Siena (at the Mertiage Resort)
875 Bordeaux Way
Napa
(707) 259-0633
www.themeritageresort.com
Cal-Ital Cuisine
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner daily
Entrées (dinner): $12-$26.75
Excellent wine list
Nestled within the Meritage Resort and Spa at the southern tip of Napa Valley, Siena restaurant is well appointed with a high-ceilinged interior dressed in earth tones, hand-painted silk banners from Siena’s famous “Palio” horse race, picture windows, an open kitchen at the rear and an outdoor patio for al fresco dining. Executive Chef Laurent P.X. Berthon’s seasonal menu changes regularly and features sustainable local foods. “I change it often to reflect what’s available and fresh,” he says.
The menu is separated into tapas, pizza, pastas and grilled/rotisserie items. We started off with Adriano Adami Italian sparkling (pear nose, tropical flavors, crisp finish) and some oven-roasted fresh mussels piled high in a black pot (hot!) with a light and smoky saffron-fennel broth with dry chorizo, delicious Roma tomatoes and fresh tarragon. Next came the goat cheese and pear bruschetta (a single slice with the cheese melted on top) served on a nice-sized baby arugula, shaved pear and fennel salad dressed with an edgy Champagne vinaigrette.
The fresh ahi tuna carpaccio was seared rare, then thin-sliced into round medallions and placed in an overlapping row with baby cilantro sprouts, chopped shallots and a sprinkle of capers (light and lovely).
For pizza, we chose the one topped with a layer of herbaceous basil pesto, a generous amount of artichoke hearts and crumbled goat cheese. Its thin crust was cooked to a beautiful golden brown, and there were eight slices to enjoy. This could actually be an entrée for the pizza enthusiast in your life.
From there, we switched to a Rosemount “GSM” Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre (fruit bomb nose and a dark, meaty body with tobacco, plum and cocoa on the finish) and Rombauer Chardonnay (buttery nose with lush mouthfeel and notes of pear and citrus). The Chardonnay paired especially well with the market fresh fish special, which was a thick filet of pan-seared halibut with a crisp, golden exterior and a moist interior, served on a bed of creamy polenta with a lemon tarragon beurre blanc and grilled asparagus spears.
We also had the slow spit roasted porchetta, which was served in a coil with a seeded mustard and horseradish spread and tiny chopped herbs rolled into the meat, placed atop a bed of rich and creamy polenta with roasted tomatoes and stuffed green olives.
For dessert we shared the tiramisu (lots of cream and very light overall, with ladyfinger cake layers topped with cocoa powder) and a warm, moist, flourless chocolate cake served with a large dollop of crème fraîche. We devoured both!
