Poppy’s Salad Tseating without a reservation. napa lies the community’s newestay to rave reviews, and it’s hard to get a dinnermucked in a quaint center in northwestfamily-style authentic Italian restaurant, Il Posto Trattoria, meaning “ThePlace.” It opened inPan Roasted Polenta “W‘Old School Italian,’ that reflects must-try dishes are the Pan Roasted Polentacherry tomatoes and fresh Italian parsley servedwith a simple red wine vinaigrette. Two othere wanted to serve authenticItalian cuisine, also known as the fine dining the Napa Valley has become with Spicy Pork Ragu and the classic Roman Orecchiette Pasta known for—but we’ve kept our prices down dish, Veal Saltimbocca. so our guests can bring the entire family,” said Il Posto also serves authentic rustic individual owner Justin Graffigna. “Celebrate the family, pizzas and fresh ravioli filled with housemade friends and life,” he added. “That is what our ricotta and Swiss chard, tossed in Papa Sauce whole restaurant is about. Food and wine was a (a secret family meat sauce which contains huge focal point of our family growing up.” veal, beef and pork). Their extensive wine list Graffigna said another motivating factor for includes seventy percent Napa Valley wines and his style of restaurant was the lost art of families thirty percent Italian wines, hand picked by eating together. “The day of sitting around a Graffigna himself. dinner table with the family has become non- Graffigna was born and raised in Napa, and existent,” he said. “We have an incredible menu has spent his entire career in the restaurant that chef Adam Clark and I have created, which business, beginning with busing tables at the includes cool stuff for kids.” age of twelve while working at a friend’s family Don’t get the wrong idea that “kid friendly” business. His parents had instilled a hard work Veal Saltimbocc a means wild kids running around while eating. ethic in him, and he thrived even at a young Graffigna has managed to marry fine dining age. While in college in San Diego, he was with a kid-friendly atmosphere that is still introduced to the Piatti Corporation in La Jolla. El Dorado Kitchen in Sonoma and Calistoga sophisticated, yet casual—a wonderful dining After graduating he returned to Napa to work Ranch; he was the executive chef at Hotel experience. at the former Piatti in Yountville. His plan was Yountville before joining Il Posto. Naturally, a big attraction at Il Posto is the to work a year and then go to culinary school Graffigna’s father, Richard, helps host lunch food. “We start with locally grown foods and to become a chef, but he became a manager at during the week. “It’s Justin’s lifelong dream combine them with our Italian family recipes, the Sonoma Piatti location. After a sixteen-year to have his own restaurant,” said the older all made fresh in-house,” said Graffigna. string of managing top restaurants in the Valley, Graffigna. “It’s a rewarding experience to including Don Giovanni, Celadon and Fumé watch it evolve from an idea to a room full My three dining experiences at Il Posto so far Bistro, Graffigna is finally pursuing the dream of customers.” have not been disappointing. My favorite dish of owning a fine restaurant himself. is the Orecchiette (“little ears” in Italian) Pasta Il Posto Trattoria is located at 4211 Solano mixed with Italian sausage, cauliflower, red He brings along friends he has met in the Avenue in Napa, next to Osprey Fish Market. cabbage, Calabrian chiles and fontina cheese. restaurant business over the years, including They are open daily for lunch 11:30 am–3 pm The Poppy’s Salad is Graffigna’s grandfather’s chef Adam Clark. Originally from Seattle, Clark and dinner 5:00 pm–Close (if people are still famous salad which includes red and yellow bell turned from sportscaster to chef, and interned coming through the door, they will stay open). peppers, pickled red onions, hard-boiled eggs, with the French Laundry. He has worked at 707.251.8600. J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 2 71
NVLife_JulyAug_2012
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