Cuvee

Cuvee is trying too hard. They are now a "fancy" restaurant with too many sauces and additions. I would love to see simpler dishes on the menu. Fries can be fries without truffle oil and garlic. The atmosphere in the bar area is great. Friendly and helpful. The restaurant area is too stuffy for my taste. No wonder locals don't think to go there as much anymore. Nothing beats the outside patio on a warm summer night. I hope they keep evolving and find their place in Napa.

ABC Bakery

ABC Bakery is always consistent. I love their food, especially Sunday brunch. I am getting a kick out of the servers now trying to be cordial. It is forces politeness which harkens back to the day when the staff barely acknowledged the customers and acted like it was a privilege that they were serving them.

Norman Rose

Norman Rose is fantastic as usual. I just wish they would serve a vegetable with the meal. When I think of Norman Rose, I think unhealthy.

Oventi

It took some convincing, but my friend was able to drag me to Oventi for lunch last month. The old location of Marie Calendars is enough to put me off. The look and feel of the restaurant is still Marie Calendars. I almost turned around and left when I saw pie counter at the entrance was still there. This is a big space but it is closed off by the tall, archaic wooden booths of the past. The menu sleeves scream cheep/low end, budget. It is not surprising that customers still ask for the salad bar.

A couple of friends gave it a try as well. They sat for 10 minutes without anyone greeting them. They found the menu confusing and was turned off by the Marie Calendars vibe so they left.

The menu is confusing. There is a bit of an identity crisis.  I think it is supposed to be an Italian joint with wood burning ovens and pasta dishes. But then there are these middle America and Spanish additions. If you are a Spanish chef, make it a Spanish restaurant.

All that being said, this place has potential. The service I had was charming and the menu options were surprisingly fun. Confusing, but fun,

My recommendations to all new restaurants is do your research. Know who you are. Know who your customer is. What type of atmosphere do they enjoy?  How much will they pay for what type of food? How large should the dishes be?

I wish Oventi the best of luck.

Intro

Dinning out in Napa is one of my favorite past times. Eating at the latest restaurant before my friends and co-works is my goal. Reporting to others on my experience is great fun. So here is a blog on my restaurant experiences. Enjoy!