Sheesh.
Three restaurants, and not a RAVE among them.
Ad Hoc's ordinary REVIEW was the biggest surprise of the three. It's one of a growing number of places in and around San Francisco that burn so brightly that it's really hard to get a reservation. Ad Hoc is always fully booked two months in advance, so you almost need to get a reservation then plan your weekend visit to Napa, rather than the other way around.
Which was why we got this reservation for brunch, which may or may not have resulted in us being under-whelmed by the experience.
First thing to remember is that Ad Hoc offers just one three course menu per each meal. Seeing as this was brunch, our menu offered:
- Pattiserie selection, from Bouchon bakery
- Sausage, Canadian bacon, eggs, potatoes, and mushrooms
- Vanilla mousse with apple and peach
Now, on the one hand that sounds like a fairly ordinary meal - a little bit more inventive than Denny's, but hardly Michelin-starred greatness.
On the other hand, it was beautifully prepared, piping hot, and fresh as one could wish for.
What surprised us more than anything was the overall downwardly mobile nature of the place. It was little more than a regular breakfast place, with many a reverse baseball-capped diner in sight. Pavey will be having dinner at Ad Hoc with some friends in December, so we'll see if they do better then.
It just goes to show that the Napa air can get to everyone, infusing diners and restaurant staff alike with a superior - perhaps justifiable - view of the area.
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