Ad Hoc 

6476 Washington Street

Yountville, California 94599

+1 (707) 944- 2487

Food:

TFL Kale & Arugula Salad; torn garlic croutons, pickled red onions, button mushrooms, burrata, black pepper crème fraiche

Smoked Pork Rack; charred brocolini, mac & cheese

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Comte; griddled palladin, marshall’s farm honey

Pecan chocolate pie, whipped crème fraiche

Wine:

2006 Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino Barbera d’Alba Superiore   88

This was my first time having dinner at Ad Hoc’s bar, and it won’t be the last. For starters, choices are much more flexible at the bar than in the main room, where only one menu (with an optional middle course) is offered for everyone. A la carte dining at the bar is ideal for guests who are interested in more of a snack than a complete meal, not that we showed much restraint. The full menu was simply too mouthwatering to resist.

TFL Kale & Arugula Salad; torn garlic croutons, pickled red onions, button mushrooms, burrata, black pepper crème fraiche

On this Monday night, the menu is classic Ad Hoc Americana. The kale and arugula salad is refreshing and absolutely delicious. I have high hopes for the smoked pork rack, but our serving is a touch overcooked and dry. The buttermilk fried chicken, an Ad Hoc classic, makes up for that, although the $25 charge per person seems disproportionately high relative to the $52 price for the regular prix-fixe menu.

Smoked Pork Rack; charred brocollini, mac & cheese

Cheese is taken very seriously at Ad Hoc. Our Comte is absolutely delicious. And the pecan chocolate pie? To die for.

Pecan chocolate pie, whipped crème fraiche

Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino’s 2006 Barbera d’Alba Superiore is a real treat, as it is unusual to find wines with bottle age on a restaurant list, especially at this level. Time in bottle has Nebbiolo-ized, the Barbera, if you will, resulting in a gracious, aromatic wine supported by bright acidity and equally brilliant fruit. Distinctly medium in body, with the fruit starting to recede, the 2006 is not going to improve much from here. On this night, though, it is absolutely delicious to the point I can even look past Ad Hoc’s atrocious ‘wine’ tumblers. I usually bring my own glasses if I plan on drinking a more serious wine, but that is a subject for another day.

 

On this night, after a long day of tasting and visiting the vineyards of Napa Valley, dinner at Ad Hoc hits the spot. Competition is tough in the valley, as there are so many places that offer exceptional food at all levels. Ad Hoc remains a personal favorite.

-- Antonio Galloni