Rotisario Review
Located in the Oxbow Market, Rotisario is the first non-mobile eatery of Thomas Odermatt from RoliRoti, a mobile rotisserie that frequents Farmers' Markets in the Bay Area.
610 1st St
Napa, CA 94559
(510) 780-0300
Google Maps to Rotisario
Rotisseur Thomas Odermatt somewhat settles down and opens a fixed-location restaurant at the Oxbow market. My impression is that for some reason, people are more hesitant to try out Rotisario than the other food areas in the Oxbow area which is a real shame. This isn't some Safeway roasted chicken; it's good stuff. I could easily see this supported by the locals who are looking to bring some quality rotisserie meats after work for a nice dinner at home.
Rotisario food
When you walk by Rotisario, you can't help but be enticed with some gorgeous meats turning slowly in the rotisseries. So, one day we stopped by for lunch and were pleasantly surprised with the food. I had a rotisserie chicken platter with roasted potatoes. My wife had the steak frites platter. Both come with a small salad. My rotisserie chicken was maybe a little on the dry side (but it was white meat) but still very good with a delicious, crisp skin.
You can sit at the bar and watch your food being prepared, and we were a little concerned when we saw my wife's steak wasn't properly rested before being sliced and served. It turned out OK as it was tender, well-seasoned, and juicy and accompanied with a dab of herb butter. The fries that come with the steak come with a dollop of mayonnaise (to delight of you Euro-philes out there, I'm sure).
If you have to choose between the fries and the roasted potatoes, go with the roasted potatoes; they were delicious. I think they roast them underneath the chickens so that the potatoes can soak up the flavor. Mmmmm....Both meals were actually quite pleasant in the sense that (a) you're satisfied without necessarily being stuffed (b) the items on the plate all complement each other nicely, and (c) it's decently priced (see below). We'll be stopping here in the future to pick up some rotisserie meats to take home for sure. They also have aporchetta sandwich that is yummy as well.
Rotisario didn't appear to have any wine to go with the meal which was a bummer. Perhaps they don't want to splurge for the liquor license until after they're more established.
Rotisario setting and service
Rotisario has a bar seating area that gives you front row view of their kitchen and those succulent meats rotating slowly in the rotisserie ovens. It's almost like a sushi bar. If you like, you can eat elsewhere in Oxbow, but you get real plates and silverware if you eat at the bar. Service was helpful. Since you're sitting so close to the kitchen, the chefs will stop by and ask you if you need anything. Admittedly, the decor is a bit like an upscale food court with the chrome and Ikea-like wood finish, but well, Oxbow is an upscale food court.
Price of our meal
2 platters (1 steak, 1 roasted chicken) = $26
The steak was $15, the roasted chicken was $9.50. The city of Napa is surprisingly devoid of restaurants in this price range that serve up good, solid meals. It's either low-end stuff, chains, or high-end stuff. It's refreshing to see Rotisario help fill in this gap.
Other Rotisario reviews and links
