May You Celebrate Your Wins... Big & Small 🎉

Dear Friends,

April has come and gone, and May is here! I'm so thankful for all that has happened in the last month! Napa Café's 25th anniversary was one to remember, and it's not over yet! This month's newsletter has a lot in it, and I hope you enjoy every bit!

In case you missed it, I spoke with The Commercial Appeal last month about Napa Café's 25th anniversary, what the restaurant means to me, the passion I have for serving all of our guests, and the purpose I've found in given back to our community. I loved getting to talk about how much Napa Café means to me and our guests! If you haven't had a chance to read the article, you can read it in this newsletter! Something special for this newsletter is a look back over the last 25 years and the story of how I almost gave up on Napa Café a few years ago. Keep scrolling for that insight.

May is National Salad Month, and you know we love a good, fresh salad! This month, we're bringing back a favorite summer treat: our Watermelon Salad! We're also bringing back our fan-favorite Crab Cakes as part of our summer menu.

Don't forget - if you're planning a rehearsal dinner, reception, birthday, or another life milestone, consider our spacious and versatile dining rooms that comfortably seat up to 65 guests. Jazz Nights with Alphonso Sanders returns May 12-13 and May 19-20, but if you would like to dine in a quieter space, you can request a quieter dining room!

If you've recently dined in or ordered delivery, we'd love for you to share your dining experience with us by posting a review to our OpenTable or Facebook page!

Here's what you can look forward to in this newsletter:

Commercial Appeal Article on Napa Café's 25th Anniversary
Hastings' Hindsight
Hastings' Healthy Habits
Recipes of the Month
Dishes of the Month
Thank you for Dining with Us!

We look forward to seeing you for dinner soon!

Cheers!

Glenda Hastings and the Napa Café Family

Commercial Appeal: Napa Café's 25th Anniversary

Hastings' Hindsight

Twenty-five years of anything is a big deal but for a fine dining restaurant, it’s almost unheard of… well, at least from what everyone tells me. I am very grateful to Jennifer Chandler for calling me for an interview for her latest dining column. We spent a couple of hours together and her questions helped me reflect on the past two and a half decades... stories I rarely get to think about on a regular basis. I hope you enjoyed the article, learned more about how Napa Café started, and got to know me a little better. It’s good for you to celebrate and recognize achievements from time to time, and I am very grateful for this milestone.

And to think, I almost didn’t get here.

It’s hard to even imagine when I think about this now, but 10 years ago, I almost walked away from Napa Café.

A throwback here! This is a picture I took on my official first day as owner of Napa Café. I had just gotten back from a whirlwind trip to Napa Valley in California, so I was exhausted, ecstatic, and full of hope!

Two and a half decades later, I am just as enthusiastic as I was on day one, but now I am full of experiences and wisdom that propel me forward in my love for this restaurant.

Even though I didn’t grow up watching or reading any fairytales, my tenure at Napa Café certainly mimics one. I started off on top of the mountain singing gleefully, excitedly. Even though there were challenges for me, the first 5 years were filled with fun, joy, and triumphs. It was glorious. But somewhere in the middle it felt more like climbing a steep, muddy mountain with 10-pound cement blocks on each foot. I thought the restaurant was the problem. Even though I have never shied away from a challenge or obstacle, at one point that’s all Napa Café seemed to be for me. For years I endured, hoping it would eventually turn around. Well, it didn’t turn around until I fully took command and turned it around. As it turns out, Napa Café wasn’t the problem. I was.

I remember it like it was yesterday. The year was 2013. Everything flipped 180 degrees. I woke up one morning and realized I wasn’t satisfied with one darn thing in my life. Nada, nothing. How on earth did I get here? I’ll tell you how. I was surrounded by people and situations that were not supporting me and uplifting me, and these circumstances influenced my decision-making. I had no idea people could be in your boat rowing along with you only to discover they were rowing backwards, making me realize the reason I wasn't moving forward. I prepared to renovate the dining rooms at Napa Café, but I realized I was also renovating my life. I started letting go of people, obstacles, circumstances, and situations that no longer served me in the best capacity.

I did it lovingly, deliberately, and most importantly, silently. I was determined to do it my way without being influenced or swayed by anyone else’s opinion. I knew exactly what I needed to do. Even though I was rocking the boat I kept it steady and stayed the course.

I am so glad I did.

The only reason I want to share this story now is that I hope this little part of my story may help some of you - even if only one of you - along your journey in this life. The big thing may not be problem. Who is surrounding you? Who or what is influencing you? As soon as you start cutting ties with the things creating choppy waters for you, the sooner you will become more buoyant. This has been one the biggest lessons of my life and one of the biggest blessings, too.

I have loved Napa Cafe from day one and through the rough seas. This place is pretty much another appendage of me (attached to my heart no doubt), and you can’t think of one without thinking of the other. We are one. That’s just fine by me, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

But, most importantly, I would not be here without my wonderful guests and dedicated employees. All of you have inspired me, supported me in every way and have been my biggest teachers. Thank you for so many wonderful experiences and memories.

My heart is full!

Hastings' Healthy Habits

It’s always a good idea to bring healthier habits into our lives. In order to do that, you may need to make room by letting go of things that no longer feel good or no longer influence your life in a positive way. Some things are easy to pinpoint. Other times, it’s something you haven’t seen because it’s very close and very big, and you may often choose to ignore it. Why not start there?

If you are looking for a fresh start or you want your life to feel easier and breezier, then what are you waiting for?

Cut that crap loose.

Recipe of the Month:

Bronzed Yellowfin Tuna with Moroccan Caramelized Onions, Whipped Cauliflower, and Marinated Lentils

This dish is a current special that everyone loves! I’m putting it in Joy Bateman’s,

"Art of Dining" book, so I thought I’d give our guests a sneak peek!

Below are the recipes for each part of this dish, followed by how to plate it to have a bit of Napa Café in your own home!

Bronzed Yellowfin Tuna

Ingredients:

5 oz Yellowfin Tuna
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp granulated garlic
3/4 tsp granulated onion
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Add all ingredients to bowl and mix well.
Cut tuna into a 5 oz portion. (Your fish monger will do this for you at the market. )
Press all sides of tuna into seasoning.
Heat pomace oil in skillet. Add tuna to skillet and sear on both sides to make a nice crust and cook until your desired temperature.

Whipped Cauliflower

Ingredients:

Two 2-pound heads of cauliflower, cored and separated into 2-inch florets
2 cups heavy cream ( not too much so it’s not too thin or runny)
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
Salt
Dash of nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325°.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the cauliflower florets until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well.
Spread the cauliflower on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 5-8 minutes, to dry it out. Do not allow it to brown.
In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream with the butter and bring to a simmer over moderate heat just until the butter is melted.
Working in batches, puree the cauliflower in a blender with the warm cream mixture. Heat in sauce pan to serve.

Moroccan Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
Pinch red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan.
Add the onions, sugar, cinnamon and red pepper flakes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
Stir in a few tablespoons of water and the vinegar.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the mint and chopped parsley just before serving.**

** Keep at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.

Marinated Lentils

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups black lentils
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 stalk celery
1 small bundle fresh thyme
1/2 carrot, peeled
1/2 fennel bulb
1/2 red onion, peeled, root end left on
Kosher salt

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine the lentils, bay leaves, garlic, celery, thyme, carrot, fennel, red onion and a good amount of salt. Add water to the pan until it covers the ingredients by about 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cook until the lentils are soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Ladle off 1 cup of the lentil-cooking water and reserve.
Remove all the vegetables and aromatics from the lentils and discard. Drain the lentils.