Comfort food gone UPgrown by JAcquELInE BuchAnAn Fthanks to Mom’s cooking. Who doesn’t remember our firstor the majority of us, comfort food was first encountered could be certain if it was hot, rich and creamy or fried it was comfort Bank Café & Barencounter with Campbell’s green bean casserole? Yes, you food. Not only is comfort food a staple of Mom’s cooking; it’s a cold weather tradition. Now we’re all grown up, and so is our comfort food. The Casual Side of La Toque's Our Kraft Mac and Cheese has been replaced with the truffle Mac ’n’ legendary Michelin-Starred Kitchen. Cheese served at Press, and that traditional beef stew has been replaced with Bistro Jeanty’s mouthwatering version of the dish. Along with this more grownup encounter with comfort food comes a new dilemma we Where locals head to enjoy Chef Ken Frank's didn’t have to deal with at our childhood dinner table (hopefully): what Regional French dinners, the most affordable wine goes with comfort food? Well, we have a few suggestions: fine dining experience in the Napa Valley. 1. For that amazingly rich mac ’n’ cheese: Whether you add truffles, lobster, or bake it, your grownup mac and cheese Each week Chef Frank presents a 3-course deserves something equally smooth. Accompany it with Hagafen Cellars 2010 White Riesling. Prix-fixe dinner for $34 which features his favorite 2. For that crunchy, hot Shepherd’s Pie: Really, we can’t French country dishes. think of anything that warms the bones quite like Shepherd’s Pie; try it with something with a similar warming effect. Try it with the 2009 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon. Located in the Lobby of the Westin Verasa napa 3. Any kind of pork, every kind of pork, all pork: open 7am–11pm. Later on Weekends. Sometimes nothing will hit the spot like some savory BBQ’d pork, 707.257.5151 and we know the valley loves their pork belly. Pair it with a 2005 Arbanta Rioja. Facebook.com/latoque – Weekly Regional Dinners 4. Finally, what’s comfort food without some buttermilk fried chicken? Whether it’s Boonfly Café or Ad Hoc, the Napa open nightly at 5:30pm Valley has a soft spot for some quality fried chicken. If you’re not 7 0 7 . 2 5 7 . 5 1 5 7 familiar with the joy of fried chicken and wine, it’s time to become familiar with it. Enjoy it with a 2009 Foxen Chenin Blanc. S E P T E m B E R / o c T o B E R 2 0 1 2 69
NVLife_SeptOct_2012
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