I am pleased to announce I have created a monster. As I blogged in April, I asked Adrienne to join me to Gary Danko for my birthday dinner. Since that meal (or precisely when took the first bite her deep fried poached egg), Adrienne has become a completely different diner. Phrases such as “I only do wine pairings” and “does it have a Michelin star?” have come out of her mouth (only somewhat in jest). So, for her birthday we had to find a spot up to her new standards. Both our expectations were exceeded at Redd in Yountville.
Diners can choose between a la carte items or the five-course tasting menu. Unlike other prix fixe menus I’ve tried, I had no say in each dish at Redd. Given the fact I’ll try anything, I had no problem with this; I was actually excited by the unknown and not having to endure selection stress. I can see where picky diners may not be comfortable with this route. Also, each diner gets five different dishes, so I really got to try ten different plates.
As I have learned is standard with multi-course menus, our first dish was raw fish. I had a sashimi of hamachi served over sticky rice, edamame and ginger sauce. Adrienne was brought the yellowfin tuna tartare. In hindsight, this was my least favorite of the five. Raw fish just doesn’t rile me up like a good slab of beef does. That being said, the pieces of edamame were tasty, beautiful, and a creative pairing with the fish.
The next few dishes were some of the best I’ve had. I noticed each had something special to give it the “it” factor; whether it was an unusual spice (the pork belly), thoughtful accoutrements (scallop), or to-die for flavor combinations (chocolate peanut butter beignet) - there was always a thoughtful touch to separate it from similar dishes I've had elsewhere. Going into the night, the one thing I really wanted to try was the pork belly - ya just can’t beat fatty pig in my book. Chef karma was on my side, because out it came in all its fat glory. The pork belly was fall-apart-at-the-touch as it should be, but it also had an addictive barbeque sauce glaze. The sauce was sweet and savory at the same time; I confess to wiping up the remnants with my bread. My scallop also presented an image and taste I won’t soon forget. While it was just one scallop, it was enormous and juicy. I also loved the crisp cauliflower and golden raisin salad it was served with.
I was apprehensive when I was served the duck. The few times each year I eat duck, I always walk away disappointed but the chefs at Redd have found a duck convert! Prepared two ways, one variation was literally a square piece of duck with an interior that was juicy, delicate, and tender while the skin was crispy (no knife necessary – a big plus). The mild taste matched well with the bed of lentils underneath it. I can’t really describe the other preparation, other to say that it also did a fine job in endearing duck to me.
My only complaint about the dessert was there wasn’t enough of it. It consisted of homemade peanut butter, rich chocolate sauce in a fried dough beignet. Chocolate and peanut butter is one of my very favorite food combinations, so needless to say, the meal ended on a positive note.
The sleek and modern interior creates a hip, young ambiance (unlike other high-end restaurants where I feel the need to be on my best behavior). Upon leaving, I was surprised to find the restaurant bar occupied primarily by 20-somethings. The service was also excellent – well-paced and friendly without a hint of pretentiousness. While Redd certainly ain’t cheap, I found it to be a very good value especially considering it has a Michelin star and I left fat’n’happy; most restaurants in its class can run twice or three times as expensive.
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