finely chopped shallot.

It was a realization that planted the seed for Himitsu, Tien's first solo effort as a chef, a Petworth jewel where he connects all the dots of his life experiences.The menu leans Japanese, with shades of Tien's Vietnamese heritage and Latin-American experience.

Nasu dengaku, a classic Japanese dish of miso-glazed eggplant, reaches toward Mexico with chile-lime vinaigrette and candied pumpkin seeds.A strip steak with a dozen fried quail eggs nods to bò né, a Vietnamese breakfast staple he discovered while working in Houston.His years in the American South show up, too, in the flaky biscuits standing in for pancakes in his Peking duck.

Tien has devised a highly personal, individualized style of cooking that's as hard to categorize as it is to forget.But then again, why would you want to?.

Katianna Hong—The Charter Oak, St. Helena, California.

"We share our garden with Meadowood, and we have that same mentality of trying to highlight seasonal ingredients., which is sourced from sites around the world; and.

(named after their children Chloe and Jeremy), Napa Valley blends they've been making consistently since 1996.. During my visit, we tasted the.2016 Mekerra La Mekerra Vineyard Proprietary White ($145),.

a zippy, floral Sauvignon Blanc with tremendous richness and energy from a high-elevation Sonoma vineyard above Peter Michael; a.2016 Métisse Martinez Vineyard Cabernet ($225).