Butterscotch sabayon, vanilla rum ice cream, caramel corn, and a sliver of galette (with chocolate cookie crumbles at the very bottom of the dish).
I have always admired the desserts at Redd, especially the peanut butter and milk chocolate gianduja, which I have probably eaten more than any other dessert in the Napa Valley. I’ve also been a longtime proponent of Redd’s bar menu, which is probably my favorite in the area. The other day, I got to thinking about pork buns, sweet and spicy chicken wings, and some of my other favorites, so I dropped by Redd [... read more ...]
I know you got sole.
Conspiracy theories, in general, are usually pretty boring. After all, who in their right mind wants to listen to some crackpot ramble on about government plots or UFOs? For me, it all adds up to a bunch of noise. But that being said, I do have a small conspiracy theory of my own regarding the 2010 Michelin Guide and Bistro Jeanty’s loss of its Michelin star. Perhaps it’s a bit far-fetched, but perhaps not. It goes as follows:
Since its wine country debut in 2007, the Michelin Guide has long been criticized for [... read more ...]
I found an interesting old paperback at the used bookstore a few weeks ago, 1993′s “California Wine Country Cooking Secrets,” edited by Kathleen DeVanna Fish. The book itself is somewhat poorly conceived — part tour guide, part cookbook, part Napa, part Sonoma — it doesn’t really offer much definitive advice or insight regarding any of these four subjects. Instead, “California Wine Country Cooking Secrets” glosses over the critical details, and simply compiles fluff descriptions for the bigger wineries, alongside a handful of restaurant entries, each offering three recipes. That said, the Napa restaurant section does remain the most compelling [... read more ...]
As I’ve continued to explore the culture of breakfast and lunch here in the Napa Valley, I felt that it was certainly worthwhile to mention a few of the better pastry options out there. After all, even if you’ve enjoyed a large breakfast in the morning, pastries remain a great take-away item, especially if you plan to spend the day wine tasting, when lunch can often get pushed back, or pushed aside altogether. Without a proper lunch, that same cheese danish that may seem gluttonous in the early morning can actually become your salvation in the early afternoon (and [... read more ...]
I’m a Rutherford Grill junkie for the most part. Like many folks who live here in the Napa Valley, this culinary juggernaut is part of my weekly dining routine, and they know me by name. I actually began to get hooked on the place several years ago, when I was living in Los Angeles, where the Houston’s locations are as mega-profitable as their sister location in Rutherford (all of these restaurants share many common menu items, though they do offer a few exclusive ones, as well). As a diner with a dotcom bankroll, I used to frequent the Century [... read more ...]
