Farmer’s Markets

July and August are exceptionally busy and expensive months for J & I as we have our anniversary and five immediate family birthdays all within a few weeks. As such, we have had to balance “extravagant” dates with ones that are more pocket-friendly and consequently, much more creative and in some ways ~ more fun! One idea that has proven to be more enjoyable than expected is checking out different farmer’s markets that pop up in the warm summer months. It is a feast for both your eyes and your tummy! There are a handful of markets to choose from in Calgary and one of the big ones has opened its new location on Blackfoot Trail. Here are some snapshots from our cheap & cheery weekend date: 

You can find fresh produce, unique fruits, homemade jams, organic honey, exclusive meats & cheeses, an abundance of spices, even special arts & crafts!

Before we even got to the food stands, we wet our appetites with free samples. J especially enjoyed the salsa stand! 

Many small businesses have used the Farmer’s Market to launch and establish their brand. For example, you can now find Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roast at Chinook Mall. Pictured is a Calgary Farmer’s Market favorite, Simple Simon Pies.

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Our little weekend excursion was reminiscent of our grand adventure at an amazing Farmer’s Market in Florence, Italy called Mercato Centrale where we stocked up on handmade dried pasta, fragrant olive oil, rich balsamic vinegar, indulgent truffle salt, and ate savory grilled sandwiches while sipping on divine cappuccinos. Mercato Centrale is amidst San Lorenzo which is an outdoor market full of trinkets and Italian leather! After much haggling, we ended up leaving with two genuine Italian leather jackets for only (). Now that was a date to remember! While the food is all gone, we still have our memories and pictures:

Please do leave a comment! Let us know where to find a farmer’s market in your area so we can check it out next time we’re in town.

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Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Afternoon Tea

After celebrating my birthday with friends on Saturday, I didn’t expect much on my actual birthday the following Monday. But, my darling husband had a special surprise in store! After many years of marriage, I now know that N’s most favourite day of the year is her b-day lol. After that comes Anniversary then Christmas. After waking me up at the crack of dawn (okay, so maybe I exaggerate a smidge…), we went for free birthday breakfast at Denny’s (haha, so typically a J move!) Hey! There’s nothing wrong with free breakfast! then we headed for the mountains for a day jam-packed with events! Living in Calgary may have its downsides but there definitely are some perks too ~ one of which includes being so close to the scenic mountains. We started off by going for a luxurious massage at a spa in Banff, then we drove to Lake Louise for afternoon tea at The Fairmont. The view was perfectly picturesque; high tea is a wonderful way to take in the serene lake that is nestled within the mountains. 

After settling in and soaking up nature’s beauty, tea time began! It started off with Cointreau glazed fruit then the traditional 3-tiered platter of savory sandwiches, buttery scones and pretty desserts. I opted for a classic tea with orange pekoe while J tried the Fairmont special blend. Honestly, the tea was nothing special but the scones were soft, sweet and satisfying. Despite being bite-sized, I especially enjoyed the aesthetics of the pinwheel smoked salmon as well as the flavourful combination of the mango chutney & chicken sandwich. I initially thought I would remain hungry after the small portion of sandwiches but the scones and tea filled me up. As for the desserts, they looked good but tasted average.

And as usual, I bring you J’s money saving tip of the day…

First of all, I prefer to call it “value-smart” tips. If you decide to self-park at The Fairmont lot, they offer parking validation upon request. 
http://www.fairmont.com/lakelouise/GuestServices/Restaurants/AfternoonTea.htm

House of Tofu Soup

Continuing our post last week on good eats in Vancity, welcome to my dojo in a little town called Coquitlam. For those who are not familiar with Coquitlam, it is the Korea-town of Vancouver. My family must have sparked this movement because when I first moved to Coquitlam in grade 4, I was one of only a handful of Korean kids in school. The change actually happened between 2000-2005 while I was attending college in Ontario. I came back and found an explosion of Korean restaurants, groceries and other businesses. One of my favorite restaurants is House of Tofu Soup, which is part of a chain that is not so consistent in quality but the location in Vancouver always seems to hit the spot.

The ban-chan (side dishes) are complimentary (as most Korean restaurants are) and although nothing is out of this world,  the overall quality is decent or maybe we were just very hungry that day ~ which is a surefire way to make ban-chan seem extra tasty! The korean-style potato mash and the fresh kimchi are my favorites. Other side dishes include pickled radish, spinach, seaweed and Korean bean sprouts. We ordered the “goon mandu” (fried dumpling) as an appy which was just average.

Spicy tofu soup is made with extra soft tofu and comes out boiling hot. There are a few different choices like pork, seafood, mushroom and they can adjust the spicy level to your choice of mild, medium or hot.  I usually opt for the pork and N goes for mushroom. It is very difficult to make this soup flavorful without tasting overly salty and this place seems to have the perfect recipe as it is consistently good. We’ve tried the famous BCD Tofu Soup in LA as well as Toronto but our experiences at the Vancouver location have been best. The key to a great meal is to crack an egg as soon as the stew comes out so that the boiling soup cooks the egg. Although N is busy talking sometimes, as soon as the soup comes out, I immediately put her on ignore and crack my egg (as I can’t multi-task) WOW. Does this seem absolutely ridiculous to anyone else?! I mean, how much concentration does cracking an egg really involve? [insert eye-roll here!] Plus, my lunch/dinner conversations are riveting. :p

A unique feature is that the rice is served in a stone pot. After you are finished the rice, they pour hot water into the stone pot to make “nu-run-ji” (hot water and “burnt” rice) with the leftover rice that remains stuck to the hot stone pot and consequently hardens; this becomes a refreshing palette cleanser towards the end of the meal. My mom loves nu-run-ji and I remember when she would press down a layer of leftover rice from dinner onto a hot pan until it sizzled, browned and hardened into a rice cracker which we would eat with a sprinkle of sugar while mom and dad poured hot water onto theirs, which was inevitably followed by a resurgence of the kimchi!

Rice Puffs

Everyone has comfort foods derived from their childhood, some of them common across the board ~ like rice crispy squares! Well, for me, I grew up on my grandma’s version of rice crispy squares which were made out of rice puffs. To this day, I could nibble on these super easy-to-make snacks all day. I always try to keep a jar of these squares or balls on hand in the kitchen. Rice crispy squares can get creative with the addition of various cereals but I like mine very basic AND not overly sweet; my ratio of rice puffs to marshmallows is very high so that it’s more crumbly than chewy ~ but when I make the peanut butter variation (pictured above), I like it stickier. So, experiment with the ratios to decide what is best for you ~ or what best mimics the flavors of your past!

As seen above, the ingredients are: butter, marshmallows (unlike these pictures, I usually buy mini marshmallows which will melt much faster than large ones), rice puffs (I opt for whole wheat, more for looks than anything), and if you wish, slivered almonds and anything else that suits your fancy! Like I mentioned, sometimes I like to add peanut butter and the ratio of marshmallows to cereal is based on preference. As for the butter, just continue adding as needed to keep the meltin’ mallows lightly coated for ease of stirring. 

Once the marshmallows are all melted, add rice puffs (or cereal of choice) and almonds. Quickly mix then spoon onto cookie sheet and press flat. Let cool for about 5 minutes then slice into squares. Tip: it is easiest to slice with a wet knife and when it’s still warm to the touch.

As an alternative to squares or to differentiate between flavors (for me, squares mean regular and balls mean peanut butter), you can also shape them into balls or unleash your imagination! I suppose this would be a fun activity to do with the kids ~ as long as those sticky paws don’t end up on your white walls!

Why not resurrect an “oldie but goodie” this week to get you through that mid-week hump, take a break from adulthood by revisiting the taste buds of your childhood! We would love to hear what recipes you remember, leave us a comment!

Sushi Garden

There’s 3 things that I always pine for when I think of food in Vancouver:

1) Japanese food

2) Chinese Food

3) Church’s Chicken

Today’s blog is on Sushi Garden located on Kingsway in Burnaby. For some reason, there are a lot of Korean-owned Japanese restaurants in Vancouver and they have done a pretty good job of making great sushi.

When I was back home for the summer during my college years, I so happened to work at one of these Korean-owned Japanese establishments. There I learned to never work for Koreans as these guys REALLY make you work. I only got the job to fund myself for hanging out with my friends but that summer, all I did was work… sniff sniff…  I used to give myself a 15 minute pep talk before leaving the house with my “I quit” speech ready. Later on in life, I told N that I used to be a chef at a Japanese restaurant. I was then embarassed when she found out it was actually more like Japanese food court at the YVR airport. You should have heard the gallant stories of days as a sushi chef! Bollocks!

What are we talking about again? Right, food!!!

Being the value conscious guy that I am, I really like Sushi Garden for the quality of food compared to the price. Being close to the Pacific Ocean probably helps but if you were to put this restaurant in Calgary, I think either the other restaurants will go out of business OR Sushi Garden would jack up their price.

We ordered the spicy tuna combo which consists of the Spicy Tuna Sashimi, Kappa Maki and Spicy Tuna Roll. We substituted the Spicy Tuna Roll (as we already have the sashimi) for a Chopped Scallop Roll, one of N’s favorites. After being starved of great sushi in cow-town, my chopsticks hover in spastic confusion over which roll to stuff my mouth with first! Ah, now that’s what I call a joyful dilemma! 

The Alaska Roll consisting of salmon and avocado was fresh, flavorful and fetching! Exactly what you want when it comes to sushi.

My favorite roll is the Dynamite Roll and it’s usually pretty consistent wherever I go and this place was no exception.

The Salmon and Toro Sashimi was thick and very fresh. Due to the popularity of this place, they always seem to be stocked with fresh food as the turnover rates are high. (Similar to fresh beers at your local pub. Never go to one that is slow as the keg sits out for far too long).

Now J’s favorite part of the dinner. Guess how much?!

Daaaamn $43.74???  you must be joking me! (This was enough for 3 people to eat until they were full)

 

 

Nectarine Galette

I am obsessed with anything that is made with puff pastry ~ desserts, hors d’oeuvre, mains, you name it! As such, my greatest grocery discovery is pre-made puff pastry of which I keep a ready supply at all times. The best part is, virtually all my recipes that involve puff pastry are super simple yet SUPER crowd-pleasers! 

You can simply throw on some pesto sauce, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes and presto, you have an amazing finger food. The dish I most commonly make involves baked brie, recipe to come!

Both my mom and mother-in-law often ask me to teach them an easy dessert to make and usually their eyes glaze over and my suggestions don’t stick but this is one recipe that they now frequently make on their own and apparently is always a big hit among the “ajumahs” (korean for “older ladies”)!

Ingredients:

1 package butter puff pastry, thawed

2 nectarines (or try apples, berries, peaches)

3/4 cup quick oats

4 tbsp butter, melted

2 tbsp brown sugar (add more if fruit is not ripe)

2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

1 egg

 

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Slice nectarines into thin wedges then place into a medium bowl.

2. Add oats, butter, sugar, cream then mix until fruit is coated evenly.

3. Place mixed ingredients into middle of thawed puff pastry square. Fold edges of pastry into the middle, leaving center open. Brush exterior with egg wash.

4. Bake on parchment lined baking sheet for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden. 

 

Korean Tacos

On our last trip to Los Angeles, we were disappointed that we didn’t get the chance to try out the Korean Kogi Taco truck sensation that has spread across and beyond California. But instead of waiting for our next visit, we decided to try making our own! Why is it that the most ingenious ideas are so simple?! Take the post-it note invention for example… I mean, how come we didn’t think to put Korean BBQ beef in our tortilla shells? An obvious match made in heaven! Here is our recipe, which may or may not be anything like the real thing! Regardless, it passed our personal taste-test with flying colors! For those that know me, I’m in fusion heaven as Mexican food & Korean food are my two favorites! Hats off to this genius combo! 

Korean  Style Tacos:

1. Galbi (or you can substitute with bulgogi or Korean-style spicy pork)

2. Korean Slaw

3. Spicy sauce of your choice: a slightly altered version of ssam jang (traditional sauce made of red pepper paste, typically eaten with BBQ meat and lettuce wraps) OR sweet & spicy mayo OR sweet soy sauce OR a combo of all three!

4. Cilantro, washed and chopped

5. Lime wedge for extra zest!

Kalbi  or bulgogi recipe (roughly 16 tacos)

* all of the following measurements are a guideline (which I don’t actually follow), see reason here

1 1/2 pound beef short rib, thinly sliced into strips (the local asian mart will sell pre-cut)

Marinade:

2-3 tbsp soy sauce, (or enough to be absorbed by meat without pooling too much on the bottom)

1/4 cup sugar (add more if you like the meat sweet)

2 tbsp minced garlic (this meat is meant to wreak of garlic so be heavy handed!)

1 tbsp sesame oil

 

1/2 onion, pureed with 

1 pear and

1/4 cup water

 

1. Combine all the ingredients then let beef marinate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

2. Cook on the grill or skillet and chop. Set aside for tacos.

Korean Slaw

Dressing:

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp vinegar

1 tbsp red pepper flakes

2 green onions, diced

 

Salad:

4 cups romaine lettuce, shredded

2 cups napa cabbage, shredded

1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

garnish with toasted sesame seeds

 

1. Toss the salad in a large bowl right before serving (too soon = soggy). Garnish generously with sesame seeds

Above is a picture of the “spread”, get it?! I’m so PUNny…ok maybe not so much, on with the recipe…

The sauces (aka. “spread!” Ok, ok, I’ll stop)

Ssam Jang sauce (the red sauce): mix together… I prefer this one!

2 tbsp red pepper paste

1 tbsp miso paste (I use Korean “dwenjang” but Japanese miso paste works too)

2 tsp sugar (add more to taste, I usually end up adding more as I like it sweet!)

splash of soy sauce (optional)

1 tbsp sesame oil

garnish with toasted sesame seeds

 

Sweet & Spicy Mayo (the orange sauce): mix together… I prefer this one, but then again, I use a fork in lieu of chopsticks…oh the shame!

 

3 tbsp mayo

1 tbsp sriracha sauce (add less if  you want it less spicy)

1 tbsp sugar

 

Sweet Soy Sauce (not pictured): mix together…

 

4 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

a splash of water or as necessary

 

GUM-BEH! (Korean word for “cheers”)

 

Stay tuned later this week for our attempt at Kimchi Burritos! 

 

In a Korean household, dessert usually consists of fresh fruit. But considering we had a fusion dinner, I thought I would stick with the theme and make a fruit-fusion dessert so I whipped up a Nectarine Galette (I say “whipped up” because it truly is super easy!). Look out for a bonus post tomorrow with the recipe!

French Laundry

After a busy day of wine tasting at Beringer and Sterling vineyards, our appetites were primed and ready for the main event of our trip, The French Laundry. Funny story about getting a reservation here… months in advance, I had booked a table after hearing how difficult it was to make a reservation. Upon talking to our group and looking at the price of the menu, we decided not to go. About a month before our trip, we began talking to others who had gone to Napa and they were incredulous that foodies such as us were going to skip the mecca of gastronomy. Feeling foolish about our decision, I frantically attempted to re-acquire my reservation to no avail. The restaurant was solidly booked and I felt like a fool. The host then offered to take down my name and number on a waiting list in case a cancellation occurred. It turned out that I had stupidly forgot to cancel! I guess my mouth out-thought my brain on this one and so voila, we made it to The French Laundry after all.

For me, the biggest challenge was to forget about the price and judge the food upon taste itself. The first thing that separates this restaurant from others is that the service is top notch. I must say that both The French Laundry and their eastern counterpart, PerSe, have efficient service but west coast wins for warmth and sincerity without the distinct snobby air that we felt at PerSe. From the moment we sat down, it was like a choreographed dance as the servers came in pairs and laid the plates on the table in perfect synchronicity. The one qualm I had with dinner was that it took a super long time (around 4 hours). There was a bit too much lag time between each course but when the food came out, it was delicious. Unfortunately, nothing was out-of-this-world and I didn’t have any “magical moments” like tasting the Panna Cotta at Ad Hoc or the Live Scallops at the Slanted Door. 

Each day there are two unique menus to choose from: tasting of vegetables and the chef’s tasting menu (both the same price), obvious for those who know J, we had the latter!

The evening kicked off with their signature amuse bouche (pictured top left corner) and bread from Bouchon Bakery, yum! Then the first course was Royal Ossetra Caviar (with soft-scrambled Jidori Hen Egg) or you could opt for Oysters and Pearls which was my preference (not pictured). Below is the different salts you can use to season your butter or oil. I myself used the Jurassic Salt (named Jurassic as it is over a million years old)…

The Foie Gras w/ Brioche was very good BUT, I wish that it was actual foie gras rather than cold paté. Ironically, the brioche stole the spotlight for me while the paté, albeit good, played the roll of butter. Ouch! Also pictured above: Salad of Hawaiian Hearts of Palm and Robiola Tre Latti (bacon-caramelized onion ravioli)

Every dish was delicious and I was very impressed by the Duck which was tender and flavorful. They managed to cook it without having it smell like every other duck I’ve had in my life. However, my favorite dish was the flat iron steak which was so tender, it melted in my mouth. The surf was oddly nothing extraordinary despite sounding mouth-watering on paper (e.g. “sweet butter-poached main lobster mitts”)… sigh, sometimes imagination out-tastes reality!

One of the things that I loved about this restaurant was that the staff was not snooty at all. To be honest, I get a bit apprehensive whenever I go to a nice restaurant and it was refreshing to see that while quality and standards were high, the people were still very friendly. From the manager of the restaurant to our server, they were all very pleasant. Desert below: Champagne Sorbet, Lemongrass Crémeux and Mousse au Chocolat Blanc

Our dinner started at 7:45 but we were still there at 11:30. The overly long time spent in the restaurant killed our energy a bit and my one recommendation would be to have less time between courses. At the end of the dinner, the manager of the restaurant, a fellow Canadian, gave us a tour of the kitchen and explained how the service worked, etc. It was interesting to hear that at the end of the night, the staff gathers together and creates a menu for the next night’s service before going home. I would be too exhausted to even think about doing something like that but it shows how hard these guys work to produce great food. The kitchen also had a monitor that showed a live feed of PerSe in New York but the kitchen was empty as it was 2:30 AM eastern time. 

Overall, the service was excellent and the food was very good but not exceptional. I went in hoping for something extraordinary where I would remember a specific dish for the rest of my life but that did not happen. Perhaps we were too tired from the day of wine tasting as well as the 4 hour dinner. I honestly have nothing bad to say about The French Laundry but nothing praiseworthy to say either besides the great people that work there. I think the main reason I dined here was to have tried the best of Napa but now, I probably would not go back. I know I said I would judge on taste alone and ignore price but in reality, that’s easier said than done. I honestly felt like the food at Ad Hoc or Babbo (although can we really compare apples to oranges? Generally speaking I guess…) is just as good if not better yet costs only a fraction of The French Laundry therefore, they would most likely get my frequent return business where as The French Laundry was more like a one time trial. My school of thought does not prioritize cost as much as my partner in crime, but I must say that I whole-heartedly agree; my attitude is that I’ve “been there, done that” and now it’s on to the next…I still had a great experience there and I would recommend it to anyone that is thinking about checking it out.

The French Laundry: 707.944.2380

6640 Washington St. Yountville, CA

Calgary Stampede! YEEHAW!

Ever since that first Budweiser in the summer of 2009, we have savored the one week in July where we put on our cowboy-cowgirl alter egos and enjoy in the festivities that is Calgary Stampede. Then the following month is food-coma rehab! Admittedly, we go purely for the food…and oh boy is there food! Well, by “food” we mean…. deep fried donuts, cheesecake, bananas, coke (no joke!) ~ well, deep fried everything! And we love every greasy, artery clogging bite of it! Not to mention the free pancake breakfasts all over town! Here is a photo diary of our buckin’ buffet!

the culprit that started a slippery slope into deep fried haven. And the rest is~ country!

we toldja, everything you can imagine! And this is only a snippet of the selection!

yep, that’s a whole onion. Who wants just rings anyway!

some of our top picks: mini donuts, taco in a bag, dippin dots!

and our ultimate favourite: corn dogs! And they’re GIANT:

is it a bird? is it a plane? it’s a bbq turkey! I think…definitely of the mutant variety!

Well, until next year Stampede…now time for some veggies to cleanse the system!

And now for “J’s money saving corner”…

So here’s how I look at the Stampede. It’s a fun event but also a costly event. I go to the stampede, pay $20 for parking, pay $15 each for admission, and then pay for food. So basically, between N and I, we spend $50 before we even get a bite of that deep-fried goodness.

Here are some helpful tips to help ease the pain.

1) Parking- Stampede Casino- Before the Stampede starts, sign up for a players card and remember to bring it on Stampede day. Parking used to be complimentry for cardholders but this year, they only provided free parking for VIP members. Despite being reserved for VIP only, they do make exceptions if you talk to them and tell them you are there to gamble.  I parked free both times this year and the VIP section was pretty empty.

2) Sneak a peek- Before Stampede officially starts, they open a day early (on Thurs evening) with reduced admission rates.  This is a good time to go after work at a fraction of the cost.

3) Family Day- There is always one day during the Stampede that is free. You can look ahead on the Official Stampede website
http://cs.calgarystampede.com/
 to find out which day they are doing this. N and I are a family of two but we (as a family) always go on this date. The trick is to gain free admission by 9 AM, get stamped for re-entry and then come back later in the day. 

4) Concerts- If you happen to have bought concert tickets (We went to Katy Perry this year), it includes free admission to the Stampede (as the Saddledome is inside the Stampede) You can plan a Stampede Day around that.

There are other online coupons that you can print from their website for food and rides but N and I haven’t had a chance to use any because it didn’t include any of the foods that are in our regular Stampede diet.

That’s all folks. Yee Haw!

Ad Hoc

Not all dining experiences are positive but then again, some are just exquisite; we had the ultimate meal at Thomas Keller’s pop-up-turned-permanent eatery in Napa Valley, Ad Hoc. Sorry for the long hiatus everyone. With my beloved Canucks losing the Stanley Cup, I crawled into a hole for the past month. However, N’s decision to blog about Ad Hoc has enticed me to come out.  Ad Hoc’s tag line is “Temporary Relief from Hunger” and it really should read “temporary relief from hunger but permanent impression of great food”!

The atmosphere is casual and unpretentious. Our server, Nathan, was very friendly and relaxed; right off the bat, we could tell that this restaurant saved their energy from the frivolous things and spent it on producing great food. The wine is served in a cup (never seen that before), the daily menu comes in a file, and the restaurant is quaint and pretty.

All of our meals came in share plates (family style) which I find is a much more enjoyable way to spend an evening with friends. The first course was a baby iceberg lettuce salad which was crisp and refreshing. This surprisingly simple yet ingeniously flavorful dish epitomizes the fare that you will find here; I’m not sure if it was the ripe oranges, the toasted almonds (seriously, I’ve never had such nutty and flavorful almond slivers, and despite the fact that I was very hungry, at this point I hadn’t even had liquor to exaggerate my senses), the subtle dressing or I even considered the fragrant cracked pepper, all I know is that the combination of a few simple and fresh ingredients made this unassuming dish very delightful.

I was hoping that I didn’t come across too snobbish in my review of Teatro and the poor steak I had there. But how can I settle for less after having the flat iron steak from Ad Hoc which was cooked to perfection and so very tender. The steak was a quintessential medium rare but be forewarned all you well-done meat eaters, because it comes in a share plate, you will either have to try the medium-rare, or give it to me!

We had the oxtail pasta as a supplement to our steak and it was also delicious. The pasta was a little overcooked but the sauce was excellent and overall the dish was satisfying.

Next up is the goat cheese with apple butter on buttered toast. The cheese was sharp therefore pairing it with the sweet apple butter was extremely complimentary! Add the wine pairing on top and this course was also superb. I love tasting menus that offer a cheese course to gradually transition your taste buds from savory to sweet. More importantly, I love cheese, especially when it’s paired well (Babbo’s cheese and fennel honey comes to mind!) AND it always means dessert is on its way!!

And now the moment we’ve all been waiting for!!!

Panna cotta with short bread cookies. Holy crap this was amazing. Amazing! Incredible! Mouth-watering! Divine! Our group still raves about this panna cotta every time we mention Napa Valley. It truly is the best dessert I have ever had in my life and honestly, none of the us were even fans of panna cotta to begin with. The salty caramel and the dense texture of the panna cotta was amazing and I hope that everyone can try this one day to feel the same enjoyment that we felt while eating it. This dessert is reminiscent of our trip to Paris where I fell in love with the combination of fleur de sel and caramel after having a life-changing soufflé (yep, that’s right, a soufflé that can change lives! Blog post to come in the near future) and this panna cotta has achieved the level of ingenious je ne sais quoi that I thought could only be found in Paris. Now if only Napa were just a drive away…sigh~

The wine pairing with the panna cotta was a 1927 Sherry. The waiter repeated the year 1927 for shock value which we found amusing. It took the repeat for me to realize the vintage! The sherry was a golden color and was syrupy. The sweet, chocolate-blackberry-cigar aromas capped the end to a glorious night.

For the quality of food, I found the price at Ad Hoc to be very reasonable. I recommend everyone to try this place as it will not break the bank like French Laundry but the taste is top notch.

I LOVE LOVE Ad Hoc. Thank you Mr. Keller.

PS: Ad Hoc is famous for their fried chicken (too bad we didn’t have a chance to try it!) and they have just opened Addendum at Ad Hoc for a takeout lunch program so now you can have fried chicken and BBQ to go!