Napa Restaurant Reco

A friend of mine is going to Napa next month. Of course I’m sending him to Bistro Jeanty but am looking for some other ideas.

thank you

In town only?
La Toque
Morimoto’s

Oenotri for in-town Napa. Jeanty is in Yountville, so assuming Yountville is fair game, then Redd Wood. I only go there for lunch, but pizza/pasta/salad/meal-sized appetizers there cannot be beat for a nice lunch. There were 5 of us there recently, and we ordered a bunch of stuff to be shared around the table. Everybody enjoyed all the food.

If UpVAlley is in the itinerary, then the hands-down choice is Solbar at Solage Resort here in Calistoga. Can’t go wrong there with any menu choice, and it has the advantage of being a hotel, so there is non-stop food service from breakfast through late evening, complete with outdoor dining for those who enjoy that.

Redd Wood rocks!

Cole’s Chop House

More casual with very good food:
Ristorante Allegria
Norman Rose
Fish Story
Celadon (same owner as Cole’s)

PS. Make reservations if you want to eat Thurs - Sun.

PPS. Bottle Rock Napa is scheduled from May 8 through the 13th. No rooms anywhere and there may be some congestion downtown from 10AM through 2 AM.

Morimoto blows.

In fact, it swallows.

Agree with Merrill on Solbar, two meals there this year (and several previously) were both world class, as was the Moon and Stars cocktail. Worth a drive up Silverado trail every time.

…but tell him to seriously consider the Lucky Pig ($38, serves two).

Don’t hear it mentioned often, but I really enjoyed Farmstead in St. Helena: http://www.longmeadowranch.com/Farmstead-Restaurant
Fresh, tasty farm-to-table food and $2 (not a typo) corkage.

My daughter and I really enjoy the Lucky Pig, but once a year or so is plenty for me. This place is just under a mile from my place, so I hop in with some regularity. If I had to say what not to miss, it would be the fish tacos. Just yesterday a fellow Berserker was here and mentioned that menu item - still in his memory. Their soups are always outstanding, as well.

Thanks for the info. Napa valley is game. He prefers rustic and less delicate.

Oenotri, Solbar, ReddWood will give him what he wants. Lots of big flavors, wide choices, everything very well executed.

Had dinner at La Toque recently with friends from out of town, very good but didn’t blow us away like Cyrus did when we all ate there last year. They also ate at French Laundry and Redd on this trip and said Redd was the one they enjoyed the most.

Bottega.

LOVED Redd last November.

Also a big fan of Redd.

love Redd, Bistro Jeanty

Bob

What’s the place with the killer wine list. Old Cali cabs.

Press

Also a fan of Redd and Redd Wood and we have always enjoyed Bistro Jeanty. Our service at Bottega was bad enough to say “never again”.

JD