Bottega: The Year's Defining Restaurant So Far

TV chef Michael Chiarello, who first came to prominence at Tra Vigne in St Helena, has, in my opinion, opened the restaurant that defines the first part of this year. Bottega in Yountville is Tra Vigne taken to a level of sophistication that other restaurants can only hope for.

Located in the V marketplace, the restaurant sprawls across a lovely veranda that looks out on rose bushes and a verdant lawn.

Of course, Chiarello, who was making salumi before anyone knew the word, has his own house-cured proscuitto on the menu, plus a selection of four more rustic cold meats.

Don’t miss the shaved Brussel sprout and asparagus salad enlivened with marcona almonds, sieved egg, Pecorino cheese and Chiarello’s signature whole citrus vinaigrette ($9).

The wood-grilled, tender octopus is served atop olive-oil poached potatoes, pickled red onion and a salsa verde (like a pesto, but made with Italian parsley) ($14).

The pope’s pasta or pappardelle is served with a veal and pork ragu, perfumed with porcini mushrooms, rosemary and Parmesan cheese ($18). Broad ribbons of tender housemade pasta are doused with a lusty ragu.

When it’s available, have the whole fish. One night it was Orata, served boneless and stuffed with lemon slices and baked in the wood-fired oven. Fat, trimmed asparagus were the perfect foil for the light, white-fleshed fish ($26).

The potato flour-based cake was tarted up with halved fresh strawberries, 20-year old balsamic vinegar and a dollop of mascarpone ($10).

I know that Bottega will be my go-to place in the Napa Valley from now on.

Bottega
6525 Washington Street
Yountville
(707) 945-1050
Lunch Tuesday-Saturday; dinner nightly