I’ve read so much about Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc and was looking forward to dining here on Valentine’s Day. Rose had just returned from her vacation from the Philippines, so it gave us another reason to celebrate. Ad Hoc serves up a daily changing menu that focuses on local and readily available ingredients. Your four course meal includes a starter, entrée, cheese course, and dessert all at a prix fixe. Meals are served family style, which seems uncommon, but is a refreshing change.

The freshly baked bread comes from just down the street at Keller’s own Bouchon Bakery. There’s plenty of butter to slather on.

Our meal started off with a fresh baby iceberg lettuce salad. The crispy wedges of lettuce was topped with sweet braeburn apple bits, brioche croutons, and roasted chioggia beets – all drizzled with a green goddess dressing. There were medjool dates that added a buttery flavor to the salad. The roasted beets were our favorite part of the salad. They added a savory touch. We were amazed how each component of the salad combined salty and sweet together.

Next, we were served our entrée of prime beef flat iron steak and Maine lobster with artichoke hearts, creamy whipped potatoes, thumbelina carrots, and purple kohlrabi from The French Laundry garden.

The lobster tail and knuckles were cooked in butter. We loved it. The texture was still soft and juicy with the salty flavors of the butter coming through. The steak was perfectly seared on the outside, leaving it pink on the inside which trapped all of the juices. What stood out the most were the vegetables.

I don’t know a single person that would turn down lobster, but vegetables, yes. What Ad Hoc did to the vegetables was incredible. The potatoes were whipped to a creamy perfection. The carrots were added for a sweet touch. The kohlrabi had the firm texture of a sliced radish or potato. Finally to add a little tartness, the artichokes did their job. Again, there seemed to be a balance between each component of the dish with their own different textures of flavors.

Before the dessert, we had a cheese course that had three different cheeses. As for the cheese, we are still learning about the different kinds. I was overwhelmed at the names and locations of each cheese that I couldn’t remember which was which. I do know that the cheese in the center was my favorite. There was a balance of bitterness that I found to be pleasant. Along with the cheese was local honey from Marshall’s Farm and spiced mixed walnuts. The walnuts were a covered with a spicy coating. I’m used to snacking on spicy peanuts when sipping on a beer. It was no surprise that one bite of the walnuts ignited a craving for a cold one.

To end the meal, we were served a chocolate cake for two. Notice the red lips topping the cake for an added Valentine’s Day touch. Along with the cake were two chocolate truffles infused with bird peppers. You get the combination of a rich chocolate flavor with a spicy feeling in your mouth seconds after.

The cake itself was filled with hints of raspberry throughout. A light mousse topped the layer of cake with a shell of chocolate surrounding it. The chocolate was dark and rich. Fans of chocolate desserts would feel like they were in heaven if they had a chance to have a piece of this cake.

Ad Hoc ranks very high on my top list of top must try restaurants for others. If someone asks me where they should dine if they are in Napa or Yountville, this is where I would point them to.

It’s a spot for dates because…
It’s a surprise to dine at Ad Hoc because you don’t know what’s on the menu until the afternoon prior to dinner service. With the four courses you get, we found that the price you pay brings you a great value considering the combination of delicious food and service you’ll receive.

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Sometimes the best trips are on the spur of the moment, which I considered this trip to be. A lazy Sunday afternoon quickly turned into one of the best day trips I’ve experienced. Romel and his girlfriend and Onjie and his wife had plans to visit Napa Valley and invited Rose and I. I couldn’t say no. We quickly gathered our cameras and hit the road.

V. Sattui Winery
First stop, the V. Sattui Winery. It would be my first time to do some wine tasting. I was not disappointed. Armed with Romel’s special Membership Card we were able to enter a private wine cellar. A quick toast to the good days ahead and the festivities began. The wine poured and poured.

The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
Next stop was at CIA at Greystone, a culinary school. This visit made me think about attending a culinary school. It was one of the options I could have chosen in my past. Most of the areas were closed off because of a wedding reception, but we were able to check out the campus store which had plenty of books, kitchen utensils, knives, and spices to see.

Yountville
The final stop was to Yountville, CA, home of Thomas Keller’s Bouchon, Ad Hoc, and The French Laundry. It was Onjie and his wife’s anniversary, so a dinner would be the proper way to end the day trip. We tried to go to Bouchon and Ad Hoc for dinner. Unfortunately, both restaurants were packed. I always wanted to dine at a Thomas Keller restaurant. I’ll have to go back some other time. We ended up dining at Hurley’s.

Tasty food along with great people was a great way to end the trip. In the end, it was very memorable and a great experience.

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