Welcome to my annual list of most memorable bites and dishes of the year, the ones that I still dream about and can’t wait to enjoy again.
I hope they’ll inspire you to try some new places or to revisit ones you haven’t been to in a long time.
Here, in no particular order, are my Top 10:
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The resort now known as Alila Napa Valley (formerly Los Alcabas) has always been one of my favorite properties in St. Helena for its striking juxtaposition between old and new.
In 2021, the Alila hotel group took over the property with its oversized, minimalist, gray-toned rooms with spectacular vineyard views, with the vines so close to the ground-floor rooms that you could walk out your terrace to touch them.
In May 2024, it completed its transition by debuting its new restaurant, Violetto, housed in the property’s beautifully ornate 1907 mansion.
Chef Thomas Lents serves a French-Italian menu with thoughtful options for a 7-course tasting menu ($145) with optional wine pairing ($85), four-course prix fixe ($105) with optional wine pairing ($65), or a la carte. There are also supplemental items you can choose to add.
Recently, I was invited as a guest of the property and restaurant to stay overnight and to experience the new menu.
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Darryl Bell has known he wanted to be a chef since he was all of 8 years old, when he was already stirring up pots of lentil and hot water-corn bread at his family’s stove in Kansas City, MO.
He more than made good on that dream, cooking in such illustrious kitchens as Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro in Yountville, Alinea in Chicago, and Press in St. Helena.
This summer, he finally opened his own restaurant, Stateline Road Smokehouse in Napa, named for the major thoroughfare that divides Kansas City, MO and Kansas City, KS.
It was an endeavor that took a long two years to turn a former auto repair shop into a casual, welcoming restaurant, which I had a chance to finally visit a couple weeks ago.
Even at lunch time on a Friday, the place was packed with folks chowing down on trays heaped with smoky tender meats.
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Marin County’s Ancient Olive Trees company knows a thing or two about olive trees.
After all, it’s been tree farming full-time since 2007. Its lush olive trees have been planted on the grounds of the Frank Gehry-designed Tin House in Los Angeles, The Broad Museum in Los Angeles, and many wineries in Napa and Sonoma counties.
So, it only makes sense that in 2015, it started crafting its own extra virgin olive oil, as well as balsamic vinegar.
Any cook or enthusiastic eater is sure to appreciate its Perfect Pair ($69) snazzy gift set that features a 375ml bottle of each.
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It’s guaranteed to be a sweet holiday with Ofner Le Cordon Bleu Creme Brulee Panettone.
It’s one of the new flavors this season by the Brazilian company, which also manufactures in the United States, that’s been turning out specialty sweets for 70 years.
I had a chance to try the new creme brulee version of the classic holiday Italian bread. Made with a naturally fermented dough, it’s moist, tender, and a little bready in texture.
There are gobs of cashew nut praline and creme brulee within it, and it’s topped with a coating of white chocolate, cashew nut praline, and bruleed sugar. It is quite sweet, so you do have to like your panettone on the sugary side.
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