Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/648009
on the menu come from Michael Passmore of Passmore Ranch in the Sacramento area. Kunk has been a fan of this unique freshwater program since its inception. "Michael [Passmore] works insanely hard on what he's feeding the fish and the water system he's devel- oped around them. Instead of being confined in muddy and murky conditions, these fish are living, breathing and moving through clean waterways that allow them to have great lives and taste fresh the moment they arrive at Press." For those looking for more intensive culinary experiences, the restaurant offers a nightly tasting menu with an option of wine pairings done by star sommeliers Kelli White and Scott Brenner. "e tasting menu keeps us on our toes and allows us to be creative with what's available from the estate properties, local farms and the meat, fish and poultry purveyors we work with throughout the year," Kunk says. Past the stylish appeal of the main dining room, the oh-so inviting fireplace and the relaxing 2,100 square-foot patio behind the building, the purity of these flavors is available at the lovely walnut counter and small, intimate setting of the bar area at Press as well. Along with being able to enjoy noble offerings from the res- taurant's extensive wine collection, local beers, engaging cock- tails and à la carte items from the main menu, guests at the bar can also choose specialties from the Raw Bar and Bacon Bar, fresh salads, sandwiches, the classic Press cheeseburger with pickled mayo and bacon marmalade and the popular steak frites with chimichurri and Kennebec potato fries. But when you ask wine pros and local characters who fre- quent the bar about their favorite selections from the menu, its common to hear mention of the "Carrot Hot Dog," a creative interpretation made with a braised carrot, salt, pepper, honey, spices and topped with pig's head chili made with heirloom tomatoes from the farm, lamb neck mole or other ingenious culinary delights based on the season. "e goal is to not cover up the flavors of the carrot, but to wake them up a little bit," says Kunk, with a smile. "In the end we want to be approachable and welcoming to everybody," says General Manager Spencer Weiss, who worked at highly acclaimed restaurants Town, 202 and Rouge Tomate in New York City before joining the team at Press in 2013. "at means not just visitors from outside the area, but locals as well." Oscar Henquet, Managing Director of the Rudd Group, which also oversees operations at Press, Oakville Grocery, Rudd Winery and the Rudd Foundation (an organization that plays a major role in local and national charities), has been impressed with the amiable mixture of energy, creativity, and inspiration Kunk brings to the staff at Press. "Today we feel the restaurant is encompassing on all lev- els—from food and wine to service and finishing touches that make people feel so happy they had dinner at Press. So when you add in the new mixture of fresh local ingredients, we feel we are achieving greatness on all levels." Rudd Farm egg. Napa Valley 4H pig coppa, steamed celery root, fermented cabbage. w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 6 | 1 0 1