Jun 22, 2011

ad hoc -for temporary relief from hunger-

Dinner at Ad Hoc in Yountville.
Ad Hoc, meaning "for this purpose" in Latin, has an interesting story behind it (link here). Its a casual, laid back, family-style restaurant from the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group.
Exterior.
Entrance.
Bar Area.
Ordered this Blue Apron Ale, which is exclusively brewed in Brooklyn for his Per Se restaurant in NYC. It had a nice aroma and strong flavor but super smooth. We ordered two 750ml bottles (one just wasn't enough).
Then the waiter comes out with Kenzo's Rindo wine that we didn't order. Turns out, Julia from Kenzo Wine (blog here), who had recommended this restaurant to us (and previously worked here) knew that we were dining there that night, so she called ahead to keep us a bottle.
So extremely generous, thank you Julia!!
Started with: Frisee & Watercress Salad
Smoked Duck Breast, Pixie Mandarins, Toasted Hazelnuts, Kalamata Olives, Shaved Red Onion, Breakfast Radish and Citrus Vinaigrette.
Main: Snake River Farm's Kurobuta Pork Shortribs
Marble Potatoes, Cippolini Onions, English Peas, White Corn, Roasted Broccoli Rabe, Fried Hen Egg, Fuji Apple Mustard.
Cheese Platter: Patacabra
Palladin Toast, Marshall's Farm Wildflower Honey.
Dessert: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Vanilla Ice Cream.

They only serve one 4-course menu each night for $52/person (menu changes daily). The main shortribs were incredibly tender, not overly flavored and you can taste the natural sweetness of the pork. I really enjoyed each dish, loved the homey vibe, energy and atmosphere.
Towards the end of our meal, we noticed Thomas Keller himself eating there. My mom got super excited and asked him to sign that day's menu. She said he was super friendly and welcoming.

Jun 20, 2011

Auberge du Soleil

One place I had to go to was Bistro & Bar inside the Auberge du Soleil resort.
Entrance.
It's located on top of a hill and the reason I wanted to come here was...
for this insane view.
No obstructions whatsoever. Tranquility.
They start you off with some house olives.
Took a break from wine with a nice amber beer.
Shared the Charcuterie platter.
(Top to bottom) Mortadella, Salami and Foie Blonde Pate.

The view itself is definitely worth coming here.

Jun 19, 2011

Forks Over Knives


Went to watch Forks Over Knives yesterday.
It's a documentary on eating more whole, plant-based foods and cutting out animal products. It was informative with really interesting research and facts. I don't think I can, actually... I don't want to cut out seafood. (Cannot imagine life without sashimi/sushi!) I could control my dairy & egg consumption, but it would be difficult to cut it out completely. But eventually, I could probably cut out meats from my diet, since I don't eat it regularly anyway. One step at a time...
This film inspired me, and I highly recommend it to anyone. Especially to people who are over-weight or taking excessive medication.

Jun 17, 2011

Napa Stops

Other quick Napa stops we made...

I had been here before, when it was the Niebaum-Coppola Winery.

The Daniel Tasting, $25
You get a sample of 3 Captain's Reserve wines and their flagship wine, Rubicon. All of the wines were great, especially the 2 on the right: 2007 Estate Cask ($65) and 2007 Rubicon ($145). And a great tasting deal for $25.
They have a beautiful rose garden too.

Quick lunch stop at Dean & Deluca.
Turkey Breast & Pesto Panini. So good.

A tasting at Heitz Cellars.
It's one of the few wineries now that offers complimentary tasting (which was how it used to be before, according to my mom).
They also produce Port, which is also very rare in Napa. I don't usually drink Port, but their Port was amazing, not too sweet, not too thick. It was also a perfect gift for my Port-loving boyfriend.

They don't have a "winery", but offer complimentary tasting (by appointment only) in their tasting room located in downtown St. Helena.
They "purchase" local vineyards and grapes to produce excellent wines at reasonable prices. They don't produce too much so its quite rare outside of California. My favorite was "The Prisoner" (on the right).

Jun 14, 2011

Kenzo Estate

Located in the middle of nowhere (literally), Kenzo Estate is situated on over 4,000 acres, out of which 70 are vineyards. My family had been raving about it and my brother had brought me back a couple bottles when he went in February. I found out that the wine bar I frequently walked by and wanted to try in Tokyo was actually their tasting room (I ended up going before I came back to CA).
My sister has been to LOTS of wineries in Napa Valley and she said nothing compares to Kenzo and that it is "THE most prestigious wine tasting experience".
Kenzo Estate entrace.
You have to make a tasting appointment ahead of time and call them when you arrive to open the gate.
Follow the one-way road through the vineyards...
to arrive at the Tasting Room.
Gorgeous outdoor area. So serene and relaxing.
They take each party on a private, very detailed tour to walk through the wine caves, processing area and the vineyards.
Our guide, Julia, explained to us how the grapes are grown, harvested and how the wines are made. She was so amazing, with lots of information and just the most friendliest person.
When we go back to the tasting room, our table is all set up. They only have one party per about every 1.5 hours, so that everyone gets a very personal and private tasting/tour experience.
After a glass of their only white wine, Asatsuyu (Sauvignon Blanc), we go on to try their 3 reds; Rindo, Murasaki & Ai.
Loved the design and simple interior.
They only produce these 4 wines. My favorite is Ai, their Cab. It's very full bodied, yet so smooth and delicate. My second favorite is Rindo, but I enjoyed all of them. 
Tasting for all 4 wines start at $30. When comparing it to the Opus One tasting (strictly $30/glass), it is more of an "exprience". There are separate glasses specifically designed for each wine and for such an intimate tasting and very personal tour, I thought it was SO much more worth it than Opus One. Julia was also very generous and gave us a couple extra pours, or in her terms let us "revisit" our favorite. 
As you can tell from the name of the winery and wines, the owner is Japanese. Kenzo Tsujimoto, the CEO of Capcom, had bought this piece of land more than 20 years ago to fulfill his dream of producing quality wines.
It is absolutely worth it to take the trip out to Kenzo, when in Napa.

Jun 9, 2011

Ma(i)sonry

At Ma(i)sonry located in Yountville, you can have a very unique wine tasting experience. It was originally built as a private residence in 1904, but now, it has turned into an art gallery where you could taste wines from various vineyards. There are interesting and modern art placed and sold all over the place. We got 2 different types of red wine flights in the garden that was so laid back and the perfect setting for wine tasting. All the wines were recommended to us by the server.



Loved these communal tables in the garden.
Cool furniture and sculptures placed all over.
With the wine tasting, they gave us this cheese & nuts plate, complimentary. Pretty awesome.

TOMS Eyewear

Amazing.
For those who are not familiar with TOMS, they have a movement called "One for One". For each pair of shoes you purchase, they will give a new pair of shoes to a child in need. I own a pair, and for less than $50 for a super light, comfortable pair of shoes, you are actually buying 2 pairs of shoes! So easy!
They just announced their new project, an eyewear line. For each pair you purchase, they will provide either medical treatment, prescription glasses or sight-saving surgery for someone in need. I LOVE eyewear, so I will definitely be ordering a pair (or two...)

Jun 1, 2011

Domaine Chandon

More sparkling wine tasting at Domaine Chandon. This was my first time here and it was a very pretty winery. It was like a huge garden with lots of greens, trees and ponds. 
Entrance.
Sat at the outdoor seating area to enjoy the clear, blue sky.