Napa Valley Wine Train: A gourmet food train ride with destiny

The locomotive, unhiched, to change direction.  Jim Barrett

The crisp Napa breeze flows through you as you board your train. You step on and take your seat and your train ride with destiny begins. Celebrating 20 years of service, the Napa Valley Wine Train is an escape from the ordinary. As you walk the hall ways of lavishly restored railcars your reminded of what’s really important in life. No cell phones or blackberries to distract you just the mysterious landscape and the sway of the rail car.

• See great photos from the trip

Time seems to  move backwards as you walk the corridors your mind echoes full of forgotten memories. The Napa Valley Wine Train is a real find for the galloping gourmet. The vineyard views and the sounds of mystery dinner theater provide another dimension to this multi-sensory experience. There are a host of different packages for the different budgets and tastes to choose from. The vintage dining cars carry an air of sophistication and elegance from a forsaken time. Dining is included in some packages you can also order a la carte as well. Feeling the landscape travel beneath you is an overindulgent experience that makes every bite all the more special.

Executive Chef Kelly Macdonald joined  the Wine Train in 1993 and uses only the freshest ingredients. Assuming the role of Executive Chef in 2001, he uses no chemical or homes and everything is freshly prepared and made to order.

The hor dourves were flavorsome and just the right portion. The shrimp and smoked salmon was brackish with a touch of sweetness and the  tender vegetables melded with the flavors nicely. The baby lettuce salad with candied walnuts and honey cider mustard vinaigrette was delicious. The smoky zest of the goat cheese was house smoked with a cherry wood smoker. The honey cider vinaigrette dressing was savory and tangy and the homemade candied walnuts add a caramelized dimension of texture to the dish. The roasted beef tenderloin was extremely tender and there was just enough syrah sauce to allow the flavors to meld together. The vegetables were crisp and  the rosemary potatoes were very tasty. The grilled pork tenderloin was tender and juicy.

The farm raised grilled salmon was gloriously not too dry and perfectly cooked The nuttiness and the creaminess of the saffron parmesan and the generous serving of crabmeat ride quo salad livens up your taste buds. The sauce was subtle and tasty and it increased the dynamic of the dish.

Jim Barrett

The chocolate tiramisu truffle with chopped almonds and cocoa powder was sinfully decadent. The desert contained a thick shell of tasty chocolate with a ultra moist and tender tiramisu inside.  It was light and luscious and surprisingly gone in a few bites.

Pumpkin crème Brule that was halfway caramelized was a nice twist on an old idea. The crunchy shell was perfect and the spicy seasoned pumpkin filling was reminiscent of a pumpkin pie. Yummy.

The Napa Valley Wine Train is a great getaway and a mobile dining encounter. If your interested in visiting Napa and joining the gourmet miles per hour club the Napa Valley Wine Train is a must see experience.

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