Delicious Food at Ubuntu in Napa

This blog has been neglected but I think you will understand. We are new parents to a baby girl we named Remi Anise Sterling. Her middle name (pronounced like Denise) came to me when I was recipe testing with Catherine McConkie for Rebecca Katz new cookbook. We were using Star Anise, a spice, and it smells so wonderful...sort of like licorice only better. Dylan agreed that it went well with Remi and the name stuck. Rebecca has claimed her our little Spice Girl!

So, yesterday we drove to Napa and left her with Chris's parents for our first real outing. There was a tinge of seperation anxiety but hey, our caregivers were a retired surgeon and a retired baby nurse and lactation specialist! So knowing she was in great hands and having cell phones on the ready, off we went to Ubuntu. The restaurant was recommended to me by a fellow chef, Jason, who works on their biodynamic farm.

The weather that day was warm and sunny and the food was beyond expectations. That shouldn't surprise anyone, Chef Jeremy Fox has many accolades including Rising Star Chef. So, what did we have to eat? Chickpea fries with herbs and romesco sauce. The chickpeas had been mashed and shaped to look like french fries and then lightly fried with the romesco as a dipping sauce. Then there was the hickory smoked grits topped with BBQ brussel sprouts, crunchy green apple and bronze fennel sprouts. Now that should make your mouth water. Dessert was poached pear with fennel and white chocolate, citrus and horchata. It was served in a martini glass with the white chocolate on the bottom, sliced pear and orange with hazelnuts next, topped with half vanilla ice cream and half citrus ice. On the one hand the ice was cleansing and on the other hand the ice cream was rich...wonderful combination. Okay, next time I will remember to get the camera out of the glove compartment and take pictures of the food for you. But hey, I'm a tired new parent and I was lucky to have my shoes on the right feet!
Please spoil yourself by visiting a wonderful restaurant on occassion - it really is worth every bite.