5.10.2011

Brix - Napa Valley

7377 Saint Helena Hwy
Napa, CA 94558
707.944.2749
www.brix.com

Brix bills itself as a farm-to-table restaurant.The restaurant and garden has more than 2 acres of farm land in which many of the dishes vegetables coming directly from the garden. Does it get much fresher? The menu actually indicates what vegetables come directly from the garden. How cool is that?


The architecture of the restaurant fits in perfectly with the Napa Valley region. Flowers and plants surround the perimeter of the restaurant...this entices guests to wander around the beautiful grounds.


A view of some of the raised garden beds where various vegetables are grown. This is a view of the backside of the property facing the outdoor patio. The vegetables that you are about to eat are only about 50 feet away from where you dine.


This is another view of the outside seating area where our table was facing the gardens and the hills. Doesn't get much more serene and beautiful than this.


Fresh bread with butter and sea salt. The bread was nicely toasted and warmed and delicious when eaten with the butter. Not sure if it was house made or not but it was good. 


Brix Summer Heirloom Tomato Salad (11)
This was a dish that was beautiful to look at as it was to eat. I loved the flavor of the tomatoes and the crunchiness of the cucumber, adding a freshness to the salad. What really made the salad for me was the vinaigrette. I wanted to pick up the bowl and drink every last drop of it.


Grilled Lebanese Zucchini with cherry tomatoes and basil vinaigrette (6)
This was another vegetable dish that was a winner! The grilling on the zucchini added a nice bit of char and flavor to the zucchini. The tomatoes and the vinaigrette were once again outstanding. Freshness at its peak!


Sonoma Duck Breast with Creamy Mushroom Farro (26)
This was a nice piece of duck breast that was cooked well and portioned just right. The creamy mushroom farro was a change from the normal farro which I find boring at times.


Beef Tenderloin with olive oil poached zucchini and tomato vinaigrette (29)
The beef tenderloin was as you would expect, tender. The steak had a char and smokey flavor from the grill. My only complaint was that the steak was slightly overcooked in my opinion. Not a particularly exciting dish but solid.


Creme Brulee
The creme brulee was an excellent example of how it should be. Beautifully bruleed sugar top that shatters and begs to be eaten. Brix also included some kind of brittle.


Another serene view of the mountains, gardens, and vineyards of Brix. A great way to end the evening: just taking our time with dinner and relaxing as the sun drifted behind the mountains and enjoying what Napa has to offer.



Farm to table. Wouldn't it be awesome if all restaurants could operate with this belief? We enjoyed our meal at Brix, especially the vegetable dishes. It didn't hurt either that we had this beautiful view to look at.

5.01.2011

Crossroad Chicken (Napa Valley)

Napa, CA 94558
(707) 280-3868
crossroadchix.com

As we were driving on the highway to the Napa wineries, we spotted the words "Wood Fired" on a food truck and had to make a u-turn to see what this was all about.  I admit, I thought the food truck was serving wood fired pizzas and was at first disappointed when I saw that it wasn't pizza. However, after chatting with the chef a bit and him giving us a tour of the truck we found out that he uses ingredients from sustainably farmed and local products whenever possible.

Having previously worked as a chef at Acacia Winery for many years, he started this food truck business about a year now.  There is actually a real wood fired oven, and he has the proper insignia on his truck so you know he's legit.


An appetizing and concise menu with an assortment of sandwiches, tacos, soups, and salads at reasonable prices.


Here is a picture of the jester/chef himself Chef Kevin Simonson. 


Rancho Gordo Anasazi Bean Chili w/ chopped red onions and sour cream ($4.95).  The Anasazi beans are some kind of heirloom beans. Wow, heirloom beans too? The chili was different than what I'm used to, but good in a way. The beans themselves were actually smoother and less gritty than most beans I have had.  I appreciate the nice bite from the onions and how the sour cream smoothed things out.


Hot Chicken Sandwich w/ Meyer Lemon Aioli, Tomatoes, Red Onions, and Greens ($8.95). Definitely your gourmet sandwich. The bread was nice and toasty and the chicken was quite tasty with the aioli and the beautiful heirloom tomatoes.  The heirloom tomatoes were amazing too. Every bite made me wanting more.



Here is a picture of the wood fired oven inside the truck.


This gourmet food truck definitely is worth the stop for all the tasty food items, quality ingredients, and use of local products. If you are are ever at the crossroads and see Crossroad Chicken, you should definitely cross the road.