The Restaurant At North Block Reopens In Yountville

North Table

Located in the idyllic wine country town of Yountville is The Restaurant at North Block, within the upscale North Block Hotel. The restaurant recently reopened with a revamped food and cocktail program, taking inspiration from the rich, bountiful landscapes stretching from California's valleys to its captivating coast.

In addition to a seasonal menu focusing on regionally farmed fish and locally foraged ingredients, the selection of dishes will be cooked with both live fire and open-hearth cooking techniques. With that comes a new menu of fresh flatbreads that include the Journeyman Mortadella with Cowgirl Mt. Tam, royal trumpet mushrooms and pistachios and the Wild Mushroom with roasted cashews and Point Reyes toma.

From the coast comes a selection of seafood dishes that include a Kampachi Crudo with strawberries and shiso; oysters on the shell with a black pepper mignonette; and a charred octopus with Yukon potatoes. From the valley comes farm fresh salads that include the Summer in the Valley with pickeled green strawberries, summer squash and carrot hummus and the Belifiore Burrata with a citrus marmalade.

North Block Restaurant also features fresh pasta dishes with highlights like the Bolognese with house made tagliatelle and the North Block Ravioli with a carbonara filling and guanciale. Finally, specials include the Fire Roasted Chicken with confit potatoes and thyme jus; California Halibut with Ossetra caviar; and the Aquerello Risotto with Hokkaido scallops.

The new daily brunch offers guests dishes highlighting the freshest produce with popular dishes like the North Block Avocado Toast with Dungeness crab; California Ceviche with coconut water; and the Breakfast Board which features farm egg, pickled red onions, cream cheese, caper and fennel relish, salmon roe and a Model Bakery english muffin.

As for the cocktail program, it’s been refreshed and renewed by beverage titans at West Bev Consulting. The cocktail menu is ecclectic and features flavors ranging from rooted briny and ocean-forward, to light and floral, to earthy and savory. Diners can enjoy cocktails like the Sitka & Shroom with rye whiskey, Armagnac, redwood tip, candy cap bitters, pinecone syrup and lemon oil and Valles Verdes with ginger, serrano, tomatillo, cucumber, gin, lime, mezcal, Flora Green, spearmint and hyssop.

Further emphasizing the community-based ethos of the restaurant are large-format cocktails and a table-side cocktail cart, featuring rotating offerings such as the Sea-Tini — an oyster-infused Sherringham Seaside Gin and Blanc Vermouth served with lemon twists, yuzu-infused roe in a clamshell, and Castelvetrano olives.

North Block

We chatted with David Kurtz, VP of Culinary for Palisades Hospitality Group, about the restaurant inspiration, the seasonality of the menu and more. Here’s what he had to say.

The food and cocktail offerings are a direct reflection of our Northern California coastline and bountiful Napa and Sonoma valleys. We seek out new and established purveyors, supporting our local small businesses as we gather absolutely pristine components to utilize in our menu curation.

We turn to our farmers, ranchers, coastal foragers and local community to instruct us on what's coming and going throughout the seasons. Here in Northern California, I'd suggest we have more than the foundational four seasons. Micro climates and vast changes in weather and temperature patterns offer unique growing conditions in tandem with foraged ingredients from wild, open lands.

We are most excited by the ever-changing offerings from our local, Sonoma Coast foragers and vessels. Fresh, daily caught seafood keeps us sharply tuned into determining the latest menu items.

Brunch for us is more about the community and guests passing through more than anything. Our local residents of Napa and Sonoma Valleys can join us on a Monday or Tuesday and navigate around the crowds of visitors. Simultaneously, guests of wine country can partake in a unique brunch offering whenever in town. In addition, brunch overall is a relaxed and convivial event, a perfect match for Yountville.

We utilize wood fired elements throughout numerous different preparations of our daily menus. These preparations range from small components on a plate to a completely wood burning oven offering. One great rendition is a selection of delicious pinsa, or Roman styled flatbreads, to explore throughout the day.

Brunch Board

Dining at North Block, guests can look forward to a warm and welcoming service paired with exceptionally fresh, unique culinary offerings. We enjoy our refined-casual aesthetic and joining guests on their journey for that evening.

Our cocktail program truly stands on its own, however, features ingredients and techniques that reflect our culinary perspective. Unique ingredients, such as small redwood pine cones preserved in syrup, are highlighted by candy cap mushroom bitters; as unique as the regions that surround us. In addition, we enact a daily traveling cocktail cart that meander throughout the patio and dining rooms.

Golden Hour is our time to slow down and enjoy some fresh oysters, wood fired nibbles and superb cocktails. We implore guests to grab a seat on the patio or by the fireplace and find a moment of relaxation before their exciting evening festivities.

North Block 's revision was one of numerous disciplines. We wanted to instill a refined casualness that guests immediately feel when entering. Polished concrete and raw steel elements are quickly softened with dark green velvet, numerous wooden details and plush, soft seating. A truly indoor/ outdoor space we offer several options to dine, converse by the fire, and enjoy the simply gorgeous North Block property in Yountville.