Restaurants

From Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

Wente Restaurant Salad

California fresh meets swamp French.  What’s a new wine country chef for the Wente Restaurant to do when serving 25 goat cheese souffles to a group of food and wine aficionados and some of the souffles fail?  Create a spring mix salad with crumbled souffle served a top local greens.

Wente Chef Arthur Wall was sweating the small stuff at a recent dinner introducing him to the local food and wine media.  He pulled off a flavorful meal, showcasing the Wente Estate wines, paired with local, California fresh ingredients. As with the sustainable vineyard practices, the restaurant is known for its sustainable and organically grown produce.

Arthur Wall

“You can pair spicy food with wine,” notes Wall.  “I’m from New Orleans and my style is a type of Swamp French,” laughs Wall.

Carolyn Wente, a fourth generation family member, says “what draws people to the wine country is a restaurant.  We’re an oasis in the vineyard.” With a 2,000 acre cattle ranch and estate grown olive oil produced from the property, “we wanted the food to reflect what was around us,” adds Wente.

While the Wente family is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2008, the fifth generation is slowly adding its touches to the Livermore winery.  The Wente Restaurant recently earned a top spot in Diablo magazine’s November food awards issue. To make reservations visit www.opentable.com or call (925) 456-2450.

Photos courtesy of Eli Pitta