 |
Zinsvalley Restaurant 3253 Browns Valley Road Napa (707) 224-0695 www.zinsvalley.com
American Cuisine |
Zinsvalley is one of those hidden gems that foodies love to find—and then keep for themselves. Thus, it’s somewhat of a secret in the North Bay. Definitely a favorite among Napa locals, it’s a casual fine dining restaurant with a friendly, fun and comfortable atmosphere (indoor dining includes two fireplaces for the cooler months; and a huge outdoor creekside patio surrounded by mature trees). It also has great service and unmistakably excellent food.
Chef/Owner Greg Johnson and his wife Teresa opened Zinsvalley in 2000. Greg started his career on the East Coast, then moved on to Mustards Grill, Bistro Don Giovanni and Auberge du Soleil. And now that he owns his own restaurant (its name is a combination of the couple’s favorite varietal and its location), Greg simply “can’t wait to feed you.” No, really. It says so on the website and everything.
Since we were there on a warm evening, Brennen and I sat outside on the patio. We ordered a mojito from the bar, and it was entirely refreshing. And since this is a place that has more than 30 Zinfandels on its wine list (which made it very hard!), a half-bottle of the Robert Biale “Napa Ranches” was also in order. What a delight.
The meal began with a wild mushroom bruschetta, which was served with arugula lettuce, a truffled white bean puree and colorful cherry tomatoes. Drizzled with a tawny port reduction, the combination of earthy, tart and rich truffle flavors was superb.
Next we had the crispy calamari, fennel, blue lake beans and red onions with sriracha dipping sauce. Lightly breaded and fried, everything was crunchy, fresh, tender—and combined with the hot, spicy sauce was one of the liveliest calamari dishes I’ve tried. (And I’ve tried a lot!) Brennen was just as excited and called it the “super bomb.”
For an entrée, I chose the Angus corn-fed Del Monaco rib eye special. Served with yellow wax and blue lake beans, mashed Yukon gold potatoes and covered in sliced morel mushrooms, it was juicy, hot, only lightly spiced—and cooked to perfection.
We also had the coconut yellow curry with baby bok choy, yams, shitake mushrooms, snow peas and jasmine rice. The vegetables were crisp and fresh, and the curry had mild Thai spices. What a fun, different and flavorful vegetarian dish (it’s also offered with chicken or shrimp).
For dessert, we shared the warm chocolate ooooooz cake with vanilla bean gelato. Served like a lava cake (cut into its crisp, freshly baked exterior and the inside flows), it definitely oooooozed just the way it should. We also tried the hazelnut cappuccino—a traditional coffee but with a shot of Frangelico. No sweetener needed there, and it was delicious. But shhh. Don’t tell anyone. It’s a secret.
