See Us Eat: Dinner at Ad Hoc, Yountville, CA

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Dinner at Ad Hoc, Yountville, CA

Our pilgrimage to Napa was inspired by our reservation at Ad Hoc, Thomas Keller's family style, casual joint. It was named Ad Hoc becuase it was supposed to be open only temporarily. However, it has become so popular that Keller has decided to keep it open. The family style menu changes daily and is $45 a head. Overall it was a great meal, but definitely not mind-blowing.

Roasted Beets, Frisee and Radish Salad
A nice melange of textures and flavors. Sweet, salty, crunchy and acidic.

Faro and Wilted Greens
A clean accompaniment to the the decadent main course. Nicely chewy.

Duck Breast with Winter Fruits and Nuts in Jus
The duck was cut into perfect strips of juicy meat and crunchy skin. The figs, apricots and walnuts lent an earthiness from the dish. This duck was truly amazing.

Gruyere and Pressed Apples
The cheese was tasty, but standard. The pressed apples were interesting, super crunchy, and very nicely acidic. Apparently these apples are pickled in white wine vinager and sugar, the pressed to reduce the water content.