Napa's Newest Hot Spot

It seems every time you turn around, there's a new hot spot that's all the buzz in downtown Napa. And indeed, Oenotri (pronounced oh-no-tree) can definitely be described as a new hot spot. I've been a bit remiss in writing this blog post. My husband and I had a great dinner there almost two weeks ago. But I'm still talking about the dinner to all my friends so I'm excited to finally be telling all of you about it.

Oenotri is located on First Street in Napa, right next to the new Norman Rose Tavern. These two restaurants, along with the Avia hotel across the street, have definitely brought some new life to First Street. Oenotri is open until midnight Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a fun, friendly bar and a unique Italian wine list.

The menu is one of those menus where everything looks good and everything we had exceeded our expectations. The menu changes nightly and focuses on fresh, seasonal Italian cuisine. In addition to the main menu, there is a salumi menu featuring about 20 different salumi and small bite items. You won't go hungry here! We started with an asparagus salad with prosciutto. Delicious! Then moved on to a fava bean, ricotta and lemon olive oil pizza. Doubly delicious! We rounded it off with an amazing strozzapretti with Willis Farm pork ragu. Delicious, delicious, delicious!

The atmosphere is comfortable and inviting. The bar is friendly. The food is delicious. If you haven't already, go try it!

Written by Linzi

An Innovative Take on Tacos

Locals Night at Oxbox Market was in full swing tonight. Hungry diners were lined up at Hog Island, Pica Pica and the newly opened C Casa Taqueria. Owner Catherine Bergen and the Jacinto brothers, Erasto and Pablo, opened the doors tonight to this great taqueria that is sure to bring some new excitement to the Oxbow. The line was long but drinks were served while waiting and the tacos were well worth the wait. The menu features unique taco combinations, house made tortilla chips and salsa, rotisserie meats and interesting salads and small plates. The chicken taco is delicious and I can't wait to go back and try the Mahi Mahi taco. I guess I know where I'll be next Tuesday night!

Written by Linzi

Also Known As...

After several months in operation, I finally made it to St. Helena’s newest and most anticipated restaurant, AKA. Although I have received mixed reviews from different people, I decided it was about time I go and experience it for myself.

Formerly Keller’s Market, AKA opened its doors in October at 1320 Main St. in Saint Helena. Most entrees are priced under $25.00, and are made from locally grown organic ingredients. They serve lunch and dinner daily, with a beautiful large bar and lounge area with over 600 wine selections.

AKA’s menu boasts a range of dishes from pasta with foraged mushrooms ($16.00), grilled organic vegetable sandwich ($14.00) to build your own burgers ($12.00). If you are looking for an entrée, you can try Pan Roasted Wild Pacific Salmon ($24.00), Herb Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad ($22.00) or the All Natural Flat Iron with Organic Vegetables and Steak Fries ($24.00).

We arrived at around 7:30 on a weeknight with no reservation and were promptly seated at one of the several open tables. The décor— a mix of elegance and traditional with urban minimalism—is appealing and fresh. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and so were our greeter and server.

I ordered the Portobello Mushroom Fries ($9.00) appetizer which was wonderful—fresh and full of flavor, with a surprisingly light taste. My main course of a Whole Roasted Game Hen ($19.00) arrived in a timely manner. On the side were crushed potatoes (which were light and delicious), garlic spinach, and a very small amount of Cabernet Jus. I don’t usually order game hen, but decided to give it a try. It was well seasoned and fairly good, although I felt it was a bit dry and needed a more balancing sauce to compliment the Game Hen’s subtle flavors. My husband ordered a Rueben sandwich (14.00) and reported that his was really nothing above average.

I finished dinner with a molten chocolate cake ($8.50), which was tasty, but unexceptional and very small. I would not recommend trying to share this dessert.

Although I did have an overall pleasant experience considering the delightful ambiance, I was not overwhelmingly impressed. But I did enjoy the décor, ambiance and friendly wait staff and I think it would be worth trying again. It is nice to see an unpretentious place that feels comfortable serving sandwiches for dinner, but I feel they have a little ways to go to becoming an “exceptional” Napa Valley dining establishment.

Written by Karen

Yountville's Newest Hot Spot

After the long-awaited opening of Bottega Napa Valley in Yountville, the Italian-inspired restaurant is now in full swing and attracting quite a bit of attention. Former chef of Tra Vigne, Napa Style founder and Food Network star Michael Chiarello’s newest restaurant creation reveals a flavorful combination which almost met our expectations.

The atmosphere of Bottega is open and appealing and fitting of the owner’s style, combining rustic wine country flair with an urban-sexy edge. Aged brick walls and timber beams contrast with modern lighting and an open-air minimalism. The resulting feel was open and lively, but lacking in intimacy and warmth as a result of the expansive dining room.

We arrived at our 4-top table on Saturday night at our reserved time of 8:30 pm and we were promptly seated in the 90-seat packed restaurant. The Italian-inspired Napa cuisine’s menu offered us seasonal creations with the Chiarello flair that brought Tra Vigne to fame. Signature dishes include house made veal tortellini in brodo di carne, seared scallops with chickpea passatine, and wood-oven roasted whole fish with Meyer lemon.

I opted to try two pasta dishes, the ricotta gnocchi ($14) which was delightfully light and flavorful, and the veal tortelli in browned butter with butternut squash and sage ($15). Although each dish was tasty with fresh and vivid flavors, the portion size was very small and should not represent a main course pasta dish. The rest of our party chose the goats milk braised lamb shank ($24) which was well received, and the garlic roasted Dungeness crab ($28) was reportedly tasty but slightly overcooked.

I finished the evening with a dessert of torta di riso, a rice tart with Meyer lemon ($8) which was sweet and appealing, but finished with too little compote and mascarpone, resulting in a dry finish.

One highlight of the evening was a personal visit from Chiarello himself who was outgoing and

lightened up the dining room with visits to most diners that evening. Overall, the experience was a good one and I think with a little bit of time Bottega will become another hot spot in the Napa Valley…as long as they increase the portion sizes on the pasta dishes a bit!

For more information, visit www.botteganapavalley.com, or call 707.945.1050.

Written by Karen

Redd - Contemporary California Cuisine in Yountville

With a modern décor and minimalist appeal, the atmosphere of Redd is divergent from many other Napa-style restaurants. The livelier bar area contrasts with the much more reserved fine dining section, but yet they seem to coexist without too much conflict.

You will need to make a reservation if you wish to eat in the main dining room, as I found out upon arrival. We were seated at a small table in the bar area. The atmosphere was modern and sophisticated with a clean, minimalist approach. Our server was prompt and courteous, and knew the menu well, making several suggestions for us.

I tasted the fish tacos from the bar menu, which were fresh and tasty, and large enough to have satisfied me. For a main course, I selected the Alaskan halibut with gnocchi, vegetables and butter ($29) which was divine. My only regret was that I was too full to sample any desserts.

The cuisine is regionally inspired seasonal dishes infused with ethnic influences. A few of the menu items are caramelized diver scallops with a cauliflower puree ($16) as a starter, spring lamb with chickpea fries, sweet pepper and tapenade ($31), and signature dishes of hibachi on sticky rice with lime ginger sauce, and risotto with main lobster.

Redd is on our recommended list for its eclectic menu with a creative take on contemporary California cuisine. Chef Reddington sums it up by saying, “With Redd, I’ve created the type of restaurant that I like to spend time at—an inviting place that serves creative food and thoughtfully chooses wines in an elegant, contemporary space.”

Written by Karen

Bouchon Restaurant

If you are looking for a livelier crowd, with the charisma of an urban-French chic restaurant and a tasty twist on authentic French food, this place is a great choice. I love the atmosphere here— it retains all the charm of a classy French bistro, without divulging in over-the-top frills and pretentiousness sometimes seen in French-style restaurants.

Famed French Laundry Chef Thomas Keller first introduced Bouchon in 1998 as a stylish café reminiscent of those from the province of Lyon. Today, the seasonal menu selections change throughout the year, while it retains popular signature dishes like roast chicken and leg of lamb.

For a recent dinner, I started with the watercress and endive salad with Roquefort, Fuji apples, toasted walnuts, and walnut vinaigrette ($11.75). Although traditional and small portioned, all ingredients were still perfectly balanced. As a main course the sautéed gnocchi with vegetables ($23.50) was delightful. The gnocchi was not weighed down by a heavy sauce or over-seasoning, and resulted in a lighter take on a traditionally heavier dish.

Other menu options include poached salmon with horseradish panade and garden vegetables ($31.00), Braised pork shoulder with roasted pumpkin, glazed pears and Swiss chard ($32.50), and roasted leg of lamb with flageolet bean and thyme jus ($31.00).

For dessert, I sampled the profiteroles with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce ($9.50) and the Sorbet de Fruits ($5.50), both tasted airy and freshly made. With obvious reason, I see why some people prefer to visit Bouchon as a night cap for dessert and drinks—and to soak up the atmosphere.

Chefs around the Valley rely on the baked goods created at Bouchon Bakery. This small bakery—located just outside of Bouchon restaurant—is usually packed with people waiting to order confections, croissants, tarts, breads and coffee. Just as these are staples of Parisian daily life, so have they become a part of the lives of the Yountville locals and visitors. www.bouchonbistro.com

Written by Karen