Yountville Dispatch! It pays to sleuth around the wine country, my recent sojourn and dine about revealed a Star Chef with a swoon worthy pedigree at the new restaurant at the little gem North Block Hotel.

Various causes closed the original restaurant at North Block Hotel in Yountville, but they’ve come back with a superb dining upgrade! See my post from last summer – North Block Hotel

Chef Nick Tamburo, joins the hotel’s new restaurant from NYC’s Momofuku, bringing a New York energy to Yountville with his take on refined California cooking featuring locally grown, seasonal ingredients. Rotating with the seasons, the menu features meat and vegetarian dishes infused with raw and smokey elements, in addition to wood fired, naturally-leavened pizzas.

Chef Tamburo, worked at Momofuku for six years, as the executive chef at creative Korean-Italian spot Momofuku Nishi and sous chef at two Michelin-starred Momofuku Ko. Also joining North Block from Momofuku is general manager Andy Wedge, who is emphasizing local wine and classic cocktails.

He is aiming to make good use of a Japanese grill with Binchotan charcoal which is preferred at high-end yakitori restaurants in Japan and a wood-fired oven.

The Yountville restaurant scene is dominated by French leaning California cuisine and is already a foodie mecca – adding North Block with the famed new chef to the mix is a sensational enhancement.

North Block serves dinners inside the chic and stylish renovated interior and on the leafy terrace.

Seafood such as poached rockfish Santa Barbara spot prawns and abalone will be on the menu, as well as wood fired non-traditional sourdough pizza. Chef Tamburo will be adding interesting elements tapping into Asian ingredients including nori or a dash of umami to boost flavors.

Address 6757 Washington Street Yountville.

Interiors by St Helena based iconic designer Erin Martin –