Cook @ 1310 Main Street, Saint Helena

SO during the wedding weekend extravaganza, there was wine tasting, wine making and general whining on the part of yours truly that there was no scheduling for fine dining.... (for a non drinker such as myself, Napa can be a bit isolating...)

Fortunately, having been to the region on several occasions, I knew of a local place that served the most excellent Pasta dishes, which in the midst of a drunken stupor, is terribly satisfying, if not falsely sobering.

Cook is a gem of a restaurant; in the midst of all the hob snobbery and high end restaurants, this place has got all of the local vibe with a sense of humbleness that permeates throughout the restaurant and the food.

It seems like Octopus is on every friggin menu, but I'm not complaining...  Grilled Octopus with Fingerling Potatoes, Grapefruit, Red Onions and a saffron Vanilla Bean Aoili.  Octopus cooked to perfection; with the right balance of acid and sweetness.  The Aoli was very subtle, wouldn't have known that it had Vanilla Bean unless someone specifically told me.

I ordered a Risotto for the table; which came with a glorious Fried Egg on top:  Porcini Mushroom Risotto with Tallegio, Frisee and Fried Egg.  Great flavor, but the Rice was just a little overcooked to the point of mushy consistency.  Not Asian rice gruel consistency, but sorta.

I am a big time fan of Cook's Pasta: with hand made noodles and in house ingredients, it's the subtle version of 'locally sourced'; humble yet sophisticated.  This was a hand made Fettucinne with house made Fennel Sausage, Red Peppers in a Chicken Broth with Shaved Parmesean. Sprinkle a little Red Pepper Flakes and it's super yummy.

The heaviest dish was the Cavatelli with Rabbit Porcini Sugo and Shaved Parmesan.  A perfect bite of starch with wild game protein and savory tomato sauce, it was a relief to sooth the gastro-intestinal lining after all the vino we had consumed.

I highly recommend Cook for a light (or not so light) meal.  It's easy to find- right on Main Street in St. Helena; you will easily spot it by the large White Carrera Marble Counter visible through the vitine and I highly recommend sitting there for a casual repast.

Cook
Ambience:    4.9
Food:            5.0
Service:        4.5