Thomas Keller Has Turned His California Caviar Lounge Into an Asian-Inspired Restaurant
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Thomas Keller’s Yountville caviar lounge has entered its second act.
RO Restaurant & Lounge, formerly the Regiis Ova Caviar & Champagne Lounge, reopened on Wednesday as a whole new dining spot. Alongside chef de cuisine Jeffery Hayashi, Keller has created a fresh menu with a focus on Asian-inspired cuisine, as well as wine, cocktails, and—yes—a large selection of Champagne and sparkling.
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“We’ve listened to our guests looking for a local spot that highlights some of the best Asian flavors,” Keller said in a statement. “Chef Hayashi will continue evolving the menu, and we’re excited to see where he takes it.”
Many of the plates are inspired by Hayashi’s upbringing in Hawaii, with Keller’s quintessential emphasis on California’s bountiful produce thrown in. Small bites and snacks include Hokkaido uni toast, artichoke custard infused with almond wood-smoked pork belly and fennel, and chicken liver with springy accompaniments like cherry blossoms, strawberries, and rhubarb. Several of the starting dishes can be enhanced with uni or caviar, naturally.
On the larger side, there’s BBQ quail that’s dried for four days before being skewered and grilled yakitori-style. A black-truffle egg-salad sando can become even more luxe with the addition of Ossetra. And two bowls—bigeye tuna and ora king salmon chirashi or ribeye—offer a bit of a high-low moment. For dessert, Hayashi has created a play on his childhood favorite shave ice, here infused with house-made huckleberry and dried hibiscus syrup.
The drinks, meanwhile continue the legacy of the original Yountville spot, with an overflowing list of bubblies to pair with caviar or a larger meal. New additions to the cocktail menu include a take on Keller’s iconic “Oysters and Pearls” dish at the French Laundry. In drink form, three grams of Royal caviar are served with butter-washed vodka and roasted-oyster-shell-infused dry vermouth. If you’re more of a classicist, the restaurant is also serving up gin Martinis, Paper Planes, and Sazeracs.
The Ken Fulk–designed space—with garden seating, hints of green, and leather and wood accents—is the ideal California-cool setting for imbibing. And on Friday and Saturday nights, your meal will be accompanied by live music performed by local musicians. With fine-dining touches but a more laidback atmosphere, RO Restaurant & Lounge hits both notes just as well.
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