welcomed us in with open arms. At this point in the evening they only had the sushi menu… i was bummed considering i was STARVING! But let me tell you— My palette was quickly satiated when i put the shrimp tempura roll in my mouth… it literally melted in my mouth. My husband had an incredibly priced tuna hand roll that he LOVED and we also split a bowl of the teriyaki chicken.
DELISH! They also do catering… would love to try there other options. YUMMM!

Rocket Café is a small little place, short menu and interesting because they have sushi, Vietnamese noodle soup, grits, shrimp and French onion soup. It’s like the place you go if you cannot make up your mind on what you really feel like having, however the menu changes all the time too. The flavors are pretty good and the prices are not too high. Good beer selections and sakes. There aren’t many tables so for groups I’d make a reservation.

Tuesday nights are «Fried Chicken Night», and they offer a prix fixe menu with 3 courses for $ 30.
We had a coleslaw with greenbeans, cabbage, walnuts, bleu cheese, and raisins (?). Despite having an odd list of ingredients, this salad was awesome! We also decided to order a sushi roll as an appetizer. We got the Yo Mamma, which is crab (or spicy tuna), avocado, cucumber, and spicy aioli. The aioli was actually spicy (yay!) and the portions f crab generous. Main course was three pieces of delicately fried chicken on top of a malted waffle with black-​syrup infused with bits of applewood smoked bacon on the side. If that sounds really heavy, it is. But SO good. Syrup infused with bacon poured over a battered and fried drumstick is really good, who would’ve thought? The desert course was a semi-​flourless chocolate cake with cinnamon whipped cream on top. The whipped cream was really good and the chocolate cake only decent.
Overall, I agree with other Unilocalers, that they are still looking for their niche, but at the same time they are succeeding at not having a niche. Considering how many different types of food they can execute well, I’d say this place is definitely noteworthy! This is Sonoma-​Japanese-​American-​Experimental-​Homestyle SOUL FOOD.

The menu is short
But priced right and quite tasty
Fun wines and beers, too.

So hurry on in to The Rocket. March is Moroccan food. Next is April in France, so lots of French cheeses and sauces etc. I don’t know what’s next but, I got a tip off that October just might be German! YUMMMMM!
So far Morocco had Belly dancers and hookahs, lets see what prim and proper France brings us. Get your passports ready and be prepared to be taken away.

The shaka nar nar roll??? it was so good!!! Liz is great mollys food kicks assssss!
I like to go in there probably 3 times a week during the day, have a cold red stripe and be so thankful that we have a place that is just for us locals!!!
I like fancy food and they do that too. The greatest combo salads and now Sushi on friday nights!