Burritos in Burgundy?
Let Me Start with Mexico
The closest California comes to Burgundy, where the overriding French sensibility towards wine and food permeates the consciousness of just about everyone, is Napa Valley. How ironic then that this famed wine producing region with its exquisite Cabernets and world-class restaurants is also home to dozens of great Mexican taquerias. Touted as “America’s Burgundy” with numerous French restaurants, bistros, and cafes, Napa’s lifeblood and true passion is informed by Mexicans. No Mexicans, no Napa. Rising in the ranks over the past quarter-century, some are highly skilled Mexican-Americans who run the crews and have opened their own independent enterprises. The real heart and soul of the region is Latin, from the days of the monks who planted the vines over a century ago to today when Mexicans labor to make the Napa dream a reality. It’s nice to pretend that Napa is our Burgundy but in fact it’s our Mexico.
It’s no surprise then that the Mexican food here is pretty amazing. Their gastronomy provides the really delicious dining experience for the legions of wait staff, cooks, and public relations and service sector people who can’t quite make the tab for a dinner at The French Laundry, which starts at $500 a couple, wine and tax not included. In the town of Napa, you have La Taquizo, Mini Mango, Las Palmas, Tacos Michoacan, Zuzu, and Taqueria Rosita. We’re talking great fish tacos, lengua tacos, and even an octopus burrito. Where did I get this list? I received it from the entire staff at The French Laundry! It’s where they eat. I’ve known Thomas Keller for nearly 15 years. To prepare for this article, I wrote and asked him: Where do you and your employees eat?
Fine, Eat Like the French
Straight from the horse’s mouth as the saying goes.
Here’s a secret. As you drive through any of the small towns in Napa – Rutherford, St. Helena, Calistoga – look for the local Mexican grocery stores. Pull in, go to the back. Bet you find a grill, metal vats of local vegetables, stacks of tortillas, and a counter person eager to get you going. For under $5, you’ll be full. And go ahead, have a cold cerveza, wine’s better with dinner.
OK, let’s be honest. You didn’t read this far to hear how to eat like you would in Oaxaca. You want French? I’ll give you French. Well, not French-French, but French by way of California, which like the best wines here, is packed with the deep flavors of a terroir blessed with beautiful soil, a temperate climate, lots of sunshine, and a few farmers and producers with deep pockets who literally put their money where their mouth is
Let’s start with The French Laundry. There’s no doubt in my mind that this is one of the top ten restaurants on the planet. That it is helmed by a self-taught chef, Thomas Keller, adds to the appreciation. It’s inspiring to see someone guided by passion create memorable dishes and experiences. To give you a sense of just how long ago I ate there, that initial dinner cost $200 for two and the wine list was no more than a page long. Nowadays, prices are higher and the wine list looks like the Manhattan phone book, but the experience remains the same if not deeper. Yes, getting a table is harder than ever, but if you try to reserve two months in advance, aim for a weekend lunch, and offer the concierge a range of dates, you may be lucky enough to deplete your bank account. Seriously, if I had to choose one final meal, it would be here. Three hours later, go ahead, shoot me, I’ve eaten everything I’ll ever want to eat.
Say you can’t get into The French Laundry or choose not to ante-up. Go down the street to Bouchon, which is Chef Keller’s homage to bistro dining. Casual, pleasant, priced to go, with streamlined service, here you can enjoy absolutely delicious raw oysters, soups, simple fish dishes, and terrific salads. Next door is the bakery where I urge you to stock up on breads and wonderful pastries. Yountville, the base of Keller’s empire, has become increasingly Disney-like over the years. Prissy, manicured and so drenched with money that the untoward or surprising seem unlikely, it’s still an epicenter for foodies and you won’t be disappointed. Look, the best restaurant in the world, Joel Robuchon, is in a Las Vegas casino so why shouldn’t Keller be situated in what looks like the set for Pleasantville? The town has also attracted other chefs who share Keller’s vision of refinement. The best of these is Rich Reddington at Redd, where you can sit on a lovely patio, enjoy a local white, and dine on sashimi, pork buns, or any of the small, tantalizing menu items.
So You Think You’ve Had Good BBQ?
Mexican, French, Californian-French, why not BBQ? I don’t mean a BBQ concept or a culinary play on BBQ, but the real thing – open pit, wood smoked, down home, and pleasant. Now we come to Buster’s in Calistoga, where you can have a cold draft or a bottle of local plonk to go with the spectacular ribs, brisket, chicken, or pulled pork.
Another treat are the farmers markets. Check local papers, ask anyone, and you’ll have the great opportunity to check out booth after booth of produce that looks as if it comes from the Land of Brobdingnag. Depending on the time of year, you’ll see huge versions of artichokes, peppers and tomatoes and the very best Blenheim apricots you’ve ever tasted.
Me? At the end of my day in Napa, where it was impossible to stop eating as everything tasted so good, I wound up back in my suite at the Calistoga Ranch. Even there resistance was futile. “Hello room service? Can I have a cheeseburger, medium-rare with fries and a glass of cabernet?”
But I paid my price for gluttony … flew home with a killer stomach ache!
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