Thread: Ubuntu (Napa) - flattering

Turbology came to town so we rumbled up to Napa in the GT700 for lunch on Friday. Manresa was his first option but the chef wasn't in town. I chose Ubuntu because I thought it would be 'pretty good'; in fact, it was, simply, amazing.

The French Laundry is good but I'd rather eat this meal any day of the week. All vegetables, no meat, and you'd never miss it - the range of flavors in this meal, though mostly light, was remarkable.

Here's the entire meal (ingredients in CAPS are from their own garden):

Cool "forager's chowder" - NETTLE ice and condimento, WOOD SORREL




Tiny D'Avignon Radishes - 'goat's leap' hyku layered with nori, black salt


Crisp Chickpea & Flowering ROSEMARY sphere - stuffed with romesco


2X Shucked PEAS and GOLD SHOOTS in consomme of the shells - white chocolate, CHOCOLATE MINT, macadamia


Six Degrees of FORONO BEETS - hazelnut "soil", avocado, WATERCRESS, rhubarb pickle



Carta da musica, Our crisp Sardinian Flatbread - topped with the SPRING GARDEN, truffled pecorino


Rosecoe's Asparagus, Terrine of Black Trumpets & Brioche - "Virtual Egg" flavored with saffron, SYLVETTA ARUGULA, preserved lemon


"Blood Sausage" Slider - PURPLE VIENNA KOHLRABI stalk frites, violet mustard and CHARD STEM dripping sauce


BORAGE Gnudi in Brown butter with flowering SAGE - preserved SHITAKE, meyer lemon, AGRETTI, and tender SEED PODS


Pane Frattau... An Interpretation of a Sardinian Classic - slow-scrambled egg, three FENNELS, three-day strawberry soffrito


The SPRING FLOWER POT - LAVENDAR custard, bee pollen crumble, rhubarb


Mini Vegan CARROT cupcakes - "cream cheese" frosting, tiny candied PURPLE HAZE CARROTS



Surprisingly, it gets better and better with each visit. A "must-do" if you are into food and in the Bay Area; particularly during this season.

- chuck

Amazing! I have to get back out there soon!

Presentation is exquisite

Thanks for sharing the pics!

wow so much color in their foods. Although, you'd have to tell me it taste like meat and not like culiflower

First and foremost, I must extend a HUGE thank you to Chuck for arranging our fantastic lunch and even more so for picking me up in SF proper and driving (or letting me drive: amazing) to Napa.

Chuck's extensive culinary, cinematic and literary knowledge pale in comparison to his kindness and generosity. I have not had that much fun in a long time. Also, his car is brutally fast, especially after a stop at Infineon for 100-octane.

That said, this meal was all that Chuck said and more. I was at first bummed to be missing Manresa, but this experience at Ubuntu erased even the slightest hint of dismay from my mind. As Chuck said, "simply, amazing."

I would even venture as far as to say that this particular dish was one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life.

2X Shucked PEAS and GOLD SHOOTS in consomme of the shells - white chocolate, CHOCOLATE MINT, macadamia



The flavor combination was outrageous and only intensified by the freshness of the peas. Each bite was like a Crayola color. Quite literally a perfect dish in my eyes.

THANK YOU CHUCK!!!

ONE OF MY FAVORITE RESTAURANTS on this planet!!!!!!

I wanna hangout with Chuck one day.

Originally Posted by Itzkirb

I wanna hangout with Chuck one day.

Truely! Down side is that I'd gain 50 pounds and exhaust my entire income on food....

Originally Posted by Itzkirb

I wanna hangout with Chuck one day.

You really do, he is an automotive gentleman and a culinary scholar.

great stuff Chuck.. how hard is it to get reservation at Ubuntu?

Originally Posted by Turbology

You really do, he is an automotive gentleman and a culinary scholar.

glad you had fun man!!