After a night of a little too much scotch, I had to muster the strength to venture up the road to Yountville, a quaint village north of Napa which is full of beautiful scenery, fancy restaurants, artistic gardens and specialty shops. I was invited to lunch at Redd, which is described on their website as an updated wine country menu with international influence. It ‘s the decade old project of respected chef Richard Reddington who should not be confused with fictional international criminal Raymond Reddington of Blacklist.
The decor is simple, roomy and classy. The waitstaff are professional but not pretentious. I started with hair of the dog in the form of a large goblet of a delicious house red. To start I went with the appetizer special which was a hamachi collar atop asian slaw. The slightly fatty, slightly fishy taste went well with sweet but pungent taste of the overdressed slaw.
Enough with the pseudo-healthy crap. I had a post-scotch apocalypse to deal with. The fried chicken sandwich fit the bill. Smothered with melted Gruyere cheese, it seemed the perfect remedy to my self-inflicted woes. Plus, it was served with onion rings which were delicately breaded and quite light. The sandwich was a posh McChicken that hit all the notes needed for a post hangover ration.
With the booze sweats complete and a reasonable amount of grease in my digestive system, I ventured down Yountville’s main drag to take in some of the scenery. It was surprising quiet given the weather was near perfect. The walk included trips past rock gardens, markets and a couple of Michelin star restaurants, ending at the ultimate destination in any Napa culinary adventure; The French Laundry. Until now, this Michelin three star establishment has been a figment of my imagination. In one sense, its legendary status makes me an immediate fan. In another, I wanted to see it first hand so I could better justify the 300 per person charge. The exterior is rather modest and the inside is a secret which can only be viewed through small cracks in the window blinds. I left a bit like a voyeur but I could justify it given the fact their very public garden is right across the street for all to see. Speaking of which, it was a fantastic parcel of land filled with ripe strawberries, cauliflower, fresh herbs, a chicken coop and even an apiary. The energy of the place was magic and suddenly the French Laundry’s price tag didn’t seem so outrageous.
The walk back included a stop at Thomas Keller’s Boulage bakery for an eclair and an Americano, both of which were quite satisfactory and well under $10, a far cry from the price tag associated with his other venture.
The day ended with a drive out to the Stag’s Leap region of Napa Valley and specifically to the aptly named Stag’s Leap cellars which were responsible for the vaulting of California reds into the upper echelon of wines worldwide. In 1976, the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 edged out three French reds including the highly respected Château Mouton-Rothschild 1970 to win the international tasting and the rest is history. Historically, the only upset that rivals this was the historic and nauseating miracle on ice in 1980 which also involved the US as a massive underdog against the powerhouse Russians.
My Take
Yountville in Napa Valley is a must go destination for any foodie. Redd is a classic example of Californian fare. The decor, much like the food is clean and simple but subtly elegant. The walk along Washington street is like following the yellow brick road on the way to the castle but in this case the destination is the French Laundry and there are many distractions along the way including the Boulage bakery and the Laundry’s own garden. As much as I clicked my heels together, I could not transport myself into the secret quarters of wizard Keller’s castle. Can anybody lend me $300?
Fare..Eat..Ales 