This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

White Rose Ranch: Discover Novato's New Comfort Food Take-Out

Local chef Susan Lustenberger is getting raves serving up weeknight comfort food "to go" using organic ingredients at her downtown venue.

"Life is Short . . . Eat Well and Be Nice." This is the mantra that introduced me to the White Rose Ranch, a new comfort food inspired take-out business that is making a big splash on the Novato food scene.

Tucked into a small former office space between the Sentimental Journey antique shop and S&E Automotive on Machin Avenue, this recent addition to downtown is drawing converts and garnering raves from customers who know a good thing when they taste it.

Envisioned and created by self-taught chef Susan Lustenberger, the Ranch features a rotating seasonal menu of daily weeknight specials and signature favorites that can be pre-ordered for pick-up at the site. Her inspired offerings are answered prayer to the harried question, "what's for dinner" at the end of a hectic day, or the perfect fix for making your next party or event something especially memorable.

Find out what's happening in Novatowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Her one-room store is a reflection of her attention to detail and ability to make simple elements warm and welcoming. The interior of the venue is a well-appointed mix of earthy antique wood, rustic iron, white-washed walls, shabby chic crystal chandeliers, an inset collection of white pitchers, and a citrus-filled glass apothecary jar on the floor. The walls are adorned with several framed black and white photos of working ranchers by her significant other, professional photographer Scott Baxter, which enhance the decor perfectly.

Sitting down recently with the energetic Lustenberger, I learned a few things about what drives this talented entrepreneurial chef.

Find out what's happening in Novatowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The youngest of four girls, Susan grew up in Arizona where she fondly recalls spending weekends and summers on a ranch that served as their family getaway. "There was no TV, and we had a party-line phone," she laughs as the memory washes over her. "There was a sense of absolute freedom to the place."

She describes those summers spent on the ranch as the best of her life. Something about that rural setting and its connection to simple family pleasures resonated at her core. Little did she know that one day that connection would resurface as the answer to a prayer.

A year and a half ago Susan, a former Novato resident, returned here following her divorce. She was at a transitional crossroads. A newly single mother of three, she began taking stock of her talents to consider a career path for this fledgling chapter in her life. It wasn't long before the kitchen beckoned like an old familiar friend.

She began by producing baked goods using tried and true family recipes passed down through the generations: recipes like her Aunt Dee's pecan pie which she learned to make when she was just eight years old. That same aunt, who lived to be over 100, also passed on her famous rum cake recipe — a deliciously moist, sinful dessert that is offered regularly on the menu at White Rose Ranch.

Soon a mutual acquaintance introduced her to Pam Garcia, former owner of in downtown Novato, who hosts popular barn sales at her Indian Valley residence. Pam encouraged Susan to pursue her passion for cooking, and offered her space at an upcoming barn sale to test-sell her baked goods.

Sweet Sue's Baking was an instant sensation with barn sale patrons who embraced Susan's offerings and encouraged her to follow her bliss in the kitchen.

One thing quickly led to another and the White Rose Ranch was born — . The name is the embodiment of Lustenberger's future vision: her dream to own a local farm property with organic gardens and a barn where people gather for free coffee and good, simple comfort food.

Susan firmly believes that cooking for others is a great labor of love. "Feeding people is such an intimate exchange of energy," she tells me. "First the farmers touch it, then the workers, then me, then the moms, and finally the kids."

Cooking is like a form of meditation to her, which requires setting the stage and being fully present in the space where meals are created. "When I'm cooking I play music, light candles and turn off the phone," she says with a smile. She considers making food for her patrons a privilege which deserves her full attention. "I don't make anything I don't like and if I don't enjoy making it, I never make it again!" she tells me.

It is clear that Susan is gifted in the kitchen. Some people train years to become chefs; others are born to it. Susan definitely falls into the latter category. Last fall she won the Top Chef Marin competition sponsored by Novato Women's Leadership. That feather in her cap was yet another sign she was headed in the right career direction.

Lustenberger hails from a line of "long living Southern women" who loved to cook and instilled in her an intuitive feel for making magic in the kitchen. These savvy and sassy home chefs who measured ingredients by pinches and handfuls, taught her that "nothing brings people together like a good meal." Peppered with a healthy dose of good humor, they also imparted more practical tips like "never fry chicken in the nude!"  Their appreciation for comfort food and the art of cooking left a lasting impression on Susan and became the genesis for discovering her own style of cooking.

At White Rose Ranch, that style focuses on using original family recipes with a decidedly southern/southwest twist made from locally produced, high-quality organic ingredients. Susan has built her business by adopting a SLOW approach to food and eating, forging relationships with local farmers who supply her with the freshest seasonal produce, meats, and eggs.

Those raw ingredients are transformed under Susan's care into main dishes that have hit home with her growing customer base. Currently, you'll find comforting winter dishes like slow cooked Organic Beef Coca-Cola Tacos which are so popular they have become a regular "Taco Tuesday" menu item; Vegetarian Organic Butternut Squash Enchiladas, a mildly-sweet blend of roasted squash, green chilies and onions wrapped in corn tortillas and finished with a spicy red sauce; Free-Range Chicken Pot Pie complete with farmers' market veggies and a light cream sauce, topped with a flakey puff pastry crust; and Organic Beef Stroganoff which features tender pieces of local Stemple Creek Ranch top sirloin and wine-soaked, wild sourced porcini mushrooms in a Burgundy beef sauce served over noodles.

Did I just hear a collective "YUM?"

Each week brings a new round of tried and true menu favorites as well as seasonal offerings.

Each weeknight featured entree item is available for pre-order "family sized" in two quantities: "small," which feeds 2 to 4 people, and "large" which feeds 4 to 6.  Small portions average around $30 in price, while large portions generally run $10 to $15 more. Each entree comes fully cooked, wrapped, and ready to take home for a quick re-heat in the oven.

In addition to her entrees, Susan offers "Salads & Sides" that can be special ordered as an accompaniment to your main dish, including a Roasted Spring Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese and a hearty vinaigrette; seared Flat Iron Steak with roasted beets, onions, potatoes, and greens served with Horseradish Vinaigrette, and a Classic Shopped Pasta Cob Salad— to name a few.

I also highly recommend her signature Blue-Cheese Butter Biscuits which are so light and buttery you won't be able to stop at one ... or two ... or three! Even my daughter, who is not a fan of blue-cheese, LOVED these.

When you come to pick up your order, be sure to peruse the counter where Susan displays her featured weekly desserts. You're likely to find cake stands brimming with offerings like Beautiful Cowboy Brownies, Aunt Dee's Rum Cake, and triangles of dense dark Chocolate Fudge studded with toasted pecans — all beautifully wrapped in raffia-tied cellophane with hand-written brown-bag name tags. Add one of these perfectly baked sweets to your order and you have the ideal "happy ending" to your dinner — all hassle free!

To see the White Rose Ranch's weekly menu selections, visit www.thewhiteroseranch.com. You can sign up to be added to their customer list and receive weekly menu updates by entering your information at the "Don't be a stranger" link.

New menus for the following week post every Wednesday.

To place an advance order (highly recommended), call or text Susan at 415-246-1981. Entrees are available for order Monday through Friday for pick-up between 4-6:30 p.m. at the store located at 902 Grant Ave. (around the corner from Sentimental Journey facing Machin Avenue).

Forgot to order in advance and need dinner on the fly? No problem! Susan always makes extra to have on hand for those who need a last-minute solution. Just stop on by to see what's available, or give her a call to make sure she's not sold out for the evening (which she does on a nightly basis).

White Rose Ranch also offers gift certificates, which make dinner the perfect present for new moms, homebound seniors, someone under the weather, or anyone who would enjoy a night off from cooking.

On the weekends, White Rose Ranch is available to cater your small event or gathering at your home. Be sure to contact Susan for more details.

So the next time you're looking for the perfect solution to "what's for dinner," mosey on down to White Rose Ranch. You won't be disappointed.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?