A day in Napa Valley -9/27/2020

Loan and Minh planned for us to have lunch, wine tasting, and dinner in Napa for her Birthday. 

First stop is at V. Satuii winery.

Inside they have an artisan deli and marketplace where you can buy sandwiches, Panini, salads, and pasta.  They also make their own charcuterie in their salumeria and they also sell a variety of cheese that you can pair with a good bottle of wine. 

 

After buying the provision you walk to the picnic area and find a table. 

Table and chairs are cleaned and disinfected before they let you sit down.  It was a very hot day so we were glad to find a table in the shade.

Their charcuterie was delicious, the pate was really outstanding.

 

After lunch we drove to Darious Winery.

 

 Darious winery was founded in 1997 by Iranian born, Darioush Khaledi and his wife Shahpar. Darioush made an intense global multi-year search for an ideal vineyard site before settling in the southern part of the Napa Valley.

 

Walking up to this winery is like walking onto a Hollywood set. This modern building takes its historical influences from the ancient great Persian city of Persepolis (located about an hour’s drive outside of Shiraz in Iran). Many stately looking columns supporting nothing but air greet guests at the main entrance.

 

Because of COVID, wine tasting takes place in their garden underneath a huge olive tree. 

They gave us appetizers with the wine tasting but unfortunately, we just had lunch and we were too full to eat anything.

I tasted the slider and it was delicious.

 

We tasted 4 different type of wine and it was a really fun experience.

 

Next, we headed to Bottega in Yountville to have an early dinner.  The restaurant is owned Michael Chiarello an acclaimed chef, Emmy-winning host of Food Network’s Easy Entertaining, and proprietor of Chiarello Family Vineyards. Bottega Restaurant in Napa Valley has been named Best Newcomer by Zagat, Top 10 by Forbes, Top 20 by Esquire, and Top 100 Bay Area by Michael Bauer.

 

They gave us their biggest private room.

It was no nice and so spacey for the 6 of us.

 

Hoa and Minh ordered some cocktail.  I cannot remember the name of it.

 

Appetizers menu on the right.

 

Bread and Parmesan dip

 

Plate setting.

 

We ordered a bunch of appetizers to share....

 

Polpo, wood grilled octopus over a smoky paprika braised potato with salsa verde arugula and red onion.

 

Pasta fritta con Culatello, Parmegiano dusted funnel cake with the heart of the prosciutto and local bing cherries drizzled with lambrusco cherry puree

 

Interesting concept for a dish but I did not care much for the funnel cake.

 

 

French fries, truffles oil, shaved parmesan.  We did not know that their order of French Fries is humongous!.

 

 

Their French fries, is piping hot, crispy, and so yummy,  We ate both orders without any problems.

Calamari, crispy Arborio rice crusted Monterey squid with a grilled Meyer Lemon and aioli Nero

 

Very good dish, crispy dough, and very fresh.

 

 

All of the appetizers on our table.

 

Our gang belong to Carmen Policy the previous 49ers owner.
We had this wine when we dine here and we like it so we are re-ordering it again.

Tagliarini Bolognese al Centro, Winner wheat pasta with tomato braised pork belly, finished with red wine and topped with Calabria gremolata and Chianti soaked Percorino.

This is so tasty and I probably can eat the whole plat by myself.

 

Pesce Arrosto, Wood grilled whole fish with savory clams and PEI mussels in a tomato fennel broth, roasted potatoes, leaks and saffron aioli.

 

Excellent fish!  Very fresh.

 

Both of these dishes are perfect.

Desserts

Trio of gelato: chocolate, vanilla, and coffee

 

Tiramisu alla "tra Vigne", Devil's food cake with layers of mascarpone mousse and a cocoa dusted milk chocolate shell served over a coffee soil.

Bomboino, Peach leaf cream filled doughnut, Peach leaf sugar cover peach jam.

Bottega was such a treat!  We love the ambiance, the food, the service, and everything in between.

What a lovely day in Napa!  Thanks Loan and Minh for treating us to such a wonderful day.

Happy birthday loan.

 

 

Filed under: Restaurants

 

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