The Napa Valley has more than its share of Italian restaurants, so the addition of yet another might easily elicit a shoulder shrug. Yet, Violetto is different. Offering the only prix fixe, fine dining Italian experience in the region, Violetto delights with a culinary presentation not readily found in wine country. Located within the classic Georgian mansion that fronts the modern aesthetic of St. Helena’s Alila Napa Valley, Violetto—in the space that was once Acacia House—elevates the local dining scene with the expertise of its culinary team led by Michelin-starred Chef Thomas Lents. Lents introduces a refined approach to Northern Italian cuisine that highlights Napa’s own local ingredients. His seasonal menus are unique, and uniquely delicious, and his generosity seemingly knows no bounds.
Dinner guests can choose from a four-course prix fixe menu, or a more indulgent seven-course tasting menu. But be pleasantly aware; both come with tasty small “gifts” from Lents, making it likely that those with lighter appetites will require their final desert course “to-go,” for later enjoyment. Either option—the four-course is $105, and the seven-course $145—is a true culinary steal, as are the wonderful and thoughtful old and new world wine pairings—$45 and $65 respectively.
“The diverse inspirations I’ve drawn from, including the esteemed chefs I’ve had the privilege to learn from, have all contributed to shaping my own unique culinary narrative.” Thomas Lents
Chef Lents brings more than 20 years of world-class culinary expertise to Violetto. He previously served as executive chef of Sixteen in Chicago, which earned two Michelin stars, five-diamonds from AAA, and five-stars from the Forbes Travel Guide under his leadership. He was a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for “Best Chefs Great Lakes: 2015.” Prior to Sixteen, he worked in several Michelin-starred kitchens, including The Mansion, Joel Robuchon’s three-star restaurant. Lents is famously the first American Robuchon ever hired for a chef position. He has also worked alongside culinary greats including but not limited to Michael Tusk of Quince San Francisco and Jean Joho of Everest Chicago.
“The diverse inspirations I’ve drawn from, including the esteemed chefs I’ve had the privilege to learn from, have all contributed to shaping my own unique culinary narrative,” says Lents. “My culinary journey has been greatly influenced by the rich traditions of Italian and French cuisine, as well as the bountiful local ingredients of California.”
The four-course prix fixe offers a choice of four options within four categories: To Begin, Pasta, Main Course, and Dessert. Each of the 16 total items on the menu is seasonal, classic, and yet modernly inventive. Between the two of us, my husband and I experienced eight dishes, each delicious, and each Instagram post-lovely. Particularly tasty was my To Begin course of Fennel Misticanza ala Tonnato (fennel salad with tuna crudo) and my Pasta course of Risotto di Carnaroli Stagionato con Zucca e Tartufo (pumpkin risotto with burgundy truffle), so scrumptious as to have satisfied as a dessert option. The pasta choice was a tough one for me, relayed to Chef Lents by my intuitive waiter, and thus, a small bite of the Bucatini ai Ricci di Mare con Alga e Peperoncino (Santa Barbara sea urchin bucatini) appeared, for which my tastebuds were grateful. The seven-course menu is a set offering, allowing little wiggle-room except for allergies or restrictions, yet, inventiveness such as Uova Stapazzate con Granchio (Dungeness crab shirred eggs with shellfish cloud and caviar) is not to be missed.
Those who’ve previously dined at Acacia House will find Violetto’s dining room to be a bit more welcoming after a remodel by famed international design house Yabu Pushelberg. Warm, earthy tones, clean lines, and luxurious textures create the same comfortable yet sophisticated atmosphere that is found within Alila’s also Yabu Pushelberg-imagined guest rooms and suites where neutral palettes and floor-to-ceiling glass walls create soothing havens for relaxation. Many rooms are poised towards the close-enough-to-touch vineyard and the views are enchanting. Of the 64 rooms and suites, several feature terrace fire pits that provide the most ideal setting for enjoying a glass of wine, and a handful have outdoor soaking tubs. Just steps beyond St. Helena’s quaint downtown district, the three acre resort is anchored by a central lawn, a heated pool, and a large fire pit framed by the Mayacamas mountains. A state-of-the-art fitness center overlooks an oak tree-studded creek and is the perfect spot to work-off your indulgent Violetto meal.
Violetto also serves breakfast and lunch daily. Lunch features both an a la carte menu and a rotating three-course prix fixe option currently at $45. An a la carte dinner menu is offered in the Violetto Lounge.
The final weeks of the year bring special menus for Violetto’s Christmas prix-fixe lunch, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day brunches. From December 17-24, guests can indulge in a ‘Feast of Seven Dishes and Some of Which Are Fishes,’ a luxurious take on the traditional Italian holiday tradition over seven nights. Each evening, a new dish debuts, culminating in a grand finale on December 24. New Year’s Eve tasting menu dinners also feature the ‘Feast of Seven Dishes and Some of Which Are Fishes,’ a nod to tradition and a Hanukkah-inspired celebration on January 2, honoring the history of Jewish and Italian cuisine.
To book your Violetto reservation, visit: https://resy.com/cities/st-helena-ca/venues/violetto.
Photos courtesy of Violetto and Alila Napa Valley