Chomping Ground // Napa: Morimoto Napa

Photo: Eater SF, Peter Hopper Stone

Morimoto Napa

610 Main Street

Napa, CA 94559

tel 707.252.1600

www.morimotonapa.com

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I was completely speechless and amazed at the quality of the food here, the inventiveness of the dishes, and the overall presentation and attention to detail of every aspect of the dining experience. It was such an incredible, 2 1/2 hour dinner that felt like one of those rare (and expensive) indulges you definitely don't have every day. 

You may know Chef Morimoto from his stints as one of the Iron Chefs from the Food Network. I was familiar with his name, his brand, and his celebrity but I never tried his food until recently. The photos here are some that we took from our meal, which was a much better experience overall since I dined with about 5 other people. 

Going in a large group is key, so you can try a little bit of everything. Morimoto Napa excels in their small bites, appetizers, and definitely their sashimi. I was a bit underwhelmed by some of their main courses as their efforts seemed to be concentrated on their appetizers, especially the Cold Appetizers we were able to try: the Toro Tartare, Yellowtail 'Pastrami', and their most amazing Lamb Carpaccio.

We were also able to sample some of their Hot Appetizers: Oyster Foie Gras, Spicy King Crab (SO GOOD), Kakuni, Morimoto Bone Marrow, and Melon Tempura (which was my favorite and most amazing thing I've ever tasted). 

The most interesting dessert I had was Chef Morimoto's take on the classic Korean bibimbap, which he turned into a creatively gorgeous sweet dish instead of a savory one. He topped a sushi rice pudding with cubed papaya, mango, and other tropical fruits. In addition, he added a yellow mango custard in the shape of an egg yolk - a classic staple of a bibimbap. Visually, it was beautiful and it was the perfect end to the most amazing meal.