Memorable food, open air cozy, memorable Napa afternoon

A celebrated food (and wine!) mecca, Napa Valley may offer more first-class eating, within a compact locality, than anywhere else in California, perhaps America. The town of Napa itself boasts dozens of top restaurants but only one specializes in its own special fusion of Greek-Turkish cuisine, Tarla Mediterranean Bar and Grill. Think blending the best of two of the world's great cuisines.

Our exceptional lunch experience last month clarified why, in this hotbed of foodie havens, Tarla has rightly earned its celebrated, ten-year+ reputation Yes, the service is very attentive, the outdoor seating a model of ease, but what sets this eatery apart are: 1) the delicacy of fresh, mouth-watering dishes, and 2) the culinary mastery of the executive chef/manager.

Food first: we started with the Greek Dip Trio of hummus, baba ghanoush, tzatziki with oven-fresh pita and olives. Everything was smooth and creamy, yet with savory seasoning that embarrasses routine restaurant efforts. Then came my Beef and Lamb Gyro Bowl, starring tender, delicately seasoned meats, with tasty rice and fresh salad. My wife (a former caterer) had a perfectly-balanced Barley Kale Salad with salmon, delighted with the blended sweet/tart balance: wine-poached dried fruit and apple textured by the barley, fresh kale and perfectly-cooked salmon. Our friend loved both her Grilled Vegetable Sandwich and appetizers, thrilled to find a winner in her backyard. If our dishes typify the special fusion of Turkish and Greek food, bring it on.

Second is the innovative palate and exceptional training of chef Kadriye Bashpehlivan, who this day welcomed her guests at the door. She also freely chatted after twice dropping by. Originally from Turkey, until an earthquake disrupted her family’s life, she honed her talents at Napa’s famed Culinary Institute, then returned to Turkey to refine her plate and range before taking over Tarla. Her international grounding, plus excellent professional training, surfaces in every dish we enjoyed.

Fresh local ingredients are essential, but only when cooked with the mastery of a chef who understands how to balance the spirited vivacity of Greek and Turkish cuisines. One senses here are finished offerings by a chef blending innovation with genuine, grounded legacies, a fusion of culinary cousins. We won’t come again to Napa without tasting the other menu delights, recalling a memorable lunch on a memorable, warm afternoon.