Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
7 Places to Eat in . . . Napa Valley
Along a 35-mile (56km) stretch of Hwy. 29 north of San Francisco, the hillsides look
precisely grooved with slope-hugging vineyards that produce some of the world's
finest wines. The heart of California's wine country, Napa Valley is a beautiful stretch
of rolling countryside—witness all those hot-air balloons overhead, with tourists sip-
ping champagne as they gawk at the views. With its abundance of vineyard tours,
wine tastings, luxury inns, and spas—it's only to be expected that sybaritic Napa
Valley would also have superb food.
At the southern end of the valley in Napa, the region's
gateway town, the wine-country culinary scene starts
off on a wholesome, organic note with Ubuntu
(1140 Main St.; & 707/251-5656; www.ubuntunapa.
com). Ubuntu describes itself as a vegetable restaurant,
rather than just a vegetarian restaurant. Chef Jeremy
Fox is staunchly committed to cooking with local farm
produce, much of it from Ubuntu's own biodynamic
garden. With creative dishes such as poblano stuffed
with smoked corn and chèvre, or French bean and
grilled panzanella, even meat-eaters leave satisfied.
The restaurant itself—which is attached to a yoga
studio—looks sleek and contemporary, though it's
completely made from recycled wood and reclaimed
furnishings, reducing Ubuntu's carbon footprint.
The next town up the valley, Yountville rose to culinary fame years ago with
Thomas Keller's spectacular The French Laundry (see ). Not everyone can swing
a French Laundry reservation, but you can also sample Thomas Keller's food at his
more casual brasserie Bouchon (6534 Washington St.; & 707/944-8037; www.
bouchonbistro.com). Expect superb renditions of French onion soup, steak frites ,
steamed mussels, croque madame, and other French classics (try the expensive and
rich foie gras pâté, made on-site). The former chef at nearby Auberge de Soleil
(see ), Richard Reddington now presides over his own stunning restaurant,
Redd (6480 Washington St.; & 707/944-2222; www.reddnapavalley.com). The
pristine minimalist decor of the dining room sets off memorable dishes based on
local produce, such as sashimi hamachi with edamame, cucumber, ginger, and
sticky rice, or glazed pork belly with apple purée, burdock, and soy caramel. On the
grounds of the Domaine Chandon winery, Etoile (1 California Dr.; & 800/736-
2892 or 707/204-7529; www.chandon.com) is the wave of the future. Etoile hold its
own with any stand-alone restaurant in town, with dishes such as tuna tartare with
sous-vide yolk, pink lady apple, and Persian cucumber, or a Madeira-braised veal
with sweetbreads, sorrel, and red mustard, served in a casually elegant glass-
enclosed dining room under a barrel-vaulted wood ceiling. All dishes are carefully
paired with Chandon wines, of course.
Ubuntu dishes are made with veg-
etables from the restaurant's bio-
dynamic garden.
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