Sometimes we all need a little help when it comes time to impress a date. Certain restaurants may please the tongue and fill the belly but don't tug on our emotions. The selections we have gathered here have that certain something—perhaps a light-speckled patio, or a roving musician, or inspirational garden—that can wow a date, and put them in the mood to satisfy other appetites. Presented in alphabetical order, here are the top ten romantic restaurants in Napa/Sonoma (CA).
Sometimes we all need a little help when it comes time to impress a date. Certain restaurants may please the tongue and fill the belly but don't tug on our e... more
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1
Applewood Inn Restaurant
Applewood Inn & Restaurant, 13555 Hwy. 116, Guerneville, CA 95446 / 707-869-9093
Set your GPS for this backwoods dinner destination. It’s actually not hard to find, just over the river from the town of Guerneville, but it feels off the map, tucked into the secluded and peaceful Applewood Inn. The upstairs dining room makes a romantic venue, with cozy fireplaces and a solarium overlooking a trickling fountain and courtyard below. The cuisine melds French influences with California sensibilities, as borne out by the crab-packed profiterole paired with refreshing citrus salad, or the buckwheat crêpe, a delightfully square pocket with earthy duck innards with a sprig of micro greens. A beef filet with chanterelles, shallot confit, and endive please, though accompanying gnocchi seem superfluous. Better still: halibut with braised artichoke and wild mushroom ragoût. Happy endings include a sunburst of crème brûlée with cranberry or a simple chocolate ganache crêpe. Rather than chance a foggy drive on the windy road back to civilization, plan ahead and book a room at the inn---otherwise, you’ll envy those strolling off under the stars for a nightcap.
2
Auberge du Soleil
Auberge du Soleil, 180 Rutherford Hill Rd., Rutherford, CA 94573 / 707-967-3111
Much noted for its romantic dinner dining, Auberge du Soleil also enjoys a brisk lunch trade, despite its comparatively remote location. Nestled high in the eastern wall of Napa Valley, its deck has a vantage that, on a clear day, reaches all the way to the Mayacamas Range, the natural divide between Sonoma and Napa counties. The view is the perfect backdrop for an afternoon respite and a two-course luncheon. Among fine openers is the ahi tartare with cucumber, lemon and chive. The dish is light and both refreshingly restrained and inventive in its seasoning---the tuna is “salted” with the briny taste of wasabi-infused tobiko which enhances not only the taste but the presentation. Another starter, the potato gnocchi accented with pea shoots, tomato confit and an aerated Parmesan nage is a wonderful reprieve from the pesto-laden sauces that often stalk the dumpling. Both appetizers are well-paired with a 2005 Elk Grove Pinot Gris. Main courses include a piquant Atlantic cod with Manila clams served atop vermicelli, picholine olives and espelette pepper underscored by a savory broth. The pomegranate-glazed beef short ribs with chestnuts, chanterelles and Swiss chard, however, is a crowning achievement. The affable waitstaff is attentive but not overbearing, always at the ready but respectful of diners’ privacy. Moreover, they are well-versed in both the cuisine from chef Robert Curry and the globetrotting wine list (local wines well-represented too, of course) and how to pair these elements such that each are showcased at their finest. Their recommendations will not disappoint, nor will the evening ambience, which is bolstered by the western setting sun that bathes the valley in amber light.
3
Bistro Jeanty
6510 Washington St., Yountville, CA 94599 / 707-944-0103
If you've never done so, or haven't visited recently, do treat yourself to a meal at Bistro Jeanty, the quintessential French country bistro with a new world twist. Chef Philippe Jeanty offers patrons escargot, foie gras, hearty cassoulets, duck confit, coq au vin and other tasty French delicacies, blended with top-tier service, old Pernod posters and a marvelous wine list. From the first moment in the door, visitors will feel transported. Memorable dishes include the house-cured pork belly with lentils and foie gras, and a wonderful staple, the entrecôte frites. Desserts are at the level one would expect; the crème brûlée and tarts are true winners. Bistro Jeanty's outdoor dining space is convivial, and even (in typical French fashion) dog-friendly. The wine list covers a wide swath with numerous choices from France, Italy, California and more. A healthy number of half bottles are available. This restaurant has been going strong since its inception, and has seen no sign of running out of steam.
4
Farmhouse Inn Restaurant
Farmhouse Inn, 7871 River Rd., Forestville, CA 95436 / 707-887-3300
Nestled amongst trees and flanked by vineyards near Sonoma County's quiet hamlet of Forestville lies a quaint yellow farmhouse. The gurgling fountain, grapevines and rose garden sing the romance of a country lifestyle. Inside, the dining room reveals a chic aesthetic, with green and gold accents, linen-topped tables, a crackling fireplace, and a highly trained, professional staff. Chef Steve Litke creates a seasonal menu that changes nightly, with the exception of one or two standbys. He relies on the area’s bounty for ingredients, borrowing from neighbors’ gardens for instance, but also sources from afar to fulfill his visions. The kitchen's favorite entrée, found on the menu most nights, is a trio of rabbit with a loin wrapped in applewood-smoked bacon, confit leg, and a tiny rack. Other delights might include chanterelle cappuccino with shaved truffle, or wild snapper with crab fricassée, saffron potato, and Meyer lemon emulsion. Don't miss the fully-loaded cheese cart that comes with an enthusiastic decoder with suggestions. The addition of sommelier Geoff Kruth has been a boon for the restaurant's admirable wine program; be sure to put him to work to maximize payoff on your night’s experience.
5
The French Laundry
6640 Washington St., Yountville, CA 94599 / 707-944-2380
There are few restaurants where dining inspires a pilgrimage. Since its opening in 1994, The French Laundry’s vortex compels zealots from around the world. Many document their odyssey here be it by snapshot or blog, relaying every detail from the hard-to-score reservation, to the journey beyond the blue door. Each bite is recalled in slo-mo detail to those who live to hear about it and sigh, anticipating their own someday passage into culinary adulthood. The wizardry unfolds inside an understated French country sanctum where nine-course prix-fixe meals are executed in Harry Potter fashion---one wonders if the perfect execution isn’t magic? A tour of the kitchen after service finds no evidence of the long hours spent toiling to create the experience---this engine is steamed clean. Corey Lee, who has ping-ponged from The French Laundry to Per Se and back, now holds the wand as Keller slips into his headmaster role, dashing back and forth between restaurants or offsite events. Lee seizes Keller’s spirit, intertwining what are now classic French Laundry dishes. Behold the cornet of salmon tartare with red onion crème fraîche in a savory ice cream cone tuile wrapped in paper origami. The celebrated “coffee and doughnuts” cappuccino semifreddo with cinnamon-sugar doughnuts appears, too---and it's as fresh as ever. But Lee delivers his own enchantment few chefs can match. The rare breed of cattle, Kuroge Wagyu, is air cured and gently clings to Fuyu persimmons as prosciutto does to cantaloupe. Honey-poached cranberries and chestnuts harmonize venison. Sea urchin tops a sweet gratin of premium Akita Komachi rice and Asian pear. The cheese cart makes a detour; instead, the cheese course is composed and presented in the same labor-intensive fashion as the rest of the meal. Servers have telepathic powers; they are intuitive, scrupulously precise and deliberately paced allowing you to soak in the three or four hour experience that, alas, seems to vanish all too soon.
6
Glen Ellen Inn Oyster Grill & Martini Bar
13670 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen, CA 95442 / 707-996-6409
Romance is alive and well at this sweetheart of a restaurant tucked into Glen Ellen. The logo gives it away: a silhouetted couple leaning in for a kiss across a tabletop, and it pervades right down to home-style dill biscuits with a pat of butter embedded with a leaf heart. Naturally, begin with a martini from a tipsy list and oysters to suit your whims---raw, grilled and-or fried. Generous first courses include a calamari tempura haystack that marries ginger and tropical fruit, Dungeness crab pot stickers with leek cream you’ll dab clean, or arugula with poached pear and blackberry vinaigrette. There’s an old-fashioned elegance about the mains, though here it’s not tired, much like a classic movie that feels written for today. Consider salmon in puff pastry, pasta surf ‘n’ turf or lamb pot-au-feu. It feels like Thanksgiving with foie gras-stuffed duck with cherry-port sauce, a panko crust standing in for stuffing. Squeeze in desserts somehow, like a chili-chocolate brownie meringue playing a spicy-sweet tug of war, or pumpkin baked Alaska. Doting servers rekindle the notion that dinner out for any reason is a celebration.
7
Martini House
1245 Spring St., St. Helena, CA 94574 / 707-963-2233
Pat Kuleto has done it again. His signature style of down-to-the-detail decorating (think Farallon) has worked its sophisticated magic on a Craftsman-style bungalow in St. Helena. Now, the handsome restaurant radiates warmth, not just from the three fireplaces, but from light fixtures reminiscent of acorns and earthy fabrics that evoke feelings of a hunting lodge from the early days of California. Todd Humphries, formerly of Campton Place, has also used the history of the region to inspire his menu. His Napa cuisine comprises seasonal dishes made from ingredients that are locally sourced and produced. For eager diners that translates into sparking Dungeness crab salad, seared Sonoma foie gras, grilled radicchio with tangy goat cheese or fresh pasta with wild mushrooms. Any of the 800 selections on the international wine list would be a pleasure. Save room for a dessert or the standout cheese plate paired up with a well-chosen dessert wine.
8
Napa Valley Wine Train
1275 McKinstry St., Napa, CA 94559 / 707-253-2111
It’s politically incorrect in the company of some Napa winemakers even to mention the Wine Train. Don’t be so jaded. Pack your dinner jacket, pose for a snapshot and climb aboard for a leisurely, scenic, eat-drink-and-ride adventure in a 1915 railcar. Insiders choose the second seating for dinner. Meanwhile, from a gold fringe swivel chair in the polished wood and curtained lounge car, sip sparkling wine to ’80s love songs and nibble an odds-and-ends appetizer plate (perhaps a baby corn cob, ahi bite, pepper cream cheese swirl, a cornichon) as vineyards roll by. Take a wobbly walk to catch the caboose’s breeze, stopping in the Wine Car for a $5 sampling poured by knowledgeable staff. Dinner moves to a formal dining car. Efficient servers bring salad, sorbet and an entrée choice, perhaps beef tenderloin with fennel gratin, mushroom chicken, or seafood special. The food’s about on par with the wedding banquet genre and feels about as celebratory, surrounded by the train’s glamour. Tote your own wine or buy well-priced bottles on board or at the station. By dessert, you’ll have succumbed to the rail’s hypnotic rhythms. Lunch guarantees roundtrip vineyard views by daylight.
9
The Restaurant at Madrona Manor
Madrona Manor, 1001 Westside Rd., Healdsburg, CA 95448/ 707-433-4231
Through the arch and up a narrow drive, Madrona Manor, queen of Victorian mansions, blushes in pale sunset pink as approaching visitors feel compelled to tuck their shirts back in and dab on lipstick. The inn can’t help but exude grace. After a spritzer on the veranda surrounding lush gardens, or inside amid the vases and chandeliers, you’ll swear you’re in a Southern, not Sonoma, dream. Anything but chef Jesse Mallgren’s refined cuisine wouldn’t do. He offers fluctuating, for-the-table tasting menus (for example, “spring has arrived” or “oceanic”) along with à la cartes. The fact that the gardener gets equal billing on the menu with the chef speaks to his estate-grown, farm-fresh philosophy. Begin with a study in texture and taste by puncturing the dome of a “63 degree egg” over warm asparagus and tarragon to create seductive butter-less béarnaise. Intense, crispy house-cured pancetta and in-season fiddlehead ferns dress up chicken breast. Or, take on a trio of pan-seared squid ink gnocchi accompanying plump halibut. No mere afterthought: dredging crème anglaise from the dark depths of the Valrhona chocolate soufflé. Conquer the imposing wine list or rely on customized pairings. Service is comfortable, not doting.
10
Terra
1345 Railroad Ave., St. Helena, CA 94574 / 707-963-8931
Terra has attracted a solid following, and for good reason. Chef Hiro Sone and his wife and pastry chef Lissa Doumani turn out daringly sophisticated food in a beautifully restored 1880s-vintage stone structure. The tiled floors, flickering candles, cushy banquettes and wooden beams make this one of the most romantic restaurants in the valley. Sone draws on many countries for inspiration. A Thai-influenced grilled salmon comes enrobed in a kicky red-curry sauce. His spicy tripe with spaghettini and butter beans is heavenly for the adventurous, as are the sweetbreads in pistou sauce. Lobster chowder and broiled saké-marinated sea bass with shrimp dumplings will please more mainstream eaters. Doumani's desserts aren’t superfluous---they’re true treats, especially her tiramisu. The topnotch wine list caters to all budgets and curiosities, and there’s passion behind the pairings.
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