Dining on the cheap at Auberge du Soleil

Auberge du Soleil is a luxurious hotel/restaurant that sits atop of a large hill off the Silverado Trail that overlooks Napa Valley. Like The French Laundry, it is also a part of Relais & Chateaux (an organization that selectively chooses hotels and restaurants based on high standards of luxury and fine French cuisine). To forgo the $125 tasting menu, we opted to dine at the bar (open from 11AM-11PM) instead. The view is just as nice as the main restaurant and the service was great. We sat on the balcony overlooking the vineyards of Napa Valley.

Though we wanted to try the Grilled Auberge Burger, we didn't have time to wait for the 20mins additional cooking time (we had a winery tasting appointment). Instead we opted to share the Ahi Tuna Tartare with cucumbers, lemon, and brioche ($16) and the Duck Confit Pizza with fortina, arugula, and roasted balsamic onions ($19). Everything was fresh, light, and delicious.