The first stage of the larger ‘farmstead’ conceived by Ted, Laddie and Chris Hall of Long Meadow Ranch has been completed with the opening of the wine and olive oil tasting room in Saint Helena on December 28th.  The tasting room is located in the historic Logan Ives House, a gothic revival farmhouse originally built in 1874 which has been faithfully restored by the Halls preserving over 90% of the original materials of the site.  Nearing completion are the adjacent open-air market featuring LMR’s organically grown fruits, vegetables, eggs and …

Norman Rose Tavern is not your stuffy, dark English pub.  It’s a modern space with stainless steel touches but with all the warmth of recycled sun-washed wooden beams and doors and tufted leather banquettes.  Based in the heart of Downtown Napa in the new Napa Square at First Street and Franklin, the eco-friendly gastropub feels like it was meant for the location, with the dramatic windows and corner patio drawing the neighborhood and travellers inside.  The gastropub will seat about 100 guests including 18 seats on the patio and another 18 in the private dining room.  There will …

If you thought the Culinary Institute of America was
for professionals only, think again.  The CIA began offering a series of cooking and wine classes this year geared to food and wine enthusiasts with no prior training.  These courses range from two-hour to full week and customized courses as well.  One of the great things about taking courses at the CIA is that, as the leading culinary teaching institution in the U.S., a student can count on having some of the best instructors available.  One of these instructors is Chef John Ash, the James Beard Award …

Grains

If you are visiting the Napa Valley wine region and looking for a change of pace, take a brewery tour at the Calistoga Inn in Calistoga.  The brewpub at the Calistoga Inn is small
production facility for pub and restaurant patrons only, turning out four house beers plus seasonal offerings on tap or in 22 oz. bottles.  When you schedule the complimentary tour, consider arriving early at the pub or patio to taste through a sampling of the beers ($1.25/2-oz.) to enhance the experience, or have lunch with beer at the well-regarded restaurant.  As a non-beer drinker, I was fascinated by the distinct …

Saint Helena restaurants of Martini House caliber are not known for value, which makes their “family meals” very special.  “Family meals” are what are normally referred to in the hospitality trade as staff meals prepared for staff before formal service begins.  And if you read the Bon Appetit aricle “First Seating” in the October 2008 issue, or have worked in a fine dining establishment, you have an idea of how good the food can be! 
For those looking for a casual early dinner that is a step-up from the usual cafe, Martini House offers family …

Confit of beets on house-made goat’s milk yogurt with watercress and fennel

One expects a formal dining room for a Michelin star restaurant, but at the Solage Calistoga, the decor and mood reflects the soothing and casual atmosphere of  the spa resort.  The restaurant is designed with a sensitivity to Calistoga environs with barn architecture, but with modern, loft-like open space, soaring ceilings and extensive windows that fill the room with light and unite the inside with the serene view outdoors.  And while the restaurant is clearly casual, the quality of products and …

Since the time the original Ehlers Winery in Saint Helena was founded in 1886, the property had been divided up and operated by various owners over the years.  A full century later, a French wine lover Jean Leducq and his wife Silviane began acquiring plots of the original Ehlers’ property – including the historic winery – until they had re-joined the original 14-acre estate.  Acquisitions of adjacent vineyards has enlarged the estate to the current 44 acres of vineyards dedicated to cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet france, petit verdot and sauvignon …

Chef Ken Frank’s three-course, French regional dinners for $29 per person at Bank Café and Bar is austerity chic at its best. Bank Café is the casual but hip restaurant adjacent to Chef Frank’s Michelin star restaurant La Toque in the Westin Verasa in Downtown Napa. The setting at Bank Café is modern but relaxing, perfect for intimate dining.
The concept for the themed, prix fixe dinners began earlier this year and has been refined to the current dinner series which features a different French regional cuisine every week. This week, …

The Napa Valley is about 30 miles long with four distinct towns and surrounding areas to stay. Each has its own character and conveniences so figuring out where to stay depends on what you’re looking for.
The southernmost town of Napa is a good size city with all the major supermarkets and drug stores and the greatest choice of accommodations from major hotel chains to boutique hotels to bed & breakfast inns. It is closest to San Francisco, the airports and the town of Sonoma and the wineries nearby. It has a National Register …

“…the valley, in beauty of scenery, productiveness of soil, delightful drives, salubrity of climate, health-giving medicinal springs, accessibility to the metropolis [San Francisco], is unsurpassed… City people looking for country residences, either for permanency or a vacation, can nowhere else find so many inducements as are offered here.” This was reported in the Napa Register newspaper circa 1878, but is as accurate today as it was then – and more so. Napa Valley today is a world class food and wine destination that in 2006 drew over 3.5 million tourists …