I had passed through the beautiful courtyard outside Redd Wood Restaurant in Napa but hadn’t had the pleasure to visit until recently. Even from the outside, with the building’s floor to ceiling windows and brick-lined walks, Richard Reddington’s new dining room is sure to draw one’s attention.
Boasted as ” a superbly stylish Italian-inspired eatery” and “a polished, chic restaurant with a voguish vibe”, I would agree with both of those descriptions. I loved the decor, atmosphere, open kitchen, fire blazing with a full house even for a late lunch.
From the stemware, to the olives, to the lovely decanters even for simple things like waters, every detail was attended to. Service and staff included. A lovely girl named Brittany was our server. She remembered the guest that I was dining with and mentioned the family and child which I found sweet. With all of the things to do in Napa, it is easy to forget what a small town it really is and that the locals are appreciated.
Bruce Miller, a friend who I was dining with and who worked for many years in the wine industry both in Napa and Sonoma Counties, choose our wines for lunch. I was touring Napa on my own that day and I had previously visited Pine Ridge Vineyards on Silverado Trail. I toured the caves, grounds and gardens and was headed to Red Cap Vineyards on Howell Mountain after lunch. We met for a quick bite since Bruce also had somewhere to be… so just one glass.
I like to go outside the box when I order at restaurants and try new things including the wine list. We sipped on a Kerner, Abbazia di Novacella, Valle Isarco, Alto Adige 2012.
Very cleansing and had a lovely floral nose that reminded me of honeysuckle. Tasted with citrus notes and an apricot maybe. Perfect with my meal.
They had a lovely asparagus appetizer which I ordered to start. Brittany presented it wonderfully in words. Sold. With the farm egg on top and frisee greens along with sauce, it was amazing.
This touch makes me want to throw an egg on top each time I make asparagus at home these days. The creaminess of the farm egg yolk running over the greens was wonderful.
I found out that Bruce, who is an acquaintance through the wine and social biz industry, is a vegan, or perhaps that is not the proper term, hope I got that right Bruce. But he does have high standards when it comes to the food he puts in his mouth and his family is as well.
When I asked him about his thoughts on coming to ReddWood here in Napa, did he find that they were able to cater to his dietary needs? He said that they had many great dishes that were acceptable and that they also had no problem with a custom order to leave off ingredients where necessary from a dish to accommodate the guests. This is nice to know for both vegetarians or vegans visiting the area.
For my entree I had the Prosciutto Crudo, Fontina, Arugula, Grana Padano, Black Pepper. This can also be ordered with what seems to be Chef Reddington’s signature item at the restaurant, a farm egg on top.
Brava to the chef, the pizza oven, and the people who originally created the fantastically fresh ingredients that were on top of the wonderful crust. The prosciutto had just the right amount of salt and the crust was flaky yet bubbly. And who doesn’t love a good fire roasted bubble or two in their pizza…
He had the Chopped Salad, Radicchio, Romaine, Arugula, Salami, Ceci Beans, Black olive, peperoncini, provolone, red wine vinaigrette. And he omitted a few ingredients to have it as he wanted which did not seem to be a problem at all.
And what a beautiful and colorful salad it was. Great presentation and he said it was wonderful. He didn’t offer any…so I didn’t ask…haha. But I did ask his thoughts and he says it is a salad that his family enjoys often.
I will have to return to this spot soon for dinner to see what the night ambiance and lively bar scene is all about as well. And to try a few more of their wines of course…
Chin Chin…
Redd Wood Yountville – Website Here
6755 WASHINGTON ST.
YOUNTVILLE, CA
Phone: 707 – 299 – 5030