Kat's 9 Lives

Who hasn't have the porchetta sandwich? Well if you are one of those poor unfortunate souls who has yet to have the chance to visit the Rolli Roti at the Ferry Building or hunting them down around town, it is time to get to it! If you happen to be in Napa and would like to venture out to the Oxbow Public Market for what many people have claimed to be the equivalent or greater than Rolli Roti's porchetta sandwich to taste and compare for yourself.
When I hear the porchetta sandwich my ears just perk up. I had to try the Fatted Calf and their famed porchetta sandwich. Is it truly as amazing as they say? Well first I had to find this place. They are actually not located inside the main area but have a store front outside. Just follow the signs.
As you walk in you can't help notice all the wonderful cuts of meats displayed. If the weekend wasn't so packed I would have packed up a bunch of the fresh meats to take back to the suite and cook up a storm! Sadly there was limited amount of meals and stomach space available.
The Porchetta looked amazing on its own, $14.50 a lb. Look at that luscious hunk of a Pork Belly and Loin Roulade with Toasted Fennel, Rosemary, Garlic, and Lemon Zest. The crisp and beautifully roasted skin was beckoning me. I really wish I picked up a nice chunk for the room. Mmm... drool drool!
That day we only decided to pick up a chunk of the Roast Lamb Leg stuffed with Olive Tapenade. There was a nice fatty layer of skin on top and the lamb was not too cooked to begin with. For me, the flavor was a little to gamey for my liking but it was a nice piece of lamb. We didn't bake it too long when we got home because we didn't want to overcook the meat. The flavors were nice but it was a little bit on the chewier side. Next time I am going for that gorgeous porchetta!
Of course we got the Porchetta Sandwich ($8.50) with Spicy Roasted Red Onions, Arugula, and Aioli. My only qualms with the sandwich was there was no crispy skin inside and that it doesn't come hot! =*( I wasn't feeling that great so I only had Three Twins Ice Cream for lunch and saved the sandwich for later. This ended up being a great idea because we had an awesome convection oven inside the suite and I toasted the baby up! The sandwich is fatty and flavorful but when it is cold, the oil overpowers you a bit. Of course when you make it nice and toasty the flavors just melt in your mouth and I love the crisp texture of the bread.
All in all the porchetta sandwich was good at Fatted Calf but I prefer the one at Rolli Roti more. Why? Well the sandwich here has more layers of flavor and components, BUT there is NO SKIN! I need that sensual crispy bite! =D The meat inside the sandwich was thinly shaved and there isn't as much meat as the one at Rolli Roti. Both sandwiches were flavorful and are great any time of the day. It just really depends on what you are looking for. I'm going with crispy skin and more meat at Rolli Roti. Yum!
Fatted Calf Charcuterie
The Oxbow Public Market
644 C 1st St
Napa, CA 94559
(707) 256-3684