When you first walk into Napa Cafe, the first thing you will probably notice is the decor; vibrant and lush, this restaurant is just saturated with color, including a ruby red carpet. You will probably also see classically dressed servers in crisp white shirts and black pants, and and it will probably be fairly crowded. Napa Cafe is a popular weekday ladies luncheon spot, tucked in an unassuming strip mall off the main thoroughfare. I recently dropped in on a Friday afternoon to have lunch with a colleague.
I started out ordering the summer squash soup; I really appreciate when restaurants take steps to address seasonality with their ingredients and preparations. The soup was light and delicate, garnished with a spoonful of crème fraîche and snipped chives. It would have been perfect with a touch more salt.
For my entrée, I chose the ham and apple sandwich, which is definitely a play on the idea of pairing savory items with sweet items. The sandwich was served on herb ciabatta bread and came with sweet potato chips. The ham was a bit too salty, and the sweetness from the apples could not quite counterbalance the ham. The sweet potato chips were crisp, tasty, and not at all greasy.
For dessert, I tried to order the buttermilk pie (a creamier version of cheesecake that doesn't necessarily have to be served cold), but they were out of it. I had to "settle" for the Ghiradelli chocolate paté, a rich, creamy, piece of chocolate heaven. It is served with strawberries and fresh whipped cream, and it is sinfully delicious.
Final Impressions: The food was really quite tasty, and our service was impeccable. They have an excellent wine list (Then agan, what would you expect from a restaurant called Napa Cafe?) If you're not forty-five or older, then you probably won't see anyone your age dining at Napa Cafe during the lunch rush. However, the dinner crowd is a bit more eclectic. I would recommend this restaurant to those looking for a romantic night out, or a lunch date with the girls.
Tiffany's Favorite Part: Chocolate Paté
Tiffany's Rating: :) :) :) out of :) :) :) :)
Napa Cafe
5101 Sanderlin Ave, Suite 122
Memphis, TN 38117
(901) 683-0441
Average Soup/Salad Price: $5-$13
Average Sandwich Price: (Lunch Only) $8-$10
Average Entree Price: (Lunch) $10-$13 (Dinner) $18-$30
Average Dessert Price: $6-$8
Operating Hours
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:00am-2:00pm
Dinner: Monday-Thursday 5:00pm-9:00pm
Friday and Saturday 5:00pm-10:00pm
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