| Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant
2555 Main St. St. Helena (707) 967-1010 www.ciachef.edu/restaurants/wsgr Wine Country Cuisine |
Adjacent to the Culinary Institute of America’s St. Helena campus, Greystone is housed in the former Christian Brothers winery. An exterior terrace offers al fresco dining that overlooks the surrounding vineyards, while the expansive interior offers a cocktail lounge (complete with fireplace), a large, open dining area with stone walls, copper fixtures, wooden tables and a showcase kitchen where diners can watch executive chef Polly Lappetito and her team work their wonders.
Having made our way through a pounding rainstorm, my friend Brennen and I were happy to find the “Ultimate Cocktails” menu upon our arrival. I went for the Ultimate Martini (made with No. 209 gin), while Brennen had the Lemon Verbena Mojito (with Myers’s Platinum rum). We also ordered the “Today’s Temptations,” a chef’s selection of five bite-sized appetizers. There was a creamy cauliflower soup with a chili oil drizzle, a tiny beef tostada and deep fried tofu with spicy mango chutney (just to name a few). It was the perfect start to the evening, which also included excellent service (down to napkins being refolded whenever we left the table and flatware being replaced with each course).
On to the wine: The list includes only Californian wines, but there are so many it comes bound with a table of contents. In the end, our server chose one for us: a 2005 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir. Now how did he know she’s one of my favorite winemakers?
Next was an absolutely delicious golden goat cheese terrine salad. It had tiny, tiny baby greens, thin-sliced (tasty, sweet) beets, crème fraiche, thin-sliced smoked salmon, and radishes chopped so fine they were hardly discernable. The flavor combination was excellent and we practically licked the plate.
For the main course, I chose pomegranate glazed chicken with butternut squash risotto, Swiss chard, pine nuts and currants. The subtle, sweet sauce was layered with flavor, as was the creamy, buttery risotto. I particularly enjoyed the pine nuts against the other flavors and textures.
Brennen ordered miso marinated black cod with soba noodles, bok choy and agedashi broth. It came with the broth on the side, which the server poured on the fish right away. The result was a moist, fresh and piping hot dish that was light yet complex.
For dessert, we ordered the chocolate lava cake—and we could smell the chocolate when it came to the table. It had a perfectly crusty exterior texture with a hot, moist liquid chocolate center. Served with vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce, it was a delightful finish to our excellent meal.
