Monthly Archive for March, 2011

Page 3 of 4

Fried Chicken Night at Ad Hoc – Yountville

Published by Gastronomer on March 11, 2011 in Napa Valley, New American, Restaurant Review and Southern. 14 Comments

Sometime last December, a brilliant idea came to me while I was procrastinating at work. I didn’t know how the logistics would unfold exactly, but I decided that my 29th birthday had to be celebrated over fried chicken at Ad Hoc. It’s been a dream of mine for quite sometime, and it was high time that it was turned into a reality.

After calling the restaurant and figuring out the schedule (fried chicken is only served for dinner every other Monday), a table was booked for February 21. And thus, my month-long birthday party culminated in Yountville at Ad Hoc’s fried chicken night. Dreams really do come true!

Ad Hoc has been one of my all-time favorite restaurants ever since The Astronomer and I brunched here nearly two years ago. The food, which has a deceptively simple and homey quality about it, is made with the finest ingredients and executed with precision. The restaurant serves a four-course menu five nights a week and a three-course brunch on Sunday. All meals are shared family style.

The Astronomer and I were joined by our friend Scott and his girlfriend Nandita for this hotly anticipated dinner. Scott, who produces wine in nearby St. Helena, was in charge of the evening’s libations. He chose a light and bright white from the Napa Valley—Massican “Annia.”

Fried chicken Monday, which is priced at $52 per person, started off like any other Ad Hoc meal, with bread from nearby Bouchon Bakery served with perfectly spreadable butter.

Continue reading ‘Fried Chicken Night at Ad Hoc – Yountville’

Bottega – Yountville

Published by Gastronomer on March 9, 2011 in Italian, Napa Valley and Restaurant Review. 10 Comments

After spending several days in The Bay visiting loved ones and dining at some spectacular local spots, The Astronomer and I traveled to Wine Country for more of the same. We haven’t been back to the area since celebrating our engagement at The French Laundry in 2009, but the scenery and spirit of the place was just as lovely as we remembered it.

On our first night in town, The Astronomer and I snagged two seats at the bar at Chef Michael Chiarello‘s three-year-old rustic Italian eatery Bottega. I had tried to make a proper reservation a few days earlier, but the entire restaurant was fully booked. Fortunately, we didn’t wait but five minutes before two stools opened up.

While we perused the menu and wine list, our waiter dropped off some white bread along with a garlic- and cheese-infused olive oil. It’s been a while since I’ve encountered bread service worth going gaga over, but Bottega’s was really outstanding. The bread was crusty without scarring the roof of my delicate mouth, while the olive oil was just plain addictive. Even though we had a feast ahead of us, seconds were requested and immediately devoured.

To start, I picked the pesce crudo—”market fresh raw selection from the sea.” The day’s offering was Big Eye tuna served with spicy micro greens and deep-fried satsumas ($13). I liked the dish well enough, but thought the portion size was ridiculously small. The tempura-battered mandarin segments were the most exciting element on the slab.

Continue reading ‘Bottega – Yountville’

Artichoke and Goat Cheese Strata

Published by Gastronomer on March 7, 2011 in Breakfast + Brunch, Breakfast / Brunch, Recipe, Vegetarian and Vegetarian. 14 Comments

Though I love reading Cooking Light from cover to cover each month, I rarely prepare any dishes from it because most recipes feature some form of animal protein. I’m not a vegetarian by any means (Lord, no!), but seeing as though I dine out quite a bit, refraining from eating big hunks of meat at home keeps me nice and balanced.

Recently, the magazine’s editors have taken note of mostly meatless folks like me. In fact, this month’s issue provided an entire section dedicated to comforting vegetarian casseroles. I loved how these entrees had oomph and interest without relying heavily on meat. This recipe for Artichoke and Goat Cheese Strata immediately jumped off the page because I adore eating breakfasty foods for dinner. Plus, The Astronomer really digs artichokes.

Stratas, which are close relatives of quiches and frittatas, earned their name from the interweaving layers of egg-soaked bread, vegetables, and cheese. This one is loaded with herbes de Provence-tinged artichokes, as well as rich and tangy crumbles of goat cheese. Topped with a bit of hot sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, this strata fit the bill for a filling, satisfying, and most importantly, meat-free meal.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (about 1 large)
12-ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
5 slices country-style white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
Cooking spray
5 ounces crumbled goat cheese, divided

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in artichoke hearts and garlic; cook for 8 minutes or until artichoke hearts begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in herbes de Provence. Cool 10 minutes.

Combine milk, black pepper, salt, and eggs in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and bread; toss gently to combine. Stir in artichoke mixture, and let stand for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°.

Continue reading ‘Artichoke and Goat Cheese Strata’

Dynamo Donuts and Coffee – San Francisco

Published by Gastronomer on March 6, 2011 in Breakfast / Brunch, Dessert, Restaurant Review and San Francisco. 14 Comments

Last December, Eater LA asked a slew of the city’s food writers to predict a dining world headline for 2011. My prediction—Gourmet Doughnuts Overtake Cupcakes and Macarons!—wasn’t based on anything substantial, just a secret hope I’ve been harboring since thoroughly stuffing my face at New York’s Doughnut Plant and at Seattle’s Top Pot Doughnuts and Frost Doughnuts.

We’re three months into 2011 and there’s no sign of a gourmet doughnut shop opening anywhere in the city. Though a deep-fried revolution doesn’t seem likely in the remaining months, I’m keeping my fingers tightly crossed. Until L.A. gets its doughnut act together, I am forced to satisfy my cravings on the road at places like Dynamo Donuts in San Francisco.

Sara Spearin opened Dynamo in 2008 after graduating from the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont and honing her pastry skills at a slew of fine dining restaurants in New York and San Francisco. Dynamo is dedicated to using organic, sustainable, and local ingredients whenever possible. All doughnuts are handmade daily, with a rotating selection of seven to ten donuts available each day.

I was hoping to get my paws on one of Dynamo’s famous bacon maple doughnuts, but alas, they were sold out by the time our crew arrived. Instead, I chose the “Bitter Queen” ($3), which was comprised of a candied grapefruit doughnut topped with an elderflower glaze and Campari sugar.

I was skeptical that a doughnut could ever taste anything but sweet and really sweet, but this creation surprised me with its legitimately bitter notes. The light and delicate yeast dough provided the ideal base for the grapefruit and apéritif to do what they do best—elicit bitter faces.

Continue reading ‘Dynamo Donuts and Coffee – San Francisco’

Tartine Bakery & Cafe – San Francisco

Published by Gastronomer on March 3, 2011 in Bakery, Breakfast / Brunch, Restaurant Review and San Francisco. 23 Comments

From the perspective of a casual visitor, it seems that the pitter-patter of rainfall whets the appetite of Nor Cal food lovers. In spite of inclement weather, hungry hoards were lined up outside Homeroom in Oakland, and once again at Tartine Bakery & Cafe in San Francisco. I’m one of those wussy So Cal-types known to cancel dinner reservations whenever a storm approaches, so I was especially impressed to witness such sheer determination.

When The Astronomer and I arrived on the Tartine scene, we were greeted by a line fifteen deep snaking out the bakery’s door and into the rain. Seeing these dedicated folks waiting so patiently got us even more excited to sample the breads and pastries of Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson. The husband and wife duo opened Tartine in 2002 after graduating from the CIA and training extensively in France. In 2008, the couple was awarded with Outstanding Pastry Chefs honors by the James Beard Foundation.

Joining us for lunch were my cousins Timmy, Michael, and Andrew, and Timmy’s girlfriend Jessica. Our friend A.J. rounded out our party of seven. Since our group was humongous by Tartine standards, we congregated along the bar overlooking the sidewalk. A comfy table was definitely not in the cards.

Nearly everyone in our group ordered one savory and one sweet item from the concise menu. I went with a slice of quiche ($4.75) made with crème fraiche and Niman Ranch smoked ham. The texture of the egg had a gentle quality about it, while the crust was sturdy and buttery. Had it been served hot out of the oven (and with hot sauce on the side), I would’ve been more enamored.

The Astronomer’s croque monsieur ($9.75), on the other hand, was warmed in the oven just before serving and arrived perfectly toasty. The open-face sandwich was layered with béchamel, gruyere, thyme, pepper, and Niman Ranch ham. While the toppings were all superb, it was the bread base, which was baked in a wood-fired oven, that really stood out. That, and the spicy pickled carrot served on the side.

Continue reading ‘Tartine Bakery & Cafe – San Francisco’