Try Not to Drool… It takes a lot for the Insider to lust after or drool for a dinner. Not that I’m jaded or anything. I can lust after a perfectly grilled hot dog as easily as a nice steak or seven course tasting menu. Saying all that, there’s one upcoming dinner that would knock [...]
Fun to Reconnect... Some times when you go to a classy event like the recent Yountville Live it pays to arrive in style. And I arrived in style in my good friend Amadu’s limo. If you want the best limo rates and professional service in Napa, give him a call at 707-812-5819. Once inside the [...]
Pop the Corks at Uncork'd... Uncork'd kicked off its 12th annual celebration of food, wine and booze with a sold out dinner at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon at the Venetian. Vegas native, and exec chef of Keller’s Ad Hoc in Napa, Matt Alba, was flown in to deliver the fried chicken goods and he didn’t disappoint. [...]
Loyalty pays off at Bouchon... Loyalty is a word often bandied about in service, wine and restaurant circles. But due to the transitionary and volatile nature of all three professions, the word loyalty is often a smirked upon joke, cutting both ways. But if there’s an exception to the rule, it’s the Thomas Keller Group. [...]
Rain Didn't Dampen Yountville Live ... Had a soggy but fun time at Yountville Live’s 2018 edition. At the opening night reception under the main tent it poured as we lined up and kept raining for an hour or so while the crowd sampled the excellent cocktails and wines that were on offer for the guests. Gotta love [...]
Charlie Palmer shows a new steak way ... Charlie Palmer is cool. Any chef who has got wine fairies going up to snag a precious bottle of wine at Auerole in Vegas which I’ve experienced, has gotta be cool. Plus, his Pinot and Pig party in Healdsburg is always a blast. So when the Insider got an invite to attend the new [...]
Best of both worlds... It never fails. Everyone is enthused about going to a Japanese place and sharing some plates, but inevitably someone squawks, “I can’t eat raw fish.” “You got it,” Napa’s Eiko’s GM Allison Hallum, laughs. “ It was the vision of my father and his biz partner Makurma to create a restaurant that combined Roy’s grilled food [...]
Authentic Japanese Dining and Decor ... The Insider loves Asian culture and food. Not so much the music. As Anthony Bourdain wrote, “Jeesuuss. Sounds like a cat being tortured. “ It was cool to sit down with Kenzo Napa restaurant’s GM Tomonori Iwao before their dinner rush. Tomonori was a modest and soft spoken gentleman from [...]
Angèle Earns Its Raves ... In my time of writing about the Napa/Sonoma food scene, chefs keep saying they like eating at Angèle if they’re going to dine out. So if chefs are digging it so much, the Insider, already a big fan of classic French cuisine, had to check it out. The Insider enjoyed [...]
Bartender, not a hockey player... I’ve always loved talking to bartenders. If they’re not too busy, late afternoon, after the lunch crowd and before the after work rush hits, is a good time. They’re usually smart, funny and know where to go. So it was when the Insider strolled into the Calistoga Inn Restaurant and Brewery. The man behind the taps, Green Lafleur, easily [...]
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