Napa Archives - Foodnut.com

La Toque Restaurant Review, Napa

Foodnut.com — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 07:00:37 +0000

Why did we dine here? – La Toque (it means Chef’s Hat in French) is a French restaurant in Napa’s Westin Verasa Hotel. It has One Michelin Star, so we have always been wanting to come here. We finally got a chance in the middle of 2013. There are just so many good restaurants in the Napa Valley. The chef is Ken Frank, who focuses on local, seasonal ingredients. The restaurant got its start in Los Angeles and moved up here several years ago. Insider Tip – This is actually a fairly easy place to get a reservation. Cuisine – French Location – Downtown Napa Opened – 1980 Service – La Toque should have had better service. The waiter was friendly, but was not very present nor did he ever ask how the food was. There were long pauses in pacing. This isn’t Michelin Star quality service. The restaurant was 50% full. Verdict – Did La Toque live up to its reputation with its Michelin Star? We had lunch at Redd, which also has one Michelin star. They are far more consistent with food and service. Is it one of the better restaurants in downtown Napa? There were some glimmers […]

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Oenotri Restaurant Review, Napa

Foodnut.com — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:00:26 +0000

Why did we dine here? – Oenotri is an Italian restaurant that has been receiving a lot of positive press (Michael Bauer rated it excellent), we were in Napa and decided to give it a try. This was a nice change from the New American food that is all over the Napa Valley. Insider Tip – Make a reservation. Oenotri fills up fast. Cuisine – Italian Location – Downtown Napa Oenotri Opened – 2010 Service – Oenotri had solid service with a knowledgeable waitress who helped guide us through the menu. No worries about refills here. Napkin folding on demand. Verdict – Oenotri serves up solid Italian food in A modern atmosphere, making it a no-brainer if you feel like Italian while in Napa. The food quality is as good as popular places like Flour and Water. Signature Dishes – Salumi, pizza, pasta, squab. Oenotri’s Menu features a wide variety of house made Salumi, several starters, pizza and pasta options. The menu changes frequently. Website Oenotri Menu Full Oenotri image set Oenotri Food Picks: Chef selection of 6 Salumi items ($15) was an excellent, with 6 different picks all high-quality, perhaps we should ordered the bigger one! ROASTED BEETS AND […]

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Morimoto Restaurant Review, Napa

Foodnut.com — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:00:54 +0000

Morimoto Napa is a Japanese restaurant run by world famous television Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. This celebrity chef, who also worked at Nobu, is known for his whimsical twists on Japanese cuisine. The restaurant has gotten lukewarm reviews from the major San Francisco food critics, so we came expecting a lot of flash and little substance. He has outposts around the world including in India and Hawaii. We had lunch at Morimoto Napa. Why did we here? – We aren’t exactly big fans of this show, but succumbed to the hype and decided to see what his restaurant was all about. Summary – Morimoto Insider Tip – Reservations necessary, order selectively. Cuisine – Japanese Fusion Chef – Jeffrey Lunak Location – Downtown Napa near Oxbow market Opened – 2010 Decor, Vibe – Morimoto features is beautiful modern decor, lots of large abstract art pieces lined the walls, exotic hardwood tables, stylish wood cabinets. Morimoto Menu Morimoto’s Menu is huge, featuring sushi, sashimi, steaks, noodles, hot and cold appetizers, etc. This made us worry. How could they do so many items well? Triple digit omakase is available for the well-heeled. The lunch menu features less items. Signature Dishes – Tuna pizza, […]

This post originally from Morimoto Restaurant Review, Napa