Zuzu, Napa

One of my favorite parts of traveling is meeting new people and getting the inside scoop from them on where they like to go in their hometowns. It’s easy when we visit Ireland; we have friends and family who always have great recommendations, and I think it makes for a more memorable trip.

That’s why I was delighted to meet some Napa-area natives in the downtown Napa Ceja Vineyards tasting room. Over a glass of Bella Flor Rosé, our new friends shared their wine and restaurant favorites for Napa and then actually walked us to the restaurant we decided on, Zuzu. We were definitely not in Boston anymore. . . and it was really nice.

We chose Zuzu out of the many Napa recommendations we were given because a tapas dinner sounded perfect after a day of wine tasting and eating Mexican food.

We were lucky to snag the lone empty table in the festive and bustling dining room. In keeping with the festive mood, I had a glass of Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noir.

Then we chowed down on a variety of tapas.

Roasted Red Beets with Frisee, Walnuts, Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese, Blood Orange Vinaigrette

You can’t go wrong with beets, and this salad was great. Adding more beet salads is definitely one of the small changes I will be making toward better health this spring!

Queso Frito: Pan Fried Manchego with Roasted Poblanos and Guajillo Sauce

Fried cheese, check!

Tunisian Brik Pastry with Dungeness Crab, Organic Eggs, and Spring Garlic

I’ve had the pleasure of eating Brik in Tunisia, and this was one of my favorite dishes at Zuzu. The soft outer pastry enveloped sweet crab and rich eggs.

Traditional Tortilla Espanola

You also can’t go wrong with a classic tortilla. I love to make them, order them when I go out, and most of all eat tortillas. They are the quintessential, must-order tapa for me.

Zuzu ended up being a great recommendation. Small plates meant that we got to share a few different tastes, and on the plus side, the meal was pretty quick which was perfect, considering we were still on East Coast time. I would definitely recommend Zuzu if you are visiting Napa, and I will definitely return, as soon as possible

If you met people traveling from another city, what would be your top restaurant recommendations for your area?

P.S. You have one more day to enter the giveaway to win a $30 gift card to CSN stores and/or to enter to win some gift cards to Boston area restaurants.