Ad Hoc, Etc

I know I should be posting Jaynie's 9th month about now, but I really want to post about my "adults only" day a few weeks back in....you guessed it...Napa!  It's harvest time, and the vines dripping with grapes were beckoning to us.

My parents were itching to babysit Jaynie, and Scott and I were itching to visit our friends Dave and Kc in St. Helena.  The planets aligned, and we were on our way to Napa sans baby for the day! Dave and Kc are both in the wine industry (I know, good friends to know, right?), so they set us up with a tour at Jarvis, a winery we have been wanting to visit for quite awhile.  But before that, we had to get our food on with brunch at Ad Hoc in Yountville,  which Kc informed me is the local hotspot for brunch.  Ad Hoc has been on my restaurant wishlist for quite awhile, but I had no idea they did brunch.  And WOW, they really know how to do brunch!!

Ad Hoc's whole gimic is one menu per day, set price for 3 courses.  They are famous for their Monday night KFC (Keller Fried Chicken) amongst the locals.  Part of the fun of the place and not knowing what is being served until you arrive.  And even then, the menu is delivered to your table in a file folder...kind of like getting a secret 007 mission.  

Our mission was to eat a summer melon salad, chipped beef on toast with a fried egg, potatoes, and swiss chard; and for dessert hazelnut panna cotta and chocolate chip cookies.  Mission accepted!

Summer Melon Salad: pickled red watermelon, canary melon, chopped shallots, jingle bell peppers, blonde frisee, citrus yogurt vinaigrette

Chipped Beef on Toast: wagyu beef brisket, fried hen egg, crispy potatoes, braised swiss chard, garden tomatoes, sausage gravy

Hazelnut Panna Cotta, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oh ya, and don't forget that this is a Thomas Keller restaurant...which means chipped beed on toast is really wagyu beef brisket served on fresh baked brioche fried in butter, topped with a fresh fried hen egg. And summer melon salad consists of melons and peppers picked fresh from the garden out back.  And the panna cotta, served in a bell jar, was creamy but not too rich.  And Thomas Keller chocolate chip cookies?  How can you go wrong?

After brunch, we scooted over to Jarvis for our tour, which is in the Oak Knoll District.

Can you find the winery?

There it is!

The WHOLE winery is in a cave!  They even have a waterfall and stream underground, which they have manipulated to maintain the proper humidity year around.

Obligatory waterfall shot.

I do have to admit that the winery is a bit full of themselves (our grapes only see the light of day for 30 minutes after they are picked...we produce only 5,000 cases a year, which is in the lowest 3% of production in the valley...we only use each barrel once.)  Our tourguide, Ted, seemed on the snooty side, but towards the end of our tasting we discovered Ted is neighbors with Dave and KC.  Small world.

Jarvis has this cool vineyard on their driveway where you can stop and taste 55 grape varieties!  Very fun!

Scott and Dave taste the goods

Kc found a good one!

After Jarvis we had a few minutes to kill before our next appointment, so stopped by Mario Andretti's winery (who knew?).  After Kc and I tasted some corked (unbeknownst to the tasting room staff) sauv blanc, we snuck out the back door and proceeded on.  No need to ever go there ever again!

I want to make this table.  Love it.  At Robert Baile.

Our last appointment was at Robert Baile, a winery known for their zinfandels.  After our tasting attendant poured our first glass, Scott and I looked at eachother trying to figure out why we recognized him.  He was Scott, our favorite tasting room guy from St Supery, and later, Miner!  Now he works at Robert Baile.  Small world again.

Thanks for taking our picture tasting room Scott!

 I felt like I could've stayed 3 more days in Napa, but Jaynie beckoned and we had to go home.  But what a wonderful Sunday!