Photo Courtesy of John A. Benson
Fish Story opened a couple of weeks ago in the Napa Riverfront development and I finally had a chance to try it out this weekend with my husband and 2-year-old son (yes, I know, what are we doing brining our 2-year-old to dinner?!). My husband and I loved the food, our son loved the live lobster tank in the dining room. We were all happy!
The restaurant is owned by the Lark Creek Restaurant Group with Chef Stephen Barber at the helm. You may remember Chef Barber from his time at Napa's BarbersQ and he brings his Southern influence to Fish Story's menu as well. The menu features a large selection of raw and cooked fish, 100% sourced according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Program. There is also a great selection of soups and salads and "other than fish" offerings. Fish Story is one of the many Napa restaurants who have taken over a plot in Copia's former gardens, where Barber is able to grow organic vegetables and herbs for his dishes.
We started our dinner with the Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Tartar. The tuna is mixed with K&J Orchards asian pear, serrano, citrus zest and hazelnut oil. On the side is a delicious avocado mousse. The tuna was fresh and delicious and the avocado mousse made for a unique addition to this increasingly popular dish.
After scraping off the last possible bite of the avocado mousse, we moved on to entrees, where we tried two of Fish Story's signature dishes - Grilled Idaho Trout with French beans, yellow finn tomatoes and a bacon vinaigrette and the Day Boat Scallops and Kurobuta Pork Belly with black-eyed peas and swiss chard. This second dish definitely had a little of Barber's Southern touch! Both dishes were well-prepared and deliciously fresh. My favorite was the scallops and pork belly. A unique combination and beautifully presented. As for my son, he enjoyed the many selections on the kids menu.
For dessert, we all shared the Lark Creek's famous Butterscotch pudding. Once again, we scraped the bowl clean.
The wine list features a great selection of local wines, focused on white wines that pair with the wide assortment of fish. The bar area is lively and fun with a large selection of both beer and wine on tap.
Fish Story is another great addition to downtown Napa's bustling restaurant scene. Morimoto, Fish Story and the soon-to-be-opened Tyler Florence Rotisserie and Wine Bar are sure to make the Riverfront a destination for foodies everywhere.
