Have booked Market, Terra and Cindy's BSK...what would you pick for the 4th night? Was thinking Cook...but can't find a menu online....

I'd log on to winodepot.com and ask Powell Yang.

Cook is probably the best Italian you will find in the valley. Go for it.

On the other hand, I would cancel Cindy's Back Street Kitchen and to a lesser extend, Market. Replace with Martini House and maybe Meadowood or Press(if you don't mind a steakhouse).

Here is my pecking order of St. Helena restaurants...

Tier One
Terra
Martini House
Meadowood

Tier Two
Cook
Press

Tier Three
Market

Tier Four
Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen
Go Fish
Tra Vigne
CC Blue

Tier Five
CIA
Silverado Brewing Company

Powell- Wife and I are eating at Martini House week after next. I am 99% sure we will do tasting menu. Have you had the wine pairing with the tasting menu and if so what did you think?

Last couple of wine pairings I have had with tasting menus have been slightly disappointing- trying to decide if I should just bring a couple nice bottles instead.

Much appreciated...

also- thoughts on Bistro Don Giovanni (we have lunch reservations)? We loved both Bouchon and Bistro Jeanty last time we were there but want to try some place we haven't been...

jgreen,

Skip the wine pairing, bring couple of nice bottles, much safer...

Don Giovanni is the single most overrated restaurant in the valley, poor excuse for Italian.

Try Mustards Grill instead if you haven't been before. Otherwise, you will have to venture out of Yountville for other lunch spots.

Thanks Powell. I have heard good things about Mustard's- we'll give it a shot.

Hi all Newbe here,just read your posts on St Helena, will be in Napa the week of May 17th, staying in St Helena. Powell how is the Rutherford Grill? Kevin

quote:

Originally posted by winelv1:
Hi all Newbe here,just read your posts on St Helena, will be in Napa the week of May 17th, staying in St Helena. Powell how is the Rutherford Grill? Kevin

Rutherford Grill is actually part of the Houston's Restruant Chain. Nice casual place with no corkage fee and a good pricing wine list. Call ahead for seating or expect long waits.

Thanks for the help Powell, I will also be making a reservation at Martini Grill. Will follow your direction and bring my own wine.

I have been out to Napa more than once, hit most of the well known wineries. Any suggestions on some good off the main stream, or best kept secret ones to hit?

quote:

Originally posted by winelv1:
I have been out to Napa more than once, hit most of the well known wineries. Any suggestions on some good off the main stream, or best kept secret ones to hit?

I've complied a list of mostly by appointments wineries with notes taken when I visited them. It's over on winodepot, here is the direct link to that thread. Take a look.

Powell, Thanks so much again. I will go over and check out the list.
Can't wait to get out there again. Maybe one day I will get out there to stay. Kevin

Was in Napa Wed/Thurs...

Wed lunch- picked up various items from dean & deluca- spendy but very tasty

Wed dinner- Tasting menu at Martini house- I liked better than my wife did. Nothing adventurous or exciting but very well made food. I'd recommend.

Thurs lunch- Mustard's Grill (PYang's recommendation)- excellent- crab cakes, roasted beets were phenomenal. I had a rabbit roulade with cornbread stuffing wrapped in bacon that was just great. Wife's seafodd tostada was so-so..too many beans/ sauce

Because of my location (Chico) it's an easy trip to Napa/ Sonoma.

My recommendations are as follows:

In a class by itself:
Cyrus

Highly Recommended:
Bouchon
Mustard's Grill
Redd (tasting menu)
Martini House

Did you have to make reservations for lunch at Mustard Grill? I will be out in Napa next week, already have dinner reservations set. Would like to try Mustard Grill for lunch. Martini House is one of our reservations, I think we will bring our own wine.

I mdoubt you'll need a weekday reservation for lunch at Mustard's. We were very pleased with our dinner there.

Great, Mustard Grill is now on the list. Was also thinking of going down to the Bounty Hunter for lunch, was there several years ago. Any input?

I did reservations via opentable.com. Not sure you need them but by 1230 the place was packed on a Thursday.

I have eaten at Bounty Hunter- not bad but nothing memorable. Not in the same league as any of the other places above.

Back from Napa...loved dinner at Market (homemade spinach ravioli with mushrooms was fantastic!) Dinner at Terra was good, too...but please skip the "Angel Farts" dessert - awful. Dinner at Cindy's BSK was hit-and-miss - baked oysters and the duck got rave reviews, but the much hailed meatloaf left people wondering "why". Cook has great comfort food, but BYO...wine list isn't deep, and none of the staff could even discuss the differences between the pinots listed.

Back from our trip last week. Martini House was excellent the cream of mushroom soup was one of the best I have tasted, portions appear to be bigger than the first time I was there. We came with our own wine and bought a bottle. Cook was also very good, again we came with wine and bought one. The porter house steak special for two was great, more than enough and cooked just right. Rutherford Grill was ok, we came with our own wine did not buy.
Never made the Mustard Grill for lunch, we did picnics most of the week Dean and Deluca sandwiches, and Sunshine Market also.