As anyone who has read my blog knows, I am a huge Wine Country/Napa Valley fan. At little obsessed is more like it. Wine Country is like my version of Disney World. I try to visit at least once a year and if I am lucky I get to go twice! During every one of my trips I have intended to dine at the much buzzed about Press and this last trip I finally made it!
Ending an amazing long weekend of wining and dining with a group of friends we booked Press for our final dinner on Sunday evening. Located in St. Helena, Press was opened in 2005 focusing on a predominately steak inspired menu. The restaurant is smart and stylish welcoming its diners into a spacious, high ceiling open dining area. They have a huge long bar and large floor to ceiling windows showcasing outside seating with a feature fireplace. We were seated right in the center of the restaurant at a comfortable table for six.
I will have lots to share on this dining experience but for now I want to focus on one FABulous dish… The Bacon Bar.
BACON BAR DOUBLE-CUT NUESKE’S, WISCONSIN – $6. KELLER CRAFTED APPLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA -$5. FATTED CALF, DRY-RUBBED, CALIFORNIA. $5 – BENTON’S, TENNESSEE – $8 – CANDIED HOBBS, CALIFORNIA – $5. TASTING – $29
We saw the table next to us having something that looked interesting and a little strange with hanging pieces of meat so we had to try it out.
Our waiter brought us five pieces of bacon, which hang individually from a bar, along with a pair of meat cutting scissors. Cut each taste of bacon into six pieces for a bite per person and voila, something really fun and tasty to talk about. After each bacon bite we talked about its saltiness, fattiness, sweetness and spiciness. Hands down our favorite was the double-cut Nueske’s, Wisconsin with its perfect salt to fat and meaty ratio. I personally also enjoyed the Candid Hobbs, California, which tasted like salty, sweet dessert.
If you are visiting Press this is a dish worth trying out just for the fun of it.
