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View Full Version : Napa Rose, 2/10/06: Dining in the Lounge



adriennek
02-11-2006, 07:50 AM
My husband and I enjoy dining at the Napa Rose very much but we usually only get there about once a year due to finances and things like having three little kids. We'd been a couple times already in 2005 and last night, when my sister volunteered to watch our kids for the evening, we decided to try the "stop in the lounge and have a lighter meal" option.

We arrived at about 6:30 and the lounge was pretty empty except for maybe 2 to 3 other couples. In the back corner, three gentlemen were broadcasting "What's Cooking on Wine" for Cable Radio Networks (http://www.cableradionetwork.com/?date=2/3/2006&eid=157542&pid=0).

We sat down and decided on two starters, a salad and the mushroom soup - two dishes for each of us. Our server suggested a fantastic cab for Doc that wasn't even on the menu yet.

We had our salad and soup first, the starters as entrees. The food was, of course, divine. The wine was really great. The wine I drank went PERFECTLY with my dishes, thanks entirely to our server. He suggested wine I never usually would order but the wine went perfectly with my meal.

I had the pheasant and dumplings and the endive salad without walnuts. Doc had the mushroom bisque and the goose in cornmeal crepes. The sauce was sooooo good.

I heard our server tell another couple that the lounge was more 'casual' than the dining room. Yes, it is, but even better, the lounge is more intimate. In the dining room you have at least three people serving each table. In the lounge, except for our food runners, the same person took our order, refreshed our drinks and cleared our plates, so we really had more time to talk to him. Also, because he didn't have nearly as many tables to tend to (what tables he had often just ordered drinks and then left to their tables,) he had a lot more time to stop by.

Now, we never felt smothered by our server. He had a really good balance of taking care of us without making us feel like he was hovering over us. But he made the meal great.

The tab was still a bit higher than if we had stayed closer to home or if we had gone to a chain restaurant, but the experience and the food were worth every penny. Afterwards we hit DCA and Disneyland for a few rides without feeling rushed to get back to our kids and letting my sister off the hook.

Have I mentioned lately how much we enjoy Napa Rose?

Adrienne

millionairegirl
02-11-2006, 08:16 AM
oooh, that's a good idea. We went to Napa Rose for my brithday last year and spent $$$ (we each got the Vinters menu with wine pairings), so I can't see going more often for dinner in the dining room. But apps and wine in the bar, that sounds like fun!

Opus1guy
02-11-2006, 08:25 AM
The following has been our SOP ever since Napa opened:

The Lounge is the only place my honey and I dine at Napa. It's much more romantic than the hectic and loud pace of the main dinning area. We're usually the only ones dining in the entire room! Well, at least at first. When folks see us dinning there near the fire or by the windows with the full dinner set-up...it's not at all uncommon that we soon find ourselves with distant neighbors. :) When we dine there Michael and Alex always come over and tell us, "You're the smart ones!" ;)

If she's not with me or if we're with other people...then it's off to the main dinning area us.

If I'm dining there alone...I usually take dinner at the bar. I've had more fun doing that, than Carters has pills! :)

pisces
02-11-2006, 12:46 PM
I would go, but I don't like mushrooms, goose, or pheasant---is that chicken? Cab is cabernet, right?

I don't care about prices---if it's a special occasion, and I like a high degree of elegance, yet relaxingly informal/casual.

However, every time I've looked at their menu, everything is exotic and not everyday, familiar foods.

I like simple comfort food basics----yet done with a high degree of elegance.

3894
02-11-2006, 01:07 PM
You made me feel as if I were there, too, adriennek. Many thanks for the review!

I Heart Disneyland!
02-11-2006, 01:12 PM
All this talk of Napa Rose, Adrienne, and I think me and Mr. Heart need to go there when we make it to DL again. :) Sounds wonderful!!!! I'm glad you and Doc got a romantic evening.

disney jones
02-11-2006, 01:20 PM
.... It's much more romantic than the hectic and loud pace of the main dinning area. We're usually the only ones dining in the entire room! Well, at least at first.....
thanks for the tip!

now quick: lock and bury this thread before it becomes as well known as that certain bathroom.

stan4d_steph
02-11-2006, 02:46 PM
I've eaten in the lounge a couple of times myself. Definitely a nice experience. :)

cstephens
02-11-2006, 03:16 PM
We haven't had a chance to eat in the lounge, though we've talked about it, and we've hung out there once or twice. Thanks for the report. Always like hearing about Napa Rose, although it might be a while before we can go back.

Crazy4DL
02-11-2006, 08:17 PM
Very nice report, Ak. . . thanks :)

rentayenta
02-11-2006, 09:24 PM
Great report Adrienne. I still haven't had the chance to dine there but one of these days I will!!!

KarenW2
02-11-2006, 11:03 PM
Our last trip to NR was for my hubby's and DCA's birthday on 2-8. We had reserved our seats at the "Chef's Counter", since my hubby had really wanted to do that, ever since he heard about it and even more so, after we went to Chef Andrew's session at the 50th special event, back in July, 2005.

We had a wonderful time at the counter, CA even recognized us, so that was nice and we had a great meal. My hubby raved about the goose being his all-time favorite dish ever and we received an appetizer portion of the goose for me and an appetizer portion of the duck for my hubby, as a "gift" from CA. Since it was my hubby's birthday, I took a taste of the goose, then swapped appetizers with him. When CA asked us about the switch, I explained because it was his birthday and my hubby said that's one of the reasons we've been married for 27 years!! :)

Our previous trip to NR was the Friday before Christmas. We'd called for reservations, the restaurant was booked solid, but they told us they would serve us, if we wanted to be served in the lounge. We really wanted to eat there that night, so we said OK. We had the BEST service ever that night, with a nice, romantic table by the window! Compared to the regular dining room, it was much quieter and we didn't have "neighbors" at our elbows. Our waiter was great, we tipped him accordingly, plus we spoke with the manager on our way out, to tell hiim how much we'd enjoyed eating in the lounge for the first time. He told us that many of their "regulars" eat there all the time.

So, now we have a hard decision to make, when it comes to dining at NR. We enjoyed watching the "show" and talking to CA at the counter, but we also really enjoyed the much quieter meal in the lounge. I had figured that eating at the counter would've been a much noisier, chaotic ordeal, but I was pleasantly surprised, because it wasn't. Maybe it was because we were there at opening on a Wednesday night. All in all, we had a great time both times.