Feast on the Wild Side



Hank Shaw hunting diver ducks; photo
by Holly Heyser, aka NorCal Cazadora

 As someone who's always been fascinated by the hunting and foraging concept -- but admittedly more interested in the spoils than the chase -- I was stoked to hear from my friend Ashley Teplin that Farmstead Restaurant is hosting a wild dinner with foraging expert Hank Shaw on June 30, 2011.  

Hank is the author of the new book Hunt, Gather, Cook- Finding the Forgotten Feast, as well as the James Beard nominated blog Hunter Angler Gardener Cook.  He's been fishing and foraging most of his life, and has more than a few tricks to share in this book for gathering wild greens, selecting fishing gear, plucking pheasants, and gutting deer.  He also delves into the procuring process and recipes for far less familiar edibles, like sea robins, daylilies, wild doves, and --yes, it exists!-- dandelion wine.

The dinner this Thursday is part of his national book release tour, and hosted by Hank's duck hunting buddy Sheamus Feeley (who sadly is leaving his position as Farmstead executive chef at the end of July to return to Hillstone Restaurant Group).  The family style feast begins with passed appetizers at 6:30pm, and includes a book signing with Hank (and book purchasing if you like; $20 each).  

The menu sounds prett-y darn exciting.  Check it out:
All of this can be yours for a mere $50 per person, which INCLUDES the excellent wine from Farmstead's parent winery, Long Meadow Ranch.  That is a steal.

Call Farmstead to reserve your spot, and be sure to specify it is for the Hank Shaw event.  I scored my reservations this weekend, so there are still a few seats left.  See you there, I hope!

Farmstead Restaurant, 738 Main Street, St. Helena, 707-963-9181.

• Smoked sturgeon with crema and paddlefish roe
• Wild boar meatballs with tomato marmalade
• Cheddar biscuits with cured ham and apple butter
• Grilled Venison with elderberry conserve
• Mix of wild duck and wild boar sausages with mustard
• Porchetta " Half and Half": wild boar loin, wrapped in a red wattle belly with salsa verde
• Ramp and potato gratin
• Sea beans with chile, garlic and honey
• Purslane and black kale salad with chile pequin and toasted grana
• Salad of porcini mushrooms with preserved lemon, arugula, Carmody cheese and celery
• Roasted rock bass with wild fennel cioppino broth and aioli
• Buttermilk panna cotta with Saskatoon berry gelee

A New Taste of the Himalayas

Napa is not known for its Asian food selection.  In recent years, though, we have welcomed an influx of Thai, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Indian, and Japanese restaurants aiming to break out of the stereotypical mold for "ethnic restaurants" with modern ambience, original menus, and contemporary presentations.  Taste of the Himalayas, which opened June 18th, is the latest addition to this restaurant category... and one I am supremely excited about.


The name is familiar to wine country folks--there is a Taste of the Himalayas on the Sonoma Square that has been quenching our curry thirst since 2003.  This Napa outpost is something a little bit different.  One of the original partners in the Sonoma TotH, Mr. Pemba Sherpa, put himself through culinary school and branched out on his own to open a more refined, contemporary Himalayan restaurant in Sausalito last fall; this Napa spot is his second such venture.  With his girlfriend Tenzin Yangchen, he is pushing the envelope for Nepalese and Tibetan cuisine in the former Old Adobe building at the intersection of Soscol Avenue and Silverado Trail.

 

(Possibly) original 1860s wall painting,
with 1950s graffiti.



Sherpa says the building (Napa's oldest surviving structure) reminds him of the house he was born in, full of history and possibilities.  Being 31 years old and a tad cash-strapped, Sherpa did much of the construction work himself on the space.  He ripped out the stinky liquor and nicotine-stained bar, replaced most of the floor and walls with new materials, whitewashed everything anew, and installed modern lighting along the dark wood rafters. In the course of his renovation, he found lots of old wall paintings in various states of decrepitude.  The best preserved one by the front door he kept intact, and if you look closely, you can still see the pencil-scrawled names and 5-digit phone numbers of former patrons... and the hospital.  

The overall look is tastefully clean and contemporary, but still homey.  Comfortable leather chairs, dark wood tables, and ornate Nepalese salt and pepper shakers strike a delicate balance between modern and traditional.  Families, friends, and dates would all be equally at home here.

But let's talk about the food, because that's really the most exciting part.  Like most Nepalese restaurants, the menu includes dishes with Indian, Tibetan, and Nepalese flavors. Unlike most Nepalese restaurants, the dishes are beautifully presented, free of artificial flavors and colors, and made with fresh organic meats and vegetables from the farmers' market.  Sherpa didn't want to open just another cookiecutter Nepalese restaurant; he wanted to do something different, and raise the bar.  He reinterprets many traditional dishes, enhancing the flavors as well as their visual appeal.  The rice that accompanies all of the curry dishes, for example, is cooked with saffron, cardamom, bay leaf, and cinnamon to create a beautifully fragrant accompaniment that's just as desirable as the main event.



Samosa Chaat

In addition to the expected momos, (excellent) naan, chicken tikka, and tandoori dishes, Sherpa also wants to offer more unusual items like tender goat curry (which he conveniently de-bones in the kitchen), and his interpretation of Tibet's Churi Pama: ground beef with a blue cheese curry sauce, onions, garlic, and bell peppers.  He also has created several original cold salad-type appetizers, since the Nepalese typically only eat salads of cucumber and tomato.  One of the highlights of my first visit was another of his appetizer inventions, the Samosa Chaat--cut up pieces of potato samosa arranged to look like a mountain range, studded with chole (chick peas), julienned apple,  and crunchy sev bits, and capped off with yogurt and a red onion tamarind chutney.  We could not rest until every scrap was gone.

Tandoori shrimp with vermicelli salad.

The seafood is all wild-caught, which means that not everything is available all the time.  The salmon tandoori (which Sherpa told me was one of his favorites) is being swapped out with butterfish for now, until he can find more of the beautiful salmon he had before.  The shrimp tandoori was beautifully cooked, and beautifully presented (no sizzling/overcooking platters here) with a rice vermicelli salad seasoned with sesame oil.

Once he has earned diners' trust, Sherpa wants to start offering even more unusual items, like goat lung, pig feet, and other traditional dishes he grew up making with this father in Namche Bazaar, Nepal (also known as the "Gateway to Mt. Everest").  He also has plans to open a cafe in the front portion of the building in about six months, serving coffee grown on his family's organic coffee plantation in Nepal, beers on tap, as well as casual breakfast and lunch items like "naanwiches" and wraps.  I urged him to consider "naanciatas" as well, topping the gorgeous blistered naan with a cool dressed salad... and please join me in this crusade, because it would be awesome. I feel like I need to take him to Azzurro for the BLT manciata later this summer.

Also on Sherpa's seemingly neverending list of ambitions, making and distributing his own tongba, the Nepalese sake-like alcohol made of millet.  Until that day comes, the restaurant is serving wine and beer, including the Nepalese beer Mustang.

It's hard to imagine a more original addition to Napa.  Get over there and show these guys some love.

Taste of the Himalayas is open seven days a week for dinner, and (for now at least) seven days for lunch; takeout is also available. 376 Soscol Avenue, Napa, (707) 251-3840. 

Sneak Preview of Oxbow's Kitchen Door

Last night I scored a fabulous sneak preview of Todd Humphries and Richard Miyashiro's Kitchen Door, which is slated to open to the public next Tuesday, June 14th.  I'd previously spoken with the dream team behind this new restaurant while it was still under construction, and you can read all about the background in the resulting Tablehopper.com article.

The lovely and enchanting Beef Carpaccio

The menu has a lot of variety, from the legendary Cream of Mushroom soup ($7), Kobe Beef Burger with wine-stewed onions and Swiss cheese ($13.95), and Beef Carpaccio with Himalayan truffle puree, crispy potato confetti, arugula, and lemon aioli ($10.95), to the new Korean Style Short Ribs in Soya Glaze with spicy mushroom, veggie, and bacon fried rice ($14), and Alsatian Flammeküche flatbread topped with ham, onions, gruyère cheese, watercress, and frisée ($13.75).  Fans of Humphries' mushroom soup should also check out the Hen of the Woods Mushroom Flatbread ($13.95), whose delectable blend of parmesan cream, provolone, mozzarella, starch, and mushroom is essentially a pizza version of the soup, and the ideal vehicle for gathering up any traces of shroomy love still in your bowl. 

Juicy duck + tangy carrots and daikon + Sriracha mayo = WINNING

As a Vietnamese food fanatic, I was delighted to also spy Vietnamese Chicken Noodle soup (pho ga) ($12) and a Roast Duck Banh Mi Dip ($12.95).  This version of the classic sandwich combined the usual magic assemblage of pickled veggies, rich meat, and spicy mayo with a little dunking bowl of tasty duck broth and perfectly cooked sweet potato fries.  It all vanished in short order, with only a few drops of broth remaining.

Hen of the Woods Flatbread: one of the many tasty things
coming out of Kitchen Door's wood-burning oven.

Sides like 4505's Chicharrones (a.k.a. "Piggy Puffs" here) ($3.75), Roasted Shishito Peppers with lime and Korean chili flakes ($6.75), Charcuterie from Fatted Calf ($11.95), and Burrata with olive pesto and herb flat bread ($8.25) clearly take aim at the gnawing, ravening, rich-toothed beast within.  This is comfort food at its best, with layers of sophisticated flavor and loads of satisfaction for your base, reptilian brain.


Desserts mostly center around the softserve ice cream from Straus (sundaes with tiny marshmallows, fudge, candied nuts; or dulce de leche and fried churros; or marinated strawberries; or espresso, $3.75-$6.50), but there's also a Candy Cap Mushroom Bread Pudding ($6.95), Panna Cotta with summer berry compote ($6.50), an assorted cookie plate ($6), and Napa Cakes Panforte ($3.50), loaded with nuts, fruits, and spice.

Looking towards the south wall.
The dessert station is where the Oxbow Wine Merchants' refrigerated
high-end wine room used to be.

In terms of beverages, I was loving on their Rosso Fazekas Sangiovese, which is available on tap for $8.00/glass, $17.00 for a half-liter (2/3 of a bottle).  Balanced and earthy, this was for me the perfect food wine.  A total of eight wines and four beers are available on tap, with 20 more bottled wines available by the glass, half-liter, or bottle, and nine more beers in bottles or cans.  Every single wine is available by the glass, too, so you can truly order only what you want to drink. 

Some might gripe that the wine selection is fairly simple, but Kitchen Door is not Martini House.  This is supposed to be a place you can visit any night of the week, every week.  A place for Tuesday night wine, not $75 Napa cabs.  In my opinion, the list has a remarkable range of food-friendly varietals: Vermentino, Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Arneis, Grenache Blanc, and Viognier, in addition to the usual big three whites; Tempranillo, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Sangiovese, as well as the obvious reds.  And, the most expensive bottle is $42.  That works just fine for me....

Kitchen Door is planning to be open for lunch and dinner every day of the week starting June 14th.  I can't wait to go back... but I think it's safe to say the place will be mobbed.  And deservedly so.

Three Places To Take (Or Score) A Hot Date In Napa

The city of Napa has historically played a rather stolid supporting role for the glamorous Yountville and St. Helena wineries and restaurants people associate with "The Napa Valley,"  providing the county with essential civic stuff (courthouse, government offices, jail) and a cheaper place to live for working class folks who couldn't afford the tonier hamlets upvalley.  Sexy it was not.

Now, however, downtown Napa is drawing even our neighbors from upvalley to its awesome and ever-expanding array of date destinations.  Here are three of the hottest spots for seduction.

Carpe Diem Wine Bar.  Steve, Stephanie, and Scott have created something beautiful at the corner of Brown and Second Streets.  Modern decor, creative comfort food, and a quirky, ever-changing wine list proved to be the holy trinity that lures Napa's tasteful 20 and 30 somethings out of the woodwork.  The bar area is packed every night of the week with happy hour revelers and later-night solo diners looking for love in the form of harissa fries, Cabernet-braised shortrib sliders, globally inspired soups and salads, charcuterie, and other wine-friendly snacks.  My current heartthrob is the asparagus flatbread with caramelized onion, truffled parmesan, prosciutto, chili, and an extra sunny side egg on top -- but my other part-time lover is the ostrich burger with Zinfandel-cranberry and caramelized onion reduction sauce, Brie, and truffle fries.  

1313 Main.  This is the place to take sophisticated wine and beer drinkers for some intimate pre- or post- dinner refreshment when you want to hear each other talk.  The sleek decor and sexy tableware might seem snobby at first blush, but the knowledgeable staff is more than happy to help guide you to something you will like.  The menu spans a full range of price points, and includes both the famed (e.g., Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon) and the obscure (Bokisch Graciano, from Lodi), available by the glass, bottle, or 2-ounce pour for those who love variety.  The selection of composed cheese and charcuterie plates exhibit the same attention to detail.  I'm obsessed with the Mona sheep cheese from Wisconsin, paired with a salted fig compote, roasted almonds, and olive breadsticks from Panevino.  All the cheese and charcuterie plates come with fabulously thin, bias-cut slices of baguette garnished with fresh thyme, another little touch that makes me very happy.

AVIA Hotel.  Everyone loves the AAA Four Diamond AVIA Napa on First Street downtown.  Even if you haven't booked a room here, you can enjoy the make-out options at the Riddling Rack lobby bar, and/or the rooftop-like Terrace on the second floor, which is fully equipped for all your needs with privacy curtains, a firepit, and swings.  The suggestively lit Riddling Rack bar is a great spot to meet up for naughty conversation and international bubblies by the glass, but a tasteful selection of snacks and the full menu from the hotel's main restaurant are also available if you decide to park it there for the evening.  During the summer, the outdoor Terrace hosts live music Thursday and Friday evenings, with drink and food service available; the rest of the year it's just a gorgeous spot to visit with or without drinks from the Riddling Rack.  In terms of food: the cheese plate is always stunning, but if you want something a little lighter, go for the seasoned popcorn in your choice of truffle, parmesan, salt & pepper, or all three at once.  They say it's more fun with three.

Lucky 13?

A new wine bar called 1313 Main opened today in downtown Napa, after years of construction and anticipation--at least from me.

1313 Main in September, 2010.

I've been walking past the storefront for ages, watching and wondering as its sleek modern shape emerged from the rubble of the former Main Street Martial Arts building (see pic of that old Napa fixture here).  I snapped the picture to the right last September when it looked like the wine bar was nearly ready to open, but nothing more seemed to happen until this spring. I spied people moving around inside, sitting at the bar, and lighting up the place, and now at last, with little fanfare, the wine bar is officially open for business.

It's strange to me that the place hasn't publicized its opening more.  Napa Patch posted an informative piece about it this morning, describing the key players in the game, and an overview of the wine bar and retail operations.  But other than that, I haven't heard a peep about it... which is completely insane. Any place that pours Kistler, Conundrum, and Caymus by the glass should be on every Napa wine lover's hitlist.  Especially since they also have what sounds like a kickass selection of unique lots purchased by owner Al Jabarin at Premiere Napa Valley: Coup de Foudre, Cain, Larkmead, among others.

Al also owns CalWine the retail store, which he started as winezone.com in 1993 with an initial investment of $5000, and expanded to brick and mortar operations (at the corner of First Street and Silverado Trail) in 2006.  1313 Main is his latest creation, presenting a very different, very sexy new opportunity to enjoy wine.  The space looks amazing, with a multitude of seating options to suit all moods.  Cozy fireplace lounge, check. Counter seats at polished granite bar, check.  Communal bar table, check.  Private rooms for secretive high rollers and special events, check (x2).  "Speakeasy" area with leather and wood bench seating, check. Back patio seating, ch-- well actually, that's not opening until later this summer. But open it will.

According to the website, 13 white wines and 13 reds are available by the taste, glass, and bottle, with 13 craft beers standing by for non-vinous refreshment.  Local chef Sarah Scott, who recently collaborated with forager Connie Green on the excellent Wild Table cookbook, and who was the executive chef at Robert Mondavi Winery for 13 years (props for the team's ability to stick with this theme!), has created the food side of the wine bar menu.  Plates of charcuterie and cheeses from wine country favorites Fatted Calf and Cowgirl Creamery will feature prominently here, but I'm confident Sarah will pull out a few original creations as well. Perhaps some porcini mushroom butter?

1313 Main plans to be open seven days a week, from 11am-10pm Sunday through Thursday, and 11am-midnight on Friday-Saturday.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

Springtime for the Napa Marriott

This year's weather has been so schizophrenic that I've been relying on my PG&E bill to tell me when we're truly out of the wintry woods.  The 50% drop on March's invoice suggested that spring has finally arrived for good, and the gorgeous sunshine today confirms it.

Thus I found an unassailable excuse to have a Garden Gimlet with my lunch at the Napa Marriott's newly renovated lobby bar, Vin 11. 

What's a Garden Gimlet? Grey Goose vodka, fresh-squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, and fresh basil shaken up all together... and a lovely match with the Macho Salad's avocado, preemie-baby tomatoes, pecans, dates, and smoked chicken.

The new Vin 11 restaurant at the Napa Marriott

The Napa Marriott had some serious work done this year, and I gotta say, she looks great.  Vin 11 is the hotel's new restaurant concept, revealed just in time for the Future Marketers Social Media Workshop (#FMSMW on Twitter) that took place today.  The restaurant menu features garden-fresh, seasonal American favorites with a Cal-Mediterranean bent, and libations hail from all over the globe.  I almost got a glass of Austrian grüner with my lunch, but went for the springy basil gimlet for the first round.

The sun-kissed patio courtyard and its sleek new loungey couches are a fantastic spot for some springtime libations, and I foresee much more happy tippling in the very near future.

February's Four Delectable Dishes

It's been a busy few weeks! Between my inaugural 707 scout columns for tablehopper, a flurry of new release writing for one of my winery clients, and many fun events that drew me out of Napa into the far reaches of Sonoma and San Francisco, I haven't exactly been tending to my blog this month the way I ought. 

But I have been eating some tasty things.
So, as my jump back into the saddle, I give you four delectable dishes I encountered on my culinary romps around the Bay Area this February.

Exhibit A: Spicy Duck Hotwings with Chili-dusted Jicama

from El Dorado Corner Cafe

Oh, decadent bliss.  Imagine duck confit on a handle, wrapped in a crunchy, chewy, hot saucy crust.  Despite the objective fattiness of deep fried breaded duck wings, the subjective sensation of these is remarkably clean, with fantastic textural variations and compulsively tasty inside and out.  Just do it.

Exhibit B: Wild Mushroom, Chevre, and Truffle Oil Pizza

from El Dorado Kitchen/El Dorado Corner Cafe

I've eaten this pizza at EDK a couple of times, but fall in love anew each time I order it.  The mushrooms have great wild forest funk and a delicate tenderness, which the fresh parsley and tarragon play up in a most delicious fashion.  The flavorful crust is thin but sturdy, and the ideal vehicle for transporting the truffly target to your lips.  Thanks to the new El Dorado Corner Cafe in Sonoma, this irresistible little item can now be had all day long (the EDK and its bar close down to a very small, pizza-less lounge menu for mid-afternoon), starting at 11:00 am. 

Exhibit C: Nonna's Tomato-Braised Chicken

from Scopa

I trekked up to Healdsburg for the Golden Barspoon competition this year, and finally got to experience Scopa for dinner. This little place has been recommended to me time and again as the Italian restaurant experience you always wish you had in your neighborhood.  The menu changes frequently, but this signature dish never disappears.  So what is Nonna's secret?  Succulent chicken, thick, richly seasoned tomato sauce, and dreamy soft polenta infused with fresh rosemary hiding just below in the adorable little cast iron brazier.  Brilliant textures, fabulous flavors, and perfect in every way.

Exhibit D: Seared Scallops w/ Pastis Pan Sauce, Beet Greens, and Roasted Beet-White Truffle Puree

Valentine's Day dinner at my house

Who knew that beets and their vegetal trappings would be so delicious with Pastis, scallops, and white truffle? Another example of the whole being far greater than the sum of its parts.  I share this one not to congratulate my cooking ability (this is not a techically demanding creation) but rather to share this revelation with the world.  This dish was so good, we were mourning its being gone before we even finished eating it.