THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Tastings

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Tastings Restaurant Review:

In a hamlet loaded with swanky, high-end restaurants geared for the wine country traveler, Tastings offers a refreshing, unfussy, neighborhood environment. Every night a new, eclectic five-course tasting menu is unveiled with paired wines offered at an extra charge. The kitchen also offers a small plates menu for those not up to an evening devoted to food and drink. On the tasting menu, a plate of oysters usually begins the meal. Seafood dishes follow, like the grilled Hawaiian butterfish with sweet peas and fruit coulis or smoked mussels doused in Pernod. Duck breast is matched with a foie gras cherry sauce and propped up on a bed of Moroccan couscous while tender Kobe beef is relaxed by a warm potato salad and shaved carrots. The Nibbles Only menu features about ten small plates grouped by the wines that would best pair with them. House-made pastas, like the meaty Bolognese with ricotta gnocchi, are delicious. Not to be missed desserts include a Gravenstein apple crêpe served with caramel and vanilla ice cream. The simple interior room is dressed in sunny yellow walls, local artwork, and an eating counter overlooks the bustling kitchen. Outside, the enclosed patio is decorated with a smattering of potted greenery and tiny lights. Gracious service is at times marred by lack of experience but remains friendly and accommodating. A well-chosen international wine list holds both the expected big names and some lesser-known finds. Bottles are on the pricey side and the by-the-glass offerings are limited to those being paired with the nightly menu.