Weekend in Napa
My husband and I went to Napa for a weekend getaway with friends. We stayed in The Chateau Hotel – the room is quite spacious, all the towels are white and soft, there is no fridge or microwave in the room but they do have free Wi-Fi internet and continental breakfast each day, outdoor sitting area and a convenient location. The Starbucks, Target, and Trader Joe’s are just 1 mile away, and many restaurants are within walking distance to a 10-15 minutes drive. 
We like to go where the locals go for meals, so we ask people who work at wineries where they go for dinner or lunches as our referrals. And here I would like to share with you the places we went:
Bistro Don Giovanni (Napa)
The first night we went to Bistro Don Giovanni, about 10 minutes from the hotel. It is very private looking from the street, with lighting on the ground next to bushes to guide you into the parking lot. You pass through the outdoor patio where people are enjoying the al fresco dining to get into the entryway. The main room is big with a high ceiling that makes it look even bigger. We were there around 6:30pm (and it was already packed) without a reservation (not recommend) and were lucky to get a small table at the corner after waiting just a few minutes. 
We started with our drink – a glass of house Cabernet and Ciroc Vodka Champagne Cosmo which was cranberry juice with prosecco and ciroc vodka. The pink color looks great and the taste is wonderful but I wish it was just a little bit sweeter.
Then we started with the Bistro Back Door Salad and I loved it. It was Apple, Candied Walnuts, Shropshire Blue Cheese with Moscatel Vinaigrette. The sweet from apples mixed with the bitter taste of Vinaigrette and saltiness from the cheese with fresh mixed green, it tasted so refreshing. We were fighting over it and it only took a second for us to clean the plate.
Next, my husband had Risotto ai Funghi which was braised creekstone short ribs with melted leeks and black truffle pecorino, and I had Pan Roasted Petrale Sole which was lemon caper with butter and haricot verts. We both loved what we ordered. I like seafood with fresh and light taste, and he likes ribs, beef or lamb with heavy dark sauces.
To finish we had the Meyer Lemon Souffle Pudding Cake to sweeten our date for the night. I personally think the size of the cake is a little bit too big and way too lemony. I only had a few bites and that was enough for me.
Overall, we had a good time in this place. The server was very friendly and quick even when the whole restaurant was full of people, the dishes were delicious, and the environment was comfortable. Highly recommended!
Taylor’s Automatic Refresher (St. Helena)
Yesterday when we drove by an outdoor diner, the line was wrapped around the diner out to the street. I was wondering what does this place serve to be this popular? So after a local friend strongly recommend us to give it try, we had our lunch here the second day. The diner is in the middle where left and right are parking lots, and they have a small front and a big backyard for outdoor sitting. When the order is ready, they call you by name, not a number, which is very nice. 
They have several selections of beer, wine by the glass, and milk shakes. They have many choices of burgers – from a Texas burger to a Wisconsin burger, and the most interesting is the Ahi Burger. People who don’t want burgers still have other choices such as fish and chips, chicken club, veggie burger, hot dogs, soup and salad, garlic fries, sweet potato fries and onion rings. The food is good – I had the Ahi Burger with sweet potato fries and a chocolate shake, and my husband had the fish and chips with ice tea lemonade, but I felt it was a little bit pricey.
They have one in SF but I think the feeling would be different but hopefully the food is the same.
Bistro Jeanty (Yountville)
The second night we went to Bistro Jeanty, about 20 minutes from the hotel. This place was packed at 6:30pm and again we didn’t have a reservation. We waited about 30 minutes to get two seats at the bar. We love to sit at the bar because it is cozy and we get to see all the action. We had a lunch here with friends a long time ago and I had a good experience and memories. However, the dinner tonight was a little bit disappointing. The food was great, if you like the style. 
We had Coq au Vin for me which was chicken, mushrooms, bacon red wine stew, and Daube de Boeuf for my husband which was beef stew, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots. When the food came, I regret right away about my order – the dark brown looking sauce just killed my appetite. I had two bites and send it back to pack it to go. My husband was enjoying his meal, and ate my chicken the next day for dinner. So I guess that it all depends on personal taste and what you order.
This one was recommend by my friends and it is walking distance from the hotel. They said it was a good choice, so I post here for you to try.
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The Chateau Hotel 707-253-9300 4195 Solano Ave, Napa
Bistro Don Giovanni 707-224-3300 4110 Howard Lane, Napa (formerly Hwy 29)
Taylor’s Automatic Refresher 707-963-3486 933 Main St, St. Helena
Bistro Jeanty 707-944-0103 6510 Washington St, Yountville
Bistro Fume 707-257-1999 4050 Byway East, Napa
- more photos on my flickr
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