Ubuntu

Napa, CA

Ubuntu was one of those places I really doubted that I could like. Why? Because it's a vegetarian joint and I'm a meat eater. Well, after enough pressing by Chu-Toro and all the lauded national attention, we decided to give Ubuntu a try. Actually it was a surprise lunch destination and Chu-Toro was shocked I finally caved.  So on a cold rainy Sunday afternoon, we parked behind the quite large restaurant and gave the vegetarian angle a shot. In fact, I think it was the first vegetarian restaurant I've ever been to in my entire life. Upon entering, you notice the high ceilings, the large dining area and the exposed kitchen. There's also an upstairs were the yoga studio resides. If it were located on a skyscraper in NYC, it would be a really cool loft.

Bread and Butter

Chickpea fritter

Marinated Olives

Lavender Marcona Almonds

We began with a trio of small bites, they call them snacks, with a chickpea fritter (piping hot, light and crispy), lavender marcona almonds (an unique flavor combination) and the marinate olives (good). 

Oca

Chu-Toro went with the oca dish. Truth be told, we've never had oca, never heard of it and wasn't planning on ordering it. We asked for a recommendation since most of the menu is difficult to comprehend, featuring vegetables you rarely hear of, and this was the first one that the server offered. Boy, did she nail it. I still haven't had oca outside this meal, but not sure I need to. It was really good here. A simple crunchy, radish like texture, it amazed me that this vegetable was the central ingredient of the dish. The array of flavors and sauces on the plate allowed us to enjoy oca from a number of perspectives. Extremely creative and enjoyable.

Lentil soup

On the rainy day, I went with a safe order on the menu, a lentil soup. It was warm and tasty, but nothing earth shattering like the oca for me. 

Turnips

We decided to go for another round hoping to strike lighting twice. We ordered the turnips with a fondue sauce and the bok choy in an Asian flavor inspired broth. The turnips were good, providing a garden variety of different types and sizes, but the fondue sauce was a bit heavy. The bok choy was pretty good too, but weren't as impressed with the flavor profile. We generally aren't by Asian inspired dishes.

Bok Choy

So, I made it through a vegetarian meal and surprisingly was impressed. I like restaurants that expose me to flavors I've never had before, and at Ubuntu they are able to do this with vegetables. I admit, it's not that filling, and I miss the proteins, but at least for one meal, the variety and creativity behind a dishes outweighed my desire for meats. I haven't been back, but have no problem giving this place a thumbs up.

Rating 7/10

December 13, 2009