Auberge Du Soleil
 

Would you celebrate your 25th at this restaurant??? The French Laundry will be closed, at the end of July.

I have dined there on several occasions and have usually found it very nice. It wouldn't be my second choice next to The French Laundry though.

Bistro Jeanty, Bouchons, Domaine Chandon would be better choices

I would go with Domaine Chandon with their wonderful sparkling wines and great French food. I think Auberge is just a bit over the top. Bistro Jeanty would be my second choice and there's a new one called Martini House, but we haven't been there. Enjoy.

I would find the menu at Bistro Jeanty to be too heavy for summer in Napa.

Just returned Sunday night from Napa. I would highly recommend the Martini House, Bouchon's or Terra -- we had wonderful experiences at each. We had drinks at Auberge which I would recommend because you can sit outside and watch the views as the sunsets. Although I am sure the food is wonderful, I took a peek in the dining room and found it to be a little tired and in need of refreshing....

Like most restaurants, you need to keep abreast of who the chef is to determine what to expect. In Napa Valley, there is a revolving door at certain establishments, so advice from a past dining experience might not reflect the current quality. My experiences at Auberge have varied over the past several years, but the latest chef, Richard Reddington, prepares a great menu. He tutored with Wolfgang Puck and others and is best with fish, foie gras, chocolate and sauces. <BR><BR>Other high class meals can be found at La Toque (one of Wine Spectators "Top 20" restaurants in US) and Domaine Chandon.<BR><BR>Just a word of caution on advice from this board. There are a lot of "30 Somethings" who frequent it, and prefer McDonalds and white zinfandel. They whine about prices and their tastes are undeveloped, but they offer advice as if they are experts. Bottom line: if they can't afford it, they should just stay away from Napa Valley and go elsewhere, thus reducing the crowds.<BR><BR>

Edward is a 20 something snob. <BR>P.S. This comes from a 40+ year old.

I would avoid Auberge Du Soleil at all costs if the Chef worked and trained with Wolfgang Puck. <BR>Domaine Chandon or Bistro Jeanty would be much better choices.

Edward sounds a bit pretentious. Since I'm well over 30 and think I have pretty good tastes, I could also recommend Domaine Chandon as a lovely alternative spot for 25th anniversary - consistently excellent food and an intimate atmosphere. I've eaten at Aubege du Soleil several times and have found it to be generally very good, but at times somewhat inconsistent. Given what they charge, its a shame to be disappointed. However, because of its great views of the valley, its also a great place to stop and have drinks early in the evening. I recently ate at Martini House in St. Helena and have eaten at Bouchons several times. The food at both is quite excellent, but the atmosphere is not what I would call particularly intimate for a special occasion such as an anniversary. If you are just looking for a great meal, either would be quite good. Bistro Jeanty also has wonderful food, but is definintely a very casual, fun type of place. For people touring the Napa Valley, I would recommend it without any hesitation. However, it is not somewhere I would go for an anniversary.