Tarla Mediterranean Grill
1480 First St.
Napa
(707) 255-5599
Greek and Turkish Fusion Cuisine
Lunch and dinner daily
Entrées (dinner): $14-$20
Nice wine list
Yusuf and Breanna Salvatore Topal first met when they worked aboard a Celebrity Cruise ship (Yusuf spent 21 years managing restaurants for Celebrity). “We wanted to have a ‘real’ life,” he says, when asked how they landed in Napa (Breanna’s hometown) to open a restaurant. “We wanted to bring our experiences from all over the world here,” he adds. The couple set out to create a space that would combine Mediterranean cuisine (even beyond Turkey, where Yusuf is from, and Greece) with Napa Valley, as their eclectic menu and wine list clearly illustrates.
With a sleek interior designed by Zan Situ, including adjustable bar seating along the open kitchen, tabletops made from white caesarstone, beautiful light fixtures (some are made from wine bottles), handmade Turkish white copper water glasses, comfortable indoor and outdoor seating and more, the friendly, comfortable spot has become a popular gathering place.
Chef Gerry Castro (formerly of Farmstead and Cavallo Point, who originally learned his craft at CIA Greystone) focuses on local, organic produce and meats as well as sustainable seafood items, and has put together an inspiring menu that truly offers a culinary cruise. That, combined with an international wine list (some of the local ones are on tap), works well in many ways.
To start, we tried the saganaki, a traditional Cypress island “flaming” cheese that’s set afire when it’s brought to the table, resulting in seared edges and an almost chewy texture. Its mild flavor is enhanced with sliced apricots and lemon and sweet apricot syrup. The crispy fried calamari was served with okra and hearts of palm, all lightly battered and accompanied with a spicy pepper mayonnaise that definitely had a kick. The Greek potatoes were cubed and sautéed in olive oil, lemon and paprika and reminded me of Spanish patatas bravas. The well-balanced, oven roasted beet salad had a selection of beets along with lightly dressed greens, fresh mandarin and grapefruit sections and a sprinkle of feta cheese.
We accompanied our entrées with Grgich Hills Chardonnay (citrus/vanilla nose, creamy, complex body) and Raymond Cabernet Sauvignon (dark fruit, mild tannins, nice minerality). First was a thick filet of moist, perfectly cooked Alaskan halibut crusted with pistachios, served with seasonal vegetable ragu and a rich, white wine butter sauce. Second was the grilled lamb shish kebab, marinated with Mediterranean herbs, spices and olive oil, then cooked to a very tender medium and bursting with fresh, rich flavor. An herbaceous chimichuri sauce added an unexpected twist and the braised greens sautéed with onions were a treat, as was the buttery rice pilaf with chickpeas.
Dessert was rich, dark Turkish coffee and kunefe, a Turkish dessert made with phyllo dough, cheese and fresh coconut, formed into a pancake and fried golden brown, topped with crushed pistachios and a light syrup (not too sweet): hot, crunchy, unique and wonderful!
