Oenotri Who? What? Whatever.

This southern Italian restaurant in downtown Napa draws both its name and its ideology from southern Italy, particularly from the lesser known regions of Calabria, Campania, Basilicata, and Puglia. The Oenotrians were inhabitants of the lower part of the peninsula in the 6th century BC. What does this have to do with Italian food circa now? Nothing. Just know that the food is damn good, and that it is authentic. Not 6th century BC authentic, but definitely 20th-21st century southern Italian authentic.

We started with the house made salumi- that's salumi, not salami. Salumi is the overarching term for any cured meat product. Oenotri offers quite an extensive selection; we had Felino, Sardegna, Noce, Milano, Salametto, and Nduja. A pizza napoletana (san marzano tomato, anchovies, gaeta olives, hot pepper, oregano) and the salumi were our appetizers. This was probably one of the better pizze I've had stateside, and that assessment does not come easily. I've tried and pooh poohed many an artisanal pizza as inauthentic (including Mozza. Sorry Mario Batali fans, it ain't all that) This one is quite close to a true Italian pizza (thin crust, char, true tomato sauce, moderate toppings, not sopping with oil). Unfortunately for you and fortunately for me these antipasti were so freakin good that we were too busy with our feeding frenzy to bother for a photo-op. Whoops.

Wild nettle fusilli with cardoons, delicata squash, and young walnut pesto

Linguini with manila clams, pachino tomatoes, hot pepper, garlic, and white wine

Bucatini alla carbonara. A classic Roman dish (NOT southern Italian, hmm..) Tully dolci egg, black pepper, guanciale and pecorino romano

Cheese plate as dessert for them

Black Jonathan Apple Crostata (that means pie) with sultans and bay leaf ice cream. Auguri a me! (that means happy birthday to me)

Love this place.