Napa on 26

It takes a lot to get old curmudgeons like this reviewer excited, but Napa on 26 has done it. This is one of the best restaurants to appear on the Bangkok dining scene in years. If you are interested in good food and elegant surroundings, you have to put it on your list of places to visit.

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The restaurant is located on the second floor of Nihonmachi, a ‘Japanese village’ next to popular and trendy K-Village on Sukhumvit Soi 26 where it meets Rama IV. When you step into Napa on 26, you enter the bar and lounge area. The first thing to catch you eye will be a dramatically lit wall behind the bar that is filled with sparkling glasses. On the bar is a massive bowl filled with ice and bottles of champagne and sparkling and white wines. There are a handful of seats at the bar and several tables with chairs nearby.

The dining room oozes understated elegance. Soft tans and browns are the dominant color. One wall is faced with sand colored stone; another is filled with wine bottles in temperature controlled ‘cellars’. The remaining walls are dotted with black and white photos of wineries and vineyards. The tables are topped with sand colored linen and an imposing array of sparkling wine glasses. The cutlery is gleaming stainless steel and the dishes are substantial and white.

When asked to describe his food Proprietor/Chef William Schillinger says, “It is European with a California twist.” The California twist means, he adds, “There is an emphasis on fresh and light ingredients and cooking styles that preserve these qualities.”

When I sat at the table, I was served a sparkling Schramsberg 2007 Blanc de Blanc from California; a wine that received a 91 from Robert Parker. Made entirely of chardonnay grapes, it is dry, vibrant and crisp; a perfect way to begin a meal.

A short time later, a small, but elegant stainless steel bowl arrived with a plate containing hot sourdough and whole wheat rolls, along with a tiny baguette – all prepared on the premises. After one bite of my sourdough roll, I knew it was going to be a very pleasant evening.

Although space precludes covering everything I ate, here are some of the highlights. As an appetizer, I had a Napa trio with a bit of Boston lobster, a Hokkaido scallop and a tiger prawn. Each was served with a unique sauce. I was enthralled with the lobster and its butter sauce. It reminded me of how much tastier Atlantic lobster is than the spiny lobster we usually get in Thailand.

As a main course, I had Napa's Strip-loin, a center cut of grain feed Wagu beef with grapes and a Shiraz wine reduction. The beef was superbly done and the sauce a refreshing alternative to what is usually found in Bangkok. I suppose what was most impressive was the fact the beef had been cooked in a frying pan so the little brown bits could be reduced with the wine to create a great sauce – a procedure that is sorely lacking in local steakhouses.

The wine William paired with my steak was Francis Coppola 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Director’s Cut. This California wine from the winery owned by the famous movie director was full-bodied and jammy – a great match with the steak.

The wine list at Napa on 26 is impressive and contains wines from throughout the world, ranging in price from 900 baht for a Chilean chardonnay or Argentinean shiraz/malbec to a Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac 2002 at 28,000 baht and a 2007 Screaming Eagle from California at 80,000 baht. As you might expect given the name of the restaurant, there is an especially good selection from California, including many California wines – like the Coppola Cab – seldom seen in Bangkok. Especially noteworthy is the excellent selection of wines by the glass: three whites, seven reds and a Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc 2006.

A good way to obtain an initial impression of Napa on 26 is to try the Sunday brunch that includes a seafood appetizer, cold cuts, assorted salads, cheese and dessert buffet with an as much as you can eat main course freshly prepared by the kitchen and a free flow of sparkling, white and red wine for only 1500 baht or 850 baht for food only. For the quality of what you get, this is a spectacular bargain; reservations are strongly recommended.

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday when the restaurant is open for lunch, there is a limited and reasonably price a la carte menu, plus three-course set menus at only 500 baht. Napa on 26 has great happy hours from 16.00 to 19.00 featuring sparkling, white and red wine at only 120 baht per glass; for other drinks and cocktails if you buy two you get one for free.

Napa on 26 represents the best in fine dining. Its excellent food, outstanding wines, smart and chic atmosphere and prices that represent great value for money have raised the bar in what constitutes excellence among Bangkok restaurants.

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