Waterhawk Lake Club, the latest venture from the owners of Petaluma powerhouse Brewsters Beer Garden, aims to revitalize a once-defunct taproom in Rohnert Park. Waterhawk is not immune to the growing pains of a young restaurant, with some questionable menu choices and inconsistent service.
During its opening week, walk-ins and people with reservations flowed in steadily, even for weekday lunch. The host team efficiently sat all guests and prioritized the coveted patio overlooking Roberts Lake. Shortly after opening, the patio buzzed with excitement as reggae music played softly and a gentle breeze from the lake offered sweet relief from the midday heat.
The servers promptly took drink and food orders after seating guests on the patio, and the highly anticipated meal began.
Cocktails are a must for a Friday lunch and the Aperol Spritz was pleasantly unique, serving as the perfect starter. With mandarin and passion fruit added to the typical Aperol-and-sparkling-wine combo, this lakeside version was sweet and chuggable, yet still refreshing and as palate-opening as a spritz should be.
One of Waterhawk’s more unique cocktails was the Sunkissed, a blend of tequila, yellow chartreuse, mango, lime and firewater (a strong liquor) with a Tajín rim. Essentially, it was a watered-down mango smoothie with tequila — uncomfortably thick and not at all thirst-quenching.
Peak seasonal staples of charred summer corn and burrata with stone fruit arrived next, to share amongst the table. Like the experience thus far, one was fantastic and the other subpar.
Waterhawk served the corn cold, creamy, fresh and earthy. A pleasant charred flavor contrasted nicely with the natural sweetness of the corn. The succotash consisted of diced red bell pepper and pickled jalapeños, an odd combination that didn’t pair well with the dish. The corn, served on the cob and cut into fourths lengthwise, proved to be quite a messy endeavor.
The burrata was a completely different story, a quintessential summer pairing that combined pistachio, stone fruit and soft burrata with freshly charred bread. This dish, a copy-and-paste of Brewster’s old burrata dish, worked well.
The caramelized onion flatbread felt like pasta carbonara in pizza form. Alongside the crème fraiche base, the pancetta added umami, while the caramelized onions added a savory yet jamlike flavor. For the hefty price of $22, one would expect a little more, although it was an extremely rich dish. Don’t be fooled: This is a pizza and not the crispy, crunchy flatbread you might picture.
The Waterhawk Burger arrived cooked at precisely the requested medium temperature. A charred flavor infused every bite, as if it came straight off a backyard grill. Served with housemade bread-and-butter pickles and the classic “burger sauce,” this burger didn’t disappoint.
Despite the delicious offerings, the Waterhawk Lake Club was clearly enduring growing pains. As the patio filled for lunch and the server’s section became packed, service noticeably slowed. This is an area that one would expect to be cleaned up with time and experience.
The restaurant’s setup is similar to Brewster’s — not designed to turn tables over to the next set of guests quickly, but to let people sit back, relax and enjoy the ambiance.
The Waterhawk Lake Club is certainly worth a visit for Santa Rosa Junior College students looking for a new spot for lunch or dinner. With some extra patience, it is sure to be a nice outing for all.
