The Napa Valley in general, and St. Helena in particular, is filled with exciting, different restaurants — perhaps no more so than renowned chef Cindy Pawlcyn’s BRASSICA restaurant.

Located just south of the town of St. Helena (approximately a 5-10 minute drive from the Wine Country Inn; formerly in the “Go Fish” building), Brassica features Pawlcyn’s takes on Mediterranean-style foods. The Wine Country Inn’s Front Desk team recently visited Brassica (we go in two groups, one group one night, the other a second night), and here are our favorites:

~ Eggplant fries (so different!)

~ Fried zucchini blossoms (delightful!)

~ Seared Haloumi cheese (yes, fried cheese that DOESN’T melt…)

~ Grilled Lamb T-Bone-ettes

~ Hummus with Ful

~ Tunisian Ling Cod

Brassica offers a full bar and an extensive wine list (more than 12 pages online!). And another “different” feature we like: Brassica offers more than 20 wines available in 2 oz, 5 oz, 500 ml, or 750 ml options. The “small pours” are particularly fun, letting folks try many different wines, or pair small pours with the restaurant’s small-plate appetizers.

Pawlcyn’s other Napa Valley restaurants include Mustards Grill and Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen. Brassica is one of the restaurants serviced by the Wine Country Inn’s Evening Restaurant Shuttle, which is complimentary to Wine Country Inn guests.