David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15709
 | | 06/28/2004 6:51 PM |
| | Joseph Humphrey? The name rings a bell. Where has he been before? | | | |
|
JonesWineNo1
Sommelier
Posts:8568
| | 06/28/2004 7:11 PM |
| | They said he worked at Fifth Floor and was most recently in Las Vegas opening a restaurant for the Michael Mina group. I wish he would have staying in Vegas. | | | |
|
DJ Hombre
Napa Valley, California
Barrel Filler
Posts:1360
| | 06/28/2004 7:42 PM |
| | JW1 - Is the menu at Auberge somewhat of the same as it was under Reddington? Or is it very Mina influenced with the New American with heavy seafood nuances? | | | |
|
JonesWineNo1
Sommelier
Posts:8568
| | 06/28/2004 8:03 PM |
| | Lots of seafood but the dishes did not seem very Mina like imo. Likes to call something X but then deliver Y. Has a genuine misunderstanding as to the definition of "salad". Food was cold. Courses were infintesimally small (abalone was perhaps the size of a silver dollar). Wrong vintages of wine were delivered. An hour plus delay between courses. | | | |
|
Randy Wigginton
Wine Connoisseur
Posts:5427
| | 06/28/2004 9:22 PM |
| Impressive. I'm guessing prices are still stratospherical?
In your personal list of "worst" meals, where does this rate? I've never waited an hour between courses. | | | |
|
JonesWineNo1
Sommelier
Posts:8568
| | 06/28/2004 9:31 PM |
| | Yes prices are still high - $105 for six course tasting menu or $89 (iirc) for four courses. Liberal supplements occur if you order a course from the tasting menu on the four course menu (but the portion size remains the same). Wine prices are very aggressive - you will be hard pressed to find anything of interest (with the notable exception of Peay Vineyards) for less than $100. The experience made my "top" ten list. | | | |
|
Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts:9127
| | 06/28/2004 9:34 PM |
| | FWIW, it sounds like the abalone was the farm-raised stuff, which is sold very small like that (I presume it is economically unfeasible for the farms to wait until they reach a larger size). Sale of wild commercial abalone has been banned for several years now in California. Still, one would think they would make up for size with qty. | | | |
|
JonesWineNo1
Sommelier
Posts:8568
| | 06/28/2004 9:41 PM |
| | That was the problem Eric. | | | |
|
ChangeMe
Grape Stomper
Posts:182
| | 06/28/2004 10:12 PM |
| i will state that this is the only "good" time to substitute "QUANTITY FOR SIZE" from what MOST LADIES VIEW as a BAD EVENING.
OH WELL, MAYBE NEXT TIME | | | |
|
winebrat
Sacramento, Ca.
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2326
| | 07/02/2004 12:27 AM |
| Sad news about Auberge. I have had some amazing meals there with the prior chef. I hope the Hamburger protein style is still good on the bar deck. I will have to give the dinner menu some time to work its 'Kinks' out. And I hope they do.
Great news of Stomp. Can't wait to go. I ran into the Sous Chef a few weeks ago and the menu sounds very good. | |
"Everyday is worthy of a glass of sparkling wine" - Andrea Immer MS | |
|
Pool Boy
Laurl, MD (DC suburb)
Master of Wine
Posts:13660
| | 07/14/2004 1:03 PM |
| Mrs. TJ and I are planning to take a trip to Napa/Sonoma/Wine Country next year, probably in April, but maybe later.
Was curious if any of the earlier comments and suggestions have changed. I am sure I will ask again as the trip gets closer, but would love to know how things are in wine country dining now. Want to dream a little during the workday, y'know?
We also might be renting a house for the stay, so suggestions on places where to buy some groceries and really fresh stuff would be nice, too as we might want to cook a meal or two or maybe at least some lunches while we're out that way to take advantage of the stunningly good and fresh ingredients. Any places in wine country that fit this bill as well that we should know about? | |
www.roguefood.com -- www.cellartracker.com | |
|
JonesWineNo1
Sommelier
Posts:8568
| | 07/14/2004 1:14 PM |
| | Sunshine Market in St. Helena | | | |
|
ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts:1273
| | 07/14/2004 6:33 PM |
| | Oakville Grocery | | | |
|
Bob Bressler
Napa Valley
Wine Lover
Posts:4809
| | 07/14/2004 6:34 PM |
| | The local Farmers' Markets start up around the beginning of May | | | |
|
winebrat
Sacramento, Ca.
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2326
| | 07/16/2004 9:07 AM |
| I second Sunshine. It is where the locals shop for great food. Stay away from Dean & Deluca and Oakville Grocery especially at high season.
Is Kellers Meats still open in St Helena? Last time I drove by the windows were covered in butcher paper. | |
"Everyday is worthy of a glass of sparkling wine" - Andrea Immer MS | |
|
JonesWineNo1
Sommelier
Posts:8568
| | 07/16/2004 12:04 PM |
| | Kellers closed. It is going to be turned into a restaurant iirc. | | | |
|
David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15709
| | 07/16/2004 5:48 PM |
| Sunshine is great
Dean & DeLuca is great for deli (especially cheese) and hard-to-find wines.
Go to the Paradise Market in Calistoga at least once. Get some home-made Ding Dongs.
It is Paradise, isn't it. I always get the name wrong. | | | |
|
Bob Bressler
Napa Valley
Wine Lover
Posts:4809
| | 07/19/2004 5:04 AM |
| | that would be Palisades Market. | | | |
|
winebrat
Sacramento, Ca.
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2326
| | 07/19/2004 4:50 PM |
| Quote:
Kellers closed. It is going to be turned into a restaurant iirc.
Who is opening it? Do you have any info? | |
"Everyday is worthy of a glass of sparkling wine" - Andrea Immer MS | |
|
Bob Bressler
Napa Valley
Wine Lover
Posts:4809
| | 07/19/2004 6:17 PM |
| | there have been several proposals floating around, but I don't think there is yet a final plan. One proposal was to keep the meat market and let you pick out the cut you wanted and the size you wanted, but I don't think it went beyond the planning stage. As always, it appears that they are waiting for the money guy. | | | |
|