Mustards Grill: A Napa Original

The first time that we went to Mustard's four years ago, we probably didn't give it a fair shake. We were tired (we had overslept our original reservation) and brought a bottle of wine that was much, much too overpowering for the meal (Shafer Vineyards Relentless, if you're curious...the stuff is so full-bodied that it stains the wine glass). I like chef/owner Cindy Pawlcyn's other restaurants -- Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen and Go Fish -- so I figured that I should give her original joint another shot.

As per usual when dining solo, I went to the bar and grabbed a stool at the cozy eight seat nook which served as the "bar." (The restaurant isn't really in any town, so necessitates a drive - thus, I'm guessing that the bar scene is pretty limited to people like me or those waiting for tables.) I instantly felt more comfortable at Mustards than I did at Angele a few nights ago (post forthcoming).

The bartender, Nick, (actually his name is David, but he seemed more like a Nick...if he wants his own name back, let him start his own blog), instantly offered me a glass of water and some

bread. Perhaps these are just the habits of a bartender accustomed to catering to inebriated wine tasters, but I appreciated the attention. He also bore a slight resemblance to Anthony Bourdain and seemed to have a similar sense of "cool"...but, then again, who doesn't seem cooler when standing behind a bar? The bar is for older guys, as the guitar is for "cool" guys in college. A deft hand at either instantly makes women more attracted to them and other guys envious.

I had planned on simply getting a nice glass of red and a hamburger, but there on the menu I saw an appetizer of Dungeness Crab Cakes with a Chipotle Aioli. In the wake of the great Dungeness v. Chesapeake Blue Crab debate, it seemed only fair to see how these West Coast crabs faired in the crab cake portion of the competition. I must admit that they faired better than their steamed counterparts at the Crab Feed a few days ago. That might be just because I'm a sucker for anything fried (I was quite the chicken finger connoisseur as a youngster), but under the nice layer of breading and pleasantly spiced chipotle aioli, the crab meat itself tasted sweet and rich.

After the crab cakes came a delicious Nieman Ranch beef burger, which was served with some great french fries. Also, while I was waiting for the burger to arrive a local patron who both the hostess and bartender knew by name claimed a seat near me at the bar. Based on the parts of the conversation that I could hear, I'm guessing that this gentleman ate approximately 75-90% of his meals at Mustards. After plumbing the depths of the ramifications of a Republican Massachusetts senator with Nick the bartender, he turned his attention to me. I quickly learned that he too was an attorney (good God, who isn't a lawyer these days!?) who was now a winemaker in the Valley. Although we only had a short and superficial conversation, it is these types of moments that make me love dining at a bar. When I left, I had the feeling the feeling that he was not the only local to make Mustards his "local."

The end result was that this was a much better experience than my first at Mustards and I plan on returning. One of the earliest culinary landmarks in the Valley (it's currently celebrating its 26th anniversary), it has a comfortable wine country feel to it without sacrificing quality. Also, for those looking for a special bottle of wine, the wine list has a number of Napa legends, including several older vintages that would be difficult to find elsewhere. I'd highly recommend it for a casual dinner or a leisurely lunch.