Dining in Napa, Sonoma, North Bay, and Sacramento

[qwertyy]

B&B Saloon

If that place has a pool table, YES. I highly recommend it for that spell when you've finished your meal at Cyrus but are to blissed out to go home. The divey-ness of pool and longnecks was really pretty perfect after Cyrus's orgy of excess.

[silentbob]

Both. But if you can only fit one, Ad Hoc.

(They're posting menus same-day now, so you'll need to make your reservation long before you know what the menu is. Bouchon gives great bistro, but there are other places to get bistro. Ad Hoc is unique. Though they really do only do the set menu, so not a great place if allergies or aversions are in play. Honestly, either will be a great experience.)

Seconding the props for Ad Hoc. There wasn't anything about the meal (from two weeks ago) that we didn't love, especially the veal chop + polenta with soft-cooked egg.

That said, our lunch at Ubuntu earlier in the day was a revelation. I agree with the statement upthread that every dish popped, especially the persimmon donut with burrata and the grits with soft-cooked egg.

[jiveturk21]

Three nights and four days in Napa makes me very happy. It also makes me very poor and drunk. Some quick thoughts.

The French Laundry was great, really a once in a lifetime experience. I do not regret going there at all, but I would not return. I am lucky to have a lot of disposable income (no kids!), but $893 for two hurts unless it is a blow-me-away type of meal, but it wasn't. There is nothing that I didn't like, the service was the best that I have ever had, but only the desserts/petit fours/take home sweets were totally memorable. The wine list was extensive and impressive, but the mark-ups just seemed outrageous. The setting was amazing and they cater to you as if you are the only people there, but the expectations are so high that they fell a bit short.

On the other hand, we really loved Bottega. Eating outside on a beautiful night was a plus, but every dish was better than it read on the menu. It was August, so I don't remember the specifics, but there was a polenta dish served in a glass jar that was out of this world. Just a truly great dining experience for a pretty reasonable price in one of the best areas of the country that I have ever been to.

On the flip side, we really did not like Ubuntu. Inventive and creative, a resounding yes, good especially when compared to the caliber of restaurants in Napa, definitely not. We liked some pimped out salad that we got and a pasta dish, but the other four dished we ate were simply below average. The service also had issues that night, we were fine, but the tables around us were raising hell about their food and drink orders, I consider ourselves lucky. Most disappointing was the fact that by going to Ubuntu one night for dinner, we missed out on the opportunity to check out Redd or another great place like the Martini House.

As far as wines are concerned, we had a really great time checking out all of those places. A big thumbs up to Palmaz and Quintessa, just truly wonderful tours and very good wine. We also liked the tour at Schramsberg a lot, very interesting. The wine and service at Frank Family and Paraduxx were second to none. Robert Sinskey was solid, but there was no reason to return. Pine Ridge was below average and Del Dotto was just a drunkfest, can't even tell what the wines taste like as they are essentially funneling it down your throat. Our worst experience, however, was Domaine Carneros. The site and views are still beautiful, but the once more personable feel has given way to a freakin factory, awful service and nothing more than average sparkling wines.

By the way, I just don't get In N Out Burger, especially their fries, not that good.

Another by the way, we stayed at the Milliken Creek Inn, truly wonderful, highly recommended.

[edenman]

On the flip side, we really did not like Ubuntu. Inventive and creative, a resounding yes, good especially when compared to the caliber of restaurants in Napa, definitely not. We liked some pimped out salad that we got and a pasta dish, but the other four dished we ate were simply below average. The service also had issues that night, we were fine, but the tables around us were raising hell about their food and drink orders, I consider ourselves lucky. Most disappointing was the fact that by going to Ubuntu one night for dinner, we missed out on the opportunity to check out Redd or another great place like the Martini House.

I absolutely loved my meal at Ubuntu a few months ago. That said, I'd be curious about when you were there...their chef recently left.

[jiveturk21]

I absolutely loved my meal at Ubuntu a few months ago. That said, I'd be curious about when you were there...their chef recently left.

We were there in August 2009. I wish that I posted back then so I could remember the exact courses that we had, but I obviously didn't and looking at their current menu didn't spark any memories in my head (which makes sense because it is so seasonal).

During dinner we were very confused. Did we not like it because we had built up the hype in our heads? Were our stomachs craving meat so much that we couldn't take not having any? In the end, we determined that it just wasn't that good. As far as all out vegetarian restaurants are concerned, of which I have maybe been to a dozen, it ranked pretty highly, but we just couldn't put it on the same plane as other non-vegetarian restaurants. It may take a different mindset for us to really enjoy a restaurant like this, but when comparing it to just restaurants, not vegetarian restaurants, we thought that it was merely average. And, when you are out there, average just isn't going to cut it.

[edenman]

We were there in August 2009.

...

It may take a different mindset for us to really enjoy a restaurant like this, but when comparing it to just restaurants, not vegetarian restaurants, we thought that it was merely average. And, when you are out there, average just isn't going to cut it.

I was there in October '09, and it was precisely that the place stood out as a great meal (and not just a great vegetarian meal) that I thought it was so notable. I'm not arguing that you are wrong (the place certainly has critics and I can respect that), just presenting an alternate opinion. Of course, it may be all a bit moot with the chef shakeup.

[plunk]

I was there in October 09, as well, and agree with jiveturk: I thought Ubuntu was extemely disappointing. I recall getting their "magical fairy eco-salad" or whatever they called it. It was a plate of (admittedly pretty looking) vegetables and leaves, with nary a drop of salt, vinegar, or lemon juice. I never thought eating vegetables could be so....dry. I nearly had to chug my all-organic, locally-sourced well water. All this for $20+, too.

[stickmoon]

After three nights in San Francisco we headed to Napa.

Wineries

Frog’s Leap – Enjoyable, informative, laid back tour and tasting for $15. Organic and sustainable before it was cool. We're Sauvignon Blanc fans and thought theirs was the best we tasted our whole trip.

Robert Sinskey – Four wine tasting with food pairing for $25. Loved the wines, especially the POV and Marcian (both proprietary red blends). Not sure how common it is, but we got pours of two wines not on the tasting list.

ZD – The only clunker of the batch. Nothing wrong with it, just nothing memorable either. Well, the absolutely enormous rosemary bush outside was memorable.

Honig – Apparently by appointment only, but we walked right in and got a tasting with no problem. Very leisurely tasting. The wineguy who poured for us was from DC, and after commiserating about the Redskins he also shared some off-tasting menu wines with us. He was quite knowledgeable about wine.

Provenance – Just up the road from Honig. We tried a vertical tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon that was pretty remarkable. First time we had ever done that, and learned first-hand about the amazing variation between wines from the same grapes and the same soil. First time we ever tasted wines that wholesale at $100 a bottle.

We spent a day in Calistoga doing a wine tour by bike (through the Calistoga Bikeshop). They give you the bikes and a map and your tasting is paid for at six small, out of the way wineries. If you buy wine on the tour the bikeshop picks it up for you and has it ready when you get back. First stop was Vincent Arroyo. We got a nice, unexpected tour and tasted about eight wines. We were there for about an hour and a half, mostly sitting outside at a picnic table talking and tasting. Then we rode down to Bennett Road Winery for a quick tasting, and finished at Envy, another out of the way place with a very knowledgeable wineguy behind the counter. He gave us a taste of a few wines not typically on their tasting list.

Food

Oakville Grocery – I can imagine how insanely busy this place is on summer weekends, but midweek in April was a perfect time to stop in for a sandwich. Good options for a veggie.

Bouchon – What a beautiful and charming space. Best frites ever. Sat at the bar with some locals who think of it as their “neighborhood bar.” Really fun.

Bottega – Solid meal at the bar in a warm, inviting atmosphere. Burrata stuffed arancini were really tasty, as was my crispy pork shank served with warmed heirloom applesauce. Nice to see Michael Chiarello over the stove on a Tuesday night.

Mustards Grill – Very nice last meal in Napa. The squab served at a perfect medium-rare with mushroom risotto was terrific.

This was our first time visiting Napa and it was way more laid back and welcoming than we were expecting. Some of the wine pourers at tastings were more knowledgeable than others, but all were friendly and I was expecting at least a few snobs. Some really took their time to teach us and we came away much more informed about how wine is made.

[wineitup]

I was there in October 09, as well, and agree with jiveturk: I thought Ubuntu was extemely disappointing. I recall getting their "magical fairy eco-salad" or whatever they called it. It was a plate of (admittedly pretty looking) vegetables and leaves, with nary a drop of salt, vinegar, or lemon juice. I never thought eating vegetables could be so....dry. I nearly had to chug my all-organic, locally-sourced well water. All this for $20+, too.

I would have to agree. My last trip to Ubuntu was unremarkable. Nothing jumped out at me. It was food, that was about it.

[Sundae in the Park]

I posted previously about Martini House and after a recent re-visit (two weeks ago), it's as good as ever. They do extraordinary things with mushrooms of all types. Beau and I make a special trip to visit them every time. If you sit at the bar downstairs, see if Patrick is working the bar. If so, you'll definitely have a good time.

I was tempted to go for the mushroom tasting, but opted for a la carte selections because I could order the courses I was most interested in. We both had the mushroom soup, which was delectable, silky-smooth, lickable earth in a bowl. He had the pan roasted Alaskan halibut with steamed Manila clams, corn pudding, baby corn, and Romano beans. This was a delightful, summery dish, made amusing by our ability to watch the folks in the kitchen shuck the tiny baby corn. I had the roasted Liberty Farms duck breast, with sweet pea risotto, Hobbs smoked bacon, and king trumpet mushrooms, which was, simply put, Better. The decadently rich portion, especially the mushrooms, was packed with my favorite flavors. I ate the duck last and wasn't quite able to finish it, which is not at all a reflection on the duck or my usual preferences. We were very happy with the food and excellent service.

[leleboo]

I was tempted to go for the mushroom tasting, but opted for a la carte selections because I could order the courses I was most interested in. We both had the mushroom soup, which was delectable, silky-smooth, lickable earth in a bowl. He had the pan roasted Alaskan halibut with steamed Manila clams, corn pudding, baby corn, and Romano beans. This was a delightful, summery dish, made amusing by our ability to watch the folks in the kitchen shuck the tiny baby corn. I had the roasted Liberty Farms duck breast, with sweet pea risotto, Hobbs smoked bacon, and king trumpet mushrooms, which was, simply put, Better. The decadently rich portion, especially the mushrooms, was packed with my favorite flavors. I ate the duck last and wasn't quite able to finish it, which is not at all a reflection on the duck or my usual preferences. We were very happy with the food and excellent service.

Oooh, I'm hoping now that they have that mushroom tasting in November, although the halibut sounds fantastic .... I have to head to Sonoma for a wedding and I'm trying to figure out the rest of the dining: Martini House is high on the list, with Cyrus or Bottega the main event and maybe trying to get to Bouchon or Ad Hoc.

Decisions, decisions...

[Sundae in the Park]

Oooh, I'm hoping now that they have that mushroom tasting in November, although the halibut sounds fantastic .... I have to head to Sonoma for a wedding and I'm trying to figure out the rest of the dining: Martini House is high on the list, with Cyrus or Bottega the main event and maybe trying to get to Bouchon or Ad Hoc.

Decisions, decisions...

Ah, I remember now - the reason I most used to decide against the tasting menu was that I really, really wanted to try the mushroom soup. And not try a taste, since my husband also ordered the soup, but to try my very own bowl. It was a decision that was advocated our waiter and I was extremely pleased. The soup was was incredible down to the very last, bread-sopped (if there was no bread left, there would have been extreme licking danger) drop, and I imagine would only be more weather-appropriate after the summer. So, if you go to Martini House and are in even a somewhat soupy mood, I highliy recommend a mushroom soup, if they have it! Either way, I hope they still have that mushroom tasting for you. The risotto from the tasting menu is the same as from my duck dish, and is sooo good.

Plus, I forgot to mention our dessert, which was the lemon curd panini. It really is a wee grilled sandwich stuffed with wonderfully tart (but not overwhelmingly sweet or sour) lemon curd. The texture of the bread was interesting and initially a cause for concern, but we ended up liking it a lot.

[jiveturk21]

Oooh, I'm hoping now that they have that mushroom tasting in November, although the halibut sounds fantastic .... I have to head to Sonoma for a wedding and I'm trying to figure out the rest of the dining: Martini House is high on the list, with Cyrus or Bottega the main event and maybe trying to get to Bouchon or Ad Hoc.

Decisions, decisions...

I wrote this when I returned from Napa last summer, I was PISSED that we went to Ubuntu. Not just because we disliked Ubuntu so much, but because I missed out on the opportunity to go to another great place for dinner. That, for me, is what makes the decisions tough, the possibility that I am going to miss out on a great place.

I have not been to Cyrus, I have heard great things about it though. Not sure of your entire schedule, but I feel that you can go to Bottega and experience it for not a lot of money. The dinner for two of us, with tax and tip, was about $170. We could have gone and spent much less, or much more, and that is one of the things that I liked about this place, you can turn it into almost any kind of evening that you like.

[kturkey88]

Not sure of your entire schedule, but I feel that you can go to Bottega and experience it for not a lot of money. The dinner for two of us, with tax and tip, was about $170. We could have gone and spent much less, or much more, and that is one of the things that I liked about this place, you can turn it into almost any kind of evening that you like.

Seconded. I was pleasantly surprised with Bottega's prices. We really enjoyed our dinner there, in the bar (if that matters) as we don't usually like sitting and feeling more formal than we have to. FWIW though, I didn't get think the restaurant was at all stuffy or anything though - it looked as relaxed as we felt at the bar. We jumped around the menu and tried enough great things that we ended up going back for lunch another time that week.

[UStifosi]

Definitely hit Bottega and Martini House. They are both absolutely fabulous. At Bottega I liked the crudo on the frozen brick of salt. The attention to detail iss evident on every dish and the wine list is full of big name and no name treasures. Martini House doesn't get as much pub as the other places but that just makes it easier to get a res. I would rate it in my top 3 in the Napa -Sonoma area. Since it's in St Helena you can tie it in with a visit to Pride on Spring Mountain.

Have fun!

[Toogs]

I love Willi's wine bar for something laid back. Great bone marrow.

[jiveturk21]

Headed to Sonoma with my family (wife, sister, brother-in-law, mother, mother-in-law) in June. I am pretty sure that I have the restaurants covered, but I am struggling with what town to stay in and what wineries to go to.

Any thoughts on a preferred town to stay in - Healdsburg, Sonoma, Glen Ellen, Kenwood, Santa Rosa? Any hotels/inns that you would recommend? We are also considering just renting a house since there are six of us and we will be there for four nights.

What about wineries? Since this is a more diverse group that I usually go with, I won't be able to go to a winery that only serves cab or only serves zin, I will have to go to places that have some mix to the wine that you can taste?

For reference, when we went to Napa in 2009, we stayed at the Milliken Creek Inn. Also, when we were there, the wineries that I liked the best included Quintessa, Palmaz, Schramsberg, Paraduxx, Pride and Frank Family.

[leleboo]

Headed to Sonoma with my family (wife, sister, brother-in-law, mother, mother-in-law) in June. I am pretty sure that I have the restaurants covered, but I am struggling with what town to stay in and what wineries to go to.

Any thoughts on a preferred town to stay in - Healdsburg, Sonoma, Glen Ellen, Kenwood, Santa Rosa? Any hotels/inns that you would recommend? We are also considering just renting a house since there are six of us and we will be there for four nights.

What about wineries? Since this is a more diverse group that I usually go with, I won't be able to go to a winery that only serves cab or only serves zin, I will have to go to places that have some mix to the wine that you can taste?

For reference, when we went to Napa in 2009, we stayed at the Milliken Creek Inn. Also, when we were there, the wineries that I liked the best included Quintessa, Palmaz, Schramsberg, Paraduxx, Pride and Frank Family.

Honestly, I loved Healdsburg, to the point that I would move there. Santa Rosa was cute for half a day, but nothing really interesting or special. Sonoma was also a lovely lovely town, but I felt Healdsburg was a bit more laid-back and a wee bit less touristy.

If you do stay in Healdsburg, the new, all LEED-certified h2 (sister of uber-upscale Hotel Healdsburg) is kind of incredible: gorgeous, comfortable guest rooms with four-star service for non-four-star prices. For six, a house is likely still a better call, but h2 includes free breakfast, at least, and service is really outstanding.

Wineries are such a personal choice. I like the ones who are doing more old-world-style wines even in a Cali climate, but it really varies depending on what you like.

[weinoo]

Right outside Healdsburg, check out Michel-Schlumberger for both great wines and a beautiful view.

Also, right in downtown Healdsburg, Cyrus is a good restaurant where the cocktails might make you forget about wine. ...if only for a few minutes.

[Keithstg]

Headed to Sonoma with my family (wife, sister, brother-in-law, mother, mother-in-law) in June. I am pretty sure that I have the restaurants covered, but I am struggling with what town to stay in and what wineries to go to.

Any thoughts on a preferred town to stay in - Healdsburg, Sonoma, Glen Ellen, Kenwood, Santa Rosa? Any hotels/inns that you would recommend? We are also considering just renting a house since there are six of us and we will be there for four nights.

What about wineries? Since this is a more diverse group that I usually go with, I won't be able to go to a winery that only serves cab or only serves zin, I will have to go to places that have some mix to the wine that you can taste?

For reference, when we went to Napa in 2009, we stayed at the Milliken Creek Inn. Also, when we were there, the wineries that I liked the best included Quintessa, Palmaz, Schramsberg, Paraduxx, Pride and Frank Family.

Last time we were in Napa (May), we stayed at Calistoga Ranch, and loved it. May prove cost prohibitive for accomodations for 6, though. I would recommend staying in either Calistoga or Healdsburg (although not close to each other), for pretty much the same reasons as Leleboo. If you liked Frank Family, you might also like Harris Estate, Venge, O'Shaunessy (sp?) for Cabs, and Failla, and my personal favorite, Copain, for pinot / syrah.

[wineitup]

Headed to Sonoma with my family (wife, sister, brother-in-law, mother, mother-in-law) in June. I am pretty sure that I have the restaurants covered, but I am struggling with what town to stay in and what wineries to go to.

Any thoughts on a preferred town to stay in - Healdsburg, Sonoma, Glen Ellen, Kenwood, Santa Rosa? Any hotels/inns that you would recommend? We are also considering just renting a house since there are six of us and we will be there for four nights.

What about wineries? Since this is a more diverse group that I usually go with, I won't be able to go to a winery that only serves cab or only serves zin, I will have to go to places that have some mix to the wine that you can taste?

For reference, when we went to Napa in 2009, we stayed at the Milliken Creek Inn. Also, when we were there, the wineries that I liked the best included Quintessa, Palmaz, Schramsberg, Paraduxx, Pride and Frank Family.

If you want to consider Glen Ellen. There is a place there called the Glenn Ellen Inn. It has 6 what I guess you would called suites out back behind the restaurant. Very nice. quiet area. The restaurant is not bad either. Plus across the street is the Fig Cafe (same people who do the Girl & the Fig) and an awesome breakfast spot called the Garden Court Cafe.

[schulju]

Perhaps this is better posted in the Help Needed thread, but....am heading to Napa in a few weeks with a gal pal. She and I would like to hire a driver (as opposed to a tour service) for a couple of our days. We are considering both having someone drive our rental car (assuming they are pre-approved by the rental company) or a service where they provide the car.

Has anyone had any really great exeperiences with drivers they would recommend?

[Sthitch]

Has anyone had any really great exeperiences with drivers they would recommend?

Yes, Earl King with Royal Pacific Limousine (707)799-5036

[jiveturk21]

Some thoughts from our recent trip to wine country.

Whenever I ask anyone whether they prefer Napa or Sonoma, pretty much everyone says Sonoma because Napa it too touristy. I liked my trip to both places, but personally, I would say that I like Napa a bit better. It is more expensive, but my time in Napa didn't seem touristy at all and I felt that the scenery was better. Not that I didn't love my trip to Sonoma, I did, but don't let people sway you from going to Napa if that is where you want to go.

Healdsburg is awesome, if you are staying on that side, I would recommend Healdsburg over Sonoma, Santa Rosa, Kenwood, Glen Ellen, etc.

Dinner at Cyrus was fine, but I was not thoroughly impressed. I felt that the food was solid and the wine pairings good, but overall the value was not there. The service was also solid, but it seemed very hectic on the floor. Whenever I looked up, there were at least a dozen staff on the floor. Some people may see that as being attentive, but honestly, it was because they are inefficient as hell. At the French Laundry, we never waited for anything, they were always there when you needed them. It was almost as if they were all in a back room with cameras on every table and they would spring into action when you needed something. It just is much more peaceful to eat when you don't have people all over the place all of the time. In essence, I would gladly spend $891 at French Laundry as opposed to the $575 that I spent at Cyrus.

Dinner at Barndiva, however, was a different story. It is not as fancy as Cyrus, but the food was every bit as good and the service was much better. It was one of those dinners that you look back on and think to yourself, "That was just a great experience.", even though I can't remember one specific thing about it.

Healdsburg Bar and Grill was another "must go" place to check out when you are in the area. We went for lunch and ate burgers, along with 75% of everyone else in that restaurant, and they were damn good.

We never ate at Spoonbar, but we had fantastic drinks there two nights during our trip and I would have made it every night if I had my way. Both nights I just sat at the bar with my family, ignored them and was mesmorized by their liquor selection. If I could steal a bar and put it in my house, that is the bar that I would steal.

Outside of Healdsburg, we only tried a few other places and El Dorado Kitchen was the place the blew us away. Clearly, I liked the places that we went to, but we ended up here on a whim one afternoon for lunch and it was simply fantastic. The porchetta sandwich that I had was easily the best sandwich that I have eaten in years. The lamb burger was also incredible, as was the burrata, as was the pool connected to the hotel with bikini clad women.

I can't say the same, however, for Maya. Mexican food sounded great after a long day of wine tasting, but it was average at best. The place was jammed, so they are definitely popular, but all six of us didn't finish our food, that is not a good sign.

We also stopped at Underwood one day for lunch on the recommendation of a winery that we were at that morning. Personally, I could have done without stopping there, but it is a pretty good place in a one stop light town.

From a wine perspective, let me get my negative comments out first. Hartford Family Winery sucks. The service sucks, the tasting room sucks, the wine sucks and the value sucks. We went to 10 wineries while on our trip and this is the only one where we did not buy a bottle of wine. Hell, most places we bought a case of wine from, but we could barely get through our tasting here.

Now, on a positive note, we absolutely loved our trip to Lynmar (make sure you go on the farm tour) and Quivira. I would also highly recommend a trip to Ledson. Is the building a bit ostentatious? Probably. Is the wine tasting overwhelming? I guess so as it is tough to pick 6 or 9 wines to taste from a list of 20+. But, in the end, the wine was damn good, the service (Hana) was incredible and the pictures come out great. Oh yeah, we loved Michel Schlumberger and Preston as well, ditto for Matanzas Creek, Gundlach Bundschu, Deerfield Ranch and Arista. Basically, go to any of those places other than Hartford Family Winery and you will be impressed.

[wineitup]

Some thoughts from our recent trip to wine country.

Whenever I ask anyone whether they prefer Napa or Sonoma, pretty much everyone says Sonoma because Napa it too touristy. I liked my trip to both places, but personally, I would say that I like Napa a bit better. It is more expensive, but my time in Napa didn't seem touristy at all and I felt that the scenery was better. Not that I didn't love my trip to Sonoma, I did, but don't let people sway you from going to Napa if that is where you want to go.

Healdsburg is awesome, if you are staying on that side, I would recommend Healdsburg over Sonoma, Santa Rosa, Kenwood, Glen Ellen, etc.

Dinner at Cyrus was fine, but I was not thoroughly impressed. I felt that the food was solid and the wine pairings good, but overall the value was not there. The service was also solid, but it seemed very hectic on the floor. Whenever I looked up, there were at least a dozen staff on the floor. Some people may see that as being attentive, but honestly, it was because they are inefficient as hell. At the French Laundry, we never waited for anything, they were always there when you needed them. It was almost as if they were all in a back room with cameras on every table and they would spring into action when you needed something. It just is much more peaceful to eat when you don't have people all over the place all of the time. In essence, I would gladly spend $891 at French Laundry as opposed to the $575 that I spent at Cyrus.

Dinner at Barndiva, however, was a different story. It is not as fancy as Cyrus, but the food was every bit as good and the service was much better. It was one of those dinners that you look back on and think to yourself, "That was just a great experience.", even though I can't remember one specific thing about it.

Healdsburg Bar and Grill was another "must go" place to check out when you are in the area. We went for lunch and ate burgers, along with 75% of everyone else in that restaurant, and they were damn good.

We never ate at Spoonbar, but we had fantastic drinks there two nights during our trip and I would have made it every night if I had my way. Both nights I just sat at the bar with my family, ignored them and was mesmorized by their liquor selection. If I could steal a bar and put it in my house, that is the bar that I would steal.

Outside of Healdsburg, we only tried a few other places and El Dorado Kitchen was the place the blew us away. Clearly, I liked the places that we went to, but we ended up here on a whim one afternoon for lunch and it was simply fantastic. The porchetta sandwich that I had was easily the best sandwich that I have eaten in years. The lamb burger was also incredible, as was the burrata, as was the pool connected to the hotel with bikini clad women.

I can't say the same, however, for Maya. Mexican food sounded great after a long day of wine tasting, but it was average at best. The place was jammed, so they are definitely popular, but all six of us didn't finish our food, that is not a good sign.

We also stopped at Underwood one day for lunch on the recommendation of a winery that we were at that morning. Personally, I could have done without stopping there, but it is a pretty good place in a one stop light town.

From a wine perspective, let me get my negative comments out first. Hartford Family Winery sucks. The service sucks, the tasting room sucks, the wine sucks and the value sucks. We went to 10 wineries while on our trip and this is the only one where we did not buy a bottle of wine. Hell, most places we bought a case of wine from, but we could barely get through our tasting here.

Now, on a positive note, we absolutely loved our trip to Lynmar (make sure you go on the farm tour) and Quivira. I would also highly recommend a trip to Ledson. Is the building a bit ostentatious? Probably. Is the wine tasting overwhelming? I guess so as it is tough to pick 6 or 9 wines to taste from a list of 20+. But, in the end, the wine was damn good, the service (Hana) was incredible and the pictures come out great. Oh yeah, we loved Michel Schlumberger and Preston as well, ditto for Matanzas Creek, Gundlach Bundschu, Deerfield Ranch and and . Basically, go to any of those places other than Hartford Family Winery and you will be impressed.

I'll second the El Dorado Kitchen recommendation. Had a great meal there our last trip. Also agree with the Deerfield Ranch, Matanzas Creek and Arista nods. Both Matanzas Creek and Arista are in beautiful, but very different settings.

[bettyjoan]

Hubby and I just ran the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon, and even though race-related "stuff" limited our time somewhat, we still had a few experiences worth sharing...

First of all, if you're ever looking for a peaceful, lovely place to stay, I highly recommend Alexandra's Plaza Suite - it is a self-contained, 700-sq-ft apartment/guest house, and it was a great little hideaway. It is walking distance from Sonoma Plaza, and it has a full kitchen (which we used to cook our pre-race dinner, rather than going out and fighting the crowds and getting goodness knows what). Rates are incredibly reasonable for wine country - I believe $185/night for weekends and $165/night for weekdays. The owners live next door, and they are really thoughtful with the details - there is also some outdoor space, perfect for enjoying whatever wines you've just discovered.

We had post-race brunch at the Girl and the Fig, and it was just so-so. Frites were crunchy and well-salted, and salads were fresh and nicely dressed, but the duck confit hash had hardly any duck in it, the bread and butter service was terrible, and the brown butter cake was almost comically drowning in slivered almonds (serious overkill). The highlight of the meal was the croque monsieur - delicious.

We headed to Hopmonk Tavern for dinner, to enjoy some California brews on tap - most notably Pliny the Elder (from Russian River Brewery - some bottles are definitely coming home in my luggage). We only had appetizers, but they were tasty and went well with the beer. Service was awesome.

As for wineries, we visited Teldeschi in Healdsburg - we are members of their wine club and we always like to say hello if we're in town. We very much enjoyed Gundlach Bundschu, which was a pleasant surprise - the only reason we visited was because they served tastes of their Gewurstraminer at mile 10 of the race, and I wanted a souvenier bottle! We liked a number of their other wines, so we have a shipment on the way. We also enjoyed B.R. Cohn, which also has olive oil tasting.

Spent a little time in San Francisco on either end of the trip - will report on that later, in the appropriate place, of course.

[ktmoomau]

I am so excited one of my very dear friends is getting married in Sonoma this coming Summer. I am already planning on turning this into a week vacation. Going to read up on wineries I need to go to and plan out my food itinerary because I am a big geek who loves to plan. I get really overwhelmed by the amount of wineries out there, although I thoroughly enjoyed James May and Oz Clark's show on California wineries and might see if we can go to any of those.

[Sundae in the Park]

Because it was a Tues. night and there was no Ad Hoc to be had and Bottega was already packed (everyone at the bar was parked for the long haul and we were too hungry and tired to wait) at 6 PM, we felt lucky to be welcomed at Bouchon, and the food didn't disappoint. We went all in for the foie gras appetizer. Cool, creamy foie chilled in a cunning jar, spread onto warm toast points (they refill!), topped with a dusting of sea salt - it alternately crunches in your mouth/melts on your tongue. So simple, so revelatory. Our dinner really couldn't go higher after that, but the lamb and short ribs (special) managed to hold their own. The desserts looked terrific but we really didn't have room. It was a lovely meal and I am thrilled with my first Keller restaurant experience. It was definitely worth the drive after a long work day (we were NOT working in Napa)

[Choirgirl21]

Checking in here as well for any up to date suggestions. Just booked my flight out to CA for Memorial Day last night so only getting the ball rolling on places to eat. Places I was not able to hit on previous trips that come to mind are Ad Hoc and The Girl & The Fig. Thoughts on either? Of course, French Laundry is a goal, but I don't think there's any chance of getting a rez only 2 months away even if I could convince my friends to shell out the money.

[leleboo]

I had a great, great brunch/lunch at the Girl and the Fig in the fall of 2010 (although it was long enough ago that I can't remember what I had ... quiche, I think?) I'd definitely go back and explore it more.

[Choirgirl21]

Anyone else? We have totally put off doing any planning for our trip so it's time for me to get on it!

[Eric Ziebold]

I ate at Terra last time I was in Napa and had a great meal. I went in expecting there Terra I'd come to know while living in Napa, and was surprised to find out that they'd changed the menu format completely. Similar to Gary Danko and some of the Ritz Dining Rooms you pick however many courses you want from the menu and it's priced/course. They only items we weren't dying to order were the 2 obligatory salads. The food was exquisite, and I thought the wine list was fantastic. Not the tomb you get at some Napa restaurants but filled with some gems that you don't often see outside the Valley.

[Choirgirl21]

Has anyone eaten at Tra Vigne recently, or ever? Ad Hoc and Bouchon appear to be booked on Open Table. I'm goign to call Ad Hoc when they're open tomorrow to see about rez, but assuming we can't get them, a friend has a connection with Tra Vigne and has offered to get us a table there (sounds like we might get some special treatment). I'm inclined to just go with it, but there are so many great recommendations for Martini House and Bottega that I am torn.

ETA: Well apparently Martini House closed so I can scratch that one off the list.

[Waitman]

Of course, French Laundry is a goal, but I don't think there's any chance of getting a rez only 2 months away even if I could convince my friends to shell out the money.

Roll the dice. Show up at the French laundry about 11:30 AM (just before lunch opening), dressed appropriately -- jacket and tie if your friends include gentlemen -- and politely ask the host(ess) if there has been a cancellation. She will say "no," but will likely take your phone number "just in case." Kill 45 minutes or so, wandering around Yountville -- checking out the French Laundry kitchen garden, wandering by Bouley Bakery and picking up a loaf of bread and some macaroons for later on (grab me one of those long-sleeved t-shirts if they still sell them, I'll pay you back), hanging out at that hippie record shop -- and cross your fingers that some of the high-tech money from San Jose has a hangover or engine trouble with their Lexus and can't make the drive.

It worked for me, anyway. I expect larger parties mean longer odds, but.....

If you don't hear anything in an hour, wander down the street, have a perfectly delightful lunch at Bistro Jeanty, and feel like a local. There is no downside to this strategy.

If you love bread the way I love bread, get thee to Model Bakery in St. Helena for a massive round of crusty sourdough baked in their 90-year-old flamethrower-fired brick oven. When I tried it, I liked it even better than Bouley's fine loaf.

And one of the best times I had on my one too-brief foray into Napa was hanging out at the end of the bar at Mustard's Grill, munching on unpretentious yet tasty food and letting the bartender walk my friends and I through whichever of the many, many wines on the list he thought might suit us. It was great counterpoint to high-end experiences and you can learn a lot about local juice that won't bust your budget and probably can't be found back East. If you really glom on to something, you might be able to take the tour and get on the mailing list, as a friend of mine did.

And, if you do want to bust your budget, the Dean & DeLuca in Yountville has a lot hard-to-find, high-end plonk that you might find worth carrying home for a special occasion (or to sip with a loaf of that Model Bakery bread).

[Sthitch]

The wine and service at Frank Family and Paraduxx were second to none. ...Our worst experience, however, was Domaine Carneros. The site and views are still beautiful, but the once more personable feel has given way to a freakin factory, awful service and nothing more than average sparkling wines.

Calling the sparkling wines at Domaine Carneros average is being far too generous even their top of the line sparkler is insipid. I agree with you about Paraduxx, but had the exact opposite take on Frank Family. The guy who was pouring did nothing but name drop and tell us all of the wonderful stars that enjoy the founder's wine (who was the founder of USA Network - or was that his son). Do people really base their wine purchases on the fact that Oprah is a fan of their wine? They must he told it to everyone that came in the door. To make matters worse he kept going on and on about how their sparkler is really a Champagne and that is why it is called that on the label, there was no point in arguing. The wines were fine, but really did not stand out as anything special. The highlight of the visit was giving a belly rub to the wine makers Labrador.

I am very much a Francophile when it comes to wine, so my preferences will not generally correspond to those that are looking for big heavily extracted California reds or oaky Chardonnays, I found a few in that style that I liked, but for the most part I prefer complexity over fruit and a balance of fruit and acid over velvet. Two of the wineries that I really loved that make French style wines were Bremer Family Winery and Elizabeth Spencer. Bremer Family is hidden away on Howell Mountain on Deer Field Road just before you get to Angwin. They produce only a limited selection of wines and so the tasting also includes a number of their library wines. Reservations are required but easy to come by. The tasting room for Elizabeth Spencer is situated in an old pump house next door to BV (as a side note BV’s non-supermarket wines are quite good). The majority of the wines come from Napa, but they also have vineyards in Mendocino and grow some Syrah on the Sonoma Coast that they turn into a wonder rose.

The tasting room at Heitz Family Vineyards is refreshing for its uniqueness in that the tasting is free and there are no wine clubs and by extension no pressure. Don’t think that by not charging a fee that they are only pouring the plunk, on my last visit they were pouring three vintages of their exquisite Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet (one of the vintages was the 2007 which sells for $250 a bottle).

I was floored by the quality of the meal that we had at Redd, it was the best meal that I had in 2012 and outshone the meal we had the next day at the French Laundry. We discovered that if we ordered the tasting menu we got two completely different meals with two completely different wine pairings. Since we shared each plate and each wine, this worked out to a sixteen course meal without a clunker in the bunch.

The best burger that I ate in 2012 was at Goose and Gander in St. Helena, my wife made the mistake of getting hers with a topping of bone marrow, it was just too much of a good thing. By contrast we had a dreadful meal at La Condesa also in St. Helena. The guacamole tasting started the meal at its high point and it went downhill from there. The ceviche was quite unique as it seems as though they were able to extract and dispose of all of the flavors from the various ingredients and render a dish that that was hot and sour, that is it just hot and sour, no discernible yuzu or lime flavor in the sour and no actual chile flavor in the heat. The other ingredients provided neither flavor nor texture. The tacos were nearly all misses, the one exception were the ones made with tri-tip, the meat was well seasoned and cooked to just medium rare. We were able to rescue the evening by heading back to Goose and Gander for some very well made cocktails.

[Sundae in the Park]

We had so much fun at Oxbow Public Market in downtown Napa for lunch that we went back for dinner. After an afternoon of wine tastings and nibbles, we couldn't face a Big Deal Meal, and it was the perfect compromise of casual atmosphere and great food. Many local restaurants and specialty purveyors have outposts there. We got to taste so many things:

Kitchen Door - lovely, thin-crust porcini pizza; beautiful, open, homey space; and wonderful service (with great ideas about what to taste in the market)

Three Twins Ice Cream - very creamy and decadent; loved our Oreo and Mexican chocolate scoops

Ca' Momi Enoteca - Best Cream Puffs Ever!!! Tried all but the fruit flavors, then went back and bought more. They have good Neopolitan-style pizza and the ricotta-spinach gnudi were absurdly tender.

Pica Pica Maize Kitchen - the empanadas had nice fillings but were super greasy

Model Bakery - picked up a few loaves; great bread

The Fatted Calf - grabbed some tasty salted big parts and beef jerky for the road; pricey but all delicious

Anette's Chocolates - lots of alcohol-laden dessert syrups to try

Highly recommended if you're in search of a low-key Napa experience.

[seanvtaylor]

We just returned from a trip to wine country, staying in Kenwood, north of Sonoma. A quick recap of some nice meals:

--Campo Fina (Healdsburg): The best meal of our trip, by far. Smoky, spicy chickpeas. Roasted Padrone peppers. Grilled octopus, served in a seasonal tomato/celery salad. And the best pizza I've had this year, a white pizza with mascarpone, grilled peaches, speck, and basil, perfectly baked, with a flavorful, crisp thin crust. This was a superstar pizza, so good I wanted to order another (not for later, but for right then). My wife ordered the meatballs, and they were delicious. This is a small, fun restaurant, with casual but effective service, a small list of by the glass wines, and a few nice beers. I would go to this restaurant weekly if I lived in Healdsburg.

--Ad Hoc (Yountville): no surprises here, in that we wouldn't have expected anything less than really good to great. And it was. We started with an asparagus/burrata salad, moved on to pork tenderloin, black-eyed peas, grilled red onion and steak fries. A nice cheese course and then strawberry/lemon cupcakes with basil buttercream frosting. It was all as worthwhile as it sounds. We were surprised at the sense of bounty; we had leftovers of the pork tenderloin and red onion that nicely supplemented our scrambled eggs/omelets for the next two days.

--Goose and Gander (St. Helena): This wasn't the best burger I've had recently, but it was a solid entry in the competition. The small plates were very nice: the smoked corn croquettes something that would have pleased me, my young nephews and niece, and my parents. The padrone peppers were very flavorful, and elevated a bit by the fennel pollen and bowl of sea salt. My wife's gnocchi was delicious and perfect.

--The Fig Cafe (Glen Ellyn): Basic margarita pizza after some nice salads, but a meal marred by seriously inattentive service, even after we had made an appeal for a bit more (actual) service. The server was friendly, but really not interested in being there. Our pizza arrived a good 45 minutes after they had cleared our salad plates. We had even, at one point, asked for them to cancel the order, but the server insisted the pizza was on its way out that second. And then we waited 10 more minutes. As we were running late at that point, we scarfed down a few slices and got out of there, with no intention to return.

--VJB (Kenwood): A nice piazza-style one-stop shop, with a delicatessen, a pizza oven, a wine tasting, a gelateria, a pasta-maker, and (of course) a souvenir shop. It's a relaxing spot, and the service was friendly and efficient, but our pizzas were not so interesting and they weren't given enough time in the oven. The gelato was very good, though, and we would return to try the panini.

--Cafe Citti (Kenwood): Classic old-school checkered tablecloth place right in Kenwood, we picked up some nice fresh mozzarella and a half chicken. The resulting caprese salad (with some tomatoes from the Glen Ellyn farmers' market) was absolutely delicious. This is a very popular restaurant with the locals in Kenwood; practically everybody that we talked to recommended it. The chicken was very good, as roasted half-chickens tend to be when sitting outside drinking a nice bottle of wine, eating a great caprese salad, and enjoying the spectacular views.

--Chai's (Glen Ellyn Farmers' Market): A chicken bahn-mi lovingly made, a lemongrass soup, and some amazing chocolate peanut butter cookies made for an outstanding lunch. This was an expensive bahn-mi ($8!), but enough for two (with the soup) and a worthwhile lunch. The farmer's market is small but we easily picked up some nice vegetables for cooking for two nights, as well as a chocolate streudel that was good.

--Oxbow Public Market (Napa): we roamed genially around this market, trying to decide what looked the most appetizing, before settling (or not settling) on a vegetarian arepa at Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, which was good but as somebody mentioned above somewhat greasy, and a meatball sub from The Fatted Calf, a beautifully composed sandwich that was delicious.

--Bouchon Bakery (Yountville): as good as ever, for breakfast.

[bettyjoan]

Also just returned from wine country (we stayed about a mile off the Sonoma plaza). We rented a house and mostly cooked in, since we were there for a race and didn't want any weird tummy issues. However, if you are a beer lover in Sonoma, I definitely recommend Hopmonk Tavern, right off Broadway. They have a great draft selection, including the elusive Pliny the Elder (though, do note, they get limited kegs once a week from the brewery, so when it's gone it's gone - we were able to get it Thursday and Friday, but not Sunday). Food is mostly standard bar fare, but they have a very good grilled cheese.

[seanvtaylor]

Also just returned from wine country (we stayed about a mile off the Sonoma plaza). We rented a house and mostly cooked in, since we were there for a race and didn't want any weird tummy issues. However, if you are a beer lover in Sonoma, I definitely recommend Hopmonk Tavern, right off Broadway. They have a great draft selection, including the elusive Pliny the Elder (though, do note, they get limited kegs once a week from the brewery, so when it's gone it's gone - we were able to get it Thursday and Friday, but not Sunday). Food is mostly standard bar fare, but they have a very good grilled cheese.

We were up at the Armstrong Redwood Grove, and saw a large number of racers up by the Russian River--perhaps you were involved in that one?

Speaking of Russian River, we stopped at the brewery in Santa Rosa, and had a few glasses of Pliny while we were there. It's a good bar--solid beer offerings, a clearly loyal following, and a lot of space for hanging out even when it is crowded.

[bettyjoan]

SVT, I am jealous! I wanted to go to the brewery, but it was about a 45 minute drive from where we were staying, and we didn't want to chance drinking too much and not having a good way back. As I mentioned, we were able to get Pliny the Elder in Sonoma, but I would have loved trying some of their other less-available varieties. Maybe next time.

We were running the Napa to Sonoma half marathon, so I don't think we were anywhere near the Redwood Grove, but I'm not certain - we started at Cuvaison in Napa and wound our way back to the finish in Sonoma Plaza. My slowest half ever, but gosh darnit if the weather wasn't GORGEOUS (especially after the 100+ degree nastiness we left in DC).

[seanvtaylor]

Yes, there was some sort of tri up there, not a half marathon. Santa Rosa seems like a nice little town--we drove past the newly opened Boudin Bakery that had opened up on the 11th--everytime we drove by there was a line out the door.

[silentbob]

--Oxbow Public Market (Napa): we roamed genially around this market, trying to decide what looked the most appetizing, before settling (or not settling) on a vegetarian arepa at Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, which was good but as somebody mentioned above somewhat greasy, and a meatball sub from The Fatted Calf, a beautifully composed sandwich that was delicious..

Our day trip plan is to drive up from Santa Clara in the morning, have breakfast at Oxbow and pick up food for lunch. Drive to Sonoma for a picnic at Bella or Paradise Ridge, then an afternoon tasting at Merry Edwards before heading back east to Yountville. After checking for days, there was a cancellation and we lucked into a fried chicken Monday night reservation at Ad Hoc!

There are folks on travel boards dissuading parents of young children to attend wine tours/tastings. Is that really frowned upon? Our infant son is generally well-behaved as long as he's being held and/or moving, so the hope is that he won't be too disruptive if at all.

[seanvtaylor]

Our day trip plan is to drive up from Santa Clara in the morning, have breakfast at Oxbow and pick up food for lunch. Drive to Sonoma for a picnic at Bella or Paradise Ridge, then an afternoon tasting at Merry Edwards before heading back east to Yountville. After checking for days, there was a cancellation and we lucked into a fried chicken Monday night reservation at Ad Hoc!

There are folks on travel boards dissuading parents of young children to attend wine tours/tastings. Is that really frowned upon? Our infant son is generally well-behaved as long as he's being held and/or moving, so the hope is that he won't be too disruptive if at all.

I think an infant would be just fine. Given the time involved in a tasting, and the lack of focus on kid-friendly activities, I'd guess older children (2 and up, perhaps?) might be more difficult to keep satisfied.

[Toogs]

If you are going to the outer reaches of Sonoma, try Frick.  I love that dude and his wines are right in my wheelhouse.

[Choirgirl21]

If you are going to the outer reaches of Sonoma, try Frick.  I love that dude and his wines are right in my wheelhouse.

I highly second this. Incredibly good value as well. One of the few places that I consistently have wine shipped from since I first went many many years ago. On my last trip, we got there after he had closed, so disappointed.

[Sundae in the Park]

Obviously this is a promo poster but it may have some good ideas

Sonoma Marin Cheese Trail Map

[sheldman]

A nice new place in St Helena is Archetype.  So far I have only sat at the bar for drinks and cookies (both excellent), but the food looked very good too.  The place is architecturally cool - nice open airy space, with a curved bar where you can see the open kitchen behind the bartenders.

(You can trust me even though I have been in the area for four days now and haven't had a glass of wine.)

[DonRocks]

A nice new place in St Helena is Archetype.  So far I have only sat at the bar for drinks and cookies (both excellent), but the food looked very good too.  The place is architecturally cool - nice open airy space, with a curved bar where you can see the open kitchen behind the bartenders.

(You can trust me even though I have been in the area for four days now and haven't had a glass of wine.)

This reminds me I didn't report on my recent Napa trip. In Yountville, I went to both Bouchon and Bistro Jeanty, expecting the latter to be superior; it was not the case.

My steak tartare at Bistro Jeanty tasted sweet, to the point of being downright odd. I asked my bartender what caused the sweetness in the dish ... "Ketchup," she whispered, "but don't tell anyone." That's just gross.

On the other hand, I had a surprisingly wonderful meal at Bouchon - I figured it would be very good, but it was even better than I thought. It has some of the best bread and butter I've had in a long time (I think great bread and butter is a wonderful thing, and is what saves Le Diplomate from mediocrity).

Better still is Oenotri in Napa - it's along the lines of 2 Amys, and right up there with it in terms of quality. The seasonal vegetables (salads, etc.) here are terrific.

My final meal was a repeat at Sushi Sam's in San Mateo - both times I've been, I've had arguably the best sushi of my life (I've never been to Japan, however), and it's not all that expensive.

At the low end of the spectrum, price- and atmosphere-wise, was La Luna Market & Taqueria in Rutherford, where you can stuff yourself silly on really good Burritos, Tacos, etc. for $10 or so - it's carryout only from what I remember, so you'll be eating outdoors or in your car.

[sheldman]

So far, my "best thing to eat" contest around here is a tie between a strawberry croissant at Bouchon Bakery, and the tacos from a truck (La Gitana) in the gravel parking lot of a gas station just outside of Calistoga - facebook page here.  Not talking about some hip take on tacos. 

[seanvtaylor]

So far, my "best thing to eat" contest around here is a tie between a strawberry croissant at Bouchon Bakery, and the tacos from a truck (La Gitana) in the gravel parking lot of a gas station just outside of Calistoga - facebook page here.  Not talking about some hip take on tacos. 

Crazy--I've think I've eaten at that taco truck--just up from the intersection on the road that leads down to St. Helena?

I love the nutter butter from Bouchon.