1.5 STARS
Nev, you there?!
OOF.
I felt catfished by Ember's social media pics because most of our food and the patio vibes looked different. More on that later.
Opening in May 2024, Ember Steak is located inside The Meritage Resort and Spa. Probably a red flag (cuz hotel resto) but with a 4.5 star rating, it seemed promising for a special occasion meal.
I made rezzies several weeks ahead and choose their patio (staycation with dogs)...but when we arrived, we were told the patio was closed. The hostess checked with the manager and they ended up opening the patio. They kept the shades down in gorgeous 78 degree weather so it was dark and took away from the atmosphere.
M E N U
Modern Steakhouse with dry-aged steaks, seafood, sushi, seasonal dishes, and craft cocktails.
F O O D
* Colossal Shrimp w/ clarified cocktail sauce (4 pc-$32): https://tinyurl.com/dbt2ymnp
A bit overdone but otherwise ok. I appreciate their modern twist on the cocktail sauce but it tasted like diluted vinegar.
* Carpaccio Caesar w/ heart of romaine, aerated anchovy parmesan
dressing, sourdough garlic croutons, black pepper crusted beef tenderloin ($21): https://tinyurl.com/56rc8ran
I enjoyed the thiccc, creamy umami-rich dressing (not "aerated") but the romaine seemed to have been improperly stored (very dry) and the plain crotons needed more toasting.
* Lobster Bisque w/ lobster meat, lemon oil, cognac foam ($18)
Savory with the cognac foam enhancing the richness but there was no lobster meat to be found.
* Mosaic Roll w/ ahi, hamachi, ocean trout, avocado, wasabi rice blossom, sweet kecap manis ($28): https://tinyurl.com/2p9nf8kn
Beautifully crafted roll, tho it didn't have the mosaic look shown in their photos. It also had a slight fishy aftertaste. They made the effort to dress it up with 24k gold flakes and edible flowers, so it was disappointing that it was served with dry, gritty wasabi and off tasting pickled ginger...more like something from a bad buffet.
* Ribeye, Greater Omaha ($75): https://tinyurl.com/4xhza4fb
- Menu says, 16 ounce but receipt says 14 ounce
- Requested rare plus
Great seared crust and rare plus as requested but it was chewy - it legit felt like we were cutting the ribeye with a butter knife.
* Aged A5 Japanese Wagyu, Miyazaki ($100): https://tinyurl.com/yckxevhb
- Requested medium rare
Even tho this was presented as A5 but I find it VERY hard to believe we were served legit A5 Wagyu -- it didn't even have the level of marbling from American Wagyu, let alone true A5 Japanese Wagyu. It was chewy and bland, lacking the rich, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and deep umami flavor that makes A5 so distinctive.
Unfortunately, Ember seems to be the only steakhouse in Napa that serves A5. If you're down to drive 30 minutes to Benicia, hit up Chiquo & Eva's Wagyu Steakhouse.
* Twice Baked Duchess Potato w/ chive foam, sour cream, whipped butter, smoked salt, lardons ($16)
If you like hella rich foods...cream on top of cream, you'll love this.
* Jumbo Asparagus w/ fresh herb béarnaise ($16)
Tender and crisp but more your standard size than jumbo.
S E R V I C E
Friendly hostess and awesome food runner, Isaac. He was so warm and personable, he should be promoted to a server STAT.
Apps came out fast but it felt like a long lag before we received our entrees. We noticed people who arrived after us, received their steaks before we did.
I noted it was a "birthday" in the rezzies and nothing was said or done.
A M B I A N C E
Sultry chic, moody indoor dining area with teal and dark brown tones. IMO, it seems more like a lounge than a steakhouse.
Lovely patio overlooking the courtyard but we didn't get to enjoy the view since the shades were down.
No restroom onsite which is inconvenient.
Overall, I'm genuinely mystified by the 4.5 star rating. Ember felt like the typical overpriced hotel resto trying too hard to be trendy and too extra with their food. Unfortunately, there were simply too many missteps to overlook - esp given the poor quality of some of the ingredients. Unless you're dining on an expense account or have a sugar daddy/mama...spend your hard earned money elsewhere! read more