Kenzo Napa is the brainchild of Kenzo Tsujimoto, the founder of Capcom of Street Fighter fame. He wanted to bring the love of Napa Valley wines to his home country so started the award winning Kenzo Estates vineyard.
Missing authentic Japanese Kaiseki cuisine while in Napa, he then opened Kenzo Napa helmed by the 3 Michelin star chef of the restaurant Kanda in Tokyo.
Kenzo, located in Napa, is a serene oasis to Japanese cuisine and our excellent meal was greatly enhanced by the food and wine descriptions of Patrick
📷 Kaiseki Menu $275 / Grilled Shizuoka Fresh Water Eel / Seasonal Hassun ~ blue shrimp, kanagawa octopus, Hokkaido scallop with sweet corn, yukon gold potato caviar, tomato gelée / Yamaguchi Tilefish Owan / Seared Chiba Cutlassfish Sashimi / Chiba Seabass and Green Asparagus Okakiage / Chilled Somen Noodle with Nagasaki Abalone / Slow Roasted A5 Satsuma Wagyu Tenderloin / Chef‘s Sushi / Chef’s Dessert
📍Kenzo (Napa, CA)
Reservations are required on Opentable and dining is all inside with both counter and table seating available. All credit cards including AmEx are accepted.
After eating here, reading some of the reviews makes me upset. I really can’t imagine walking away from this meal and not thinking it was amazing. We eat a lot of delicious food, but this was truly next level—both when it comes to food and service.
There were several bites that blew me away, some deliciously sweet scallop, a rich, oily mackerel with a dot of mustard, and the amazing rice bowl to close. The flavors were complex and simple at the same time, elegant and fresh.
It was my birthday so we also sprung for the reserve wine and sake pairings. It was so worth it—some of the sakes we drank were $400/bottle, and they were unlike any sake I’ve had before, and paired perfectly with each dish.
I can’t overstate how knowledgeable and kind our server was, and how small touches (like a free pour of sparkling wine) for my birthday made me feel special.
Eating here is very calm, almost soothing. It’s quiet, and the food really is the focus. Highly recommend.
