“Visitors in the kitchen!” a voice calls out.
“Welcome!” a chorus of lively staff responds in unison.
We were at Auro, the restaurant at the Four Seasons resort in Calistoga, when offered a brief walkthrough of the kitchen—a privilege seemingly granted many guests, since we heard the “visitors/welcome!” call and response several times during the course of our visit.
A glimpse at the kitchen of a Michelin-starred restaurant is always going to be intriguing—chef Rogelio Garcia runs a tight and orderly ship by all appearances—and at Auro it’s reflective of the added effort that comes across when dining at the 400 Silverado Trail restaurant. Through its haute cuisine and attentive service, Auro is determined to provide a memorable experience.
The restaurant’s modern interiors are casual and cozy. Smooth wood tables are surrounded by slipper chairs and neutral-toned sofas; vaulted ceilings glow with warm lighting. A patio-facing wall of windows streams with natural light in the day; opposite, another wall of windows allows a line-eye view of the kitchen action. The atmosphere is simultaneously calming yet vibrant.
Auro offers a multi-course tasting menu—ours was the Chef’s Table Experience, which features seating within a nook near the kitchen—adjusted seasonally, with a wine pairing that highlights mostly (but not entirely) some of the finest local labels. The tasting menu at the moment leans heavy initially on seafood—scallop, striped jack, bluefin tuna, King crab and black cod—before moving on to gnocchi, squab, Wagyu and a couple of light “afters.”
Not a course goes by without evidence as to how Auro has maintained a Michelin star since opening in 2021. Favorites from the first half of the menu included the shima aji—aka striped jack—with the Japanese mackerel dry-aged for 10 days and served in a tastebud-tantalizing apple aguachile. Most impressive was the presentation—Mountain Rose apple peeling is shaped into a “rose” surrounded by the yellow-green sauce. Impressive. The bluefin, meanwhile, is from a senaka cut—a tender portion of the fish with an even distribution of fat; its balance of flavors sumptuously rich and buttery. Multiple courses were preceded by a visit to our table from servers showcasing various elements the kitchen was working with—a massive King crab here, a truffle there. Farm to table, indeed.
Chef Garcia’s bonafides are noteworthy: He cut his teeth at such well-known restaurants as Angele in Napa, as well as the Commissary and Spruce, both in San Francisco; was honored by Michelin after his first year at Auro; served as a contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef; and was a finalist for best California chef in the James Beard Foundation Awards. He’s also a local kid, having attended Vintage High School as a teen. An after-school dishwashing job was the modest start to what has so far been a notable career. At 38, he’s only getting started.
The latter half of the tasting was highlighted by a tender squab—crusted with pistachio, the savory bird was sweetened by Hosui pear and a dark mole; and, finally, a cut of wagyu beef, grilled with binchotan charcoal for maximum smoky flavor. The meal rounded out with a decadent cinnamon bunuelo—the bun served atop a caramelized chocolate cremeux, surrounded by a foamy horchata.
By meal’s end, more than the menu’s featured courses had crossed our palates—a handful of tasty chef’s selections preceded the first course; a decadent milk bread with butter came our way about halfway through. The amuse-bouche and house bread are just further examples of how beating expectations is part of the Auro experience. The incredible food is another.
As we left, we heard another round:
“Visitors in the kitchen!”
“Welcome!”
Did You Know?
Chef Rogelio Garcia recently published his first book. Convivir: Modern Mexican Cuisine in California’s Wine Country (Abrams, 288 pages), a visually rich volume of 150 recipes mixed with Garcia’s personal reflections on his own immigrant story from Mexico to Napa—he’s a beneficiary of the DACA program—and how that journey has shaped his culinary worldview. Written with Andrea Lawson Gray.
Auro
At Four Seasons Resort and Residences, Napa Valley
400 Silverado Trail, Calistoga
707-709-2160
Auronapavalley.com
Dinner, Wednesday to Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m.
7-course tasting menu, $225 per person; wine pairing, $165 per person
