Clementine, Yountville’s refreshing new dining spot opens
Today, the new restaurant, Clementine, opens in in Yountville. The historic brick building that once housed restaurants including Pacific Blues, Platform 8 and Coqueta has piqued curiosity from passersby during its physical transformation.
Clementine chef Rebecca Weitzman, also culinary director and executive chef at Estate Yountville, brings experience from notable establishments, including Flora Farms in San José del Cabo where she was awarded a Michelin Green Star. She was also corporate chef for Forgeois Group in Manhattan, Cedar Lakes Estate in upstate New York, and chef at Chalk Point Kitchen in SoHo. Weitzman, also a vintner, is a partner at Carboy Winery in Colorado. Clementine is her first independent restaurant.
Her menu features California cuisine that blends Mediterranean influences with local, seasonal ingredients. A press release describes Weitzman’s menu as, “thoughtful yet unfussy dishes spotlight standout ingredients with inventive touches and eye-catching presentation… Clementine promises to offer a refreshing change of pace, with a splash of citrus and a whole lot of charm.”
Images of signature dishes are colorful, multi-faceted and appealing. The menus are for Al Fresco (lunch) and La Stella (dinner). Highlights include starters such as stone-fired Frog Hollow nectarine and smoky prosciutto flatbread ($29), burrata with savory corn pancakes ($22) and wood grilled Tomales Bay oysters (market price). Main courses include chilled lobster tail and gemelli pasta ($36), grilled chicken paillard fattoush ($25), slow baked halibut with black olive aioli ($32) and mustard-crusted Napa Valley lamb ($48).
Aperol-based and other classic cocktails, non-alcoholic spritzes, and a wine list featuring Napa Valley and Italian varietals round out the beverage offerings.
The redo is thoughtful with attention to detail. The look and feel of the space, inside and out, is elegant yet breezy, welcoming yet refined with muted hues of peach and green. The bricks of the building are no longer red but have a subtle hint of green from a limewash.
Clementine Designer Candace Hickman said, “Clementine is set within a former train station outpost that was originally built in the 1800s, and preserving its rich history was important to us. Original brickwork remains throughout the space as a tribute to the building’s heritage, softened with a limewash to bring in a sense of lightness and renewal. Given the space’s rich history, we were intentional about weaving in whimsical, unexpected touches that still feel fitting for Yountville.”
Illustrator Julie King created the watercolor-style images and Clementine’s whimsical branding. Design elements were woven into menus, embroidered napkins and aprons, custom wall art and even hand-painted lampshades.
Outdoor seating is ample on both café tables and welcoming pillowed benches. A staff member said the deck will be tented for the winter, and a “greenhouse” structure may be built to enclose the space.
Clementine is at 6525 Washington St. in Yountville. The opening hours are Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. for lunch, 3 to 5 p.m. for happy hour and 5 to 9 p.m. for dinner. Reservations, available via OpenTable, are recommended. Earlier today, only 2 and 2:30 p.m. were available for a party of two.
