I had a very tight knit group of friends in London (there were four of us to be exact), and thanks to the wonders of the internet and phones, we’ve still managed to stay close, even though now we are split with two of us in sunny San Francisco and two of us in cold and dreary London. Since we were about to become a threesome with the visit of one of our group, we decided it would be a great idea to rent the biggest car you could possibly imagine (okay that wasn’t the best idea, as the U.S.S. Gaygastronaut was a beast to drive around) and head up to wine country for the day to show her all the awesomeness of the area around our new home. However, when she goes on trips with her family, she’s always the food planner, so she fell a bit deep into the wine country restaurant hole in looking for places to go. (I think she may have made several bookings before finally weaning it down to two places). So for lunch, we landed our carship at The Charter Oak so we could give it a try.
She was drawn to it because one of the owners is three Michelin star chef Christopher Kostow of The Restaraunt at Meadowood fame, and while I have eaten there and enjoyed it, I wasn’t blown away by my experience there. It was good enough, however, to try other restaurants in his group. The venue did not disappoint, as it’s a very grandiose dining area with big wooden tables, a bar, and an open kitchen. There is also some outdoor seating by an outdoor fireplace, and I was in awe at how beautiful it looked. The tables also have drawers in it with all your cutlery and a napkin, so you won’t run out during the course of the meal. (It was very much like when I went to Relae in Copenhagen as they have an identical set-up there.)
They are very into smoked food there, and lots of things jumped out at us on the menu. We ended up ordering the peanut chicken wings, the brie dip and the clams with smoked chicken stock to start. I decided to go for the burger for a main course, and my husband really wanted to try the beef short rib with beets. As I was driving, I ordered the Persian shrub soft drink that they make in house, and my husband went with a cocktail or two (and they were definitely some of the better cocktails we’ve had while we have been out and about).
After the starters arrived, they looked fantastic so we were eager to dig in. The peanut chicken wings were very tasty, but I wish they were a bit spicier. I could see the chili in the sauce, but it really felt like it needed more of a kick for me. The Brie dip was just weird. It didn’t really taste of cheese, or of the roe that was on top. It just seemed to be trying a bit too hard with no flavor payout. I also didn’t really like the clams. There was an odd flavor in them for me (perhaps I just don’t like raw clams), but after having one, I didn’t feel like I needed another.
The mains also looked great. I was quite concerned because the burger patties were quite thin, so it felt like it could just lead to an overcooked burger. And it did. It was still kind of juicy, but a thick patty with the same amount of meat would really be a better option than the two thin patties that they make. It was also supposed to have some sort of jalapeno relish on it. That was basically tasteless. So tasteless in fact, I’m not really convinced they remembered to put it on the burger. It was just kind of bland all around. The fries were also nothing special. The beef rib, however, really was incredibly tasty. I realized I lost the ordering contest when I tried a bite of it, as it was meaty and smoky and actually quite large for the price (considering all the other mains seemed a bit small). It was just a very large piece of meat with a few bits of beets though.
There was also a dessert trolley, but given the state of the main courses, I was really uninterested in staying for something sweet. Honestly, I expected a lot better, but I suppose it did slightly remind me of eating at Meadowood as the food looked great and sounded amazing, but really lacked a good amount flavor. My friend did feel really bad that she brought us all there, but it’s honestly some place I would have wanted to try at some point in the future, so there was no reason for her to feel that way. I really do wish that everything on the menu was as fantastic as that rib, because this would be a completely different review.
Score: 2.5/5
Recommendation: Cocktails and a short rib at the bar are probably your best bet.
Charter Oak
1050 Charter Oak Ave.
St. Helena, CA 94574
I’m sorry the experience was sub-par, but your article sure isn’t! I loved this!
Thanks Jamie! It was great seeing you over the weekend!