The Restaurant at Meadowood, Restaurant Reviews, Napa Valley Restaurant Reviews

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Overall Ratings: ***

Overall Review: The food was good but not excellent as is expected from a high-quality resort.

Review Date: November 30, 2006

Cuisine: Fine Dining. Napa Valley cuisine featuring regional foods.

Alcohol: Large wine list of Napa Valley wine

Attire: Dressy Business to Formal Dress

Location: Situated in a 250-acre private valley in the heart of Napa Valley, one mile east of downtown St. Helena, 18 miles north of Napa, 65 miles north of the Oakland Airport, 82 miles North of San Francisco International Airport.

Open Hours:

The Restaurant Bar:
5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m – Monday through Saturday (closed on Sunday)

The Restaurant at Meadowood:
5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Monday through Saturday (closed on Sunday)

Parking: Lots of parking near the restaurant.

Price Range: Expensive - $51 and up.
Chef's Tasting Menu - $125, add wine pairing $80

Reservations: Reservations required.

Rating Key Explanations:

* Bad (will never go back)

** Fair (below average - will not go back)

*** Good (would consider dining there again)

**** Very Good (will definitely go back)

***** Extraordinary (will be back as soon as possible)

I make every attempt to remain anonymous while reviewing each restaurant. All meals are paid for by myself. This way, I can report the most honest and trustworthy restaurant reviews possible. Other recognizable critics frequently get special food and service. I forgo any perks so that my restaurant experience will be similar to yours.

If you would like to add a review of this restaurant, email Linda Stradley. Also feel free to send me suggestions of restaurants for review.

The Restaurant at Meadowood

900 Meadowood Lane
St. Helena California 94574

Map & Directions

Web Site: http://www.meadowood.com

Phone: 800-458-8080 or 1-707-963-3646

The restaurant is located in the wonderful Meadowood Resort which originally opened as a private club in 1964. While the perfect place for a romantic getaway, it's also a favorite for business retreats and families. The interior of The Restaurant showcases Meadowood’s natural, tranquil setting with rows of windows bringing the beautiful surroundings into full view.

Restaurant features a prix fixe menu with a la carte selections. Wine pairings are available for each course. Prices are set by the number of courses you would like to enjoy: three courses $59 / $85 with wines paired; four courses $72 / $100 with wines paired; and five courses $85 /$115 with wines paired.

Guests are also presented with a Chef’s Tasting Menu for consideration each evening. This seven-course menu may be ordered with the courses alone or with wines paired. The night we were there, they were featuring truffles. Since I am a truffle lover, we chose this menu.

Chef's Tasting Menu
Thursday, November 30, 2006

Broken Arrow Ranch Venison Tartare - alba white Truffles, Smoked Egg Sabayon, Aged Sherry Vinegar.

Main Lobster - Black Truffle Crust, Parsnip Mousseline, Lobster Bordelaise Sauce.

Four Story Hill Squab - Muscovado Sugar Glaze, Caramelized Pumpkin, Black Truffle with Chestnut Emulsion

Largo - Cows Milk Cheese, Meadowood Garden Lettuce, Alba White Truffles

Choice of Dessert

The dinner was good, but not excellent. I really like and enjoy truffles, but the truffles used on the above dishes were not as aromatic as they should have been. They either were not stored properly or they were getting old. Truffles can lose their aroma if not properly stored.

The wine pairings were excellent, but the wine sommelier failed to provide the proper wine glasses for the red wine. It wasn't until we questioned him about this that he brought the proper wine glasses. A major, major oversight!

The next evening we ate at the Meadowood Grill Restaurant, a casual dining restaurant at the resort. They served our wine in the proper glasses.