nousha

Team Nousha decided to have their weekly office meeting in Napa, CA. Who are we kidding; it was more for wine and food tasting than talking shop strategy…although we did do both! During the course of the day, we had a fantastic time trying some new places. As some of you may know, we are avid wine drinkers/collectors and take our trips to Napa VERY seriously!

We had planned to go to Thomas Keller’s new place in Yountville, CA called ‘Ad Hoc’ but apparently our reservation request didn’t get to them until we sat down at Mustards Grill (just South of St. Helena). We have always heard they were worth the visit but had no idea they were as good as we discovered.

Although fried calamari is a great dish IF prepared correctly, its a treat that we dont often order due to the fear of fried food! We decided to take a chance and it was by far the BEST calamari dish we have ever eaten! Instead of a huge plate of JUST fried squid, they mixed it in with some cabbage salad and the combination was truly delightful. For a main course, we tried their burgers and a flank steak. Both dishes were worth their weight in gold! As for the price, it was reasonable given the fact that they are in the heart of Napa Valley. We are looking forward to a return trip to try more on the menu!
In summary, if you plan on taking a trip up to Napa soon, we suggest that you consider the following as an afternoon itinerary. They are placed in driving order if you are entering Napa Valley from the South:

1. Paraduxx (one of our personal favorites!)
2. Silver Oak (this place needs no explanation…just go there but remember, they aren’t open on Sunday!)
3. Rombauer (their Zin is amazing and their Port is out of this world!)
4. Duck Horn (the parent to Paraduxx…amazing Estate Cabs)
5. Franks Family (Buy a bottle of Reserve Cab and call us, we will bring over the dinner!)
6. Provenance (Join their wine club for Reds only…its worth it)
7. Mustards or Rutherford Grill for dinner!

We can guarantee that if you follow that route, you will have an amazing afternoon! And, if you liked our review, tell a friend. If you pick up a few good bottles along the trip, tell us and lets have a little wine party!