Concentrated More On Being “Green” Then On Service And Food
American Canyon, California USA
Cuisine Style: American, Organic, Californian
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 1/5
Dined in: August 2013
Article Updated: February 2020
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Gaia, a term invented by James Lovelock back in 1970 where he believed that all life on earth was bound together. Well, maybe he’s right and maybe he’s wrong, but I can tell about one item that I am right about, and that is the Restaurant named after Mr. Lovelock’s thesis is about as far as connected to foodservice and hospitality that you can get. They win the Liberal award for the green category and will attract every environmentalist around to stop by, but in the end, people are people, and if the food is of low quality, and the service received was that bad to them as well, they will not return. This is a wakeup call to the management and the DoubleTree Hotel where Gaia (Now called Table 29 Bistro and Bar) is located in American Canyon, just south of Napa, California, shape up.
They advertise that they are the freshest, offering a wide array of cuisines in a new Eco-friendly restaurant. They are the first 100% Gold LEED-certified hotel in the world, and the Restaurant follows methods and practices designed to nurture and protect the environment. But that is about all they are good for.
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| Gaia / Dining Room |
I arrived in American Canyon after touring San Francisco, the Muir Woods, and Mount Tamapolis. The next stop on the list was Napa and Sonoma for some wine tastings. As a Hilton member, I chose the double Tree, because it was the closest Hilton Hotel to Wine country, roughly 8 miles south. The hotel was great, with a wonderful pond and sculptures, and my room has a patio leading out to it. Gaia is attached to the hotel and serves as its main restaurant for hotel guests and for the public. So besides eating a dinner meal, as part of the hotel, I had breakfast there for the three days of my stay. I arrived for dinner and sat, again informal, and I have no problem with that at all. I waited, and then waited a little more, and a little more, until I had to flag down someone to get a drink order. They were all in a corner by the bar, chatting with cooks and so forth. After all, there were only four or five tables of customers at the time we walked in so they couldn’t use the excuse that they were busy. During this time of waiting I had ample time to look at the menu and wine list and ordered a bottle of 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon from Prime Cellars based in Napa. I am very fond of California wines but had not heard of this vineyard. I would give the rating on this wine around 85/100, which was the best part of the entire dinner.
As I sipped the wine, I asked the server about the menu and what she recommended, I could tell by her hesitation and a few simple menu questions that she was not familiar with the menu at all. I could see she was not well trained in Front of House techniques, and was simply an order taker, not unlike a basic diner, or TGI Friday’s server. I started with a simple appetizer of calamari, garnished with a fried sliced lemon served with a tartar sauce. The dish was fine basic battering, but not heavily spiced.
For the entrée, I had a sesame chicken dish over a bed of Bib lettuce, topped with sautéed julienne carrots. The first bite and expression were enough. The chicken was way over seasoned, and the meat was tough and chalky, which meant that it was way overcooked, to the point where there were no natural juices left inside the meat. Now food regulation requires poultry to be cooked to 165°f (74oC) to kill bacteria not 200°f (93oC) like this chicken was. This experience with the bad service sealed the fate for me.
Breakfast time came, starting early since I had wine to drink, and good restaurants to go to for lunch and dinner while in Napa. This was a different crew working, but they had the same attitude. It took forever to get drinks, but the eggs were cooked fresh and the kitchen staff prepared them correctly. The coffee, on the other hand, was burnt and had a bad taste. The server explained that it came from an organic farm, and that was the natural taste. Well, I’m not a fan of Starbucks, but I was looking for one after I left to get some coffee. When you explain that the coffee is like that, then why the hell do you serve it? Not impressed Gaia, sorry, but you have a long way to go. Maybe the name change to Table 29 Bistro will improve the food and service quality.
Dessert:
I did not have dessert during this visit.
Plus check out some of these wonderful selections from Wine Dine and Play:
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.” - David Auerbach
United States:
California:
Sub-Napa AVA’s:
Other noteworthy American cuisine articles and restaurants similar to Gaia:
American Cuisine, also known as American fare, comfort, or classic American, as large as the United States is, it also encompasses many cuisine variations. These include the native Indian prior to European colonization, Hawaiian, and not forgetting the melting pot of immigrants that came and fused their styles together to make America. This list will be of restaurants that represent the broader base of American cuisine, using styles from all parts of the country on their menus. Pot roast, chicken fried steak, BLT’s, and hamburgers make up some of the junk we eat. This section is not to be confused with New American Cuisine techniques. New American is listed further down.
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Brandon’s A contemporary twist on American favorites in Palm Beach, Florida
Charleston’s Restaurant Casual American eatery; reviewed in Indianapolis, Indiana
Cypress Refined creative American eats in Charleston, South Carolina
Grace 17.20 Modern and contemporary American cuisine in Peachtree Corners, Georgia
Jungle Prada Tavern American Bar/Tavern next to the Narvaez historical site in St. Petersburg, Florida
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The Cheesecake Factory American chain with 200+ locations, large menu; reviewed in Tampa, Florida
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See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Napa / Sonoma restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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3-day tour of Napa and Sonoma
Napa Valley, California
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French-American Fine Dining
A top 20 on Wine Dine and Play
Yountville, California, USA
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Farm-to-fork new American fare
Sonoma, California
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A few California restaurant favorites:
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High-End Japanese Steakhouse
San Francisco, California, USA
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Cabernet from a family of entrepreneurs
Saint Helena, California
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An aesthetic portfolio of wines
Yountville, California
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See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations, and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Gaia a 1 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were an average dining experience.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Gaia
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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11
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11
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0
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Food quality
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10
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8
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2
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Plate presentation
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10
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6
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4
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Customer service
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12
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6
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6
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Alcohol and other beverages
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7
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4
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3
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Total regular points awarded
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50
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35
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15
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.7
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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0
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.7
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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1
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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1 of 5 Stars:
70% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
An Average Dining Experience
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Corkage fees:
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Gaia does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant-style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style at Gaia:
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American
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten-free choices, Local, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Gaia Experiences:
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Contemporary, Modern, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Gaia has a public lot
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Low
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Smoking:
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Gaia is a non-smoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€
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Alcohol prices:
$50.00 USD
Gaia - Now Table 29 Bistro:
3600 Broadway Street,
American Canyon, California
94503, USA
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1-707-674-2100
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Serving hours:
Pacific Standard Time (GMT, Zulu, or UTC-8:00)
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Mon - Sun
6:00 am - 10:00 pm
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****
The world's best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Eclectic & innovative gastropub using molecular gastronomy
Tampa, Florida, USA
|
Seasonally inspired continental European fare
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
|
High-end bistro with modern New Zealand cuisine
Christchurch, New Zealand
|
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
