By Carol & Joe Davis

siena-restaurant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWe love the Napa Valley. The Vineyards are beautiful, the Cuisine and Wines are World Class and it is only an hour drive from San Francisco. We recently learned that The Meritage Resort and Spa had just hired Hungarian born and raised Executive Chef, Krisztian Karkus, who brings a wealth of experience having worked at resorts around the world and decided that we needed to dine at their Siena Restaurant which features seasonal farm to table Tuscan and California Cuisine.

 

 

 

 

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERATraffic was light, so we had time to view the property before dinner. It has a vineyard, 322 rooms and suites, bars, Siena Restaurant, conference rooms, wine tasting in the Estate Cave which features Trintas Cellars wines , Spa Terra , exercise room, lovely swimming pool, Bocce Ball court and the Crush Ultra Lounge with full bar, sports entertainment and six bowling lanes which are backlit at night! Siena has a very comfortable dining room with well-spaced tables, a semi exhibition kitchen, large equestrian art and an adjacent outdoor dining area. As we perused the menu, we enjoyed Valdo Prosecco, Valdobbiadene, Italy and a basket of delicious warm bread and flat bread. 

 

 

 

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWe loved our appetizers! The Fanny Bay Oysters on the Half Shell with Siena Mignonette and House Cocktail Sauce were cold, extremely fresh, sweet and were an excellent way to begin our dinner. The Cinnamon & Star Anise Braised and slow cooked Kobe Beef Short Rib Sliders on Polenta Brioche with Horseradish mayo and Vine Ripened Tomatoes was another terrific appetizer. The sliders were delicious, lean and lighter than we had anticipated and could easily be a meal by itself. Can’t wait to have them again!  The Pan Seared Curry Crusted Jumbo Scallops with Organic Sweet Apple Relish and Apple Butter were very delicate and we appreciated that the relish did not overpower the luscious scallops.

 

 

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOur next course was soup and salad. We loved the nurturing Soup of the Day which was Seafood Stew made with clams, mussels, prawns and ling cod. The broth was amazing and perfectly seasoned. We also enjoyed the Little Gems Lettuce and White Anchovies Salad made with Baby Romaine Lettuce, creamy garlic dressing, excellent white anchovies and fresh croutons. We loved both of our entrees. The Daily Special served every Thursday and Friday was a Niman Ranch 10 oz. Prime Rib, served rare as ordered, with mashed fingerling potatoes, and sautéed broccoli. Shaved horseradish was a perfect complement to this tasty cut of beef. The Grilled Barramundi, which is a mild, buttery, Australian fish, was prepared perfectly and we loved the unique Fried Corn Polenta, Peperonata and Sautéed Brussels Sprouts which accompanied the fish. We really enjoyed everything we tried this evening and we were pretty full….so opted for refreshing Sorbet with blueberries and raspberries for dessert. Espresso and a Prager “Tomas” Port were the perfect finish to our excellent dinner.

 

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe Wine List features Napa Valley wines as well as wines from around the world by the glass, half bottle and bottle. Our knowledgeable and professional server Jack, was very helpful and quite accommodating, serving us half glasses….so we could try a variety of different wines. With our starters we enjoyed the light and lively 2011 Sterling Central Coast, CA. Pinot Gregio, the light, aromatic, oaky yet not too buttery 2011 Trintas Carneros Busch Family Chardonnay, the crisp 2010 Uppercut North Coast Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc and the lively 2010 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Fume Blanc. The 2009 Trintas Mysterium Old Vine Blend Mendocino, the 2010 MacMurray Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and the 2010 Louis Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon paired perfectly with our entrees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERASiena Restaurant is open for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Sunday Brunch. The cuisine was delicious and the presentation was lovely. The service was professional,
comfortable and very friendly. We look forward to returning soon…. to try some of Siena’s more casual menu items like Pizza, Pastas, and Burgers and Cocktails plus
Bowling in the Crush Ultra Lounge!

 

 

 

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERASiena Restaurant at The Meritage Resort and Spa
875 Bordeaux Way
Napa, CA. 94558
707-251-1950
www.TheMeritageResort.com