Ad Hoc - Yountville, CA

Ad Hoc sure comes off as one flaky restaurant. Back in 2006, Thomas Keller opened shop and intended for it to be short-lived, aiming to eventually open a burger place or something similar. At the time, I was still in college on the other side of the country and remember feeling distinctly disappointed that I would miss out on Keller's second aptly-named-common-Latin-phrase restaurant. You see, I had to put all those years of dead language studies to good use. Turns out Ad Hoc stuck around longer than planned, and I had a chance recently to sample TK's hand at upscaling the downmarket on a Napa shenanigans weekend with J, J, and P (and a surprise run-in with L).

Admittedly, my expectations going in were high. I had an excellent experience at The French Laundry and a lesser but still good one at Per Se (entree courses were lackluster; signature canapes were good). Ad Hoc is known to be the holy grail of fried chicken (don't mind if I do!), but alas, we came on the wrong day. In any case, I had in mind to expect attention to detail and high-quality ingredients in other forms of non-chicken from Keller's charmed kitchen.


Salad of Baby Mixed Greens - cara cara and blood oranges, ruby grapefruit, toasted pinenuts, belgium endive, kalamata olives, citrus dressing

A massive heap of crisp greens and particularly good pine nuts arrived; the dressing was also quite good. Overall, it was a standard, fresh salad - quality not hard to find in in many good Bay Area restaurants. The portion size was somewhat off-putting; I wasn't at all compelled to keep filling my plate but the folks at Ad Hoc strangely (i.e. pragmatically) want you to eat a whole lot of salad.


Marinated Hanger Steak - toscano kale, creamed turnips, rosemary potatoes,  lemon scallion vinaigrette

The vegetable sides were the highlight of the course, and as it turns out, the entire meal. The roasted rosemary potatoes were very, very tasty. Each bite-sized piece had a thin, crisped layer of skin that was bursting with flavor. The creamed turnips and kale (not pictured) were delicately prepared. The steak was good-quality, but ultimately forgettable compared to its brilliant vegetable counterparts.


Rosso di Langhe - apple-endive chutney, palladin toast

This, like the salad, felt like a filler course to me.


Flourless Chocolate Cake - amaretto semi freddo

Ad Hoc's concept just doesn't entirely work for me. Keller has always said he strives to elicit the "God, I wish I had just one more bite of that" reaction with his food. With the exception of the rosemary potatoes and creamed kale, the sheer quantity of each course and lack of variety became a burden in this meal. I would like to see the kitchen improve the first course, or incorporate more sides at the very least.

One meal at Ad Hoc is equivalent to about a sixth of one at The French Laundry. It is clearly cheaper in nominal terms,  and you still technically eat at a Thomas Keller restaurant. And fine, maybe you insist on the casual environment and can't enough of the family style because you're convivial and love to share out of a large All-Clad pan. But $49 is simply overpriced for what you get, and the TK brand alone does not justify forgoing better options in the area. Moreover, you can get better upmarket comfort food elsewhere. For a true Thomas Keller experience, skip this and book the real thing (for a good time, call +1-707-944-2380).

$49 per head; 4 courses, family style. Portions shown above (excluding dessert) are for 4. Menu dated 16-January-2010. 

Ad Hoc
6476 Washington Street
Yountville, CA 94599-1294
(707) 944-2487

Celadon & Bouchon Bakery

Back to my Bay Area posts. Sorry for jumping around so much, but I still have not yet figured out the order in which I post. I like to think of it as something like a complex algorithm, except it's just more like what I want to talk about at the moment. I'll prob concentrate on SF for the next two weeks until I move down to NYC.


One day during spring break I decided I really wanted Bouchon Bakery goodies. So on a whim, we drove north to Napa and decided that we would just wing it. I was in the mood for some savories, so we first made a stop for lunch. I had in mind to try the Boon Fly Cafe at the Carneros Inn, but I missed it on the highway and ended up in downtown Napa instead. I had heard good things about Pilar, but they were closed for lunch. We parked near the mill, and we wandered around there, stumbling upon Celadon, which is owned by the same guy as Cole's Chop House. The menu seemed light and Californian, and also featured mussels. I was sold.


Napa has beautiful weather, and that day was no exception. We opted to sit in the heated patio near the fireplace.


Maine peeky-toe crab cake with asian slaw and sambal aioli 12

We started off with the crab cake, which was fine but nothing exceptional. The crab was jumbo lump and pretty fresh, but it arrived lukewarm and a bit hard. One could even say it had too much structural integrity - it was a hard puck of crab, and I would have preferred it a bit softer, more prone to fall apart. The asian slaw was pretty uninspired too.


Endive and pear salad with blue cheese, candied walnuts and honey mustard vinaigrette 10

I really enjoyed the salad, however. Everything was super fresh and crunchy, and the bitterness of the endives (one of my favorite vegetables) was nicely offset by the walnuts and honey mustard vinaigrette.


Pan roasted mussels with applewood smoked bacon, tomatoes, and white wine 12.5

The best thing, though, was definitely the mussels. I usually get my mussels fix from Lulu or Plouf, and I must say that Celadon's mussels were plumper, juicier, and fresher than both restaurants. If mussels could be obese, these definitely were. My only discontent was that the bacon was a bit overpowering in the broth, which could have used a lot more white wine. In terms of the broth, I still prefer Plouf's white wine, garlic, and parsley broth. That seriously is like my elixir of life.


Grilled fish sandwich of the day (mahi mahi) with remoulade sauce, lettuce and tomato w/ tarragon tossed french fries 12

I really enjoy fish sandwiches (or fish anything), and this did not disappoint. I am not particularly a fan of mahi mahi, but this was nicely grilled so it was not overdone. The fries, which were cut a bit thicker than shoestring, were pretty good as well.

Overall, lunch at Celadon was pretty enjoyable and leisurely, especially on the patio in the beautiful weather. The prices were very reasonable as well. My only complaint is just that it was a bit TOO leisurely. Perhaps I'm just used to being in a banking mindset, but Celadon's service was just so laidback I became uncomfortable and ADD. We could've sat there all day unbothered if we wanted.


Afterward we headed over to Bouchon Bakery, the very reason we drove up there in the first place. We indulged on a sticky bun, scone, bran muffin, and pear tart. All were good, but the scone really stood out. Flaky and buttery, it stood up to Citizen Cake's scrumptious buckwheat scones.

Celadon
500 Main St.
Napa, CA

Bouchon Bakery
6540 Washington St.
Yountville, CA

Wine Country Shenanigans Pt. 5 - Highway 1, Pizzeria Picco

Well, as I was saying, we were feeling particularly scene-ic that day, so we decided to embark on Highway 1 to head back to Marin. That is, after we drove through hipster-hangout Santa Rosa, which was quite the journey indeed. The drive on the Shoreline Highway sure was beautiful as we went the length of Tomales Bay and passed by many an oyster farm. The novelty wore off after the first two hours, and we both started getting sick. The roads became treacherous and difficult to navigate, and 102.1's Viking tunes just made it more of a losing battle against the neverending roads.

At long last, we did arrive in the beloved Marin. We had initially intended to go to Fish in Sausalito, but we were too sick for more gifts from the sea. I then remembered that I had wanted to try Picco Pizzeria in Larkspur for some time.




Even when we arrived at 9:15, there was a line. Fortunately, two bar seats near the wood burning oven welcomed us to rest our tired hides. It was smoldering hot sitting so near all the action, but at least we got to witness some substantial crust-puffing.


Della santa - broccoli de ciccio, cherry tomatoes, torpedo onion, roasted garlic, mozzarella 11.95

It was a tough choice between the della santa and the seven, which consisted of seasonal mushrooms. So we struck a compromise and added mushrooms to the della santa, which was a "good call," as reaffirmed by our helpful server. The toppings were excellent, with sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes and great hand-pulled mozarella. The crust was slightly sweet and smoky, with a chewy, yeasty character. And even after we had suppressed our inner gluttons, we still had half of the foot-long-diameter pie to spare.


Straus dairy soft serve with Da Vero extra virgin olive oil & sea salt

Well, we had decided to pass up dessert and go on our merry way, when I pulled out my camera and started shooting up the place. Owner Bruce Hill of Bix fame stopped me in my tracks as he exclaimed, "I've busted a blogger!" He found out that we had passed up dessert--and insisted that we try the softserve with olive oil and salt. After hearing about the olive oil ice cream at Babbo (which is next on my NY list), I knew this was a must when I saw it on the menu.

So Bruce offered us a taste (which was really a bowl as you can see), and it was some of the richest, creamiest soft-serve I've ever had. My palate protested, "But this isn't softserve! It's usually watered down and never contains this much milkfat!" What an eye opener. The olive oil and sea salt brought out textures and flavors one never thought possible in a vanilla softserve. This is definitely one to crave (which I am!).


It was nearly empty by the time we left, but I imagine it would be pretty hard to get a seat during normal dining hours. So head over for some good pizza, or at least to taste some exceptional softserve.

Pizzeria Picco
320 Magnolia Ave
Larkspur, CA 94939

And so this concludes the wine country series of posts. Except it really didn't end here because we went back a few days later to crash a picnic held by a certain man of urgency.

If you care to relive the geriatric wine country series:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Wine Country Shenanigans Pt. 4 - D&D, CIA, Downtown Bakery

Though the food coma from lunch had yet to kick in, we already felt like passing out. Some of it was due to the rising valley temperatures outside, but we were really dying from laughter. We had just passed for a couple of cougars from the city celebrating a birthday in Napa and harbored no qualms about our geriatric front. We were a couple of fools high on life.

Our next stop was Dean & Deluca. A New York City darling in St. Helena? We see about dis. We went in with one mission: to obtain a mini-sack of dark chocolate-covered almonds to send to my sister in San Diego. The first offense upon entering the store was the unstomachable cheese smell permeating throughout. It was reminiscent of Whole Foods, and Whole Foods is quite a house of cheeses. We sauntered into the wine room, where we critiqued wine labels. An antsy clerk kept floating over to us to ask if we needed any help. You bet we needed help; we're clinically insane. (Seriously, name more college kids who get a kick out of imitating geezers and mispronouncing dings; we'd like to meet dem.)

We also overheard a conversation about someone forming a partnership with P.F. Changs and considered interrupting to inform them of their poor decision, but we weren't feeling that generous. After browsing around the store for a bit, molesting more pots and pans, and getting vexed by a normal 2-dollar bottle of oyster sauce marked up to 8 dollars at D&D, we searched for the almonds. Upon failing to find them myself, I asked a sluggish clerk to assist me. After rudely accepting my request and taking her time browsing the shelves and "the back", she returned to tell me that they were out of the almonds, and then suggested some other offensive alternative. What a great disappointment D&D was. Williams-Sonoma may not have a deli, fresh produce or a bakery, but they've got all the "gourmet" I'll ever need for my pantry, and classy, geezer salespeople to boot.

Next up was CIA Greystone, which was a totally spontaneous pitstop (we may be old, but we refuse to be stuck in a predictable rut). A wedding ceremony had just taken place, and we were there to witness all the inebriated groomsmen and bridesmaids embarrassing themselves in front of visitors. The frustrated photographer for the ceremony was playing kindergarten teacher to a bunch of wasted, well-dressed adult kids, trying to get them to pose long enough for halfway decent shots. Meanwhile, we sat on a bench facing all the hoopla and attempted to predict the groomsman-bridesmaid hookups that would undeniably take place that night.

We then took a brief, self-guided tour of the ground floor of the school, which was beautiful and rich with historic artifacts and displays. It inspired us to suggest forcing our kids (if we were to have any) to attend culinary school so they would eventually cook for us. We wouldn't care less about what they aspired to do in life; it'd be all about our agenda to chow down like kings well into our 80s (coming up soon).

Dean & Deluca and Greystone were all along the way to our next destination, Healdsburg, where Downtown Bakery's carbs were our next target. Healdsburg welcomed us with open arms in the form of a parking space smack in the front of Downtown Bakery. That is, after we drove around for a good half hour looking for Plaza Street, which was, much to our chagrin, right near the plaza.


What a cute little bakery, with items just like mom used to make, if only my mother baked or cooked.


Bran muffin


Oatmeal prune muffin with an orange glaze

After hearing all the rage about Downtown Bakery's bran muffins sold at the Ferry Building Farmer's Market on saturday mornings, I've been dying to try one. I cannot get up early on saturday mornings to save my life, so instead I get the muffins at the source--in its very Healdsburg birthplace (albeit I did get up at 7 am that morning to embark on these shenanigans). The muffin was a bit disappointing--its composition was very mollasses-based, and was therefore lacking the branny texture I usually look for. It paled in comparison to the muffins at FatApples. The oatmeal muffin was a bit better, though it mostly tasted like orange rather than oatmeal and prune. How misleading. Like Apple Jacks.

After that, we decided to be scene--that is, by taking the scenic route back to Marin on Highway 1.

Wine Country Shenanigans Pt. 3 - Redd

One of my favorite meals this summer has got to be at Redd in how-many-tasting-menus-can-you-stomach Yountville. While it's no metropolis by far, one cannot go hungry walking through this Bay Area fine dining destination. There's even a janky bar chock-full of shady characters and polished hurleys parked outside. Yes, there's a Yountville for everyone.




This picture really does not do the space justice. Designed by Peter Guzy of Asfour Guzy, the restaurant features a minimalist interior with many a white wall flanked by dark cedar, and accented by charcoal-dyed peacoat wool upholstery. As a lover of all things sterile (Apple store for example), the space really enhanced the dining experience.

Everything in the restaurant showed a touch of elegance, down to the printed collateral. The embossed business cards were die-cut with a perforated rule, and the menus shared the same detail.

Most items on the menu sounded good. Not wanting to miss out on anything, Julyanne and I both went with the 4 course tasting menu. We each received different courses, and basically covered everything I wanted to try on the menu.


Sashimi of hamachi, sticky rice, edamame, lime ginger sauce 13

The yellowtail was fresh and smooth, but the real standout was the rice. Harder and more al dente than sushi rice, it was sour, sweet, and zesty at the same time. The seaweed salad was also a good flavor component of this appetizer.


Yellowfin tuna and hamachi tartare, avocado, chili oil, fried rice 17

This was one of my favorite courses of the day. No doubt it was a great tartare--the fish was smooth and fresh, and the avocado added a creamy balance. What I liked most, however, was the deep-fried rice bits that added a wonderful contrast of textures. Light and refreshing, this course was great for a warm Napa day.


Caramelized diver scallops, cauliflower puree, almonds, balsamic reduction 24

I couldn't help but draw parallels to the famed scallops dish at Jean Georges, and I daresay Redd's was better. I'll skip the part about the scallops being seared perfectly, and skip to the creamy cauliflower puree, which was sinfully rich and smooth. The almonds added texture and the green raisins balanced out the rich balsamic and grassy olive oil.


Petrale sole, chorizo, calamari, saffron curry sauce 22

This was yet another favorite. The sole was cooked perfectly, and it lay atop a bed of ethereal mashed potatoes and a delectable array of calamari, octobpus, and chorizo. What did it for me was the saffron curry sauce, which was a great flavor combination and maintained its foamy physique.


Wolfe ranch quail, soft polenta, cheddar cheese, mole sauce 23

This was perhaps the favorite course of the day. The quail was succulent with a crispy browned skin. I've never had a quail preparation with Mexican spices, and this worked extremely well. The cheddar polenta was not heavy at all; the white corn and jicama added a nice refreshing crunch. Finally, the perfectly seasoned mole sauce topped off this creative and refined dish.


Braised beef shortrib, horseradish crust, potato puree, chanterelles 25

According to our server, the shortribs took two days to make, and I believe him. Intensely flavorful but not oversalted, the tender shortribs were topped with a crunchy horseradish crust, which helped to add texture rather than flavor. The whipped potatoes were ethereally light, albeit a bit flavorless. I absolutely adore chanterelles, and they were small and delicate, interspersed with haricots verts and baby carrots. I felt the beef stock reduction and the pepper was a bit superfluous, though I did appreciate how the pepper was coarse.


Chocolate trifle, raspberry sorbet 9

While the apps and entrees were exceptional, the desserts fell a bit short of our expectations. Chocolate and raspberry? Not the most original (nor my favorite) pairing, and I know Redd can do better. I enjoyed the tart sorbet most of all out of this rather disappointing dessert.


Lime semifreddo, summer melon, tequila granitè 9

I need to mention that when we were given the desserts, a different and rather curt server briefly ran off the names and left us with a guessing competition. Tart and light, the half-frozen block seemed like a citrus semifreddo to me. I ate a spoonful of the granite, not knowing what it was and subsequently burning my epiglottis; Julyanne thought it was frozen alcohol. Turns out we were pretty much on the mark. I found the dessert pretty interesting, though I can't say it was too enjoyable.


When the meal was done, I did my usual tour of the kitchen; I was surprised to find it so small. Here you see one of the sous chefs and Redd himself, in the black apron. We were delighted to find that they "knew" who we were (the two tasting menus and a birthday).


I must also make a mention of the bathroom. It had a beautiful sink, and they were playing some swanky downtempo, something along the lines of Sven Vath.

Redd is definitely worth the trip over to Yountville, so head over before it gets too hard to get in.

Redd
6480 Washington St.
Yountville, CA 94599

Part 4

Wine Country Shenanigans Pt. 2 - French Laundry

A French laundromat of whorehouse origin, indeed. Continuing this cryptic nonsense, I will go on to describe the two hours that followed our delightful breakfast, in as little detail as possible, of course. Mr. Keller likes to keep dings on da down-low.

So, we were invited into his lair, molested quite a few copper-plated pots and pans, roamed around unbridled in his pristine kitchen, meditated in the meat locker, locked ourselves in the bathroom to shoot some... things, and did some more molesting in the wine cellar. And then we decided to leave the men-in-white to their tasks.


Keller's kitchen getting a shot of botulinum


Destined to be my wallpaper during finals


Does this even need a caption?


As vulnerable as a goose with an unenlarged liver


Medical marjoram

Now that that's out of the way, on to some comprehensible narration. We had roughly one hour to go before lunch at Redd, so a very brief wine-tasting tour was in order. We noted that just few minutes north of Washington St. on 29-N was PlumpJack Winery. As we are quite the suckers for all things sleek+San Francisco, Gavin Newsom's establishment seemed like an ideal spot to relax away the mid-morning. That is, until we settled on Neibaum-Coppola, just a couple of exits farther, instead.

We never made it in, though, and learned one thing during our drive: If you own a piece of hot land alongside Hwy 29, you should not obscure your vineyard's name or hide the entrance driveway to the extent that drivers can't find you. Not only do you risk losing their business, you also risk getting sued for their death in the unforgiving highway traffic.

The disappointment that resulted from our fruitless drive was quickly remedied by a spectacular meal at Redd.

Wine Country Shenanigans Pt. 1 - Bouchon Bakery

While being a rather productive intern one afternoon a few weeks ago, HH IMed me and suggested a Napa excursion. Why? Because we are 80-year-old men with refined interests and a boatload of disposable income. Having very much enjoyed past visits to Wine Country with my family as a kid, and to the French Laundry this past Winter, I couldn't refuse yet another opportunity to sample Napa's ambrosiac culinary offerings, especially with someone who lives to eat more than she eats to live. So, naturally, my response was a "yes". Actually, it was more of an "Aight, letz do dis ding!"

Redd, Cyrus, and Bouchon were among the restaurants under consideration so our only difficulty at that point was narrowing down the choices.

Alright, time for me to take the virtual helm. One of the biggest vexations in life is choosing restaurant; every mealtime is an opportunity, and by settling for one, you forgo the chance to try another. Now then, to the contestants. Bouchon, Thomas Keller's cork, didn't sound all that appealing: French bistro was just too heavy, and we didn't just want to settle for the oysters and bubbly. Cyrus, deemed the "next French Laundry," is all the rage these days. Upon closer examination of the truffled/foied gras-ed/caviared out menu, nothing sounded too interesting. Also, having seen pictures here and there, the plates didn't seem to reach the refinement or sophistication of the French Laundry, because the FL it is not. Of the three, Redd sounded the most refreshing, featuring contemporary American fare with Asian and Latin American influences. We also liked how accessible the restaurant was, without the hustle and bustle for a precious seat. Bouchon Bakery for breakfast and Redd for lunch it was.

Lovers of cheese we are not; however, we love cheese. Armed with a soundtrack housing the likes of Pat Benatar, Jackson Browne, Belinda Carlisle and Phil Collins, we were ready to roll on a sunny Saturday morning. The trip north was only a convertible and couple of Golden Girls silk headscarves away from being the roquefort of cheesy experiences.

We planned the first half of our day meticulously and were confident that spontaneous doodads would carry us the rest of the way into the evening. We were to arrive at Bouchon Bakery early to have a light breakfast so that the refined carbs would be well-digested by our 1pm reservation at Redd.






It was pretty difficult to choose out of the myriad of empty carbs just beckoning for our immediate consumption. Add to that the pressure of having a gazillion Yountvillains behind you, all clamoring for an edible start to the morning, TK style. So, Julyanne went for the unadulteratedly-blue blueblueberry muffin, while I went for a currant scone. The scone was buttery and crumbly, though I think Citizen Cake's buckwheat scones have an edge--those are simply delectable.

She also got a macchiatto, and get this: I order a single cappuccino, I am given a double, but I pay for a coffee. Can this place get any better?

Yes. Because, outside in the seating area, one does not need Saturday morning cartoons. Yountville is a place of many dogs, but even more rampant are dog molesters. We begin with two senior citizens, let's refer to them as Bill and Sue. So poor old Bill and Sue are trying to enjoy their pastries and coffee in peace, when a family of three and their dogs appear.

"I hope they don't see us," Sue mutters.

Too late. The family pulls up many a chair up to the small table and tie down their dogs. So within five minutes, we witness about four passersby come to pat the two poor canines.

"The dogs have bitten people," stammers the uncomfortable mother of one. More esoteric amusement ensues, but I'll just leave it at that.

So we continue on our journey, and come across a french laundromat, of whorehouse origin.



To be continued.

The French Laundry - Yountville, CA

It's been over a week since my meal at The French Laundry, so here is the post. On December 21st, I attended an excom meeting, ambled around, wasted space, and got half the day off so I could head into Napa. The day was windy and rainy, with all the storms in California, and it worsened when we headed inland. There was a bit of traffic on the way, but thanks to Arthur's efficient driving, we arrived at the restaurant at about 6, only 15 minutes after our reservation.

The building itself is a quaint little cottage, which used to be a brothel and a laundry (hence its name). I think the bit about the brothel just adds to the appeal.

After being seated, we were presented with the menu selections for the day: the chef's tasting menu, a special holiday menu at $275, and vegetable tasting menu. I must also mention we were by far the youngest table, by an average of 30 years I'd say. I really was torn between the chef's and holiday menu, considering that the latter menu is only offered 3 weeks out of the year. There were some dishes on it that were quite tantalizing, including Santa Barbara sea urchin custard (have I ever mentioned uni is one of my favorite foods?) and herb roasted sirloin of Australian wagyu. However, this being my first time there, I felt I should have more the more classic dishes that the restaurant is famous for. In retrospect, I should have also ordered the wine pairing, but alas, there's always next time.


The kitchen brings out gruyere cheese gougeres, savory cheese pastries which are warm, soft and delicious.


salmon tartare and red onion creme fraiche on crispy sesame tuile cornet

The famous canape that is associated with the French Laundry, and this becomes obvious upon the first bite. The salmon was creamy and delicious, and the cornet was crunchy and buttery. The fraiche perfectly complimented the salmon and wasn't overwhelming at all. The various ingredients and contrasting textures worked together for the amuse that looked as good as it tasted.


"Oysters and Pearls" "Sabayon" of pearl tapioca with beau soleil oysters and Russian sevruga caviar

This was one of my favorite courses of the night. The tapioca custard was rich and creamy, and the two oysters were fresh, juicy, and plump. The caviar added just the right amount of saltiness to the cream. The textures were silky and smooth, and
the pairing of ingredients was excellent.

We were then presented with a selection of breads, along with a pair of Straus Family Creamery sweet and salted butters. I chose the baguettes that are pictured on the cover of the Bouchon cookbook. I was a bit disappointed to find it hard and cold, even if it tasted good with the butter, which was rich to the point of approaching waxy.


"Carnaroli risotto biologico", castelmagno cheese and shaved white truffles from Alba

This was one of the options on the menu that had a $45 supplement, every dollar of which was very well spent. The risotto had great consistency, but the greatest thing about this course was the white truffle. Our headwaiter comes around to the three of us who ordered the risotto with a wooden box containing two small fist-sized white truffles. I take in a whiff, and it is pungent and musky, a fresh truffle indeed. He takes it and elegantly grates it over our plates, a good 30(?) shavings or so. I was actually quite surprised how generous they were, but when he stopped, all I could want was more. When I was almost done with the dish, I used the bread to soak up every last drop--it was just that good. A truffle hunting trip in Alba in the near future is in order.


Salad of Belgian endive leaves, "compressed" fuyu and marinated hachiya persimmons, garden "mache" and black truffle "puree"

This was the other option apart from the risotto. Only Bart ordered this, but I got to taste an endive leave in the black truffle and persimmon "goop." And good goop it was.


grilled fillet of Mediterranean sea bream, "ragout" of marrow beans, "haricots verts", preserved meyer lemon and piquillo peppers

I was quite excited to taste how good Mr. Keller's fish could be, after hearing all the stories about how he stores his fish in swimming position, and generally how delicate he treats his seafood. The sea bream was quite good, and the flesh was smooth and flaky, which maintained its moisture.


"Caesar Salad" Maine lobster tail "pochee sous vide" with caramelized heart of romaine lettuce, garlic-parmesan "crouton" and "bottarga" emulsion

The lobster tail was cooked perfectly and was buttery and smooth. I wasn't a big fan of the "crouton," as I didn't find its flavor and saltiness really complimented the creamy and sweet lobster, though its crunchy texture did. I just ate that separately. The heart of romaine was flavorful, yet still being somewhat of a palate cleanser for this rich dish. This course was good, but not what I regard as one of the highlights of the meal.


"Aiguillette" of Liberty Valley duck breast, slow baked red beet "tapenade", glazed Tokyo turnips, watercress leaves and red beet emulsion

I really enjoyed this one. The duck breast was tender, juicy, and cooked perfectly, with just the slightest hint of gameyness. I can't think of better accompanyments for the duck than beets, which were delightfully sweet. The turnips could possibly be the best I've ever had. The watercress leaves were flavorful and fresh. All the ingredients worked well together in this course. I couldn't help but contrast Keller's duck with the Peking duck I had just the night before at the Great China in Berkeley, whose duck I maintain compares up to some of the finer restaurants in Hong Kong.


"bouillon" poached ribeye of Elysian Fields farm lamb, Yukon gold potato "mille-feuille", melted cipollini onion, golden chanterelle mushrooms and "mousseline bearnaise"

This course was good also, but I just couldn't help thinking about the wagyu on the holiday menu. Nonetheless, the lamb was tender and moist, with a hint of gameyness. Yum, I do love all game meats. The accompaniments are very worthy of note, the potato sliced millimeter thin, flavorful and flaky, the perfect texture. The chanterelle mushrooms were well seasoned and roasted nicely, and being a mushroom fan I am, these were good.


"St. Nectaire" Sierra beauty apple relish, cutting celery, tellicherry black pepper "gastrique" and crystallized apple chip

At this point I'm a bit stuffed, when out comes the cheese platter (I was semi expecting a cheese cart). I am currently not a big cheese fan, but I vow to cultivate myself into loving the stuff. The St. Nectaire wasn't too strong nor pungent, and it went very well with the greens. However, I squandered most of it on the first piece, and I didn't quite enjoy the bitter/savory aftertaste of the other pieces. The apple chip was great though--I thought it would be cool if there would be an imprint of the French Laundry logo when held up to the light, but it was delicious without it anyway.


satsuma mandarin sorbet "aux agrumes d'automne et feuille of bric croquante"

As a lover of satsumas and all things citrus, I really enjoyed this course. The sorbet was so clean tasting and not too sweet, almost like eating a ripe satsuma. The zesty foam was delicious also, adding a sharper taste of citrus to the dessert. A delicious palate cleanser for the cheese.


Valrhona chocolate "dome", wildflower honey-Sicilian pistachio "nougat blanc", bitter chocolate "coulis" and "cerceaux de sucre"

Presentation for this dish was delightful, with what Bart calls, the skidmark. The domes were rich and smooth, not too sweet and with great Valrhona grade flavor. The pistachio was nutty and had great consistency.


Afterward, half the table got creme brulees, while the other half got lemon custards. The creme brulee was good, but typical. I enjoyed the custard more.


We were then presented with a tray of chocolates, of which I chose espresso, peanut butter, and praline. The espresso chocolate was a mystery, because it really tasted more like hazelnut. I had these with a cup of espresso, strong and full bodied.

At the very end, we each got a bag of shortbread cookies to take home (They're crumbly and buttery delicious.) I also requested to go into the kitchen, so we all got to witness the dynamics of a kitchen that can produce such great food, along with the genius of Mr. Keller himself. He mostly just directed the kitchen in all his glory.

Service was impeccable all night, except for the very delayed pouring of water (they never automatically refilled my glass even when it dipped below half). Props to the waiter who lifted the cloches with so much drama and emotion. Overall, the meal was delicious and well executed. In short, absolutely decadent. Mr. Keller is quoted as saying he wants his diners to say "God, I wish I had just one more bite of that." I definitely agree. The final bill for each person came out to around $270 or so, every dollar well spent. I can't wait to return for the summer menu.