Petaluma, CA (October 25, 2016) – Basin Street Properties, a prominent Northern California real estate investor and developer, has signed a lease with Crocodile Restaurant for 1,642 square feet in Theatre Square.  “I think Crocodile will thrive in Downtown Petaluma.” said Scott Stranzl, Vice President of Leasing for Basin Street Properties. “The owners Michael Dotson and Moira Beveridge are a husband and wife team with excellent experience and a French dining concept that is ideal for Sonoma County.”

When Moira and Michael became parents they were drawn to move north from Redwood City where they own and operate Martin’s West Gastro Pub.  “For us, farm to table is a lifestyle,” said Moira, co-owner of Crocodile. “We love Sonoma County where we have our own garden and chickens and are in close proximity to great farms, ranches and wineries. We think Crocodile and our customers will really benefit from that.”

Moira grew up in a restaurant family in Scotland and spent summers touring France.  From a young age she fell in love with the patisseries, farmers markets, wines and the overall French dining atmosphere. “I think Downtown Petaluma provides an ideal location for a casual and welcoming French restaurant like Crocodile, where you can enjoy a delicious glass of wine and tasty appetizer or sit down for a three course dinner,” said Moira. The wine list will consist of 100% French varietals, with 60% French imports and 40% regional California wines.  With Moira’s passion for wine, they will focus on small wineries producing 60 – 100 cases a year and seek out unusual, fun wines to complement the menu.  Crocodile will also carry a selection of locally sourced Belgian and French style beers.

Michael was born and raised in San Diego and since 1985 has been exclusively practicing and studying dining approaches that embrace local farms. He was classically trained in French Cuisine under Norbert Schultz of Norbert’s, Brigitte’s and Allegro in Santa Barbara. He furthered his training in Europe with time in Lyon, Paris and Strasburg, with stops in the Burgundy and Champagne regions. The flavor of the regions of France is where his true passion lies, stemmed from the fact that the micro climates of France mirror that of California.

Michael’s passion for fine dining burns brighter today than ever before.  Combined with his and Moira’s connections to regional food providers, it creates a recipe for success at Crocodile.  “We have many long standing relationships with farms, ranches and wineries from Healdsburg to Palo Alto,” said Michael. “We know the farmers by name, know their families.  A genuine relationship which drives a great working arrangement and delivers an exceptional result in the dining room.”

Crocodile is in the midst of planning wine dinners, a harvest party and other holiday events and will promote the menu, details and dates of these events once they are firmed up.  Moira and Michael welcome you to stop by or visit CrocodilePetaluma.com for current info.  You can also reach out to them regarding job opportunities in the front of the restaurant and the kitchen.

Theatre Square is a three-story mixed use building located at the corner of Petaluma Boulevard and D Street, immediately across from the Boulevard Cinemas. It is in the heart of the Theatre District and surrounded by a wide variety of retail shops, restaurants, entertainment and services. Abundant retailers, boutiques, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues in an open-air plaza complete with café seating and a beautiful fountain.  The first floor consists of commercial space, while floors two and three hold 24,000 square feet of office space and 56 apartments. The property is served by a 530-stall parking garage directly across the street, providing free parking to staff and visitors alike.

Representing Basin Street Properties was Rhonda Deringer & Sara Wann of Keegan & Coppin.  Crocodile Restaurant was represented by Jeff Sacher of Santa Rosa Reality.

About Crocodile:
Crocodile Restaurant is a farm to table country French inspired restaurant located in downtown Petaluma. Crocodile was conceived and created by husband and wife team, Michael Dotson and Moira Beveridge who have worked together for 13 years in perfecting what they believe to be the perfect dining experience. We strive to capture and express a quality found in favorite small neighborhood bistros found in France: the sense of welcome, fun conversation and of course, excellent food.