On MLK Monday, we made a last-minute day trip to Napa with Jason and Jia.

It was Jia’s first trip and this was the perfect day to go since Mirian was already scheduled to come it to watch Kumquat.  So, when Mirian arrived at 9, we took off!  We arrived at Paraduxx for our first tasting at 10:30 am.  Seemed silly to be drinking wine so early but they again, why not?!  It was nice and quiet out on the patio and we tasted a bunch of Zin blends with some tasty cheddar.

Our next stop was Robert Craig, which is where we are wine members.  We all got a free tasting and got some extra pours from our lovely hostess Tia, who really loves her job.  She gave us a nice lesson on the different soil in the area and we had a fun time just chatting-it-up with her.

At Morimoto, we sat down to quite a feast.  In the front, there was a display of really pretty treats made by a little Japanese lady in the front.

The wine finally caught up to Jia and she struggled to stay awake for the first half of the meal. It was pretty funny.  She couldn’t stop smiling and at one point, Jason told her to put her sunglasses on while she got a little shut-eye at the table.  I missed that photo op.

Now, to the food!  We started with two of our faves from last time, the tuna tartare and crudite with anchovy oil.

Then came the ahi pizza, which sounds gross but it was recommended by Tia and it was delicious!  Basically, it’s raw ahi on top of a crisp wafer layered with jalapeno, tomato, and a creamy aioli.  Initially, it’s just tuna that you taste but then all of a sudden the flavor changes into pepperoni pizza!  Amazing.  I think it’s the combination of all the flavors together that does it.  We were skeptical when Tia described it to us but it she was totally right.  Serves us right to doubt someone who makes a living off her sense of taste and smell.

Next up was the 10-hour pork belly over congee.  It was really scrumptious with the sweet and savory mixing together in one bite.

Next was the Mori-cristo.  It came from the late-night menu, which they now serve for lunch and was recommended by our server at the restaurant.  It did not disappoint.

It’s an ahi sammich that’s fried and topped with an egg.  There’s a tasty aioli that they spread inside that brings it all together.  Morimoto is a genius.

I think my all-time favorite of the day was the uni carbonara.  It’s a Japanese twist on an Italian classic and I was so happy.  It was creamy, sweet, salty, and super rich.  The sauce had the flavor of uni and there was a nice piece on top for texture.  This was a tiny dish that all four of us shared but rich enough that we were all satisfied.  I wanted to lick the plate clean.

After lunch, we headed home and were back by 4:30!  Mirian got off early, Kumquat had a fun day at the park, and Mommy had a fun time in wine country.  It was a good day for everyone!