Bouchon

I was not thinking of Thomas Keller or French Laundry when I went to have lunch at Bouchon. 

All I wanted was a delicously satisfying lunch to match the perfectly beautiful sunny day in Yountville where my girlfriends and I went for our twice a year wine-tasting day trip.

It is so easy to romanticize Bouchon's decor. This French Bistro is classy and definitely Parisian. Red leather booths, handsome brass/heavy wood bar filled with crushed ice for seafood. The color combination is pale and earthy with a shock of burgundy.

Service was impeccable, very attentive, polite yet relaxed. Our server was very knowledgeable and did  not falter in his recitations of that day's specials which were quite lenghty. We felt adequately taken care of while dining at Bouchon.

We started off our lunch with a glass of wine and cocktails. I chose the NACIONALE: A fruity refreshing cocktail that is slightly sweet.

We ordered a couple of starters which my girlfriends and I shared. We had the:

SALADE D' HOMARD ET MELON: Maine lobster, garden melons,
pickled shallots, mustard greens & piquillo pepper vinaigrette $14.50

This is more of an appetizer than a leafy salad. Very fresh sweet lobster meat on melons. A tiny dessert that has a big punch of flavors. This dish was almost too beautiful to eat. It is also great as an amuse bouche to cleanse your palate.

MOULES: Cold mussels deliciously served with mustard and cocktail sauce $7.00 / 1 doz

I chose the TARTINE DU JOUR: open-faced sandwich on toasted levain
served with French fries $17.95

I am not a sandwich person but somehow I was craving a hearty sandwich that day for lunch. The open-faced sandwich of the day  was grilled lamb sausage sliced crosswise in half. It was topped with onions and capers. A great combination of salty and tangy flavors. It came with  generous servings of fries and side of cornichons.  The lamb sausage was very juicy with nice flavors of the lamb but not gamey. Delicious with Bouchon's mustard!

For dessert, we shared THE BOUCHON: 3 small squares of brownies, which peach compote and ice cream. There was nothing spectacular about our dessert but it was a sweet way to end a beautiful lunch.

My girlfriends' orders included CRABE à CARAPACE MOLLE: crispy soft shell crab, wild mushrooms à la grecque  mâche with sauce grenobloise $14.00 and a FULL VEGAN COURSE.
I did not taste the above but just like me they really enjoyed their meals. My gf ordered the soft-shell as a main course instead of an appetizer. My vegan friend called in advance and told them to suprise her with a full vegan meal and she was very happy with what the chef has prepared for her.

Our tab was $159 including tax and 20 % tip ($53 pp)

I found Bouchon to be reasonably priced considering the ambiance, the well-executed dishes and being a Thomas Keller establisment. It deserves it Michelin star and its place as one of Bay Area's Top 100 Restaurants.

My lunch at Bouchon might not have been "soul-satisfying" but it was definitely very enjoyable. Everything we had was delicious and comforting.  What stood out were the details--a light, fresh-tasting mustard packed with flavors. I never thought I will ever rave about a mustard but I could have eaten Bouchon's out of the crockpot!  Our braided bread was also crusty and freshly baked. The french fries were perfectly fried and not greasy.

Bouchon is a great place to spend a have an "almost perfect" lunch on a perfect day in the Wine Country. We were full, happy and ready for more wine tastings! An hour of champagne tasting at Chandon before lunch at Bouchon. V Sattui, Castello di Amorosa--next!!!!

Foodie Girl's Rating: 4.5 Stars

Key:

0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Some are good. Some are okay. Some are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Darioush Winery Napa Valley

Darioush Winery's architecture reminds me of the modern setting for "The Arabian Nights." I almost expect bellydancers and dark beautiful men in turbans riding stallions to welcome us every time we visit. Well, the owner of Darioush Winery is Persian. His heritage is celebrated in the winery's architecture and decor. The facade consists of tall columns with a long rectangular fountain in the middle

Since my girlfriends and I have discovered Darioush Winery, it has become a "must visit" for us everytime we take a trip to the Wine Country. This is usually our first stop to let the "R&R" start to kick in. We find this winery very relaxing.

While Darioush is also very opulent just like almost every winery in Napa Valley, the architecture of this place is so unique and different from other wineries that it is definitely worth-paying a visit.

There is nothing ancient about this winery inside or out. The interior is very modern and contemporary. While wine tasting you can also shop for Persian recipe books and a beautiful hardbound gilded copy of "One Hundred and One Nights." A very welcoming and relaxing place that spells "fabulous!" The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable.

Wine tastings are on pricier side compared to other wineries' going rate." The tastings are:

Amuse Flight for $12 (2 tastings)
Signature Flight for $25 (5 tastings)
Encore for $60 (2 glass pours of their most limited wines.)

I would say that the pours were not generous but they gave us plenty of nicely spiced pistachios which were a nice welcome treat.

We opted for the $12 Amuse tastings since this was our first stop and we needed to save our liver for more wine tastings. This fee is waived if you buy two bottles of wine which we did. My gf and opted for two bottles of 2007 Russian River Chardonnay. We paid $39 per bottle for this refreshing wine that tasted like apples.

We went on our merry way to our next winery. How happy I feel that I live just over an hour away from the Wine Country!