Fresh foAr LL Menu La Taquiza page Article and photos by Stephen Ferry Among the Auberge du Soleils and La Toques in Napa Valley, one highly-rated local Napa restaurant stands out for simplicity, value, and healthful fare. La Taquiza is a great little under-the-radar Napa restaurant located in the Redwood Plaza, just off Highway 29 on Solano Avenue in Napa. The restaurant has been Michelin Guide-recommended every year since 2009. And this year, they joined the Zagat list of establishments rated for excellence in food. Chef Patrick Aguirre and his wife Stephanie have created a delicious, fish-focused menu in a clean and welcoming environment, offering a delightful salsa bar and a large, welcoming outdoor patio space. And best of all, even I can afford to eat there. Describing the couple’s business philosophy, Stephanie says, “We made a conscious decision to serve the local population, rather than focus primarily on tourists. Our goals were originally to feed our kids, our kids’ friends, and their parents. To provide a place where they could come after a baseball game and get a good meal without breaking the bank. “We have established a solid reputation for consistent quality, healthful seafood-based fresh food, affordable prices, and a family-oriented atmosphere.” Patrick was Thomas Keller’s head baker at Bouchon Bakery for two years before striking out on his own with La Taquiza in March 2006. “Here at La Taquiza, we feature seafood—battered and fried, or grilled, or as ceviche,” says Patrick. “The fish tacos are fantastic. We also offer fresh ceviches, beer-battered oysters, and chilled seafood cóctels. We have three kinds of ceviches—fish, shrimp, and octopus. The octopus is not technically a ceviche in that it is thoroughly cooked—it is not served raw. The way we 66 www. n A PAVA L L E Y L I F E magaz ine . c o m cook it, it still has the acid, and we mix it with the veggies, and it’s very popular.” “Our salsas are made fresh, in-house. Every week, we roast about 200 pounds of tomatillos in cast iron pots called comales. We make a fresh batch of pico de gallo twice a day.” Stephanie says, “We try out new ideas on our ‘specials’ board, and some of them have really taken off for us and become permanent menu offerings. We added octopus to our menu a year or so ago and it has become extremely popular.” Patrick says, “Salmon is another item we have added to our menu since we started. The salmon fitness bowls and tacos are now very popular. We use Pacific sockeye salmon.” “Business is exploding now,” reports Stephanie. “Our healthy, fresh angle has really taken off.” Patrick adds, “We have been open seven years, and now we’re seeing a huge surge in the people wanting our ceviche dishes, the salmon, and the octopus. Sometimes it’s a challenge to keep up, since we make everything in small batches throughout the day. But things are going very well. People are discovering our kind of food.” La Taquiza, 2007 Redwood Road, Suite 104, Napa www.lataquizanapa.com, twitter, facebook Lunch & dinner Monday-Saturday M-F 10:30 am – 8:30 pm Sat 10:30 am – 8:00 pm Patrick and Stepahnie Aguirre of La Taquzia Hot air balloons pass over the patio area at La Taquiza La Taquiza specializes in fresh seafood in tacos and other delicious dishes
NVLife_JulyAug_2013
To see the actual publication please follow the link above