chef’s table
FRESH FOCUS
Bistro Napa sources locally whenever possible.
WRITTEN BY DORESA BANNING
PHOTO BY SEN SAELEE
It’s all in the name, and Bistro Napa is no exception. This casual, fine-dining restaurant in the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa serves contemporary, Napa Valley-inspired cuisine — fresh, quality food — that pays homage to dishes from various regions while sourcing local ingredients whenever possible.
Popular among locals and tourists, the restaurant serves traditional dishes with a twist, such as the Colorado lamb chops with a pistachio crumble, smashed Yukon potatoes, and a pomegranate port-wine reduction. Bistro Napa’s raw seafood bar — with its shrimp-mango ceviche, oysters, and steamed clams sourced from the Pacific Northwest — draws lots of fans. For dessert, two favorites are fresh-made fondue donuts, served with four dipping sauces, and the chocolate burger, a clever creation worth a look.
“The food is unique and fun,” says Chef de Cuisine Clay Slieff, who regularly attends the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley. “It allows me to be extremely creative.”
Diners pair dishes with selections from Bistro Napa’s 4,000-bottle wine cellar or innovative cocktail list.
Local Sources
To achieve and maintain freshness, Slieff and his team of 10 lead cooks prepare all foods and dishes daily and obtain ingredients locally when feasible. The farm-raised oysters and clams come from Oregon’s Penn Cove Shellfish, spending a maximum of 30 hours out of the water before they’re served. Most produce comes from LA & SF Specialty Produce, which sources from 14 specialty and organic farmers, and Bonanza Produce Co. in Reno.
If local farmers and suppliers could provide the great volume of food Bistro Napa needs, chefs would buy from them more often, says Bob Katausky, Atlantis’ executive chef of 23 years.
When sourcing smaller quantities, though, such as for the property’s Spirited Dining Series, chefs procure produce from regional farms, such as Lattin Farms in Fallon and Winnemucca Farms in Winnemucca, and even from Reno farmers’ markets.
“We have the small, independent restaurant mentality within a large property,” Slieff says. “We want to be experimental and make people say, ‘Wow.'”
Doresa Banning is a Reno-based freelance writer and editor who wants to try Bistro Napa’s Grand Marnier Chocolate Brownie Sundae and other creations.
Resources
Bistro Napa
Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, 3800 S. Virginia St., Reno
www.Atlantiscasino.com/dining/bistro-napa
775-335-4539
Open 5 – 10 nightly
Recipe
Stove-Braised Chicken with Fresh Herbs and Tomato Cream
(Executive Chef Bob Katausky created the recipe with Bistro Napa and edible Reno-Tahoe readers in mind. He says it took 10 minutes to prep and about 30 minutes to cook. It serves 3 to 4 people)
6 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 ounces olive oil
8 garlic cloves (peeled and sliced)
8 large white mushrooms (quartered)
12 pearl onions (lightly blanched and peeled)
8 ounces white wine
1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce
8 ounces heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken thighs until they are brown on both sides. Add garlic, mushrooms, and pearl onions and continue to sauté another 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables are golden brown. Add white wine, sugar, and fresh herbs and deglaze the pan by scraping browned, flavorful bits collected on bottom. Add tomato sauce and heavy cream. Bring to light boil, and then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Season dish to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over fresh pasta or rice.
