BGeunsteo Article and photos by KARI RUEL J U LY / AUGU S T 2 0 1 3 67 The Browns Valley neighborhood in west Napa has its own restaurant again. Tucked behind the Browns Valley Shopping Center overlooking the creek, Bene Gusto is the place to go for incredible food, homey charm and a place to unwind. Owners Scott and Chelsea Waterbury (right) were introduced to the vacated restaurant space by a childhood friend and fell in love with the quaint setting and local neighborhood feel. They sold their award-winning Sacramento pizzeria and went to work remodeling the former local hangout, which has gone through three owners in the past ten years. “Our number one priority is to be a eatery for the local neighborhood first,” said Scott. “Tourists are welcome, but we are not in the downtown foot traffic scene so we will be designing our menu to be family-friendly and affordable.” The couple met at a diner in Folsom. Before deciding to get married, Chelsea spent a year travelling the world, and discovered that the charm of places off the beaten path appealed to her. “When I traveled in foreign secluded places they were the most amazing experiences because of their uniqueness,” said Chelsea. “We want to incorporate that here. Not have our guests just come here for the pizza, but everything that is the essence of us.” The Waterburys want to take out any feel of pretentiousness or the “Napa Valley way.” Instead they are aiming for a relaxed, family-friendly, laid-back atmosphere to be more than a place to come eat. They have horseshoes set up on the back patio, a bike rack, lounge chairs and a horse trough filled with fish that kids can feed. They are also having live entertainment on the weekends. “I don’t want it to feel like you are in Napa Valley, but feel like its Bene Gusto,” said Scott, who graduated in 1993 from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and has created award-winning dishes ever since. “I want people to come in and relax and have a meal that won’t cost an arm and a leg. I also welcome suggestions and will make almost anything if it’s requested.” Scott said he likes to use ingredients that are on hand and taste good together – and some menu items might not be what you would expect for dinner, like his famous homemade pancakes with homemade sausage. “I like to experiment and mix items up,” he said. “I strongly encourage our customers to try new things and get away from the norm, but at the same time we will always have our staples that they can rely on, made from locally fresh grown ingredients including locally milled flour.” Using those fresh ingredients is what helped Scott get a reputation in Sacramento for having one of the best pizzas in the Sacramento area, and now that incredible light, non-greasy crusted base is available in Napa. After Chelsea’s worldwide adventure, the couple met up in Italy and Spain before returning to California. The name Bene Gusto is their made-up name, slang from both Spanish and Italian that evokes positive adjectives for good and flavor with motion. “There is nothing authentic for American cuisine,” smiled Scott. “We have bastardized so many foreign dishes here in America, and that appeals to me. I can put together a combination that works and tastes good regardless of rules. I think that is what Americans are looking for – food that is comforting and tastes good.” Another non-traditional thing the Waterburys do at Bene Gusto is to serve wine in nonstemware glasses. “It’s the way most of the world serves wine,” said Chelsea. “Plus, with families, we don’t have to worry about the glasses tipping over.” Bene Gusto is open 4 pm – 10 pm Tuesday through Sunday. Beginning in July they will be offering weekend brunch, and plan to begin serving lunch this summer. Take out is available. Benegusto@yahoo.com 707.257.7706 Bene Gusto owners Scott and Chelsea Waterbury
NVLife_JulyAug_2013
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