Local Eats: Culinary Ideas in the Valley
Posted on 27. Oct, 2009 by Various in Community
Gillwood’s
Samantha Owens, Junior Communication/Journalism major.
Kind of food: American food, but they are known for their traditional breakfast food.
Favorite thing about the restaurant: Gillwood’s looks like it’s morning inside, even when it’s 1-2:00 in the afternoon, because of the colors that the walls are painted. Since there isn’t much space to wait in, there are usually people littering the sidewalk, waiting for tables. Be prepared to get close to the people sitting on either side of you at other tables, because it’s likely they won’t be more than a foot away from you. It is cozy and warm, and at least in my experience, which makes me feel better about the morning.
Favorite Dish: Huevos Rancheros. It’s breakfast with a bit of spice to keep things interesting.
Atmosphere: The atmosphere is fairly lively, can be noisy, and as mentioned before, can put you in close quarters with your neighbors. It is a good place for big groups to go to and hang out and talk together. It’s definitely not a place that you would want to get super dressed up for, but you wouldn’t want to roll out of bed and go in your sweatpants and bed head.
Price range: $8-$15 for a plate and a drink or side order.
Culinary Institute of America
Sheana Lynn- don’t know her class rank/major
The Culinary Institute of America in St.Helena was an extremely delicious and memorable dining experience. The restaurant was decorated with dark, modern table arrangements, and plastered metal pieces along the walls. Tall, wood paneling and chestnut paint it gave the restaurant a rustic look. We were seated at a table overlooking the main kitchen. As fire flared up and spices were violently put into each entrée, we were given our menus to decide our meals.
While we pondered our choices, we received two servings of freshly baked sour dough bread cut into perfectly delectable sizes for our eating desires. We ripped the pieces apart still steaming and began to enjoy them. The appetizer plate of assorted flavors and tastes started our meal off with excitement for the main course. I had chosen the Garden Mushroom Pasta with creamy Alfredo sauce, while my dining partner had chosen the petite hanger steak he’d been dreaming about for weeks.
Some variety of conversations and one Arnold Palmer later, our meals had arrived. The entree steamed with wafting flavors of new tastes and familiar enjoyment. We ate in almost cartoonish enjoyment of the impeccable tastes. My dish was absolutely wonderful. The pasta was perfectly layered in their Alfredo sauce combined with onions, garlic, fresh spinach, and assortment of melting cheeses.
This would most definitely be an impressive place to bring a date, due to the high price of food and formal setting of the restaurant. The service was excellent, with professional and friendly attitudes. Altogether, the restaurant was a very enjoyable experience, and most definitely should be a point of interest.
Taylor’s Automatic Refresher
Jackie Lott, Freshman Psychology
Driving past Taylor’s Automatic Refresher on the 29 is always fun. Around lunchtime, the line to order snakes around the picnic tables and friends & families crowd themselves underneath sun umbrellas. If you decide to stop and get yourself a cheeseburger, you’re more than likely to run into one of your Pacific Union College schoolmates.
Try a bleu cheese burger if you’re into something different. With a thick slab of meat and a layer of crumbled bleu cheese, this sandwich is everything a student at PUC who is missing his or her meat needs.
This restaurant attracts people of all kinds. You’ll see youth, old couples, and families – all types of people. The price range is reasonable for a student; they’re asking for about $7-$11 for a burger. With fries and a drink you’ll be spending around $15.
Visiting Taylor’s is a must for any PUC student. Head over there with your buddies, sit down with a burger and fries, and have a good time.
French Laundry
Elaine Jahng Super Senior, Chemistry
There are few places as celebrated as the Yountville-based institution The French Laundry, which is owned by celebrity chef Thomas Keller. Specializing in French and American cuisine, the restaurant offers not just a unique dining experience to those with an adventurous palate, but the philosophy that a meal should be comfortable yet spectacular. This is seen in the carefully crafted nine-course menus—one for meat-eaters and one for vegetarians—in which each ingredient is used only once during the entire meal. Every course is designed to wow diners with a dazzlingly ephemeral taste that leaves them wanting just another bite. While you may expect a restaurant as lauded as The French Laundry to be uncomfortable and stiff, the intimate setting and phenomenal wait-staff will put you at ease. Keep in mind that this is a 3- to 4-hour affair, so choose your company wisely. Gentlemen, jackets are required and jeans, shorts, and sneakers are not recommended. Furthermore, because space is extremely limited and demand is high, you must reserve a spot exactly two months ahead of time. Phone reservations pour in promptly at nine every morning, so you may have better luck reserving a table through the website www.opentable.com. Finally, prepare yourself for the steep price of $160, which rises to $200 after tax and tip. For more information, visit their website.
Pacificos
Chris von Kriegelstein/Sophomore English Major
The kind of food: Mexican
Favorite thing about the restaurant: The attentive waiters/waitresses and loud Friday night mariachis!
Favorite Dish: Chile Rellenos + neverending chips and salsa!
Atmosphere: Casual date place, no booths, small cafe style restaurant, two sides of the restaurant; bar side and the slightly quieter dining side. The murals on a few of the walls, tiled floor, assortment of tropical real/fake plants, and the open windows throughout the restaurant add a cheery below the border feel.
Price range: $10-$20 per person
Buster’s
Crystal Um Super Senior/Journalism
The kind of food: Southern BBQ
Favorite thing about the restaurant: It’s the ultimate carnivore feast guaranteed to satisfy your stomach and taste buds. If the meat is too much for your liking, ask for another roll, and you’ve got yourself another sandwich to go.
Favorite Dish: Tri-tip Sandwich with side of corn bread & baked beans. Don’t underestimate the medium sauce, because it’ll scorch you if you can’t take the heat. Only try spicy if you want to set your soul on fire. What I like to do is mix medium & spicy to get something in between.
Atmosphere: Pretty casual. Unless you’re opposed to outside seating and getting your hands a little dirty, it’s an ideal spot for those of you with an anorexic wallet, but a hot date. Just don’t forget the paper towels if your mess gets all over the place and not just in your face.
Price range: $8-$12
Guigni’s
Alyssa Zima Senior, Biology
The kind of food: Guigni’s serves the most amazing sandwiches that I have ever partaken in my 20 years of life, as well as various baked goods and candies that are only seen in old-time general stores.
Favorite thing about the restaurant: I love the fact that the Guigni sandwich workers remember my usual order. Also, the concept that you can buy Guigni juice by the bottle is pretty sweet, as well.
Favorite Dish: Vege sandwich, with pepper jack, cucumbers, and avocado, on sweet bread. Abundantly doused with Guigni juice, salt, and pepper.
Atmosphere: This is probably one of the more casual places to hang-out in the area. Even for those choosing to eat-in, the sandwiches are served on disposable paper plates. It is perfect for a casual date, or jolly lunch.
Price range: $5-$8
CC Blue
Scott Brizendine Senior, Teaching
CC Blue is the greatest, aka closest, Sushi Bar in the Napa Valley! For us seafood lovers we can get a great range from yellowtail too eel, and for the rest of the non meat-eaters, there is actually delightful array of vegetable maki with a wide range of choices from Avocado rolls to Tempura sweet potatoes. Each of the meals comes with a great blend of tea, and a wonderful little cabbage salad. Prices range from $5-$15, depending on what you get. This place is a great choice for a switch up from the normal choice eateries around PUC.
Soo Yuan
Raphael “Sho” Jimenez Junior, Television with Pre-medtech
The kind of food: Chinese. EVERYONE’S favorite.
Favorite thing about the restaurant: The overall “homeliness” and “hole in the wall” local feeling – that and PUC students get 10% off. Why? Don’t question… just thank. You can’t get that anywhere else. Seriously.
Favorite Dish: People expect me to say “Orange Chicken” but I say “Pssshaw” to that. “Garlic Fish” is where it’s at. A perfect blend of sweet and savory sauce over battered fish fried to perfection. Panda Express has nothing on this.
Atmosphere: The place has the potential to be a date spot, yet the atmosphere seems to promote a very casual vibe. Take her (and for you daring ladies out there, him) for lunch. I suggest on the weekend so you have time for “other” activities (Oh yeah, it would be PERFECT for group outings if it weren’t a bit cramped).
Price range: $6-$10 per dish. Family-style would probably put you $10-$20 per person for more than one dish depending on the dish, but if you really care for the person, you would not mind.
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