40 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: EMMA KRUCH / KELLY PULEIO / BOTTEGA NAPA VALLEY Early Girl tomatoes and basil at The Restaurant at North Block. If you want to let the chef show off, opt for the Valley to Coast Tasting Menu. For those staying at North Block, slip into siesta mode back in your room, laze by the pool or curl up on patio furniture at the hotel’s European-style central courtyard. With contemporary décor of warm earthy tones, plus a patio or balcony in every room, and stellar staff, it’s easy to see how North Block earned its two Michelin keys. CUE THE CABERNET What’s wine country without a tasting or two? Expect high-caliber wines across the board at Stewart Cellars, which received recognition for three of its offerings in Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best list of California cabernets this year. There’s something for everyone, from the bold GSM blend with brambleberry notes and elegant tannins to the bright sauvignon blanc with characteristics of lemon and lime. Winemaker Blair Guthrie admits that he avoided working a big sunny patio. Lunch starts strong with pesce crudo, the fish of the day stunningly presented atop a block of pink Himalayan salt and crowned with flowers and microgreens. Another highlight: the Sophia Loren pasta, celebrating the icon’s 80th birthday. It comes with tomatoes prepared {due west} three ways, including a robust sauce reduced down with chicken bones to impart a remarkable depth of flavor. “I describe the sauce like Sophia Loren herself— timeless, bold and full of character,” describes Chef Alex Espinoza. Drawn to all that glitters? Make your reservations at RH Restaurant, a wonderland of chandeliers in a greenhouse-like space brimming with olive trees. Seekers of all things cozy should head to Ciccio for wood-fired pizzas, rustic charm and rigatoni. Meanwhile, admirers of seafood will savor vermilion rockfish highlighted by aromatic laksa soup or lobster tail and chitarra pasta adorned with
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