Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Boon Fly Cafe, Napa

The great thing about Napa is that due to the all day drinking and lack of nightlife, I'm in bed by 10pm. But that also means early wakeup and having to find an awesome breakfast place that opens early. Enter Boon Fly Cafe. Located at the Carneros Inn, the restaurant is situated in a red barn building. Yet when you step inside, it looks modern with an all-white interior, hardwood floors, wainscoting, large French doors, high ceilings and exposed ducts. The hotel itself is luxurious, yet seems rather homey and welcoming.

There was already a 25 min wait at 9.15am on a rainy day but we were fortunate enough to grab seats at the counter. Boon Fly also offers complimentary coffee while you wait.

The brunch menu includes various egg dishes and a few flatbreads and sandwiches.

Mimosas and Pom Cooler (Prosecco, Fresh Pom juice, St Germain Elderflower) to start.

When we opted to share our next mimosa between two of us, the bartender served it in these tiny glasses.

Their Bacon Bloody Mary seemed to be a hit in the dining room.

Boon Fly Donuts
You can purchase it per donut (at $1/each) or a dozen at $9.75. Apparently it's really popular, I saw two people walk in to buy a dozen to go.

These are homemade and made to order. The 1st batch that was sent to us weren't fresh or warm so the bartender brought over another batch. It made a big difference. The donut was fluffy and warm inside, with adequate sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on the outside. They are miniature in size so don't feel bad if you want another one, or two more.

Poppa Joe’s Eggs in a Hole, Griddled Artisan Sourdough Bread with Two Fried Eggs in the center served with Hash Browns and choice of Ham, Sausage or Bacon
Eggs in a Hole is a dish with an egg that is dropped into a hole that is cut out of a piece of toast. I opted for the Maple pecan pork sausage which was spicy with a flavoring of Rosemary and sweetness from the maple. The hash was my favorite (I'm a serious carboholic). The crust was crispy albeit a bit greasy, but the hash brown was soft and borderline creamy inside. It was also sufficiently salted.

My first Eggs in a hole was perfect with a poached egg that ran on the toast when broken.

The second toast I had unfortunately had an egg that was more hard boiled. No runny yolk here. Sob.

Breakfast Flatbread with Two Fried Eggs, Bacon, Caramelized Onions and Mozzarella
How can you not fall in love with this flatbread? Runny yolk, Bacon and thin, crunchy crust! They actually ask you how you want your eggs prepared. We went for over easy. The bacon was crispy, not dry but a little greasy. I thought all the flavors combined really well - I really enjoyed the sweetness of the caramelized onions with the salty bacon. I was also relieved that they went light on the cheese.

Ohlone Smoked Salmon with Fromage Blanc, Red Onion, Parmesan and Lemon Sour Cream
There was a generous topping of salmon which paired well with the citrus sour cream. The flavors were further enhanced by the saltiness of the Parmesan and the sharpness from the red onions.

Brunch at Boon Fly Cafe was a delight. I really enjoyed the meal especially the donuts, eggs and the breakfast flatbread. The food could have been a touch less greasy but perhaps that works for a great wine hangover. This seems like a great place to spend the weekend: staying at the quaint Inn, brunching at Boon Fly and spending the rest of the day at neighboring wineries (Domaine Carneros, Bouchaine).

Hits: food, ambiance
Misses: a bit greasy, waits can be long
Rating: ***

Boon Fly Café
The Carneros Inn
4048 Sonoma Hwy
Napa, CA 94559
(707) 299-4900
www.thecarnerosinn.com/thecarnerosinn/restaurant_boonfly.aspx

3 comments:

Banana Wonder said...

hah! i love the idea of eggs in a hole. i kind of want to make my own at home. good times in napa. can i come with you next time?

Diana said...

I am feeling oddly hungover from the two glasses of wine I had last night, so my mouth is watering over the mention of grease.

My waistline is so screwed right now.

stuffycheaks said...

Anna & Diana - We should plan a Napa trip.. 2011 :) lots of wine, and lots of food.