Lunch at Ca’Momi – Monday – Feb. 10, 2014

Every once in a while you get the treat of a lifetime, having lunch at Ca’Momi is just that. Getting to know the chefs and co-owners gave me a deeper insight as to why there is food that makes you feel like you just landed in Italy. Ca’Momi has everything, great food, authentic ingredients, and all that is Napa California. This place is a joy to behold.

It was a preplanned lunch menu which gave me a taste of their most authentic menu items. I would not have wanted it any other way!

The wines I tried:

Bianco di Napa – Napa Valley 2012

Rosso di Napa – Napa Valley 2012

Reserve
Ca’Momi Chardonnay Reserve – Napa Valley 2012

Each wine went perfect with each pairing, every wine was spectacular and worth buying them in full bottles!

The Food I tried:

Arancini with Fried saffron Arborio rice balls filled with organic beef and pork ragu, mozzarella and sweet peas. Pretty much a staple in Italian cooking, but this one had a little something extra. The best ingredients cooked with experienced hands!

Baccala alla Veneziana with A classic recipe from Venice: creamy whipped salt cod with crispy polenta crostini. What a treat, you never get this in California, wow I was amazed.

Insalata d’inverno with Treviso radicchio and fennel with organic toasted beets, fresh oranges, red onions, and orange vinaigrette. This dish went great with the ribs, the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.

Linguine al pesto Genovese with Linguine with organic basil pesto, potatoes and green beans. Made so simple, and yet a full explosion of flavors in your mouth, I am speechless.

Spatzle allo speck with Organic flour dumplings sautéed with speck, organic cream and parmigiano reggiano. This is a novel idea for an Italian based restaurant, but who cares, once again, genius!

Costine con verze soffegae with Wood fire roasted baby back ribs with sautéed organic cabbage and organic onions. Who would have thought that you could get baby ribs at an Italian Restaurant, but these are done very special, and not what you’re used to. They were perfect with the salad.

Vera Pizza Napoletana – Margherita with San Marzano DOP tomato sauce, mozzarella di bufala Campania DOP and fresh basil. This pizza is an amazing accomplishment, period end of story.

Ca’ Momi is Michelin Guide Recommended and offers guests a selection of dining experiences including an Enoteca (or wine bar), a full service restaurant with indoor and patio seating, a VPN Certified Pizzeria Napoletana, and a traditional Italian Pasticceria (pastry shop). Ca’ Momi prides itself on its commitment to authenticity, organic sourcing, sustainability, and practicing the rich tradition of Italian cooking.

Because they are Italian, every dish is an expression of their identity, which is “Obsessively Authentic Italian”. They celebrate the preservation of their culinary traditions, preparing straightforward Italian dishes from traditional recipes that feature the pure, natural flavors of the ingredients themselves. They rely heavily on the quality of organic produce, most of which comes from their own gardens.

Ca’ Momi’s dedication to excellence and authenticity has allowed it to become one of only four pizzeria in the Bay Area certified as Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN). This coveted status means that their pizzas meet strict regulations governing every aspect of the creation process, from the tomatoes they use to how they stretch the dough.

Owners Valentina Guolo –Migotto, Dario De Conti and Stefano Migotto, have between them a wealth of knowledge about Italian Cuisine, and all the things it takes to make this Enoteca wildly successful. You can taste their passion in every bite!

The restaurant is in the Oxbow Public Market, and is very unassuming, but it’s just got to be the best Italian food ever. I went to Italy in 2007 and traveled for a month, eating my way through the Italian countryside and Ca’ Momi is no different than being there. They have mastered the art of Italian cuisine and we are so fortunate to be able to taste it here in Napa Valley. It is just worth a trip to Napa to taste this enormously good food, forget the wine tasting! Here you get great wines (that they make as well) and inspired regional cuisine, what more could you want? I will be gushing about this place for a very long time!