Norman Rose Tavern

Norman Rose Tavern
1401 First St.
Napa
(707) 258-1516
American Comfort Food
Lunch and dinner daily
Entrées (dinner): $10.95-$23.95
Full bar; excellent wine list
 
 
Come hungry. And make reservations. This place is a popular gem in the heart of downtown Napa. With a casual vibe and friendly service (thank you, Bethany!), Norman Rose Tavern offers a comfortable place to satiate you belly and your senses.
 
Owned by Michael and Christina Gyetvan, who also own Azzurro Pizzeria and Enoteca, the tavern (named after family members) is housed in an old Wells Fargo Bank building. Much of the original structure is paid homage to, including reclaimed wood and the 99 bottles of beer on the wall, which were found during construction. There’s also an open kitchen and a long bar, and lots of beers on tap.
 
We visited in October, so I ordered the “Corpse Reviver” (gin, Lillet, blood orange liqueur and lemon juice)—a refreshing eye opener. We also ordered a spicy Bloody Mary, which didn’t disappoint and had a sassy, peppery rim and house made pickles. Hot stuff.
 
The truffled egg salad and smoked salmon toast (four pieces) was beautifully presented, very fresh and delicious—although a little messy and not recommended for a first date. The fully loaded 5 Dot Ranch beef chili with cheddar, sour cream, tortillas and onion was packed with meat and had a nice heat to it (spice wimps beware). The crisp tortillas added great texture and the sour cream levels off the heat. We loved it.
 
A special salad (specials are on a chalkboard) of endive, baby greens, pomegranate seeds and autumn squash was dressed in a light vinaigrette and had candied nuts that added a sweet crunch to the experience.
 
There are a lot of burgers and sandwiches on the menu. We tried the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich with watercress, red onion and creamy peppercorn dressing. The bread was super soft and the chicken was perfect. It went great with 2012 Hendry Alboriño, a nice crisp white.
 
A hefty portion of “three” meatloaf (pork and beef wrapped in pork belly) is placed atop a mound of red skinned mashed potatoes, then topped with spicy coffee barbecue glaze—all very rich, wonderful and filling. We went for a Lost Continent double IPA from Grand Teton, Id. (citrus, hoppy), a perfect accompaniment.
 
Our side dish of crunchy, roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet butternut squash with hazelnuts and rosemary butter was a great flavor combination, while the truffle and Parmesan fries had plenty of truffle flavor and were an ideal golden crisp with lots of cheese on top.
 
Dessert was “ooey gooey chocolate peanut butter blondie sundae.” It’s a peanut butter cookie slice that’s thick and golden crusted with a gooey center, topped with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate then topped with peanuts. A decadent finish for sure.

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