Amen for Ad Hoc!

I spent a few days in Yountville last week for a business meeting and got my hands dirty in one of the Bay Area’s hippest kitchens, Ad Hoc restaurant. Located in charming Yountville, Ad Hoc is a super laid-back restaurant serving up family-style meals that change every day. The recipes are inspired by what is fresh, seasonal and locally produced. And by local, I mean really local; there’s a garden out back where they harvest herbs and small crops.

The head chef, Dave Cruz, let me and some coworkers crowd into his kitchen for the afternoon so we could watch how he pumps out a new menu each night. His team scours local markets for the best quality produce and then creates a menu that highlights the daily picks. What I found so inspiring (and ultimately so delicious) was that Chef Cruz keeps the menu and ingredients fairly simple and straightforward. For example, he whipped up a “20-minute clam bake” that included lobster, clams, corn, sausage and seaweed, which imparted a salty, fresh flavor to the rest of the ingredients. I kept waiting for him to dump in a handful of spices, but instead he just put a lid on the pot and let it all boil away. I think because the ingredients were so fresh, all of the flavors spoke for themselves. He also whipped up an heirloom pumpkin soup topped with nutmeg creme fraiche, croutons (made from homemade bread, of course!), and toasted pumpkin seeds. His secret this time: using a high-power blender to transform the roasted pumpkin into a super velvety consistency. The soup practically floated out of the bowl because it was so airy and smooth!

While we all cooked away, we learned the story behind Ad Hoc. Thomas Keller (the owner and creative culinary genius behind many restaurants) took over a defunct diner and set up shop, not even bothering to change out the décor or kitchen facilities because he planned to open the restaurant for just a limited amount of time. (Which, come to think of it now, the décor did look a little funky and probably needs an overhaul.) After receiving so much positive feedback from customers and reviewers, Keller decided to make Ad Hoc a permanent restaurant in 2007. Now, it’s a favorite among local residents and critics alike!

After spending time in Ad Hoc’s kitchen, I walked around Yountville’s quaint downtown area surrounded by picturesque orange and yellow leaf-covered trees and rolling vineyards. Dozens of restaurants, bakeries and cafes, including the famed French Laundry, Bouchon and Bottega line the streets. In fact, Yountville is home to six Michelin star restaurants – the “largest concentration per city block short of New York City”, according to Reuters. After spending a hour strolling around downtown, I quickly forgot about the crowded, noisy city I left behind just hours ago!

Don’t worry if you can’t make it out to Yountville for a visit to Ad Hoc because they just launched a new cookbook featuring some of their best recipes. I bought it last week and am dying to try the Cauliflower Soup and Fried Chicken. Yum!!

*Image compliments of Ad Hoc’s website.