Brix Restaurant and Gardens in Napa Valley’s Yountville, just minutes below a number of the top vineyards and wineries where you can taste the best of Napa. Contemporary French inspired California cuisine with a comprehensive collection of the valley’s finest wine growers and producers, Brix is designed to take full advantage of its 16 prime Napa Valley acres of gardens and vineyards with spectacular views of the Mayacamas mountains. The view from the back outdoor patio seating area is simply stunning.
The restaurant has been around since March 28, 1996 and has always had a focus on providing a farm-to-table dining experience. It was, btw, one of the reasons that drew me to the place in addition to the incredible views. It’s no surprise that they host so many weddings on the premises. We opted for lunch rather than dinner, but definitely went to “town” with our choices, starting with my favorite thing on the menu, their Ricotta Gnocchi, which is served with English peas, smoked ham, parmesan cream and lemon oil. This dish was to die for!
Even though I’m not a pizza fan, my friend Celia was eager to try one of their pizzas, so we went for the Italian Bacon Pizza pictured below, which was served with a spicy tomato sauce, shaved fennel and topped with three different cheeses.
I can’t do a tasting without ordering at least one salad and since we had a couple of heavier dishes on order, I opted for the butter lettuce salad with goat cheese, English peas (btw, they use a lot of English peas on the menu and they were incredibly sweet and delicious), Flambo Radish, Brioche Croutons and topped with a goat yogurt dressing.
We also tried the Kale Salad which was a Tuscan Kale….served with shaved parmesan and sourdough garlic groutons. Simple but sweet.
Lastly, I was curious about the Steak Tartare, which was served in traditional style with a Quail Egg, garniture and a grilled baguette. My only disappointment was that I felt they over did it with the mustard since I think the flavors would have hit “home” without such a heavy dose. That said, the overall blend was well done and of course, the presentation was top notch!
Did I mention the view from their back patio?
I’m thrilled we made this choice over the Rutherford Grill, which was originally on our list. How can you beat this ambiance? Combine the views with fresh organic local ingredients and its closeness to so many of the area’s top vineyards and you can’t give this place a miss if you’re in the area. Other things on the menu I wish I had time to try (I’d love your feedback if you do) include the wood grilled swordfish with a baby spinach puree, the braised lamb bolognese with English peas, mint and grated pecorino (my favorite) and the Herb Roasted Chicken, served with asparagus, spring panzanella and aged balsamic. Yum!!
Thanks to Michael, both Matts and their crew. While we were hosted by Brix for our lunch, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own! For more on Food/Wine in California, check out our California Food & Wine section on top California food & wine and also our general food & wine section which covers all regions.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
