A report by Dana Eastland: As previously mentioned on tablehopper, the former Fagiani’s/The Thomas in Napa will now be NINEBARK, and the doors are now open. Hospitality and design group AvroKO has brought chef Matt Lightner (New York’s Atera) on to run the kitchen, and they’ve redone the space as a three-level bar and restaurant, complete with a roof deck.
The menu is California seasonal, with high-caliber technique. Lightner plans to smoke, perfume, and grill many of the dishes and is plating some unique salads as well. On the salad front, look for the horiatiki salad with Buddha’s hand, persimmons, peppers, seasonal selections of fresh fruit and produce, local feta cheese, citrus, and olive oil. Lightner is also preparing a selection of seafood, including appetizers like the chicken, shrimp, and ricotta dumplings with gravy of roasted chicken and prawns, smoked bread, and Parmesan. Many of the main dishes are smoked or grilled, like the charcoal-roasted duck with Valencia orange, garden sorrel, and tarragon sauce, or check out the poached and grilled halibut with escabeche, ragout of radishes, fresh and dried nasturtium, and a broth of stewed vegetables.
This being a former bar, there is also a wide selection of drinks from bar manager Andrew Salazar. The drink menu will vary depending on which floor of the restaurant you’re on, starting with classics on the ground floor. There’s a piña colada made with smoked pineapple, white rum, and coconut, or try the sidecar with Cognac, lemon, triple sec, and fig. On the third-floor roof deck, the drinks are all-new creations, like the Route 15 with Mosto Verde Italia pisco, lemon, cream, egg white, orange blossom, and honeycomb, or the Old Ball Game, with popcorn- and peanut-infused rye whiskey, Demerara, and leather bitters.
The space, as mentioned above, has three floors. The first floor has a bar and casual dining area, with a wall of goods and produce on display. On the second floor is the open kitchen, as well as a chef’s table and the main dining room. Then on the roof deck, there is an additional bar as well as more dining space, with lounge furniture and banquettes. Reservations are available, and hours are Tue-Thu 5:30pm-12am and Fri-Sat 5:30pm-1am. 813 Main St. at 3rd St., Napa, 707-226-7821.
CA’ MOMI has opened a new osteria in downtown Napa (separate from their Oxbow location), complete with certified pizzaiolos and an Acunto Napoli pizza oven. In addition to meticulously authentic pizza, you’ll find a menu from chef and co-owner Valentina Guolo-Migotto that includes antipasti, pasta, and main dishes, all rooted in Italian regional home-style cooking. There is a traditional tortellini en brodo pasta dish, featuring handmade tortellini filled with pork, mortadella, prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and nutmeg, and then cooked in housemade capon broth, or try the polenta con coda alla vaccinara, a braised oxtail stew with tomato, soffritto, pinoli, raisins, and Anson Mills polenta.
There is a selection of beer and wine, as well as cocktails featuring Italian and local spirits. Hours are daily 5pm-10pm. 1141 1st St. at Coombs, 707-224-6664.
