in downtown napa? uva is one of those places that makes you feel comfortable, happy and relaxed...sounds like an odd description for a restaurant doesn't it? what about the food? here is what i mean..the food is really, really good, the service..knowledgeable and friendly...the bar..terrific..they have live jazz wednesday through sunday..and there is a good mix of locals and tourists...many tourists i have talked to have commented that they enjoy feeling "like they belong here"..or "this is what it must be like to live here"...uva is that kind of place.
i went there for lunch wednesday with my good friend richard. we had loads to talk about..but i was a bit distracted because i knew i wanted to write about the restaurant in this blog..richard got into it..he even snapped the photos..and the waitstaff was so accommodating they actually brought some of the daily specials to our table just so we could photograph them...i had grand visions of writing a really cool review..i can dream can't i..but i did not want to do the typical.."here is what i ate..and here is what i thought" kind of review... i thought it would be more interesting to have everyone's imagination come into play..you see, i 
found myself totally immersed in just reading the weekly specials menu..the names, the combinations and the ingredients used.... i have written many times about my passion for really good quality ingredients... i was reading in a magazine once about a woman who shared this passion. she said something like.."i would rather invest in quality ingredients than expensive shoes"..i totally understood where she was coming from. anyway, the descriptions of the menu items were so compelling..i thought i would just list them for you. trust me..everything we ate was delicious...but here is a tip..read these dishes..and imagine what each dish would taste like...imagine each vegetable tasting like it was just picked at a local organic farm that morning, everything else..the highest quality ingredient possible...if you are like me, a logical next step would be to buy the ingredients and try to recreate the recipes for yourselves.. and maybe even add your own special twist...if you do..please let me know how they turn out..i will do the same...
found myself totally immersed in just reading the weekly specials menu..the names, the combinations and the ingredients used.... i have written many times about my passion for really good quality ingredients... i was reading in a magazine once about a woman who shared this passion. she said something like.."i would rather invest in quality ingredients than expensive shoes"..i totally understood where she was coming from. anyway, the descriptions of the menu items were so compelling..i thought i would just list them for you. trust me..everything we ate was delicious...but here is a tip..read these dishes..and imagine what each dish would taste like...imagine each vegetable tasting like it was just picked at a local organic farm that morning, everything else..the highest quality ingredient possible...if you are like me, a logical next step would be to buy the ingredients and try to recreate the recipes for yourselves.. and maybe even add your own special twist...if you do..please let me know how they turn out..i will do the same...
oh..and the chef/owner is giovanni guerrera...giovanni..if you happen to read this..and want to share any of the recipes in the comments section..we would be very, very happy.
zuppa-red pepper puree' w/eggplant garnish (i had this..is was fantastic..the eggplant garnish was an eggplant tapenade spread on crostini floating on top...so, so good)
antipasto-flash fried squash blossoms stuffed w/teleme cheese w/zucchini relish and tomato sauce.
pasta-spinach tagliatelle w/grilled portobello mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, toasted garlic, 
pecorino romano.
pecorino romano.
risotto-seared gulf of mexico scallops w/roasted shallot puree', asparagus & prosciutto risotto
pesce-alaskan halibut w/brentwood sweet corn & morel mushrooms, garlic whipped potatoes, zucchini salad garnish.
carne-5-dot ranch skirt steak w/roasted shallot sauce, flash fried fingerling potatoes, torpedo onions, broccolini, gorgonzola aioli.
pizza-fontina cheese, fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, arugula.
dolce-frog hollow peach cobbler w/vanilla gelato
visit their website to learn more about uva and their own commitment to quality ingredients..they even own their own organic farm where most of their produce comes from...and read the stories of the two owners giovanni guerrera and sean pramuk..oh..and, please visit uva next time you are in napa...
uva trattoria & bar
1040 clinton st
napa, ca 94559
707.255.6646
best,
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style"™
Yes, do post the recipes for these dishes, I live in Boston or I would visit the restaurant tonight. I discovered you through the Martha Stewart Everyday Food
ReplyDeletesite. I love your blog!
I have never been to Uva. I will go during my next trip to Napa.
ReplyDeleteI love Uva
ReplyDeleteI was doing a quick search for Uva and came across your post. It was great because I could read it aloud to my stepmom, who has macular degeneration. She and my dad live here and have been there, but my stepmom enjoyed your post very much all the same.
ReplyDeletePlus, my stepmom hadn't really understood until now what "I do", since my dad has read a few posts aloud to her but only from my blogs, not from anyone else's. Thanks for sharing. We'll be dining at Uva tomorrow evening!
I am also enjoying your blog, you Napa dropout, you! I, too, would love any recipes you can get the proprietors to post!
i received a lovely email from the chef of uva today. he has been in italy the past few weeks and just read the blog story. he has sent me a number of recipes..yeah! i am going to try them all..and then post them in a blog story this weekend..stay tuned!!
ReplyDeletehi balanced babe..hello to a fellow blogger..please post your link here in the comments section..i would love to check out your blog...
ReplyDeleteHey Diane:
ReplyDeleteUva is one of our favorite local places and what you said! Good job
Your Uva post captured our feelings of the place. We visit almost every week and have never been disappointed. Don't let too many tourists in on this place though. It is ours.
ReplyDeleteA Napa native
Uva is great. Mustards is nice, too, if loud. But when I come to the valley, we always try to eat at the barber, Bistro Jeanty, shop or at the French Laundry or Bouchon.
ReplyDeleteJeanty does lamb cheeks that are to die for and they know how to make marrow. Yum. We ate there one day for lunch right before going to the French Laundry.
I do miss CA, sometimes.
Sorry to be so late in responding to your "comment back to my comment" / request for my blog URL. :-) I just went to reference this post and found your reply. Here are my blog sites:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mothersbalancingact.com
http://www.whitetrashmom.com (I write there as Tacky Princess, and we just published our first book, the White Trash Mom Handbook, a wry but practical book for moms of elementary school aged kids!)