San Francisco Bay Area: August 2023: Day 4: Napa

San Francisco

August 2023: Day 4: Napa

Bread. So much bread.

Inside Bouchon Bakery.

Lemon tarts.

The line was "not that bad." aka twice as long as when I got in line.

Addendum.

Noming on the epi loaf from Bouchon Bakery.

Addendum's shack.

Sunflowers.

The famous Addendum fried chicken.

Pulled pork was okay.

Glamour shot of the fried chicken.

Fried chicken sandwich had some sauces/bun that were both too sweet.

Cream cheese pastry from Bouchon was forgettable.

Addendum.

Mini Model Bakery.

Menu at Mini Model.

"Hoho" and "oreo."

Lemon tart looks huge from this angle.

The famous French Laundry.

The slightly less famous French Laundry garden.

Lai's and Lee's strolling through Yountville.

Grape vines at O'Brien Winery.

Fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge.

Cheung Hing take-out for dinner.

Orange pork was good.

Green beans with pork, also nom.

Fried fish.

Beef chow fun is always good. Plated.

Plated.

Raisin pastry from Bouchon was unexpectedly one of my favorites.

Napa is both so commercial and just far away enough to be a special trip. As this group is not a big drinking group, we skipped out on planning any wine tastings (perhaps that was a mistake?) and focused on the food, especially up in Yountville. Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery and his Ad Hoc/Addendum were the focus, but of course we made a stop outside his French Laundry for pictures. Fried chicken at Addendum is really good, although not quite sure it was worth the drive in itself-- felt that way about Bouchon Bakery to be honest. The pulled pork and fried chicken sandwich were definitely skippable, come to think of it (even if they were good!), although the outdoor seating was a beautiful setting.

Threw in a stop at Mini Model Bakery for their english muffins before leaving Yountville as well; I guess if you stop at three our four places then this drive makes sense? Also guessing that if Napa was the very last stop on a trip before you went home, then you could maybe bring some of the baked goods home to enjoy...

Oxbow Market was a fun stop in Napa itself, although like many indoor markets it is no longer quite the unique concept it once was. Did not make it to Gott's Roadside, but since they're a chain American restaurant, they felt like a justifiable skip.

The somewhat fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge was quite picturesque on the way back, and take-out from Cheung Hing in San Francisco for dinner was delicious. Easily the most cost-effective meal on the trip and very satisfying. (more beef chow fun please! And only nitpick, maybe a few less bean sprouts?) Had a raisin pastry from Bouchon Bakery for dessert, not usually my favorite but this one was excellent.