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One of my favorite wine country places is Cyrus in Healdsburg--and Hburg is a great place to stay since there's so much good eating up there (Flying Goat Coffee, Downtown Bakery, and more: check out my Healdsburg writeups here: http://www.tablehopper.com/jetsetter/healdsburg/). Chef Douglas Keane is an amazing chef, with just enough elegance balanced against creativity, so each dish is something unique. Nice Japanese/Asian elements in his cuisine, too
Also, any thoughts on other places? Auberge du Soleil?
I was also thinking about how much I enjoyed my meal at Madrona Manor--there are a couple molecular dishes, but overall the food is fab. And I loved the Victorian mansion and grounds--it's great to stay there so you can just toddle off to bed. And the tableside cheese cart, ice cream service, and coffee service can't be beat. It's a gem.
And then you have to go to Diavola for pizza the next day in Geyserville!
On Highway 29 just north of Napa. It doesn't look promising from Hwy 29, but it faces east, away from the road. When you arrive at night it feels like a sophisticated well-lit city dining room, only it's out in the vineyards.
The room seems like a giant Cliff May ranch house done over by tastefully-savvy Italians--it's romantic, festive, art-lined, and lofty. It's always filled with people who seem like they all know eachother and were personally invited by the owners, and you'll feel like that too.
The food is very good, but nothing super-innovative or pretentious. Just unfussy upscale delicious Italian done perfectly. Delicious, really. Even some of the dishes that might not evoke excitement (like tutti di mare pasta) really shine here. The excitement comes from the flavors, not the menu descriptions.
Don't go expecting a revelation, or anything too vertical or foams or too small for a second bite. Do expect both comfort and excitement and a good bottle of wine.
There's a nice outdoor area too if you're there for lunch or on a balmy summer night.
Glad to hear it's still there and still good.
Amazing Michelin starred vegetarian that even omnivores such as myself love. They grow many of their ingredients in their garden upvalley, and what they don't grow is always organic and often unusual. Some of the dishes are so rich and complex it's hard to believe there is no meat stock used. For 2. order 3-4 dishes and share family style.
Caveat: I haven't been since the chef departed last year, but I haven't heard that the quality has slipped, and I spend lots of time in the Valley. It's right in Downtown Napa.
Ask to sit in the inside room or outdoors on a nice day/evening. Beautiful atmosphere
To give a sense of our tastes, we love Saison, but we don't like Benu, which tastes too fussy, processed and bland to us. We love Coi but we're not such fans of its atmosphere. In general, we love ingredient driven food that is creative, while still tasting like food.
Any thoughts?