43986 Tue Feb 28 22:46:13 -0800 2006 10 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 215865 My husband and I will be visiting the Napa Valley for the first time in April. I've heard good things about Tra Vigne, Catahoula and Bistro Jeanty. I've also heard about Martini House and All Seasons Cafe. We are staying in Calistoga. Which of any of these should we try. We will be in town for two nights. Thanks in advance for any ideas! Tue Feb 28 22:46:13 -0800 2006 0 ashleyrose 1 215868 Catahoula closed last year but Bistro Jeanty is always a great choice. It's a personal favorite of ours. They have a casual, comfortable atmosphere and delicious food. One a sunny day, sitting out on the patio is a true delight. Another great choice is Bistro Don Giovanni which you'll pass on Highway 29 on your way up to Calistoga. Have a great trip. Tue Feb 28 22:53:51 -0800 2006 215865 0 SusanR 2 216467 STOMP has replaced Catahoula in the Mt. View Hotel. Bistro Jeanty gets my vote. te Fri Mar 03 13:07:49 -0800 2006 215868 0 thomas egan 1 215913 tra vigne is a beautiful space/place, but the italian food is inferior to bistro don giovanni. another favorite spot is zuzu in downtown napa - great small plates and wine list in a casual atmosphere. redd in yountville is also excellent - a step above the other places mentioned. Wed Mar 01 08:09:24 -0800 2006 215865 0 glutton 1 215916 As mentioned, no more Catahoula. We too really like Bistro Jeanty, both for lunch and dinner (the menu is the same for both meals.) If they have the fried smelts special be sure to order, they are awesome. Right up the street is Bouchon which is also very good although I think more upscale than Jeanty. If you're an oyster fan, Bouchon has a great raw bar, wonderfully fresh West coast oysters. Marini House is also very good and is a very nice space. Wed Mar 01 10:35:27 -0800 2006 215865 0 Monty 1 215925 We like All Seasons a lot if you are looking for a relatively low cost informal lunch or dinner. We went to Tra Vigne last saturday and was a little underwhelmed. You pay about twice as much as All Seasons and don't get twice as much value. Wed Mar 01 11:56:15 -0800 2006 215865 0 Peter 1 215927 Tra Vigne was mediocre food for the price that they charged in my opinion. The setting is beautiful though Wed Mar 01 12:11:33 -0800 2006 215865 0 idlehouse 1 215936 We loved the food at Bistro Jeanty. We went there for lunch few weeks ago. We started with the tomato soup in puff pastry. It was exceptional and a must-have there. We had the smoked trout over potatoes for appetizers which was good. We ordered the beef stew with mashed potatoes and seafood pasta (a special of the day). Both were very good. We ordered a lemonade which was not very good. There was no sugar. We also ordered some fresh OJ but it tasted like one of the store bought OJ's. With taxes. we paid around $70 for 2 people without wine for lunch. Wed Mar 01 12:36:00 -0800 2006 215865 0 Starzsf 1 216000 Bistro Jeanty is wonderful. Tra Vigne - not so much. Wed Mar 01 15:47:58 -0800 2006 215865 0 Maya 2 216021 Another vote for Bistro Jeanty over Tra Vigne. Just a word of caution: there are a lot of seriously rich dishes on the menu: cassoulet, tomato soup, lemon tart, buttered spinach, and even the huge red mussels. Don't order too much. The first time I ate there I left so stuffed that I was literally in a panic because I thought my stomach was going to rupture. I had to walk through the streets of Yountville for about 20 minutes before I could even consider sitting back down in the car. I love browsing their website (and Jeanty at Jack's) because it plays music from the soundtrack to Amelie. -Nick Link: http://bistrojeanty.com/ Wed Mar 01 16:55:22 -0800 2006 216000 0 nja 1 216429 I would drive south and if I were to stop in St. Helena I would go to Martini House, sit outside if it is a nice day or downstairs if for dinner. In Yountville, I would go to Redd for lunch or dinner. The food and service are very good. Bouchon is another good choice, better for lunch or oysters to start before going to dinner. The room is great if you choose to stay for dinner. If you are going to Napa, have lunch on the river at Angele or outside at Don Giovanni. Enjoy! Fri Mar 03 10:58:40 -0800 2006 215865 0 em