The Restaurant at Meadowood (St. Helena, CA)

The Restaurant At Meadowood
900 Meadowood Ln
St. Helena, CA 94574
Dining date: 1/14/17

I’ve been to the Restaurant at Meadowood once, seven years ago, and had a great meal. Since then, the restaurant has garned a third Michelin star (it had two at the time) and undergone a renovation, although Executive Chef Christopher Kostow is still at the helm. I’ve been wanting to return for some time and finally had a chance over the MLK Day holiday weekend.

Whereas an a la carte menu was available the last time I was here, the dining room menu is now tasting menu-only. $275 (before 20% service and tax) pays for about a dozen courses.

field peas

sunchoke beignet

miyagi oyster, fermented kohlrabi juice

eel smoked over cabernet staves, nori

yellowtail, pumpkin blini, okra caviar

cauliflower, caviar, olio nuovo

crab leg, innards jelly, almond milk

spot prawn pasta with truffle and mushrooms

sturgeon, foie gras, cabbage, chestnut

chicken, whelk, turnip lovage

wagyu ribeye cap smoked in dry onion tops

sheep’s milk yogurt, quince

parsnip and caramelized whey tart, white truffle ice cream

walnutpan black apple

brioche orbs

We had an exquisite meal at Meadowood, no doubt. Did it meet extremely high expectations? Not quite – the food came close but didn’t have that many dishes that ‘wowed’ and the service, while strong, lacked attentiveness at times. The crab dish, with crab jelly and almond milk, was one of the highlights. It didn’t sound like it would work but all the flavors really came together. The parsnip and whey tart was great too, especially when topped with a white truffle ice cream. And of course, it’s always a treat to have A5 wagyu, especially a slice from the ultra-rich ribeye cap. It may be some time, but I’d maybe like to return in the summer to see what’s on the menu during that time of year.