Napa Valley - Terra

Terra is hidden in a brick faced building off a back road in St. Helena (Napa Valley), with warm lights eminating from the arched windows. It is a cozy single room with no more than 15 tables, with the simple and rustic decor of a small, gourmet B&B. The meal began with two appetizers; a hamachi tartare on rice cakes wrapped in seaweed and lobster ravioli. The delicate tartare melts in your mouth and is complemented perfectly by the crunch and texture of the rice cakes. The subtle and refreshing tastes of this appertizer was a great start to the evening. I then took a bite of warm, freshly-made lobster ravioli. The creamy sauce made me want to savor every bite (and then lick the sauce off the plate), and the pasta was perfectly cooked.

For the main course, I had broiled, sake-marinated Alaskan black cod and shrimp dumplings in a shiso broth. The cod was light and delicate. The handmade dumplings and shiso broth gave the entire meal a soothing warm soup feel to it. The shiso had a great soy flavor, which enhanced the flavors of the fish and the dumplings without overpowering them.

My companion had lamb chops on a bed of tomatoes and corn and carrots in a light tomato broth. The lamb was extremely tender, and we later learned that fresh lamb is a specialty of the region that is widely available in Napa and environs. Although the lamb was exactly medium rare, it seemed to have absorbed a bit too much of the broth, giving the entire dish a slight "deconstructed stew" feel. The dish was solid but not spectacular, and my companion identified the appetizers, not the entree, as the clear highlights of his meal.

Every bite of this meal was delicious. If you visit Napa Valley, do not leave without stopping by this place. Everything was very good or better, although the variability from "good" to "amazing" suggests tapping the staff for recommendations might be well worth your while if you find yourself at Terra.