From left to right: rack of lamb, escargot, and Beef Wellington.
a link between the brain chemicals our bodies release and the comforting foods that stimulate them. According to the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals, feelings of safety and comfort, including consumption of comfort foods, can influence the brain’s chemical response. The ANFP suggests that eating comfort foods activates the hypothalamus, prompting the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. Dopamine signals the body to anticipate satisfaction and plays a role in regulating functions such as mood, digestion, blood flow, sleep, focus and stress levels. In fact, the mere thought of comfort food can spark a dopamine release, setting off the familiar cycle of motivation and reward. For patrons, the power of comfort food often goes beyond taste—it can unlock memories and emotions in ways that feel almost magical. Known as the Proust Effect, memories triggered by smell and taste are among the most powerful and emotionally vivid. According to research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), food-and scent-evoked nostalgia activates autobiographical memory in ways that feel deeply personal and familiar, often producing stronger positive emotions than memories triggered by other factors. These sensory memories are linked to psychological benefits such as increased self-esteem, a sense of social connection and greater meaning in life—helping explain why certain flavors evoke such feelings of overall comfort. It’s the emotional pull of comfort food—where indulgence meets memory—that has allowed restaurants like La Gare in Santa Rosa to cultivate a decades-long legacy of joy, drawing diners back again and again.
Feel-good French nostalgia in Santa Rosa In 1979, Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square became home to what would grow into one of the city’s beloved dining institutions, La Gare. For more than four decades, the restaurant has served traditional French cuisine, under the guidance of second- generation owners (and sibling duo) Executive Chef Roger Praplan and manager Jackie Bazeley. Together, they have continued La Gare’s legacy of creating lasting memories for the community. Rooted in tradition and refined over centuries, French cuisine has long been a source of comfort, dating back to the 14th century. Through time-tested techniques, carefully chosen ingredients, and the patience of slow, deliberate preparation, it has become a cherished culinary art form. Bazeley explains that La Gare is more than just a restaurant. It is a place that offers guests a sense of joy and nostalgia, returning them to familiar memories time and time again. “There’s not a night that goes by without a guest telling us they’re celebrating an anniversary here because this is where they had their first date, or a family coming in every year for Mother’s Day for the past 30 years. It’s lovely, and we’re prouder of that than of any single dish on the menu,” says Bazeley. While it’s rewarding to see guests return time and again for their signature dishes, Bazeley says what matters most is knowing families come back year after year because the restaurant feels like a place they want to share memories together. She describes those moments of watching guests grow, return and celebrate over time as one of the true gifts of hospitality, creating shared memories that connect the restaurant to the community it serves. The restaurant is known for signature dishes like Carré d’Agneau Persillé (rack of lamb with herbes de Provence and demi-glace), Filet de Boeuf Wellington (tenderloin of beef en croute with duxelles and Madeira sauce) and sweetbreads in a
March | April 2026
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