Month: October 2014

Continuing our tour of Thomas Keller restaurants, we decided to lunch at Bouchon, which is Keller’s take on the French bistro.  We had reservations for a late lunch and were promptly greeted and seated. Decor was typical bistro, with round marble top tables and Parisian style chairs. A small patio offers outdoor dining, although during the hot summer days, I would advise an inside seat.  Evenings would probably present a better outdoor dining experience.

The menu featured typical bistro fare, including salads, small bites, and simple entrees. We decided to order some traditional fare: Salmon Rillettes, French Onion soup, roasted bone marrow, and Croque Madame.

Rillettes with smoked and fresh salmon

Rilettes is spread meant to be eaten with toast. Similar to pates, they are made by slowing cooking a type of meat slowly in fat, which in this case was butter (I admit, I had to look this up on Wikipedia to know exactly what rillettes was, but how figured, how can I go wrong with something that is like pate and basically loaded with butter?).  Bouchon’s version includes both smoked and fresh salmon and comes in a small mason jar. When presenting the jar at the table, the server opened mason jar and used a knife to remove the large disc of solidified butter on top (see top left hand side of picture above).  Our server asked if we wanted to keep the disk, and I figured, keeping it would give us some butter to spread on the toast or house bread.

The rillettes were a bit salty for my taste, probably as a result of smoked salmon, so using a little bit goes a long way. Mixing a bit of the butter from the disk helped dilute the saltiness a bit, but overall would probably skip this in the future.

French Onion Soup

A true test of a French bistro is its French Onion soup, and Bouchon’s does not disappoint. Served in a proper vessel. Yes. Baked cheese on top. Yes. Uses runny, stringy cheese (gruyere or emmental is my guess??). Check.  Crouton in the soup. Check.  Soup base not a salt bomb. Check.

The flavor of the soup base was very rich, and almost had a syrup like consistency, which leads me to believe it had been heavily reduced from a beef or even veal stock. Not overly sweet either. Portion was perfect too with all the elements working well together.

Roasted Bone Marrow with garlic, shallots, and sherry vinegar

We have had roasted bone marrow at other places, most recently at The Beast and The Hare. Bouchon’s version is by far the best we have had. Nicely balanced, rich, fatty, and silky smooth, with just a hit of acid to cut the richness of the marrow.  This is a dish i would travel back for over and over again.  Perfectly cooked and seasoned.  In fact, we were tempted to over a second plate, but decided against it, as we had already ordered a lot of food.

Croque Madame  with Pomme Frites

The bread used is a brioche (house made I assume) and the sandwich is topped with a soft fried egg and Mornay sauce.  While I appreciate the high quality ingredients and skilled preparation, the dish fell into the “nothing special” category for me and was missing a wow factor, although Bouchon’s version did stay pretty close to the spirit of a proper Croque Madame.

Summary: 

If you are looking for an authentic French bistro experience, then Bouchon delivers. Food is high quality and is reasonable (for the Napa area that is). Great for a couple or small groups. The rillettes and Croque Madame were a bit disappointing to me, but not enough to damper my desire to return and try different items on their menu, after I order the bone marrow of course.

Rating:

Easy call. Must visit if you are in the Napa Area.  Raise if you are a fan of French bistro food.

No trip to Yountville would be complete without a visit to Bouchon Bakery, and would complete our Thomas Keller themed tour of Napa after Ad Hoc and Bouchon.  The bakery is known for its macarons but also has some other french style pastries and baked goods.

The individual macarons are about 2 inches in diameter, and we decided to get two, pistachio and “no-tellum” flavor, which was described as hazelnut with home made nutella spread.  Both were light and flaky and while sweet, was not candy sweet as some other ones that I have tried.  We also got a nutter butter cookie (peanut buttercream sandwiched between two peanut butter cookies)  and chocolate almond croissant to eat later in the day. Cookies were on par with others I have had, and the croissant was above average, being very flaky with the right amount of almond paste and chocolate.

Rating: 

Easy Call if you are in the Yountville area or if you are a fan of macarons
Marginal call if you have to travel some distance like we did or are not that crazy about macarons.

The Concept

Ad Hoc is a more casual and more affordable counterpart to Thomas Keller’s high end French Laundry, showcasing contemporary American/Californian cuisine. The concept is the same as Wakuriya, with a daily prix fixe menu (in the case of Ad Hoc 4 courses: an appetizer/ salad, main protein dish, fruit/cheese, and dessert) that rotates daily depending on what ingredients are freshly available and the executive chef’s whim.  An optional add-on small course is the only other decision diners have to make besides wines and drinks. The overall vibe is whimsical and fun.

All dishes are served family style at the table. This immensely simplifies the operations and allows the restaurant to concentrate on doing a few thing well rather than splitting its attention on several different dishes, flexes the creativity of the executive chef, and allows last minute adjustments based on what ever ingredients happen to be in season (or other circumstances, as I will outline below).  Diners, have to be equally flexible, though, being willing to accept anything that is thrown at them with little notice. This makes Ad Hoc unsuitable for picky eaters or those with dietary restrictions. The restaurant is willing to accommodate some  dietary requests (like omitting an ingredient because of allergies), as dishes are made to order, but making wholesale changes (e.g.  swapping the evening’s protein dish because you don’t like it) might not be possible.

Our experience: 

First course:

Caesar Salad with boquorines, torn garlic croutons, kalamata olives and Parmesan dressing

While it may seem simple, dressing a salad is a fine balance, and often a matter of personal taste. Besides a small amount of dressing on the bottom acting as “glue” to preserve the presentation on the plate, the salad was not pre-dressed,  arriving at the table with the dressing on the side.  Theresa and I appreciated this, as  we like salads lightly dressed, and this allows each of us to adjust according to taste. The dressing itself was not your typical Caesar dressing, having just a hint of Parmesan and not overly salty, instead allowing the salt and acidity from the anchovies and olives to provide the sodium and acid components.  A nice way to start a meal.

Second Course:
Grilled Hanger Steak with forest mushrooms, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, lemon polenta, and natural beef au jus 

The hanger steak came pre-sliced in small medallions atop the polenta. The steak was well seasoned and cooked to medium in the center.  The accompanying roasted vegetables providing a nice bit of acid and texture contrast.  The polenta was extremely rich and creamy, with no hit of grit, which makes me suspect it was cooked long and slow with lots of butter and cream. The au jus was drizzled on top of the veggies imparting additional flavor, and allowing us to dip the steak into as needed.  All the elements worked well together.

Optional Add in:
Seared Scallops with beets, bacon, and fried leeks

Per the suggestion of our server, we ordered 1 portion of the optional add-on, although we could have ordered 2 portions and I would have been happy.  This was the highlight of the evening.  Scallops tend to be a bit of a blank canvas, which can work in favor of a dish or work against it. The minimum requirement, in my mind, is a well cooked scallop, which implies a nice sear on the outside, tender innards, and proper seasoning.  The second element is the the pairing of the other ingredients. This dish delivered. The scallop was nicely seared and tender on the inside. The bacon flavor penetrated the beets (I suspect they were cooked together). The leeks provided a nice texture contrast to the softer scallop and beets, and the saltiness of the bacon matched well with the slight sweetness and acidity of the beets, lending a nice balance to the entire dish.

Third Course:
Shelburne Cheddar with pickled vegetables and dijon mustard

I am a bit puzzled by our third course. I looked at some other daily menus and it seems the third course is cheese or fruit based, so I guess it’s meant to be the first part of a 2 course dessert. I have never been a big fan of cheese as a dessert course, and cheese did not seem to fit into the overall progression of the meal.  As an appetizer course, this would work well, but its placement after the protein seemed like an odd choice. The cheddar did have a nice sharpness, but the pickled vegetables were bit too acidic for this point in the meal. Perhaps a softer cheese with dried fruit or other sweet element would have worked better. Theresa is not a big fan of some cheeses and with both us of being pretty full from the previous courses, we left most of this alone.

 Fourth Course:
Apple Spice Cake with Burnt Sugar Ice Cream and Vanilla Caramel

The burnt sugar ice cream’s flavor was described to us as similar to the burnt sugar on top of a creme brulee, and it was the best element in this course. Nice balance without being overly sweet, which was my concern when I heard the description. The cake itself was decent, with the flavors of mulling spice and subtle apple flavors with proper moisture level. Nothing super memorable or noteworthy compared to other desserts that I have had, but provided an adequate ending to the meal.

Service:
Service was attentive and staff very friendly. Pacing of the dishes was good and contributed to a very pleasant and welcoming dining experience. Ad Hoc has gotten this part of the dining experience equation correct and is a large reason why I would come back for a return trip.

Summary: 

Ad Hoc has a fun atmosphere and culinarily has a surprise/mystery element going for it.  For someone like me that enjoys trying different things, having a daily rotating menu and discovering what the “mad scientist” cooks will come up with is a big draw. While you won’t get exotic or expensive ingredients such as chilean sea bass or caviar, the ingredients are of high quality and farm fresh (they source ingredients from their  on site garden). The prix five menu (@$52/person) provides a reasonably priced alternative to more expensive restaurants of similar quality that populate the Napa/Sonoma area. Our visit had some minor misses here and there which may or may not have been caused by the last minute swap out of the main entree. My minor quibbles are more a result of personal taste and perhaps not seeing what the chef had envisioned with that particular night’s course pairings rather than a lack of quality or poor execution. I’m a believer in the concept and hope to return in the future to experience what new creations the chefs will come up with it.

Rating:

Easy Call, but Raise if you find yourself around Yountville or Napa.  Fold if you do not like surprises or if you are particular in your food choices. .

Tomales Bay near Point Reyes on California’s Pacific Coast highway (Hwy 1) is known for its oyster farms and The Marshall Store (TMS) sells fresh shucked oysters, chowder, and some BBQ items out of a building by the seashore. You order food at the counter and then sit outside on long hardwood tables set out along the shore with Highway 1 directly behind you. We had decided to take a Thursday/Friday off for a local road trip/staycation in the Bay Area, and Marshall Store was our first stop.

Marshall’s Remote Location

Marshall, CA is fairly remote, at least by most city dwellers’ standards, requiring an hour+ long drive from San Francisco  on some winding roads to reach. If you have the time, I would suggest taking the more scenic route along CA 1 from the Marin headlands at the foot of the Golden Gate up north past Muir Woods and Point Reyes. This route can get busy during peak travel times, so if you are in more of a hurry take US 101 and cut over on some of the smaller roads passing through the hills (Google Maps can direct you). But once there, you will be rewarded with a nice dining experience, especially on warmer days.

The Marshall Store “dining room”

Because of TMS’s remote location along the coast there is no cell service at all. In addition to not being able to immediately Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat your Marshall Store experience, you will not be able to connect to Google Maps to figure your exit route.  I would suggest printing out directions,  memorizing your exit route,  retracing your steps, or using your “old school” navigation system. And it goes without saying that you will be cut off from the outside world a bit, so if you are expecting calls or texts, be forewarned, you will not get them.   Restroom facilities are of the portable variety, and If you have a natural aversion to these, I suggest limiting liquid intake before the trip.

Parking is along Hwy 1 on both sides of the store with capacity for about 2 dozen cars.  Since it was a Thursday, parking was not an issue, but during busy times, you might have to park farther away along Hwy 1.

Ordering and Service

Oysters are the signature dish, so that was a must. In addition to raw oysters, TMS offers cooked varieties, namely BBQ, with Chorizo butter, Rockefeller, with bacon and Worchester sauce.  Regular prices are fairly pricey at $15/6 raw oysters and up to $18/6 oysters for the cooked varieties, but we happen to visit on a Thursday, which is $1/raw oyster day. They do not advertise this, but we talked to a couple of regulars who come fairly often and they had been running the Thursday deal for a while.   They also have some sandwiches, clam chowder, fish, and crab dishes.  Bottled drinks can be found in large glass door fridges, and include beer, wine, sodas, and juices.

You  order at the counter, pay for your drinks,  leave your name for the order, and take a seat. While there are seats inside, unless it is raining or totally fogged in, you should sit outside at the long hardwood tables.  A server brings out the trays  from the shucking/grill room  shouting out your name at which point you flag them down to claim your order.

The Food:

We decided on ordering a dozen raw oysters, 1 order of  BBQ-ed oysters, the house smoked tri-tip sandwich, and clam chowder.

Quality ingredients stand on their own, and the oysters delivered.  Freshly plucked from Tomales Bay and shucked, they were satisfyingly briny and tender with the right amount of oyster liquor remaining in the shell to finish.  For those that prefer, the oysters came with lemon wedges and  migonette sauce, which had cilantro in it. Tabasco can be found on the table as well. We actually ordered a second dozen,taking full advantage of the $1/oyster special.

The BBQ oysters are  grilled to order,  topped with housemade BBQ and accompanied by a couple pieces of herb seasoned bread. For those weary of raw oysters, this is a good option.  Worth trying, but I have had better cooked oysters else where.

Let’s face it, going on oysters alone, we would be hungry in a couple of hours.  So every oyster bar has some “filler” items to accompany their bivalves, and TMS is no exception.  The chowder comes in 2 sizes, cup and bowl, at $6 and $8 and you serve yourself at the end of the counter. TMS’s chowder is not the paste like, cream dominated chowder found in most places, but thinner like a hearty stew, filled with potatoes and clams.  Flavor was good and pairs well with oysters.

The tri-tip sandwich with house smoked beef was a decent size and had a nice balance of meat to bread to toppings and ranking in the middle of the pack in terms of my sandwich rankings. Sure beats packaged lunch meat slapped between two pieces of bread.

Overall Thoughts:

The decision to go to TMS is a fairly extreme case of having to choose between a relatively high overall cost in both time and dollars spent at the restaurant verses the quality of the food and dining experience.  While it is tough to beat the freshness of Tomales Bay oysters plucked directly from the water and the pretty decent “filler” items that TMS serves,  the fact remains that food transportation is pretty efficient these days, and you can get Tomales Bay oysters the day after (and sometimes day of) harvest around the SF Bay area fairly easily (e.g. Hogg island Oyster Farm’s restaurant locations).

TMS’s regular prices for oysters are comparable to other restaurants offering super fresh shucked oysters.  This makes the drive out there a significant component in the overall cost equation when considering both time and gas. Visiting The Marshall Store would be a great stop if you happen to be going to Point Reyes or up north on CA 1 as part of a road trip like we did, and the  $1 oysters  were definitely a bonus in the cost calculation. However, how often will the typical person have a free Thursday to drive out to the coast before the 4pm closing time? We happen to just luck out when we went, else we would probably have fewer oysters and more fillers.  If you are the sort that prefers to pay a small premium to have things shipped to you, then I would pass on TMS.

Rating:

Easy, No Brainer Call, IF  you are geared up for a road trip, like outdoor coastal dining,  and are a fan of oysters.  Otherwise,  if you prefer to let others do the driving or are not a raw oyster aficionado, folding is the wise course of action.