To celebrate Sara’s first trip to Napa Valley, I tried to get seating for us at French Laundry while on an international flight, technically above Iceland. But, due to the wifi delay, all times were scooped up in a nanoseconds.
Getting seating at Ad Hoc was a MUCH better choice. Delightfully, this dinner was my third seating at Ad Hoc and her first. It was everything I wanted it to be for her. I made sure we had a great table with a great view for her to take everything in.
I couldn’t talk the waiter into getting us an order of off menu fried chicken this time (last time, I did. Darn!) But, dinner combined with the wine pairing…… we weren’t complaining at all.
We started with dual Empress 75s and continued with the wine course paring. Dinner for the evening was the following:
Waldorf Salad
Walnuts, pickled grapes, blue cheese, apple, celery creamy dill dressing
Grilled Flatiron Steak
Brussels sprout gratin, fork crushed potatoes, hobbs’ bacon maitre d’ hotel butter
Carr Valley Bread Cheese
Green tomato jam
In visiting Per Se, Ad Hoc and French Laundry, I must say that Keller restaurants are the only places in which I look forward to the cheese courses.
Caramelita Bar
Butterscotch sauce, vanilla ice cream
Our wine pairing was perfection:
Sauvignon Blanc, Illumination by Quintessa, Napa/Sonoma 2021
Burgess ‘Contadina’, Napa Valley 2016
Sangiovese, Castello Romitorio, Chianti Colli Senesi 2019
Madeira, Rare Wine Co. ‘New York Malmsey’
As always, with every time I visit, an outstanding meal and a good time was had by all.
Previous visits to Ad Hoc and Addendum were just as delicious:
TFL Garden Tomato Salad
Knoll farm’s figs, pickled yellow onions, jalapeño peppers, radishes, frisbee, torn croutons, basil pesto
1855 Black Angus Grilled Flank Steak
The French Laundry garden vegetables, Anson Mills polenta, tzatziki sauce
Hook’s Triple Play Extra Innings
Roasted mix nuts, mixed berry jam
Dark Chocolate Brownie
Salted caramel ice cream
Ad Hoc and Addendum
6476 Washington Street
Yountville, California 94599
