Restaurant Review: Bouchon Bakery- Disappointment at Bouchon Bakery

With two restaurants in the top 100 restaurants in the world – French Laundry in Yountville and Per Se in New York – Thomas Keller is a culinary genius. Call him King Midas because anything he touches turns to gold, or so it would seem, considering the success of his other Yountville restaurants Ad Hoc and Bouchon. A natural assumption is that his Bouchon Bakery would also serve manna from heaven. Rave reviews from websites such as Yelp and Citysearch reinforce this belief. But is this just hype that has spilled over from Keller’s other successes? Or is Bouchon Bakery as good as its brethren? My wife Lucky, our pal Grady, and I were in Napa this past weekend and thought that perhaps we would make a jaunt over to Yountville to judge for ourselves.

Located right next to Bouchon, the bakery is a tiny place busting at the seams with people coming to and fro like ants at a picnic. Those in line either talked excitedly about what they were going to get this time around or studied the beautiful contents behind the glass case. Lucky stood in line for a good 15 minutes, which was ample time for Grady and me to decide on a few treats to take with us on our road trip through the Wine Country. Grady’s shirt, as usual, was soaked with drool as he watched patrons carry their delectables out the door.

At last, Lucky finally reached the counter. Shouting over the din from the other customers, I gave Lucky a list of items that caught my eye. Grady, however, only looked at me with those sad eyes, knowing that his diet precluded him from any of the bakery’s offering. A little under $30 later, we walked out of the bakery to the patio in back with our bag of baked goods in tow.

$30 bought two sandwiches, two chocolate bouchons, a citrus pistachio brioche and a pear tart. Lucky’s Jardiniere sandwich was compact yet dense. Filled with eggplant, red onion, cheese, artichoke, and dressed with a pesto sauce on wheat bread, it did a fine job of satisfying her hunger. My goat cheese and turkey served on a grilled baguette was simple yet flavorful. However at $15 for the two, it had us wishing we had packed our own sandwiches and saved the money to buy more pastries. Maybe on my next trip to Napa, I’ll stop in and try the chocolate caramel ganache ($6) or the mango mousse triangle ($6.50).

Up to this point in our meal, the Bakery had not lived up to our expectations. True, it was known for its baked goods and not its sandwiches, but even the baguette on which my sandwich was served was overtoasted, making it too dry and crunchy. Nonetheless, we were willing to let bygones be bygones and make peace with the desserts. The first to go were the chocolate bouchons, dense bite-sized brownie-like morsels. A somewhat hard outside gave way to soft, almost chewy inside with chunks of dark chocolate. Lucky likened them to a less sweet version of the chocolate chewy cookies at Safeway. Although I agree there were some similarities, namely the consistency, the quality of the bouchon’s ingredients was far superior. The result was a more chocolatey dessert that wasn’t so blindingly sweet. “But the Safeway cookies go for $3.50 for 12. These are $2 apiece,” Lucky countered. Yes, the bouchons were good, but not that good.

The citrus pistachio brioche was a delicate, light bread with distinct candied lemon pieces throughout. Usually I am not a fan of lemon rind in my baked goods, but in this case it was not too overpowering. Added to it were tangy cranberries that contrasted the citrus. Carmelized sugar bits sprinkled on top along with the pistachios added a nice crunchy texture. At $3, this was perhaps my favorite of them all.

It was a nice touch that they used Asian pear in their pear tarts, resulting in a pastry that was neither heavy nor overly sweet. Underneath the generous helping of pear slices was a vanilla pudding containing an ample amount of blueberries. Just under the size of a CD, it was a nice way to end the meal.

While Bouchon Bakery undoubtedly serves up tasty morsels, I think it benefits from the associated success of Keller’s other restaurants. How else can one explain why one patron shelled out $150 at a recent visit? Or why there was a 15-minute wait. Or why people travel from across the bay just to try the place. If you are in the area, by all means try Bouchon Bakery. But you don’t have to leave the city to find equally delicious offerings if you know where to look (hint, La Boulangerie at Pine).

Bouchon Bakery
6540 Washington St
Yountville, CA, 94599
(707) 944-1565

Originally published: www.ucsf.edu/synapse/articles/2007/Nov/1/bouchon.html

Restaurant Review: El Beach Burrito- The End of the Quest

My quest for Baja-style fish tacos in the Bay Area is finally over. After visiting El Beach Burrito (EBB), I have decided to hang it up and go into retirement. What? The best are in the Outer Sunset? Could it be that those delicious Baja style fish tacos – corn tortilla tacos stuffed with a light, crunchy beer-battered filet of tender flaky whitefish topped with just the right amount of cabbage and tangy sauce – have been at Judah and 44th Avenue all along? On the contrary, these were so far from Baja style that I’ve decided to throw in the towel.

Coming from San Diego, a staple of my diet was fish tacos. At least one dinner a week consisted of fish tacos. Back there, Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill was the backup plan for Baja-style fish tacos, if you were desperate for a quick fix. Upon coming to San Francisco, there were plenty of burrito joints, but nowhere for Baja style fish tacos. In fact, the word Baja hardly ever turns up on the menu, even in the Mission. So for the past three years, I’ve been searching high and low for the Holy Grail. The closest entrant came from Flying Fish Grill in Half Moon Bay, but everything else has fallen disappointingly short.

I should have learned from the time that we went to La Playa Taqueria (also in the Outer Sunset) that proximity to the ocean has no correlation with quality of fish tacos. But this time I had heard that EBB served good Baja style fish tacos even if the menu didn’t specifically say Baja-style. (Then again, Flying Fish Grill didn’t specify Baja-style either.) My fingers and toes crossed, I approached the uninterested lady at the register and asked, “Are the fish tacos Baja style?” “Yeah, sure,” she replied while cleaning her fingernails. “Ummm, yeah. Run out of here while you still can,” the voice of reason within me cried. Throwing caution to the wind and listening instead to the growling of my stomach, I ordered the Two Tacos Dinner (8.95). Lucky opted for the regular chicken burrito after learning that they were out of carnitas ($5.85). Strike one! As we waited for our food, I went to the salsa bar, which is sometimes the make-or-break determinant at a Mexican food joint. Even if the food is just average, fresh salsa can bring almost anything back to life. But they were out of pico de gallo. Strike two! We hadn’t even eaten and already this place was on the ropes. Ten minutes after ordering, we took our food to go because the décor, or maybe I should say lack thereof, with fluorescent lights and several unbussed tables would have made me lose my appetite.

Lucky’s burrito was one of those average burritos that could have benefited from some salsa. It was priced like a super burrito at La Fonda (let’s not even compare the price to burrito shops in the Mission) but stuffed unimpressively with beans, rice and tomatoes. While the chicken did have that tasty chargrilled flavor, it was overly dry and not so generously present. Though unscientific in its measurement, it is quite simple to tell whether Lucky likes her burrito. If she does, she can finish the whole thing no matter how big it is. Let’s just say I had the other half of it for lunch the following day.

As for my meal, it was strike three! The dinner was advertised as including rice, beans, tortillas and a salad. The rice was dry and flavorless, so I had to mix in the refried beans to make it somewhat edible. The salad did not even deserve to be called that. When I saw it, I thought it was just lettuce and sour cream that was supposed to be added to the tacos. The only tortillas that it came with were the ones used to wrap the tacos. And the tacos themselves were not Baja style. No light batter, no cabbage or tangy white sauce. Defeated, I took a bite hoping that the fish tacos were at least OK. Well, they were just that: OK – small filets of white fish grilled and placed in corn tortillas, As I quietly ate my tacos, my inner voice laughed, “I told you so.”

And so, I’m calling it quits. If I’ve learned anything from my quest it is: 1. Don’t ignore that inner voice of reason. 2. Good Mexican food does not exist in the Outer Sunset; and 3. Good fish tacos do not exist north of Half Moon Bay.

Originally published: www.ucsf.edu/synapse/articles/2007/Nov/15/elbeach.html

Road Trip: Drink in the Fall Colors of Wine Country

When you think of fall colors, I’m sure that New England comes to mind. But how about California? “Huh?” That’s right – California has its share of beauty in the fall. I won’t exaggerate and say that it rivals the display back east. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have our own supply of golden yellow, intense red and vibrant orange-leaved trees dotting the area right in our own backyards: Wine Country.

In addition to the color that the trees in the area provide, you can also catch some of the leaves of the grapevines changing color. While opportunities are available, a disclaimer: The fall displays in California can be finicky in terms of quality and quantity and timing. We went up in mid-October this year and saw a mix of colors, but still quite a bit of green, suggesting that there would be plenty left to see in early November.

Another year we went up for Veteran’s Day weekend and some of the trees had lost a good amount of leaves. Unfortunately, I don’t know of a regularly updated website that keeps tabs on the fall foliage in these areas.

Here are a few routes we took and some of the places you might want to check out. They make great trips on their own or can be combined depending on how much time you want to spend. Included in the routes are a few places you may want to check out. Lastly, you may want to allot some extra time for wine tasting.

Note: there are several routes to take to get to the various areas. A suggested itinerary of the area begins after the asterisk (*)

Route 1: Traveling through Napa Valley

Take the 80E over the Bay Bridge to the 37W.

*Driving north on the 29, you will pass several wineries, the majority of them can be found north of Yountville. Take CA 29 (also called St. Helena Highway) for about 30 miles until you come to Calistoga. Return south on the Silverado Trail, a less traveled road with more wineries. Of the three suggested routes, this route has the fewest trees on view. However, each winery has plenty to see.

Places to check out:

Nickel and Nickel Vineyards @ 8164 St. Helena Highway, Oakville. Along with its 42 acres of vineyards, a collection of historic farmstead buildings from the late 19th century can be found on the grounds, including the Sullenger House and the Gleason Barn (see accompanying photograph by Raymond Ng).

COPIA @ 500 1st St., Napa. Mentioned not necessarily for the colors, but for the variety of activities offered here. From Winetasting 101 to daily food classes to art exhibits with a culinary focus, it has something for everyone.

Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. This park is known for its big leaf maples and black oak trees along its 10+ miles of hiking trails.

Route 2: Traveling around the Alexander Valley/ Dry River Valley

Take the 101N to Asti, just south of Cloverdale. Exit east on Therese Dr. and

*Head south on Dutch Creek Rd. and then go south on Dry Creek Rd. or West Dry Creek Rd. (which is joined by Yoakim Bridge and Lambert Bridge Rd.) Both roads have a handful of wineries. If you have time, take West Dry Creek Rd. south to Westside Rd. Go west until you hit Guerneville. You can then make it back to the 101 by going east on River Rd. This area has the most scenic drives of the three routes. Quiet two-lane roads take you past farms and vineyards with quite a few oaks and maples make this bucolic area a rewarding trip if you have the time and patience to drive under 35.

Places to check out:

Ferrari-Carrano Winery @ 8761 Dry Creek Rd, Healdsburg. Beautifully landscaped grounds include a 5 ½ acre garden complete with 2000 species of trees and shrubs, foot bridges over streams and waterfalls. The garden holds 10,000 tulips and daffodils in the spring.
Healdsburg Plaza. The heart of downtown Healdsburg looks like a throwback to yesteryear, though it is a Wi-fi hotspot. A nice quiet place to stop for a bite to eat or a bit of shopping or some art gallery browsing.

Route 3: Traveling through Sonoma Valley

Take the 101 N to the 37E. Then head north on the 121. At the fork, take the 12N towards Sonoma (or else you’ll end up going east on the 121 toward Napa).

*Once you get out of downtown Sonoma, you will pass several wineries on the 12. The 12 loops around and drops you off on Bennett Valley Rd. Take this south to Warm Springs Rd. Go south on Warm Springs Rd onto Arnold, which will bring you back to the 121. While this is the shortest of the three routes, it balances the number of wineries with the number of trees displaying their fall colors.

Places to check out:

The stretch of Arnold Dr. within the Sonoma Development Center. This area has some huge oaks that provide the most color you’ll see on this route. It is a short but concentrated stretch. Get out and stretch your legs with a walk under these beautiful trees.

Jack London State Park. If you’re a fan of the author, you might be interested in the land that contains the cottage in which he resided in the last decade or so of his life. It also holds his gravesite and some views of a nearby winery. Otherwise, you may want to keep the $6 parking fee.

Viansa Winery @25200 Arnold Dr., Sonoma. Situated on a hilltop, it affords a sweeping view of its vineyards and olive trees. It has also been noted for its 90-acre duck preserve. You can enjoy this over a sandwich or artisan offering from their marketplace.

A trip to Wine Country is always pleasant, but the temperate weather, the diminished crowds and the beautiful colors make a fall trip all the more enjoyable. Cheers!

Originally printed: www.ucsf.edu/synapse/articles/2007/Nov/15/winecountry.html