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"Went back for round two this weekend with the boy, Sich Manish, and Davey Smith. The guy behind the counter had a cute sense of humor. He…" read more »
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I came here for lunch during the week and was able to make reservations on http://opentable.com. I really enjoyed the meal, but I was bummed that we couldn't sit outside on the patio due to rain.
For lunch, we tried the glazed pork belly, carmelized diver scallops, and braised beef shortribs. For dessert, we had the strawberry pain perdu. I would recommend the pork belly, which was very tender with great flavor. The scallops were also quite good. The short ribs were good, but a little salty for my liking. The strawberry pain perdu was delicious, and the cream cheese ice cream was unique (although I wouldn't have guessed that it was cream cheese flavored if I hadn't read the menu).
Since we arrived when the restaurant first opened for lunch, all of our dishes were brought out promptly. Polite and friendly service. I thought the decor was a little too simple, perhaps they could have put a little more color? Either way, I was happy with my dining experience, and I will return when I go to Yountville again.
Seriously amazing! We called ahead on a Sunday and got a 5:30 Dinner reservation. Little did I know how fabulous this place was going to be (but when the French Laundry is down the street you have to keep up).
This is a feast for foodies. They have a tasting menu but our table opted instead to try a little bit of everything.
The Meal:
Fresh Oysters! You know I love good oysters.
Crispy calamari, cayenne salt, tamarind sauce. Best calamari I have ever had.
Broccoli soup, tempura, aged cheddar fondue.
Autumn fruit salad, roquefort, endive, whole grain mustard vinaigrette, walnuts. I wish I had ordered another. Seriously it was that good.
Petrale sole, coconut jasmine rice, clams, chorizo, saffron curry nage. Although this dish was great I got total dish envy over my Man's Prime new york steak and shortribs, tasting of dry farmed potatoes, red wine jus, horseradish.
Dessert- After our great waiter informed us that the pastry chef was world renowned we had to try one of almost everything.
Peanut butter milk chocolate gianduja, peanut honeycomb parfait. Was the best PB dessert I have ever had!
Dark chocolate pot de creme, beurre noisette, warm beignets. Ridiculous!
Peach "summer pudding," sauternes cake, sabayon, fried almonds
Lastly, we had this amazing fruit tart which is no longer on the menu. WOW.
The Closer! was definitely the saltine toffee. I just had to take some home. Mmm...
OUTSTANDING! This place deserves more than 5 stars.
As I sit on their beautiful patio waiting for our dessert I am completely blown away by the amazing lunch we just had.
This place is truly Napa's little hidden gem. It's not hidden at all actually but being on Washington Street aka "Keller Row", Redd has tough competition all around by some big name Chefs.
Amen for yelp bc without it we would have never came here. I am a huge ad hoc fan so if we are ever on Washington Street we already have plans.
We started with some fun drinks off their cocktail list. Waldorf and Bobby & Ginger.
To start, we shared the Autumn Fruit Salad to start. Endive, Roquefort and Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette. This was hands down the best salad I have had in a loooong time. So fresh and crisp.
Second we split the Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Butter and Pomegranate Reduction. This dish was excellent. I was tempted to order it again for my entree.
Entrees, RL really enjoyed the Crispy Duck Confit with Lentils, Foie Gras Meatball. I went for the Steamed Pork Buns with Asian Style Slaw. This was incredible. I have never had anything like this before and I am ready for it again.
For dessert we went for the Carrot Cake served with Cream Cheese Ice Cream and Carrot Cocoa. The presentation for this dessert was impeccable. So clean. The flavors were spot on and just a perfect end to a fantastic meal.
Service was also top notch. We will be making Redd a permanent stop on all our Napa visits from now on.
This was truly a spectacular lunch. Thank you Redd.
I was told that, if dining in Yountville, Redd is a waste of time. With other, more compelling options in town, why bother? I had to see for myself.
My first experience with Redd was the last minute discovery that the reservation I had made on Open Table was never made. This was my fault, and I quickly called Redd to plea for a last minute reservation. They graciously accommodated my request.
On entering the restaurant, the host warmly greeted me by name, shook my hand and showed us to our table. He treated my small children very much like the gentleman and gentlelady that they are, taking their coats and offering a chair.
I was a little thrown by the ambiance. An attempt was made for a contemporary feel, and it was successful, but the decor was a bit cold and, in some ways, harsh. I found my legs numbing after two hours in one of their stylish chairs. Overall, I think the lack of warmth in the dining room is my biggest complaint about Redd.
After what I had heard about Redd, I wasn't expecting much. This impression was reinforced after a busser kept giving bread to my children after I had asked him not to, and then took the bread from my child's plate and put it back on the bread try along with unserved bread. I mentioned this to my waiter and her response was a bit awkward. This leads me to another small issue I have with Redd.
The service was competent, but I found it to be awkward and uncoordinated. I think this has something to do with an attempt at pretentiousness that really wasn't working for them. The host pulled off comments like "May I take the gentleman's coat" with ease but, as that continued with other staff throughout the evening, it was very unnatural and awkward. Some of my more successful dining experiences have been with staff that act very natural, and don't try too hard. I'd like to see the staff here open up a bit and try not to be so stiff. Regardless, our waiter was very competent and got the job done.
Ambiance and service aside, the food would certainly complete this tale. I went into this with a very skeptical mindset. To start, I had the Calamari while others at the table had the broccoli soup. The calamari was edible, but not anything to remember. The sauce that accompanied it was a bit overpowering and didn't work very well with the dish. It may have worked with the right wine, but I wasn't drinking so it didn't work at all. The broccoli soup was also a bit boring and not something I would order.
While waiting for our main courses I was concerned. My expectations were pretty low, so disappointment was not something I would experience that evening, but I would experience surprise.
Our main courses consisted of the Berkshire Pork Chops, New York Strip and Pumpkin Ravioli. All of these dishes were exceptional. We were also offered a plate of pork belly, compliments of the kitchen, which was very good. This was the second complimentary plate we were offered, the first being a few slices of very good pizza for our children. All of the skepticism I brought into Redd was quickly erased as I enjoyed every bite of the main course.
As good as the main course was, I remained in an awkward state. There were lots of little service blunders that kept me just a little off balance. I decided that I would let desert put the period at the end of the sentence, and it did just that. I ordered the Apple crisp, which was very, very good. At the table were also the Gianduja Chocolate and Peanut Butter, Carrot Cake and Pot de Creme. All were excellent, except for the carrot cake, which accompanied an interesting flavor of ice cream that really didn't work. I believe it was supposed to be creme fraiche ice cream, but tasted very much like lemon gone bad.
Overall, it was a very successful meal. I do wish the ambiance were a bit warmer, and hope the dining room will evolve into a more cohesive and coordinated team, but the food certainly stood out and made up for a few minor missteps. I have to recommend Redd as worthy of Yountville dining and look forward to returning.
Redd, I had high hopes for you when deciding to celebrate my anniversary the next again just so I could have the pleasure of being "wowed" like all the other yelpers apparently were.
First, let me start off by saying, the hostess is a doll, the place is very cozy and the ambiance (despite it being a little noisy at times) is very nice as is the modern decor and the fire place outside.
Unfortunately, the rest of the night didn't go as we had hoped. We were considering the 5 course tasting menu, however, the waitress would not allow us to chose our own entrees from the list or even customize anything enough to our liking. There were only two desserts to chose from, one was a tart and the other was a peanut butter dessert ( and everyone knows how much I hate peanuts.) So there went the whole course thing out the door.
The mister and I ended up having to go a la cart which in that case was fine as we figured it's better to pay for what we actually would finish. The appetizers of pork belly were good, the pan seared scallops were OK but TINY. The main course of pork chop with the apple sauce was disappointingly dry and my hubby only thought his duck was "OK."
Now..dessert was what I had been waiting for the entire night. Nothing seemed to appeal to me to much but I thought considering that we had mentioned it was our "5th wedding" anniversary, that you would somehow manage to make up for the mediocre food and desert choices. We ended up selecting the lemon trio of desserts and as it came out, there was a "happy anniversary" written across the plate. No candle though like Gary Danko and it was written on the dessert we had ordered. I figured, as with the other expensive places we ate at, that our dessert would at the very least be on the house honor of our celebrating our anniversary there, but that little glimmer of hope turned into a huge frown as soon as we got our bill..
How cheap can you get when someone spends over a $100 on their meal and the only "kind" gesture you can give is a decorated plate in chocolate while making the "guest" pay for it?
I've been to less expensive restaurants and always received some gesture on the house when it came to people's birthdays or anniversaries. It's not that we were trying to be cheap as we expected to pay a lot, however, when it's a special event you're celebrating and you, you expect to be treated to a little more courtesy than what we were treated to. I was also disappointed in where we were seated. The hostess said they reserved a "special" seat for us, but it was literally in the outer corner of a room near a big draft. I wasn't comfortable there and neither my husband or myself were able to sit close to each other (which was the whole point) while we did notice other couples getting seated in the back on those benches where they could sit next to each other as apposed to across from each other. No one ever gave us a chose, despite there being plenty of seats available when we showed up.
I'm sorry Redd, I wanted to like you, I really did..but you just didn't make our special event all that memorable or comfortable for that matter.
Redd, definitely has the potential and I was curious to try some of the other items on their menu, however, I'll have to come in for a casual lunch or dinner next time, as I will definitely not be coming here to celebrate another special event here only to be treated like another patron at the bar.
Perhaps, I'll add another star in the future just for the food but I can't say I would recommend this place a 5 or more year wedding anniversary.
Someone once told me that Redd is one of Napa's best kept secrets (after I went). I'm glad we knew about it and decided to visit spur of the moment!
Hubby and I had just completely a perfectly pleasant wine tasting and tour at Opus One and decided to have one last Napa lunch before we left town. I had Redd in mind but didn't want to commit to a reservation because I thought I'd give hubby ONE chance to pick lunch. Lucky for me, he was clueless and amiably left the choice up to me. After a quick call, we were told to just stop on by.
As we pulled in, we noticed the place was rather empty! But then I realized that it was Monday.
From the moment we walked up to the restaurant, everyone was perfectly pleasant. We were afraid of it being pretentious but our server was very lovely and humorous.
Every dish we had was a work of art, taste-wise and aesthetically. We started with the caramelized diver scallops in cauliflower puree. SO yummy. The yellowtail tartare was a revelation..the flavor combos was new to us and both hubby and I chose that as our favorite dish.
For entrees, hubby got the proscuitto and arugula pizza while I went with the crispy duck confit with foie gras meatballs.
The pizza was different (and very delicious). The crust was more flakey than a normal crust so it was more like a tart. It was so light that hubby had no problem eating most of it.
My crispy duck confit was also very good. The lentils (which I normally do not like) were done perfectly and the meat balls did definitely taste like foie gras.
Dessert was the crowning jewel of our meal. Chocolate pot creme with some foam on top with some crispy surprises inside. Served alongside were three fresh, hot sugar coated beignets. If I could lick the inside of the glass, I would. The pot de creme was chilled but light and rich at the same time. I could have gotten 2 or 3 more of those!!
Redd definitely will go down in our memory banks as a repeat visit.
This place was phenomenal. I had seen it several times while frequenting Yountville but have been putting it off for a while. When the Michelin star guide came out and I saw that Redd received its well-earned 1 Michelin star, I knew I had to check it out.
To sum it up, this place is superior to Mustards or Bouchon or Bistro Jeanty in Yountville. Although I don't think Ad Hoc and Redd are comparable (their concepts are completely different), I must say that Redd was very impressive.
Upon entering, I was a little bit skeptical because it didn't have that cozy, warm, homy feeling that many of the Napa restaurants seem to carry. Instead I got a very "chic" and "trendy" type of feel, however, the fine lines and clean-cut environment had nothing bad about it in general. In the end, I feel that this is what sets Redd apart from the rest, they went more for the contemporary, Californian look than the typical "at home" feel that all its neighbors seem to have.
Wasn't sure wether to go with the a la carte entrees but after glancing at the menu we went with the Chefs Tasting - $75 is very reasonable for a 5 dish course after all.
WOW, was I blown away. Although the first dish - hamachi and tuna tartar were not orgasm-in-your-mouth amazing, as the night progressed each dish got better and better each time.
First, Yellowfin tuna tartare, Asian pears, chili oil, fried rice .
My second dish was the Petrale sole, coconut jasmine rice, clams, chorizo, saffron curry nage. Although this was more fusion than anything, I have to say these were some of the freshest claims I've had. My rice also had saffron in it which was delish.
Third, Glazed pork belly, apple purée, burdock, soy caramel - this was my favorite...I couldn't believe how delicious apple puree goes with the glazed pork belly!
Fourth, Prime new york steak and shortribs, tasting of dry farmed potatoes, red wine jus. This was my 2nd fav... NY steak AND shortribs? Omg..this was AMAZING. The dry farmed potatoes almost reminded me of baked potato chips, they were delicious.
Fifth, Peanut butter milk chocolate gianduja, peanut honeycomb parfait. This was superb. It literally tasted like a unique, modified version of a peanut putter cup..haha. And the pairfait was soo good...
What's awesome is that every dish is unique. You will not get the same dish as your guests. Between the two of us, we tried 10 different dishes.
I am already looking forward to come here again very soon. I can see why it's to rave about. Service was impeccable, food was delicious - yet..not only was it delicious but each dish had a lot of thought and precision put into it, along with creativity. Top notch!
Note: Dinner appetizers run between $13-16 and Dinner entrees run $25-$30. Desserts alone cost $10.
Chefs Tasting is $75 with 2 appetizers and 2 entrees and a dessert.
I love Redd. I definitely think that this is a one of a kind restaurant that is very similar to many other places I've been to but at the same time distinctively different enough that some friends of mine would call it a cheaper French Laundry (what a title!)
I have been here twice now and every time I go, I always end up with the tasting menu, but I find their regular menu to be just as fantastic if not better portioned since I am always so full after the tasting menu. I am really pleasantly surprised by their choice for the tasting menu as when you go with two people, you do not get the same dishes, so even though it is a five course tasting menu, you get 10 courses altogether!
This means you get almost everything on their regular menu to try and all the food comes out delicious and perfectly cooked. I actually find I like this place better than Gary Danko whose reputation is beyond words, and only a hair less than Michael Mina's which is my favorite restaurant of this type in SF.
The hostess is helpful, the waitresses are attentive and their bathroom sink rocks my socks. No other words necessary except this place is fantastic and a MUST try in Yountville!
Started our trip to NV with appetizers at the Bar and tried the rest of the short trip to get back (will next time). Very unique flavors (both the Lettuce Cups and Sticky Buns (served open faced, very cool) used different sauces while most restaurants would use the same) well executed without being muddled by butter or other covers.
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! One of the best restaurants I've eaten at in a long time! The service was phenomenal, and the waiter was so nice and friendly! Everything from my VERRACRUZ cocktail to every single dish I tried was amazing! I have to say my favorite was butternut squash - pumpkin ravioli and the tuna tartare!
I can't wait to be able to go back!!
If keeping the receipt to remember what we ordered doesn't tell you anything about how great of a time we had here, then I don't know what will. That's right, I'm looking at our itemized receipt for $215 from ten days ago...don't judge.
We planned on winging the whole Labor Day weekend in Napa. I wouldn't say it's the brightest idea we've ever had; Redd was the fourth place we tried that would actually give us a table.
Such a sweet hostess too! We rolled in with no reservations and she put our name on the list and invited us to sit at the bar. Thinking we would not get a table, we ordered the potstickers and a bottle of Roederer Estate champagne ($40). High class up in here, y'all.
We met a few really friendly patrons at the bar - one gal from California who was the nicest person EVAH, and she was sitting next to a couple who were getting married the next day. Couldn't have asked for better company. Then were completely surprised when sweet hostess came up to us after only 30 minutes and offered us a table outside. Whoa - we just lucked out. And oh yes...the potstickers were excellent snacking material.
Our server was just as friendly and helpful. We ordered the lobster risotto to split as yet *another* appetizer and it came out already split for us! It's the small things that go the long way here. After that was done and our bottle of bubbly was empty, BF ordered a bottle of B. Kosuge Shop red wine ($65) - the variety escapes me (oops). For entrees, BF ordered the sole and I ordered the duck breast, but by halfway in we were exchanging plates every few seconds to share. I told you we roll classy. I was more fond of BF's sole than my duck, but they were both excellent!
The server highly recommended the honeycomb parfait as a sweet ending and I honestly don't know how we managed to eat all of it on top of everything else we had. Maybe because it tasted like a peanut butter Kit Kat...effing goooooooood.
The ambiance outside was so nice and welcoming, the service really couldn't have been better and we certainly didn't need all of that food but day-um...I'm glad we did.
Came here a few weeks back, and I thought it was good, but not great.
Considering the location,surrounding restaurants, and the menu, I was kinda surprised.
Had a bunch of plates and split it. The tar tare with the strange rice crispies on top was our first one, and it was a bizarre combo.
We loved the wine list and the service. The calamari was not that great. It just tasted like old frying oil. The risotto with the lobster was nice, just a little overcooked, but was very enjoyable.
Okay, our absolute favorite were the scallops! Incredible !!!
With that cauliflower puree. That was to die for.
Overall, we had fun, but will maybe come back when the menu changes a bit.
Yumm!
I was treated here for a birthday meal. Good stuff. Its across from Villagio and near that French bistro 5 star restaurant (both walkable). I love Redd.
I am soooo happy that we celebrated our one year anniversary here! I didn't even know about this place and was not too excited when my husband first made reservations here, but I did not leave disappointed! I agree with the other yelpers....food and service was excellent!
When I first looked at the menu, I couldn't decide which entree to have as it seemed that with every entree, there was something that came along with it that I didn't like. So we both decided to go with the five course tasting menu. Little did we know that it was pretty much dishes off the regular menu and we also didn't expect that we'd each be getting different dishes so that made it fun. I added the wine pairing to go with it. It kept us intrigued not knowing what was coming.
1st course:
He: Sashimi of hamachi, sticky rice, edamame, lime ginger sauce
Me: Yellowfin tuna tartare, asian pears, chili oil, fried rice
2nd course:
He: Petrale sole, coconut jasmine rice, clams, chorizo, saffron curry nage
Me: Carnaroli risotto, maine lobster, meyer lemon confit, truffle oil (BEST DISH - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! (must be the truffle oil) )
3rd course:
He: Crisp duck confit, lentils, foie gras meatballs, sherry vinaigrette
Me: Glazed pork belly, apple purée, burdock, soy caramel
4th course:
He: Lamb chop with eggplant puree
Me: Prime new york steak, shortrib cannelloni, bacon, chanterelles, blue lake beans
5th course:
He: Sweet corn fritters, cherries, vanilla-corn ice cream
Me: Peanut butter and milk chocolate gianduja, peanut honeycomb parfait
I have to say that I preferred my dish over my husband's for every course. It's like they read my mind on which dish to serve me! I had wished that the portions were a little bit smaller as compared to some other restaurants, their tasting menu portions were pretty big that by the time I finished the 3rd dish, I was pretty full that I could not enjoy the last 2 dishes.
The couple seated next to us also got the tasting menu and they commented how after having the risotto, they already thought that Redd had better food than French Laundry! That was a shocker for us who have yet to dine there. That couple spent $1500 at FL and was not satisfied at all. That pretty much sums it up.
Could not have asked for a better restaurant to celebrate my 30th birthday!
(Okay, so French Laundry would have been absolutely sublime but the only reservation times I've ever been able to secure are like Monday nights at 9pm. I will have you one day!)
Got the tasting menu for two, so I was able to try out ten fantastic dishes. Husband and I kept tally of which of our dishes "won" each round (we are competitive like that).
1st course:
He: Sashimi of hamachi, sticky rice and edamame
Me: Yellowfin tuna tartare, asian pear, crispy rice (WINNER!)
2nd course:
He: Caramelized diver scallops, cauliflower puree (LANDSLIDE!)
Me: Alaskan halibut, clams, saffron curry
3rd course:
He: Sqaub with lentils, foie gras meatballs
Me: Glazed pork belly, apple puree and soy caramel (DROOL!)
4th course:
He: BBQ rib cassoulet (IT'S OFFICIALLY A TIE!)
Me: NY steak, shortrib cannelloni
5th course:
He: Sweet corn fritters, cherries, and vanilla corn ice cream
Me: Peanut butter and milk chocolate gianduja, peanut honeycomb parfait
I wish I could say it was a push at the end, especially considering how decadent my dessert was....but who can resist sweet corn fritters smothered in cherry glaze? I sadly gave my husband the faux title, although I swore that we'd return for dessert the next time we were in Yountville.
I'd rank this as my 2nd favorite meal (after Michael Mina) so far. But I will not set that in stone as there are so many restaurants in Napa I am dying to try next (that's right Ad Hoc, I'm looking at you!).
I've only been here 2 times and the food here is quite unique and tasty! Did I mention that it's also very affordable place? Average $20 per person(including tip) for some good quality food. I think if this restaurant were in SF, these dishes can go for over $25-$30 a plate.
I tried the hamachi tartar fried rice which was VERY tasty but the portion is very small and would not fill a skinny girl up. If only they give you larger portions.. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
The Alaskan halibut clams with saffron curry was delicious also!!! Never tried anything quite like it! The curry sauce was all foamy.. quite interesting. They give you just the right amount for this. I thought the foam sauce was interesting and gives it a flavorful but light taste. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
The NY steak was very tender and comes in BIG portion! It's also top with huge onion rings. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
Why not a 5 star you may ask. I'm only giving 4 stars because the two times I went, they had the same exact limited menu. Not much to choose from. I love the food here but what's stopping me from coming here often is that there isn't much variety.
Yum, yum. Six of us went after wine tasting, and all of us were pleased with our food.
We all shared the calamari, glazed pork belly and scallop entree. They were all great...just a big heavy on the tamarind in the calamari.
My husband had the skate and I had the duck breat as entrees. I don't normally like to order duck because I like it roasted the Chinese style...but our guide at Kuleto raved about it - and so must I! It was so tasty and perfectly cooked. I'm not sure about the onion fondue it was served with - I preferred the gnocchi that came with my husband's skate. But still...a very good meal.
We ended up sharing the chocolate pot de creme with beignets and the strawberry dessert with cream cheese ice cream. I preferred the strawberry dessert over the chocolate for once - it was a very nice balance of sweet and tart. Something very different that I have not experienced before. The decaf coffee I had was nice and tasty as well.
Once I conquer a few other restaurants in Yountville, I will definitely be back to Redd.
Redd is a rare gem among many pretentious and overpriced Napa restaurants. The decor is simple and trendy and I absolutely adore the outside dining area. Great place for Sunday brunch or a drink.
Food wise: Glazed pork belly dumplings are heaven on earth. The potstickers are also a good choice. If you are tired of wine, try one of the cocktails. The ginger one is really interesting and refreshing and delicious. Also, the chef often sends out complimentary dishes that are amazing. Save room!
Also, the service at this place is top notch. Everytime I have gone, the staff were extremely attentive and professional, but not in your face like they are at other restaurants.There's one hostess with dark hair who works at lunch time who is very friendly and has gone out of her way to make my guests and I comfortable. (Thank you!)
I would highly highly recommend Redd and can't wait to go back!
From the mixed reviews regarding food and service, I wasn't sure what to expect when I made lunch reservations at Redd. However, we had a lovely light lunch/brunch and I'd go back for a more involved meal in a hot second.
WHAM!
Chilled corn soup with basil oil, served with adorable amuse bouche-sized smoked salmon brioche paninis. My favorite part of the meal. Perfectly chilled and loaded with fresh sweet corn - basil oil was just the right amount to compliment without overwhelming. It was Summer in my mouth, and I was pretty sad to be having to share.
BAM!
Yellowfin tartare (done poke-style) with avocado, Asian pear, chili oil, and topped with crispy rice. A few chewy pieces of yellowfin snuck into the mix, but this dish was heaven on a plate and an excellent portion size for the price. I'd stop in Yountville just for a quick bite of this.
THANK YOU!
I don't' know if it was the fact that I was psychotically photographing everything that came to the table, or if they were just feeling generous - the kitchen sent out a couple of pieces of Redd's lovely breakfast pizza with smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, greens, capers, and creme fraiche. Ironically, B jumped on this so quickly, that I didn't have time for a photo.
MA'AM!
Tempura squash blossoms stuffed with a mixture of lemony goat cheese, served atop zucchini puree with a shaved squash salad. Delicious, but portion size was a little smaller than we expected.
The staff and service was wonderful, and we experienced none of the pretension that other reviewers complained about. They were able to accommodate us an hour earlier than our initial lunch reservation, which could have been a crap shoot on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Our server even volunteered to pose for me (much to the horror of my husband, who cringes and does his best to hide under the table when I whip out my camera during nice meals) when I asked if it was alright to photograph a few of our dishes. Another delicious white peach martini and I might have taken her up on it.
We also both loved Redd's clean, minimalist design plan. It's easy to overlook the Yountville markup in price when the overall ambiance and service matches the excellent food. I can't wait to go back for a proper dinner, when I won't be forced to share each dish with the mister. In every regard, this meal was truly all hits, no misses.
We had reservations for 6:45 on a Saturday and we were sat immediately. This has been my second trip with my girlfriend and my third time dining at Redd. Last time we were here we had the tasting menu and had a perfect meal. This time was just under the bar.
First Course: Buratta with heirloom tomatoes on top of a little salad. I was surprised to be served something so straight forward but the buratta was perfect. We also had the tempuraed squash blossom which was amazing. Perfectly cook and stuffed with some soft, mild cheese on top of squash puree. It was a wonderful way to start.
Second Course: Seared scallops with roasted cauliflower, golden raisins and balsamic reduction on top of cauliflower. Wow. Talk about waking up the palate. Perfectly crafted. The second plate was seared scallops on top of sauteed green beans and baby chanterelles with fresh corn pudding. This gets my "Holy Crap" award. This was the perfect late summer plate. Really outstanding.
Third Course: This is where the meal took a strange turn. We were both served linguine with meatballs. The linguine was way over cooked and tossed in a very bland pesto on top of a bland, watery tomato sauce. The meat balls were luke warm, pale little balls stuck on either side of the phallic pile of pasta. And yes, they were bland too. It was like we were transported out of Redd for one course. Really strange.
Fourth Course: Duck breast on top of beans, ravioli and figs. Very good, very well thought out. The duck was PERFECT. The other plate was a large portion of the pork belly which shouldn't be missed.
Another strange turn: We were pleasantly full and looking forward to dessert. The pastry chef sent out a nice amuse of uzo granite on top of pearl tapioca with white pomegranate seeds. A perfect way to head into dessert. Our server was pouring the first of two cups of coffee and out comes another course. Our amuse was whisked away and we were left alone with one cup of luke warm coffee, a glass of Merlot and two giant plates of meat. One was lamb, the other beef. Both were very nice but one course too late.
Dessert: Corn fritters, vanilla ice cream on top of blackberries and fresh corn. That was delicious. I liked it but my girlfriend was not feeling it. She was served a trio of peanut butter and chocolate mousse, chocolate ice cream with candied peanuts and something that our server called "white chocolate mousse" on top of a chocolate fudgey thing. The mousse was a little strange, but overall a nice plate.
Overall it was a very nice meal. The service faltered with the extra course but we left two and half hours after we started, very satisfied.
Everyone should take the opportunity to eat at this restaurant. My girlfriend and I got an early… Read more »
If I were an alien (I've been called allot worse btw) and I wanted to know what California tasted like I would beem myself down to the simple comfortable elegant dining room and start ordering items off the menu.
Service was perfection, staff knew the menu, gave great recommendations, did not have a "push dish" that the kitchen made to much of.
Make a rezy on http://Opentable.com make sure you request the patio if you want to sit outside.
Napa does have a single address and REDD is it!
We chose Redd for lunch on a Friday before wine tasting; it was fairly busy. It was gorgeous outside so we sat out on the front patio. The food was delicious, very good wine, although 3 glasses between the 2 of us was more than $30 of our bill...our choice though =) We were able to order 3 dishes to share and were both satisfied.
Started out with the shrimp salad on butter lettuce...YUM. The shrimp was warm and very tender. I'm usually not a big shrimp fan but this was great! (BIG thumbs up from both)
Second, tempura squash blossoms w/ goat cheese (I think) in a delicious creamy green sauce was brought to us; these were EXCELLENT. (Tee's FAVORITE)
Lastly we had a prosciutto, basil and parmesan pizza -- if it wasn't so big it probably would have disappointed, but it was very light and fresh. (Tee thought it was so-so, Em liked it)
5 stars for the food, I would have preferred a little more attentive service...but we'd definitely return!!
Read Erica T's review. I was her date for the evening. Nuff said.
ps: and yes, the couple next to us who spent $1500 the night before at French Laundry said Redd was definitely better at 1/4 the cost. $1500!? That's like new tires for my car AND dinner at Redd with wine.
i'm keeping this short and simple, there's really excellent food being served here, all the way down to the coffee. a great job of creating interesting fusion (asian profile) dishes. service was good. decor was minimal modern. a definite recommendation for when you're on the yountville eating circuit.
Typical Napa Valley. Stiff, uncomfortable, predictable, over-priced, and under-performing. There are so many places like this here. The food is fine, but you will definitely leave hungry. The service is ok but you will leave wondering what they did for you. At these prices my expectations are very high, so don't underwhelm me with generic food and cold service.
The separate bar area can be fun, but, as one may predict, it is a cramped area. They have bar stools hovering over dinner tables that really shouldn't be there anyway. It makes everyone uncomfortable.
(Why won't a nice restaurant open up their bar area? Think about world famous hotel bars. Sometimes people visit just to go to the bar. If your bar is a casual scene, you will get residual food sales. Also, your place will look like it's popping, and people will be talking about you. We love the places we love because over time we build little memories there. As our fondness grows so does our comfort level. I should do seminars!)
The brightest star in the building is one of the bartenders - he kind of reminds me of Jim from Taxi sometimes. I would go out on a limb and say that he is one of the better bartenders in the Bay Area. Generally, the bar staff does a super job with fresh, seasonal drinks, and fast, fun, and friendly service. Have some drinks here before you go somewhere else for your meal.
Overall, Redd is more hype than substance.
This is second to French Laundry and that's saying a lot. The crowd was insane, but who can blame them for the servings you get and it tastes amazing!
The atmosphere, food, and wine really have you feeling "amore" with everything about Redd.
I could write a separate review for each dish we ate at this impeccable lunch.
One for the panzanella salad, perfectly tart with sherry vinaigrette, tossed with crunchy bread, thinly sliced onions, quartered heirloom tomatoes, juicy cucumbers...so good, I could return right now.
Another for the revelation that was the stuffed squash blossoms, served on a bed of zucchini puree that tasted way better than zucchini puree has any right to be.
A third for the main course that sang so sweetly - linguine swathed with cherry tomatoes, pesto, and pine nuts. The sum so much greater than its parts.
And a final nod to the steak tartine - which I didn't get to taste in its entirety (a little glitch called vegetarianism got in the way), but whose combination of toasted bread, aioli, and caramelized onions was almost enough to make me spear the beef sitting just inches away.
I know California wine country makes its name on great restaurants by the dozen, but this one is something special. They keep the service mostly unassuming and friendly, the setting cool and comfortable, and the food flawless.
Dining at REDD was a great experience. Everyone but the hostess was nice (well, one of the hostesses). Our server was a freakin' rock star: super accommodating, non-obtrusive, and friendly, but not so much that it was...oozy. We were seated at the banquette. Now, the design of this place is pretty modern and the seats are upholstered in wool. It's an interesting choice of fabric...and an itchy one at that! I was wearing a skirt and it was REALLY uncomfortable! I asked our server if he would get something for me to sit on and he very promptly provided two cloth dinner napkins. Whew. Disaster averted! And as we were exiting, a couple was standing outside waiting for their table; the other hostess saw this and went out to move chairs from the patio so they could be seated while waiting.
FYI, There's a parking lot in the back as well, if you can't find street parking.
The food was good. It was inventive and creative, which is something that earns my respect. We had:
Chilled Corn Soup with Smoked Salmon Panini: I like corn soup. A lot. The basil oil was a nice addition. It was a very subtle, mild flavor that complimented the rather delicate corn well. The bite-sized panini were good, but I found it to be an odd addition; not sure that they were necessarily complementary to the soup (I ate them separately. And then I tried them with the soup).
Hot Foie Gras Special, stonefruit (plums, peaches/nectarines?, cherries): Easy win. Love foie gras. It was cooked well. The stonefruit provided a nice sweetness and tang, along with grapefruit zest. The acid and sugar balanced well with the richness of the foie gras. This dish was really red, so the presentation was a little intense, but I thought it was plated beautifully.
Duck Confit and Foie Gras Meatballs over Lentils: I love duck confit, I love foie gras (as established above). BUT I didn't really feel that this was the best use of foie gras. It was a milder flavor, but it didn't have the unctuousness that is associated with foie gras; that decadent, over-the-top richness was just lacking. There were a ton of lentils in this dish;I think it was overwhelming, insomuch that I got tired of the flavor after awhile as I was slogging through the mound.
Pork Osso Bucco with Marscapone Polenta: This osso bucco was tasty. The portion was gigantic. I felt full just looking at it. It was on the salty side; you really have to mix it with the polenta. The polenta was just slightly sweet from the marscapone. I've never had a marscapone polenta before, but it gives the polenta a really interesting twist!
I finished dinner with a single serving of cheese. I had the Bayley Hazen Blue from Jasper Hill Farm. A very mild blue. It was a nice way to cap the meal.
Along with the cheese, we had the Corn Fritters with Vanilla-Corn Ice Cream. WOW. Seriously interesting. Now, I can't say that I was in love with this dish, but it really intrigued me. The corn fritters were much more savory than sweet (I could definitely imagine it as an appetizer). The corn ice cream threw me for a loop. Interesting combination together.
I can't say that I was over the moon about any of the dishes, but I really admire the creativity of the chef. And I told him so on the comment card. =D
A for effort
B for execution
A for service
I popped in for a quick lunch with my family after a last minute decision to pre-celebrate my dad's birthday.
It was a really warm day so we decided to sit indoors instead of outdoors (as I had requested and was duly noted by the staff), which they promptly accommodated. I liked the simple interiors and figured they were bigger on the food than ambiance, which is totally sensible when you just want to have a nice lunch. I hate overblown places with lackluster food. Major peeve.
We shared an heirloom tomato salad which was fantastic. It would have been nice if they had chilled it just a bit before sending it out, but the heirloom tomatoes were sweet and juicy. We got some big chunks mixed in with fresh arugula, yellow tomatoes, and vinaigrette with just the right acidity. Very light and refreshing.
Our hamachi sashimi over sticky rice, cucumbers, and seaweed came next though it seemed delayed and was probably only remembered later. Regardless, it was soosososo good and the lime ginger drizzled on top made me forget soy sauce for sashimi FOREVER.
I had the crisp duck confit with lentils and foie gras meatballs, which was okay. It was just as crisp as the server promised, but the dish lacked a balance between the salty duck, salty lentils, and salty meatballs. It was good that they threw some greens to garnish it a bit, but again, no balance. The duck was great though..just perhaps not with everything else in the dish.
My mom had the sea scallops, which were creamy and light. Tasty dish. My brother and dad both got the petrale sole with clams. None of them really raved about their dishes..but they don't really care about food so that may not be an indication of anything.
We did share a pot de creme which I really enjoyed. Not so big on the usual pot de creme but I really appreciate it when they throw in some creme anglaise. Sooo good.
Overall, it everything was very good for the price. Lunch was surprisingly cheaper than we expected. The service was timely except for the slight delay with the hamachi, but our server was particularly chipper. Nice place to try out "Napa cuisine" which is like a more refined American cuisine with a slight French twist. And it's probably nice to sit outside in the Spring when it isn't so hot.
Ever stumble upon the perfect date ... you decide to wing it and hope the stars align in your favor? That's what happened over Memorial Day weekend at Redd.
My boyfriend and I decided to head up to the Napa Valley late that Saturday morning. We miraculously avoided holiday traffic and managed to score a table for lunch outside at Redd. The weather had been overcast and crumby until we sat down and the sea of clouds parted to full-on sunshine. It only got better from there ...
Geoffrey was our waiter. His service was flawless, and everything he recommended was "oh my god, that's amazing" ... the pinot gris, the sole, the scallops, the peanut butter-milk chocolate gianduja.
The sound of the fountain, the birds, the modern decor, the heat slips you into the resort town feel of Palm Springs, Vegas or Scottsdale ... but with more class and less boobs (male and female).
This place is worth the splurge - though for the price, it seems like a steal when you share plates.
Um Um Good !
Per-ma grin throughout the entire dinner! and after thoughts.
We spent our anniversary at REDD and would recommend it not only for special occasions.
Redd and Ad hoc are just next to each other. Both places are great. In the former you dine. In the latter you eat. I generally prefer eating to dining. But when the occasion calls for some glitz, then Redd will do very well.
An appetizer of pristine caramelized scallops are perfectly prepared and melt-in-your mouth tender. The scallops are served over cauliflower purée, almonds, and balsamic reduction. A well conceived plate of food. The same may also be said for a second appetizer: risotto, maine lobster, meyer lemon confit and truffle oil. The risotto is al dente, the lobster tender and tasty and the lemon adds some zip to the plate without overpowering.
A main course of sautéed skate comes with ethereally light potato gnocchi and is over some spring vegetables that are so lively and fresh as to make a vegetarian out of a confirmed carnivore. The skate is beautifully presented, but just a tad overpowered by oil in which it was sauteed.
Overall, a wonderfully executed display of culinary technique. Service was top tier without being stuffy.
Heaven, I'm in Heaven ... oh, that was a song ... but truly, this place is a Foodies dream. I ate outside on a Saturday afternoon this past weekend and had two of my favorite dishes, Tuna Tar tare and the warm shrimp salad...... If you go to Napa, you MUST go to Redd.
Hands down my FAVORITE restaurant in Napa (well, Yountville). Why do I love this place so much?… Read more »
I am not typically a writer of reviews, I must admit, especially for a last minute lunch while spending a weekend in Napa.
My husband and I, we love the wine country, not only for the fabulous wines but also because of the great food options. We've been to them all (and that includes the wineries).
Last Friday after eating a great meal at Ad Hoc, we went for a short walk in Yountville and happened upon Redd, practically right next door. The scene was warm and inviting, the building looked new and somewhat spartan, making me wonder whether it had some kind of sustainable goal.
Anyway, next day we get up and say hey, what the heck, let's go try that interesting looking place next to Ad Hoc. And man, were we blown away. The lunch we had at Redd was better than some of the nicer dinners I've had in my life!
Our server was fine- knowledgable, friendly when needed, but also unobtrusive when it was appropriate. Just like I like it.
The food really stole the show. Like others who have reviewed Redd, we also had the tartare appetizer and the pork buns. My husband had the braised short ribs. All were phenomenal. And to eat such incredible food on a nice outdoor patio to boot. What an experience.
I highly highly recommend this place. The chef here has a great formula and I'll be sure to make my way to this place again.
Leisurely lunching at Redd on a beautiful day in Napa Valley is the best way to start off a long day of wine tasting! Shortly after arriving, we were seated outdoors in the patio area where several other groups were lounging. After narrowing down a few selections and obtaining the servers approval, we shared a variety of small dishes. Everything we tried was delicious!
yellowfin tuna and hamachi tartare, avocado, chili oil, fried rice: this was a refreshing dish with a generous heap of diced fresh yellowfin tuna, hamachi and avocado, lightly tossed with chili oil and garnished with fried rice. the slight heat from the chili oil gave it a nice kick without being overpoweringly spicy. definitely a crowd pleaser!
shrimp salad, butter lettuce, avocado, bacon, caesar dressing: three large succulent, seared shrimp were served atop a loosely piled hill of butter lettuce leaves with squares of crisply fried bacon, cubes of avocado and evenly tossed in the perfect amount of caesar dressing. done wrong, the salad could have been heavy, but it was done with a light hand so you could appreciate each ingredient on it's own. it was a simple dish which we both enjoyed, and my dining partner remarked it was one of her two favorites
carmelized diver scallops, cauliflower puree, almonds, balsamic reduction: one beautifully carmelized maine diver scallop was served on a pool of cauliflower puree with a thin swirl of balsamic reduction circling the main attraction. the scallop was still a little raw in the middle, but warmed through and it melted beautifully in my mouth. such a delight to eat this with the smooth and savory cauliflower puree. one of my favorites!
steamed pork buns, hoisin, vegetable slaw: we both really liked the steamed pork buns. nestled inside the soft, fluffy steamed buns were small cubes of crispy fried pork heavily dressed in a glossy, sweet, kicky hoisin sauce. it was a little too much hoisin for me so i ended up scraping some off with my fork. i liked the fresh slaw, with thinly sliced napa cabbage and cucumber, tossed with a simple soy sauce dressing. we both really liked this one too!
for the amount of food we received and the ambience, this was definitely a stellar meal and i would love to come back again!
Hate to do this, but I was very disappointed with the service I got here. Ended up splitting from our group and eating next door.
I called two weeks in advance to book a table for 8. They said they had a table for us and were really nice and courteous. The day of the dinner, another friend wanted to join us so I called them a few hours before the reservation and asked if we could add one more. The host (different from the person I made a res with) gave me attitude and started off on how 8 was already a tight squeeze (they never mentioned that before) and should be the max and 9 would be pushing it. I told her we were fine with a squished group and she reluctantly agreed to change our res.
We arrive and to my dismay, there were two more people that my group didn't tell me about. So I tell the host of the situation and I get more attitude. Starts telling me how she did me a favor by adding that one extra person and there's no way they could add more. But looking at the table (2 round tables joined together), we could easily sit two more, especially if we pull the tables apart and make two tables (there was plenty of room around the tables). She told us the only way they could seat the two extras is if another party doesn't show up to their reservation and she'll keep us posted and walks away. Uhh... so we're just going to stand around until she comes back?
Yes, we screwed up and had more people than we expected, but come on! We're bringing in more business, we didn't double the size or anything, and w/ our party size, it's 18% tip mandatory (we would have left more if they were willing to work with us). AT LEAST she could have been nice about it instead of treating us like pests. I've worked as a waitress and host and it's not unusual for larger party sizes to fluctuate. If it wasn't for her attitude and unwillingness to work something out, we would have still tried to eat there. But I was fed up and three of us walked over to Ad Hoc so at least the rest of the group would be fed at Redd.
I told the host that we were back to 8 thinking that might get her to crack a smile, but all I got was more attitude. Screw that.
Ad Hoc, btw, was a complete 180 in service. They had their last seating at 9, (it was 9:10 by the time we decided we wanted no more of Redd) but they were happy to take us. Everyone there seemed genuinely happy to be working there and excited about the food & drinks they were serving. Kinda glad things didn't work out at Redd now.
I asked the rest of my group (that stayed at Redd) how their food was after and they said it was good, but nothing special.
Wonderful. One of the most consistent restaurants in the Bay Area. I love this place.
The menu is seasonal and inventive. The portions are of a nice size. I grew up in Yountville and remember when this location was a Piatti. Ah how times have changed. For my money, Redd or Bouchon are the best meals in town...
This restaurant is what I'd call a bulls-eye. It's not worth a cross-country flight like French Laundry, but if you're out for a regional jaunt and not looking to sacrifice a first-born, then it's priced for a nice, well prepared, and comfortable meal. We went for lunch, and enjoyed the outdoor seating and perfect Napa temperatures. The standouts from our party of four had to be the chilled corn soup (where we wondered how it was physically possible to infuse that much corn flavor into a chilled soup), the short rib entree (which basically fell apart upon contact with forks and saliva, melting into a succulent beef sensation) and the peanut butter dessert that perfectly captured the essence of that ingredient. Our opinion is that Redd definitely holds its own amongst Bouchon, Bistro Jeanty, and Ad Hoc.
The service and food at REDD are incredible. I wish I could eat there every day. We started with some excellent cocktails at the bar, not too sweet and made with fresh ingredients. For dinner we had lobster risotto (the best risotto ever) and squash blossoms to start, followed by duck confit and steak with short rib cannelloni. We were blown away. Everything was unbelievably delicious and well "crafted". The service was also very friendly and knowledgeable. We will be back...again and again.
I hate to be the voice of dissent, but, I have to say that our overall dining experience at Redd was an average of 3.5. 4 for the service and 3 for the food.
The service was great! The staff was very accommodating and attentive.
The food was ok. Maybe it was a bad night? I ordered the lamb chops and my boyfriend ordered the osso bucco. The lamb chops had an odd taste to it that's really hard to describe. I couldn't describe it then and I really can't now. The osso bucco was cooked perfect, (I wish I had his dish) The desserts were ok. We ordered the strawberry pain perdu and the corn fritter with corn ice cream... and delicious and mouth watery those sound, they were just ok.
I would try it again, when the season changes along with the menu. As I said, maybe I just went at a bad time/night.
I'll re-yelp it then.
Yountville, CA
Category: American (New)
Yountville, CA
Category: French
Yountville, CA
Category: American (New)
Napa, CA
Category: American (New)
Yountville, CA
Category: French
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