2012 has brought several new or revamped Napa Valley restaurants. With this in mind, Wine Country Inn Innkeeper Jim and Markering Director Tim have taken it upon themselves to visit these “new” places and report back our findings to our guests. Today we begin with La Condensa, open since December 2011 at 1320 Main Street in downtown St. Helen (home to the former AKA Bistro).
La Condesa (The Countess) is the brainchild of Jesse Herman and Delfo Trombetta, who opened a La Condesa several years ago in Austin, Texas. The food is fantastic: fresh, colorful, and full of flavor. Among the many things we have tried, we are particularly impressed with:
~ the Chifa Ceviche, with yellowtail Kingfish, thai chile, apple, orange, avocado, and a yuzu-lime dressing. While more sweet than tangy, the fish is startling fresh and the textures among the apple, orange, etc. fun. (Jim wouldn’t let them take the bowl away; he wanted to sop up the dressing with his tacos. To our waitress: we’re sorry about the stab marks he left in your hand with his fork.)
~ the Pescado (fish) tacos (pictured), with cabbage, salsa rojo, pico de gallo, and a wonderful chipolte mayo.
La Condesa offers a fun tasting experience, with four seasonal salsas, four different types of guacomole, and a large menu selection of soups, tortas (sandwiches) and main dishes. It has a full bar complete with many local wines and a selection of 2-3 dozen tequilas. It also has red or white sangrias available by the glass or pitcher.
Main dishes range in price from $12-$32. To check out their web site, visit LaCondesaNapaValley.com.
La Condensa is serviced by the Wine Country Inn’s evening restaurant shuttle, available free of charge to our Inn guests so that you can “leave the driving to us.”
The Wine Country Inn is proud to be listed on this international travel web site: Karen Brown’s World of Travel.
Here is a recipe for the Wine Country Inn “Tater Babies”, as developed by our Manager, Deniese.
TATER BABIES
By Deniese
5 lbs Red Creamers (walnut size)
1½ cups shredded jack cheese
1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
1½ cups crispy bacon crumbled
½ cup chives
3 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp garlic olive oil
¼ cup dark stoneground mustard.
1 tsp Worchester sauce
Prep potatoes by cutting in half and hollowing out centers.
In bowl, mix melted butter, oil and mustard. Put all potato skins in bowl and toss in mustard mixture making sure they are well coated.
Next, place cut-side down on a baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees, until edges are crisp. Remove from oven and cool.
In a food processor, grind cheese small, then toss with bacon bits and chives. Stuff skins with generous amount of filling and place back onto cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes until cheese is well melted. Serve hot with sour cream.
Enjoy!
The Wine Country Inn has announced a new Seasonal Spa Special: the Chocolate Kiss Massage and Body Exfoliation.
This is a wonderfully delightful, decadent — and relaxing — treatment, followed by our pink color bath. This treatment is available in both 90-minute or 2-hour segments now through April 30, 2012. For pricing or reservations, please call our spa line directly at (707) 967-8889, or send an email to spa@winecountryinn.com.
A Rich Spa History
With natural volcanic hot springs, St. Helena and Calistoga became two of the first spa resort towns on the West Coast. Following in that rich tradition, The Wine Country Inn has developed a menu of soothing and invigorating massage and bath treatments that can set the mood for a truly inspiring getaway. Our wonderful Napa Valley Spa Packages include such luxuries as deep tissue massage, aroma-therapy facials, salt and herb rubs, as well as scented and detoxifying candle-lit baths.
A gift certificate from the Wine Country Inn makes an ideal holiday present for loved ones (and family members!). Gift certificates are available for lodging, merchandise at the Inn, or can be applied to a spa service or the Inn’s Inn-cursion wine tour program.
To order your gift certificate, please contact our front desk staff by phone:
toll-free at 1-888-465-4608
cell/local: 1-707-963-7077
Happy holidays!
One of our guests’ favorite attractions during their stay at the Wine Country Inn is to visit the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) – Greystone campus. The CIA is approximately one mile south of the Wine Country Inn.
CIA attractions are many, and include:
Wine Country Inn is less than a mile from the CIA Napa Valley campus.
~ Cooking classes and demonstrations
~ Fantastic gift shop
~ Antique corkscrew collection
~ Daily chocolate and olive oil tastings
~ Daily tours
As well, the CIA-Napa Valley Campus also boasts the Greystone Restaurant.
For those attending a CIA class or workshop, please consider staying at the Wine Country Inn — we are the closest lodging to the CIA, and we offer CIA workshop/class members a 15% discount off of your lodging.
We are enjoying this T-shirt available at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) located just down the road from us. Note: in addition to great cooking classes, the CIA has a fantastic gift shop.
Available at the CIA
For you last-minute lodging seekers, The Wine Country Inn offers a 20% room rate discount mid-week (Sunday-Thursday) when you book your room 10 days or less from your first night’s stay. This special is subject to availability, cannot be combined with another lodging special, and is valid now through March 30, 2012.
Please note: Guests who have stayed with us within the last five years will receive an additional 15% “return guest” discount.
To check availability or to make a reservation, please call (from a cell phone) 707-963-7077 or toll-free 888-465-4608.
Celebrate a Napa Valley New Year’s Eve in style: at the Wine Country Inn!
On December 31, 2011, we’ll host our third annual Wine Country Inn New Year’s Eve dinner. This special night will include a four-course Italian meal prepared by Executive Chef Roger Gafner and served family style in the Inn’s common room (complete with roaring fire), wine from our neighbors at Jessup Cellars, and a midnight champagne toast. Cost will be $175 per couple plus tax and gratuity (includes the meal, all wine, and the champagne toast).
To view the dinner menu, please click here.
Seating will be limited to 26 people (13 couples), so contact the Inn for reservations by calling either:
1-888-465-4608 or 707-963-7077.
Many of our guests love the idea of sharing a wonderful celebration with new and old friends…and then simply walking to their room. And we DON’T mark up our room rates: you pay the same off-season room rate as posted on our web site.
About Chef Roger Gafner
Chef Roger is an award-winning chef who specializes in Italian-American cuisine east coast style, as well as traditional regional Italian cuisines. He believes that cooking is essentially a sensual and intimate experience that stimulate all of the senses: stunning presentations, wonderful aromas, and the excitement of myriad flavors that play a symphony on the palate. He currently is the contributing editor for the Culinarian magazine, and serves as Executive Chef at Teldeschi Winery (Healdsburg, CA).
UPDATED NOVEMBER 8, 2011
We’re excited to announce the following as the Wine Country Inn New Year’s Eve dinner menu to be held Saturday, December, 31, 2011. Cost for this Napa Valley New Year’s Eve dinner is only $175 per couple (plus tax and gratuity), which includes the meal, all wine, and a midnight champagne toast.
Executive Chef Roger Gafner, an award winning chef from the San Francisco Bay Area and currently executive chef at Teldeschi Winery (Healdsburg, California), will be leading the dinner. Wines for this special Italian family-style dinner in the Inn’s Common Room (complete with roaring fire!) are from our friends at Jessup Cellars.
Antipasti
“Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Bruschetta”
Sourdough bread slices with wild mushrooms and goat cheese, garnished with lemon zest and chives.
Jessup wine: 2010 Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley)
Antipasti
“Steak Bruschetta”
Braised Italian beef with arugula and aioli, and parmigiano-reggiano.
Jessup wine: 2008 Manny’s Blend (Napa Valley)
Zuppa
“Italian Wedding Soup”
Traditional Italian soup celebrating the “perfect marriage” between the meatballs and vegetables.
Jessup wine: 2008 Manny’s Blend (Napa Valley)
Primi Piatto
“Wild Mushroom Risotto”
Carnaroli rice, roasted shallots, garlic and mushroom medley of Shiitake, Matsutake, Chanterelle, Crimini, and Porcini.
Jessup wine: 2009 Pinot Noir (Russian River)
Piatto Principale
“Blanquette di Vitello”
Veal top sirloin with glazed pearl onions and wild mushroom ragout. Served with glazed carrots and potato medley.
Jessup wine: 2010 Chardonnay (Napa Valley)
Dolce
“Grand Marnier Cheesecake”
Sable crust with Orange and Grand Marnier-infused custard, topped with orange curd. Served with candied orange peel and chocolate.
Jessup wine: 2007 Zinfandel Port (Napa Valley)
Note: There will be a vegetarian option for the main course–a Vegetarian Lasagna with semolina pasta, roasted vegetables, pomodora sauce, and whole milk mozzarella, ricotta and parmigiano-reggiano. Please state your vegetarian request WHEN MAKING YOUR RESERVATION.
Come, eat, enjoy!
For reservations, please call 1-888-465-4608 or 707-963-7077.
There’s a new event about to hit Napa Valley, and it’s going to be a fun one!
One month from now, the inaugural FLAVOR! Napa Valley event will kick-off. This is a four-day food, wine and fun event with locations throughout the Napa Valley. Many celebrity chefs and winemakers will be attending, including Thomas Keller, Michael Chiarello, and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto.
Many of the events will take place at the Culinary Institute of America, which is approximately one mile from the Wine Country Inn, making the Inn an ideal lodging spot for FLAVOR! participants.
FLAVOR! will take place November 17-20, 2011, and tickets for various events are still available. And of this writing, the Wine Country Inn still has some availability during these dates.
If you’re been looking for a great excuse (or even a so-so one), to come experience Napa Valley, here is the reason to come!
The Wine Country Inn has created a new stay-and-spa special: the Total Decadence Package. This package includes:
~ A two-night stay in our best available Suite or Luxury Cottage
~ A two-hour couple’s massage treatment
~ Breakfast in bed
~ Our evening rose petal turndown service combined with our Brownie & Port nightcap.
This special begins October 30, 2011, and runs through March 29, 2012. For additional information and pricing, please visit our website.
The Wine Country Inn has released a new online ad that will be featured on the traveler-friendly site WineCountry.com. The ad appears here:
The Wine Country Inn
Cindy Pawlycn, the dynamic chef behind St. Helena’s well-loved Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen, has opened her new St. Helena restaurant: Brassica Mediterranean Kitchen & Wine Bar.
Brassica is now located in the spot of Pawlcyn’s former “Go Fish” restaurant, just south of town. Typical menu items include Fried Zucchini Blossoms, Hummus with Ful, Tabouli, etc.
We’re excited to welcome Cindy’s new restaurant to our Wine Country Inn guests. Again, our front staff will be happy to make reservations for you, and our Evening Restaurant Shuttle does run to and from Brassica.
The Harvest has begun!! And not just the grapes. Tomatoes that are picked almost purple with ripeness, sweet and hot peppers still warm from the garden. Salsa, V-12 Juice (what a kick), homemade sour dough with lemon cucumbers. Looks like our gardens will go through November at this point!! Stay tuned: photos to come.
We’re excited to announce that the Wine Country Inn has launched a new site, located at www.winecountryinn.com. This new web site offers online visitors enhanced photos, great information on how to plan a wonderful Napa Valley vacation, and describes the many amenities available while staying at the Inn. Enjoy!
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