Ubuntu: Amazing restaurant alert!
Ubuntu in Napa, California
While in Napa recently, a friend told me about this vegetable restaurant (note: not a “vegetarian” restaurant), so instantly I’m stoked on their doing away with conventional labeling.
The place is called Ubuntu (loosely translated as, “Humanity to others”) and they’re quite savvy about their patrons making reservations, my friend made mention of her two-hour-wait experience there previously, but we did away with logic and decided to just walk in at 7:00pm.
Miraculously, there was a table for two primed and ready to go when we got there.
I quickly learned that Ubuntu is also hip to their carbon footprint. Ranging from their use of recycled wood for flooring and furniture to their own bio dynamic garden, these guys are ahead of the curve. Light years ahead of it, apparently, considering they also encourage all their employees to bike or walk to work. Wow.
Greens N Things
We started with their ‘Greens n Things’ salad which is literally them rummaging around their garden for a wide variety of leaves, flowers, roots and herbs. Yes, I ate flowers as part of my meal. Mind you, there was no dressing to garnish the dish, they want you to experience the flavor of all the greens-n-things with only the accompaniment of a very light oil.
Recording the experience
It was delish! So much so, that I was not the only one to document it…
We followed up with a mushroom bianco pizza with bellwether ricotta (made vegan) trumpets, baby shiitakes and a puree of the trimmings. I wanted to cry it was so good. I felt bad ‘cause I wound up eating ¾ of the pizza, I think my friend saw the joy in my eye and let it slide.
Dessert was a raspberry sorbet with tapioca balls and other fruity goodness that frankly went over my head, but I ate it anyway.
Tack on the fact that there are over 200 wines on hand and that makes this one awesome place to check out whenever you visit Napa for sure!
1140 Main Street
Napa, CA 94558
www.ubuntunapa.com
