I would like to commemorate my favorite wine country with an 2014 old article. 😭😭😭 Meadowood in 2014 was the only two Michelin-starred restaurants in the Bay Area at that time 

This article was published on wacowsf

Name: The restaurant at Meadowood

Location: Napa

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Address: 900 Meadowood Ln, St Helena, CA 94574

Phone: (707) 967-1205

Prices:$$$$

Hours: Tue - Sat, 5:30 – 10:00 pm

Menu: therestaurantatmeadowood.com

Because Los Angeles and Las Vegas are no longer published, the Michelin restaurant in the United States is no longer published, and only SF can be found. From the original TFL alone, to 2011 The restaurant at Meadowood won three Michelin stars in one fell swoop. In the west, two giants appeared to divide the world equally. And the Napa food and wine tour planned by the little raccoon and her friend Yaoyao early in the morning was also completed in sunny April. In addition to the Grand Slam tour of 10 wineries, it is a pleasure to win two Michelin three stars in the western United States.

The restaurant at Meadowood, located in St. Helena, Napa, the wine country, not only has the advantage of a huge wine cellar, but also makes full use of the rich local products to create delicious food. It is young but very creative. Chef Chris Kostow of Chris Kostow incorporates whimsical design into the creation of dishes, creating several stunning and novel contemporary California dishes. Located in the upscale resort Meadowood, it is named only with the simple but powerful word "The restaurant". I believe that only a very bold restaurant would dare to name it so casually.

When it comes to restaurants, I have to mention Chef Chistopher Kostow here. The talented chef was born in Illinois and spent his early years studying philosophy in New York. But he had dreamed of being a chef since he was a child, and only joined the catering industry after graduation. He was trained under Trey Foshee at Georges at the Cove, a sea-view restaurant in San Diego La Jolla. Later, he went to France to improve his cooking skills. The local bistro and Michelin restaurant returned to the San Francisco Bay Area after years of training.

He then worked for the famous California chef Daniel Patterson (Coi), and then worked for the famous chef Daniel Humm (Chef Eleven Madsion Park) at Campton Place in the Bay Area.

It wasn't until 2007 that Chris was first promoted to the role of executive chef, when he started working as chef at Chez Tj, a French bistro in Mountain View, Bay Area, where he won a Michelin star for the restaurant that year. The glory of the 2nd year is the throne of 2 stars.

Then, in late 2008, wine country resort Meadwood hired the young kitchen star. As a chef, "The restaurant at Meadowood" won the recognition of two Michelin stars in one year. Three years later, in 2011, the restaurant officially won three Michelin stars, becoming one of the "only two" Michelin restaurants in the western United States. After the restaurant was awarded three Michelin stars, the chef and manager began planning to upgrade the restaurant's kitchen, and the restaurant was also partially remodeled. After a year of planning and a 3-month break, what we saw was a brand new restaurant.

The restaurant at Meadowood is located in a luxury resort, tucked away in the Mayacamas Mountains with nearly 250 acres of woodland. After entering the gate of the resort, I still drove for nearly 3-5 minutes before I came to the gate of the restaurant. The enthusiastic waiter immediately helped to open the car door, and there were even smiling waiters standing outside the gate to greet our group. Come. Originally wanted to visit the restaurant's own organic farm, but since we ran out of time at the time, the project was abandoned.

After a refurbishment in 2012, this newly developed lounge has also become a place for customers to take a break, offering a variety of delicious bartenders and snacks. Vintage leather chairs, rattan chairs, bronze floor lamps and a warm fireplace create a modern and casual American vibe. A total of 24 diners can be accommodated here. (However, this is the bar area, which is the terrace, so only snacks are provided and no real Tasting Menu is provided.

Renovated main dining room with coffee, charcoal and white accents for a total capacity of 44 guests. The design style of the whole restaurant is traditional and warm, which makes people think of the style of American high-end resorts in the 1950s. The tall conical roof, the large bay windows, and the grassy golf course can be seen outside the window. The re-upgraded restaurant has turned the original wooden chairs into dark leather seats; and the dining table is made of volcanic rock with a special material. Most of the materials are drawn from nature, but they are expressed in a modern design style, creating a comfortable and intimate interior space.

To show support for local culture and art, the furniture, utensils and decorations here are sourced by local artists. All ceramics are rustically sourced from the local "Wine Country-based Lynn Mahon" workshop, and the exquisite refreshment wooden boxes made of local walnut trees are from the local "Bretton Newsom" carpenter; the countertop design is completed by "Nikki Ballere Callnan", Local artist Jonah Ward is responsible for the design of the decorative art. Pottery plates, napkins and wildflowers are placed on the countertop made of volcanic rock, with a sense of historical precipitation and heaviness.

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About the menu:

Because it specializes in California cuisine, the chef designs the dishes of the day based on seasonal vegetables every day. Also, the most unusual thing is that, like Omakase's sushi restaurant, you won't see any kind of menu, whether in paper or electronic media, until the end of dinner for $225 per person. , so that you will look forward to every dish of the day with a curious attitude, and will only ask you to reveal it at the end. In line with the "Farm to table" route, the dishes here are naturally vegetable-based, and the original flavor of the vegetables is the selling point, rather than the various sauces. The wine list is even more dazzling, and this must be the standard for a restaurant located in a famous winery resort in the United States! Because we have already visited 5 wineries that day, we did not choose to have dinner with wine in the evening.

                                                Amuse

1 . Black Crisp Olive 

moroccan black olive meringue, whipped olive oil, cress flowers

Appearing in the shape of a Moroccan-style black olive, it's actually made of puff pastry for a crispy texture; it's filled with whipped olive oil. When you bite into it, you really seem to be eating a piece of fruit. You can feel the sweetness with fruit aroma and the smooth and rich aroma of olive oil from the meringue.

2 . Garden vegetables marinated in Champagne 

The rainbow radishes marinated in champagne overnight are all produced on the farm in Meadowood. There are 3 different types of radishes with different colors, which are so colorful and cute that the guests seem to be like bunnies who strayed into the farm for food.

The pickled radish is salty and fragrant, with a hint of champagne, and because it is made from fruit and radish, you can taste its own unique spiciness.

3 . P0 kale with chorizo seasoning 

If the dishes are presented in the most interesting way, I am afraid it is the longest challenge for chefs. But the talented Chris has always been able to create ingenious creative arrangements. Like this P0 Kale Crisp.

Placed in a deliberately dated cookbook, each page of the book detailing the various ingredients and spices on the restaurant farm is covered with a sheet of carbon paper with hand-painted patterns and the date of the day, while On top are green, crisp and beautiful kale shaped like a p0 food and served with a sausage-flavored freezing point seasoning. Lovely and crunchy, crispy with a prawn-like taste, and a sausage sauce with a hint of cumin, interweaving the harmony of vegetables and meat.

                                        Official course

1 . Whipped yogurt with wild plum umeboshi shisho 

The home-made farm yogurt is mild and fine-tasting, with three imagery Japanese elements of black sesame, dried plum and perilla, creating a Japanese Zen garden-style plate with a unique aroma and a wonderful atmosphere. And the ingenious combination of green, white, black, and red three colors, just looking at it makes people excited. The use of small stones and fallen leaves expresses the desolate aftertaste of the Zen garden to the fullest.

Dried plums responsible for the appetizer, fresh and pleasant shiso leaves, black sesame seeds with unique aroma and yogurt achieve a balance in taste. The overall taste is fragrant and fine, with a touch of sweet and sour taste, very appetizing.

2 . Raw spiny lobster tail lardo caviar succulents 

The tender and oily lobster tail was only slightly blanched with water, and it seemed to be empty when you entered it. It really melted in your mouth. However, the mini size is really enough to eat up to 3 bites.

Compared to the mini lobster tail, the bright and plump caviar is full and generous.

The presence of succulents, in addition to their bright color, is also very juicy with this dish.

Enjoy this expensive seafood meal with soft and delicious butter bread with a rich milky aroma.

Cocktails:

A cocktail made with grapefruit juice, sparkling water and ginger juice, sour and appetizing.

3 . Kohlrabi glazed in its own juice rye porridge mustard 

Tubei is actually the "plate dish" that Wenzhou people love to eat. It uses fat, juicy and crispy fleshy roots as ingredients. The smooth kohlrabi is soaked in the juice made by its own soup, is it a little Chinese "original soup" taste in it?

The most wonderful thing is of course the circle around the solid plate. It is really yellow and bright rapeseed flowers, and it also has a strong floral fragrance.

The taste and aroma of kohlrabi is similar to that of cabbage. The taste is tender and dense, crisp and juicy, and the off-white color is even more pleasant. Lay on your back in a rye porridge with mustard flowers and neutrons. The dense soup with a thick texture and the crispy and delicious kohlrabi creates a contrast in texture. The mustard flowers and mustard seeds have a light fragrance.

4 .Sea cucumber, wild onions, whipped bean, brown butter, seaweed 

A dish that fascinates me just by looking at the presentation. Its raw materials are even more amazing. Sea cucumbers, leeks, caramelized butter refried beans and seaweed from the Mendocino coast near Highway 1 are produced in the famous sea of Santa Barbara in Los Angeles.

Completely different from the Chinese "scallion roasted sea cucumber", the sea cucumber here is given two completely different flavors.

Although I'm not a fan of beans, the bottom layer of refried beans is unexpectedly delicious and enriches the taste; the soft and sticky jelly-like sea cucumber jelly and the rather chewy sea cucumber chunks are both available. Each is wonderful. The aroma of leeks and caramelized butter lingered on the tip of the nose.

5 . Cod soy wild radish 

What is otherworldly? What is flowing water? ! I believe that everyone is also conquered by the beautiful scenery in front of the little raccoon. In the beige ceramic plate, white and tender black cod, white radish with transparent color, decorated with green vegetation and edible flowers, supplemented by clear and translucent clear soup.

The perfectly cooked black cod wonderfully retains almost all the moisture of the fish, the delicate taste, the mouth plan, fragrant and tender; and the lovely sliced radish, with a touch of fruit sweetness and a hint of spiciness.

6 . Chicken broth, chicken baked in bread grilled rabe yeast 

Why are you holding out a loaf of bread? It seems that there is heaven and earth in it? !

You're right, there's really a white and tender chicken inside. The little raccoon guesses it's a cornish hen or a young chicken.

Looking at its glossy appearance, it makes people gag~~ Why was it taken away before I ate it. . . come back~~

A small bowl filled with several finely chopped shallots was filled with chicken broth! Is it possible to drink chicken soup in the US? ! This made me, a child who grew up drinking old hen soup, have mixed emotions in tears. Although the taste is different from our Hefei chicken soup, it also takes the clear soup route, and the unique aroma of chicken oil still exists. , very delicious.

This is the sourdough bread we just saw, crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, full of air. The inner bread wall is even more delicious because it is covered with chicken fat, like a French baguette dipped in butter!

As for the chicken that was brought into the kitchen just now, only a small part of the chicken breast was removed, and it was served on a plate with dehydrated and air-dried vegetables.

Chris is worthy of Daniel Humm's second-in-command and has a lot of influence, and this dish is a perfect example of what I had at Eleven Madison Park with lavender roast duck.

The chicken breast, which is the most essential part of the extraction, has a soft color like creamy fat, and the chicken is fragrant and fragrant; the air-dried vegetables have a slightly bitter and burnt flavor because of the roasting; and the sauce that goes with the chicken comes from Thanks to the broccoli.

7 . Aged beef shiitake fermented turnip 

Chicken and fish have all appeared, so red meat is bound to appear, so this time we ushered in the aged steak. It's also the smallest, most delicate, thinnest steak I've ever seen in a Michelin restaurant.

The enticing 21-day air-dried steak consists of shiitake mushrooms, a vinaigrette sauce made from kohlrabi. The perfect doneness, the inside of each slice is beautifully maintained at the level of Medium Rare, and the outer layer is fried to a perfect char, the taste of the outer char and the soft inside is simply amazing~ Only use kohlrabi sauce and pepper salt to relieve the red meat of greasy taste.

Although the beef had very little oiliness, it was surprisingly tender and juicy. The presence of shiitake mushrooms is also the finishing touch. The unique aroma and earthy taste of mushrooms make the taste of the dishes more diverse and rich.

8 . Young mimolette apple habanero 

Mimolette, with its orange-yellow color like pumpkin pulp, is a favorite of children, and its taste will depend on the age of aging, and it is a young cheese that is placed in front of us, so the taste Light, and less so-called "stink" that some Asians love to fear.

The cheese has a sweet taste, with a light fruity and hazelnut-like aroma, mild and smooth, and the more chewy it is, the more fragrant it is in the mouth, the rich taste and the long-lasting fragrance.

It's paired with canned apples in sugar water and cranberry vinaigrette, and best of all is the addition of nutritious, heat-clearing and detoxifying cactus. The crisp and smooth cactus is delicious and delicious, the cheese with fruity milky aroma and the sweet and sour apples and cranberries interweave the deliciousness and sweetness of fruits and vegetables.

9 . Olive oil coconut borage 

If a single dessert can make a restaurant famous, it's definitely the brightest dessert at this three-Michelin-starred restaurant. Frozen coconut cream ice cream with fragrant olive oil is said to be sourced entirely locally, and is kneaded and squeezed by hand. The green leaves on the top layer are a type of green plant called "borage", which can be used for oil extraction, stewing or seasoning.

Borage with a light cucumber-like aroma, olive oil with a light pepper aroma, rich and smooth coconut cream, and pleasant sour lemon and gooseberry juice, with a refreshing and pleasant taste, just in time for Fushun already For tired taste buds, it brings a refreshing taste to the tongue. As the ice cream melts and the temperature of the olive oil gradually increases, it seems that the taste of each bite will change slightly, which is very interesting.

10 . Silken chocolate panettone praline 

A silky smooth chocolate custard sauce with roasted dates creates a custard custard that is beautifully coloured, attractive and sweet on the palate. The light and sweet Tony bread is also soft and sweet.

And the addition of Panettone is the finishing touch. As a practical sweet bread for Italian New Year, this golden bread is a wonderful dessert with a soft texture and a taste between bread and cake; it is different from the common ones made of raisins and other fruits, but the bread here is added Sweet and dense chocolate.

As a bread that is best paired with wine, it is often served on the table with cream, eggs and liqueur, which may be why chocolate custard soup is chosen here.

                                                 

After a full stomach, I wanted to drink a cup of tea to digest it, but the waiter brought out such cute things~ Herbs, dried petals and dried lemons are all small accessories that can enhance the taste of tea by themselves, and there are also cute Small biscuits for refreshment.

The flavored tea is freshly prepared every day. Just looking at it makes you feel heartbroken. It's dreamy like a scene in Alice's Wonderland. Even the color of the tea is pink that girls can't put it down, with the unique fragrance of scented tea, and it is really beautiful to enjoy with crispy biscuits.

The coffee brewed in a special clay pot is ruddy in color, with a slightly astringent and burnt aroma~

11 . Praline 

This is no ordinary marzipan. After the almonds baked with 24K gold are frozen and served as the last dessert for guests, the ultra-rich fruity aroma and extremely luxurious setting are still eye-opening.

Huh, what is this? Such a delicate thing turned out to be the bill and today's menu. The lovely bill is still sealed with a classic and traditional wax seal, which makes people feel extremely extravagant and exquisite.

Lovely handwritten bill, very homey, total $928 after tip

Freshly printed menu of the day

Kitchen View

Seeing the most talented and innovative team of chefs, thanks for their hard work and wisdom, to have such a hearty meal. P.S There is also the legendary Chef’s Table in the kitchen. The diners who can watch the chefs cooking all the time must be very happy~~

The handsome chef is helping us sign autographs

Overall, it was an unforgettable dining experience, and as some of the best farm restaurants in the nation, The restaurant at Meadowood is great at incorporating the roots of seasonal vegetables into their dishes. And almost every dish is created to the best of its ability, constantly arousing the curiosity of diners. However, it is mostly the presentation and principles that attract the most attention. Although the food is delicious, it still does not reach the level of top restaurants such as Per Se, Le Bernardin, and TFL.

But really feel The restaurant at Meadowood and  Eleven Madison Park The inextricable connection between the two top chefs, from the mysterious menu to the setting of the dishes, can be seen in the similar concepts and heritage of the two top chefs.  

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