Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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I wish Napa would just admit it: It wishes it were Europe. Most of the
wineries are pretending they're in Tuscany, and most of the vintners are obsessed
with the French. At least
Bistro Jeanty
55
(6510 Washington St., Yountville;
%
707/944-0103; www.bistrojeanty.com; daily 11:30am-10:30pm; MC, V; reser-
vations recommended)
makes no bones about it; it's French all the way. Its chef,
Philippe Jeanty, came from Champagne, France, in 1977. Delicious fare like
escargots ($12), steak tartare ($18 with fries), frites for ($4.50), and coq au vin
($17—a fine deal), fully creamed and buttered, would please any Continental.
There are also some more offbeat choices, such as pike dumplings with lobster
sauce ($13) and rabbit pate ($13). The patio, shaded by trees, is magnetic. It calls
itself a “bistro,” which is why its decor leans toward bent-cane chairs and ceramic
roosters, I guess, but that cutesy banality says nothing about the fine food. Best
of all, it's hard to find a main dish that breaks the $20 mark—a rarity, especially
in Yountville.
$$$-$$$$
Another “bistro,” this one with more of a villa feel and a marvelous
view, the busy
Bistro Don Giovanni
5
(4110 Howard Lane/Hwy. 29, Napa;
%
707/224-3300; Sun-Thurs 11:30am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-11pm; MC, V;
reservations recommended)
does both Italian and French classics. Don't fear the
cheesy name. Pastas (there are six choices) go from $14 to $22, while wood-oven
pizzas (four selections, including one with fig and gorgonzola) are $13. To give
you a sense for the casual-but-quality market they're going for, there's a Caesar
salad ($9.50), not usually on the very finest restaurant menus, but it's made of
whole romaine leaves, not cheap shredded iceberg lettuce. All nights of the week
people like to sit out on the patio, where the aromas of the garden waft in and
where, in winter, a fireplace warms the customers. Some of the olives it serves are
grown on property.
$$$$
This is what I wish Napa had a lot more of: approachable California cui-
sine places, priced within reason, where you can eat a delicious meal made by a chef
who cares as deeply about craftsmanship as the chefs who charge twice as much.
That's
Hurley's Restaurant and Bar
5
(6518 Washington St., Yountville;
%
707/
944-2345; www.hurleysrestaurant.com; daily 11:30am-midnight; AE, MC, V),
an
outpost of affordability in normally backbreaking Yountville. A long-established
local chef (he used to cook at Domaine Chandon) started this place to have his way
with local produce. Wild game, local wines, a martini bar, and a casual, white-
tablecloth atmosphere all attract locals who care about food. In warm weather, the
patio, with wrought-iron details and a fountain, is a happy place to raise a glass.
The menu is ever-changing, but mains like horseradish-crusted salmon and braised
wild boar—dishes in which you can taste the quality of the ingredients—cost $18
to $29. The best deal, as is often the case, is served at lunch: a two-course (appe-
tizer, entree)
prix fixe
for $18, served from 11:30am to 4pm.
WHY YOU'RE HERE: WINERIES
The fact is, you could tour wineries for months. In Napa County alone, there are
some 100 wineries to visit. So don't approach winery circuits the way you might
the great museums of Paris or the rides at Disneyland. You can't hit everything, so
don't try. The key is to find places that deliver the experience that you want. And
that experience may be only partly about the flavor of the wine. Flavor is highly
