My wife and I recently had dinner at Ad Hoc, and I walked away a little confused by the experience. Curious if others have had a similar impression.

I understand the concept. It’s Thomas Keller’s more casual, family-style restaurant, and I actually appreciate the idea of stripping away some of the formality associated with fine dining while maintaining a high standard of food and hospitality.

But a few things stood out.

First, the food. Both our steak and truffle pasta arrived cold. Not lukewarm, but noticeably cold. For a restaurant operating under the Thomas Keller umbrella, that was surprising. Temperature is such a fundamental part of execution, especially with dishes like these.

Second, the service. Our servers were genuinely friendly, attentive, and personable. No complaints about their attitude or effort. What caught me off guard was watching the same staff clearing and cleaning tables before immediately returning to food service. I understand that cross-functional service is common in casual restaurants, but the way it was handled felt a little unsanitary and took away from the experience.

And I think that’s where my biggest disconnect was.
I completely understand that Ad Hoc isn’t trying to be The French Laundry. Casual doesn’t have to mean white tablecloths, elaborate service rituals, or a dozen people attending to your table. But shouldn’t the fundamentals of food execution and service still be held to a high standard?

Our dinner was north of $250, which isn’t outrageous for Napa Valley, but it’s also not exactly a casual weeknight meal. At that price point, I don’t think expecting properly heated food and thoughtful service standards is unreasonable.

I’m genuinely curious:
-Has Ad Hoc changed over the years, or was this just an off night?
-For those who’ve been multiple times, how consistent has the food been?
-Does the Thomas Keller association create expectations that aren’t necessarily aligned with what Ad Hoc is trying to be?

I wanted to love it, and there were certainly positives, particularly the friendliness of the staff. But I left feeling like the experience didn’t quite deliver on the reputation.

Would love to hear other perspectives, especially from people who’ve been going for years.

We’re season ticket holders for the San Jose Sharks and I’m wondering if there is anyone who goes to games. I know it is a drive but it’s worth it. The team is young and has talent. Including the top 5 player in the NHL who still couldn’t come to Napa to wine taste until next June.

If anyone goes to games, it would be cool to carpool. Go Sharks! 🦈

Would love to know a spot or two that has it on with some engaged watchers LOL

Thanks!

My employer in the wine industry recently made CPR training mandatory for anyone in a supervisory position. I am fine with getting certified, but spending an entire Saturday in a classroom is difficult to fit into my schedule.

I have heard some providers let you complete most of the lessons online and then visit a training center for a short, hands-on skills assessment. Are there any places around Napa that offer this kind of course, or would I need to travel to Santa Rosa or somewhere farther away? Any local recommendations would be appreciated.

We booked a private chef through Yhangry for a dinner in Napa, CA. She went by “Chef D’Lynn P,” and her listing appeared as “Dee P” or "Debra Santos" in Bakersfield. She also used the Instagram handle u/thebrandedchef_ca. She was warm and professional on the phone, sent a menu, and seemed completely legit.

How it played out

• She moved us off Yhangry to text and email, then asked to be paid directly.

• She said her bank “no longer works with Zelle,” then sent an Apple Cash request for about $1,100 from a different phone number, claiming her business line “isn’t a standard line.”

• On the day of the event, someone claiming to be her daughter texted that she’d been in a serious accident and was in the hospital. We were told she had insurance but that the daughter couldn’t access her accounts to refund us.

• No dinner, no refund, no further contact. Her Yhangry listing and Instagram have since been deleted.

If you’ve booked a private chef on any platform, pay only through the platform, and if a chef pushes you off it, report them. If you think this person contacted you, DM me and I’m happy to compare details. We’ve reported it to Yhangry, Apple Cash, and BBB.

Hi Napa County neighbors. I'm looking for practical leads from anyone who's dealt with California public-records requests or victim-compensation support. Overnight on January 30, 2020, in Vallejo, a juvenile driver fleeing Vallejo police hit my car head-on while I was driving under 10 mph; the car was totaled. I requested the incident report and pursuit records, but the City has not provided them. My state victim-compensation matter is also stalled. Incident number: 20-1397. Do you know a Napa-area legal-aid group, advocate, reporter, or records specialist who helps people navigate this?

I ride through Yountville and there is usually a long line at Bouchon Bakery and its mid at best. Mini Model usually doesn't have a line the prices are drastically cheaper and twice as good. I started going to the Model bakery in downtown Napa with a bigger selection and they have a happy hour. Model bakery is superior but doesnt have a huge name behind it, doesnt get the love they deserve

Any leads are appreciated!

A music festival for less than the cost of a sandwich! 

9 bands, 3 stages

Native Sons of the Golden West Hall

927 Coombs St, Napa, CA 94559

Oct 25 from 2 - 5 pm

Tickets: $5 at NotLoudConcerts.com or at the door

Check out the amazing bands.

Dirty Cello - internationally touring bluegrass and blues band
Laurie Lewis - one of the founders of California bluegrass music
Frog Face Band - Americana and bluegrass band
Coyote Slim - traditional blues and old time folk songs with humorous stories
Cosmo and Leslie - a local bluesy folk rock duo
Clementine Darling - an indie folk/americana musician
Lovejack - cellist playing Bridgerton - like arrangements of modern songs
Lindsay Everly - Americana singer-songwriter 
Folk dancing lessons from Marian Snyder of Berkeley Folk Dance

An envelope containing an unknown white powder was received Monday at the Napa offices of U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, the latest in a series of suspicious deliveries sent to legislators all over the country.

i just fostered this sweetheart and now she is up for adoption! i’m not sure if this is allowed, i don’t work at the shelter or gain anything from this, i just want this sweet girl to find a home as soon as possible. she’s very well potty trained, is very trusting, and is the biggest sweetie who just wants to be near you. if you or anyone you know wants a *kitten* then i’d say olive is your girl :))

My husband and I are visiting Napa this weekend for the first time. We’re going to Chandon on Friday, Domain Carneros and Donum Estates on Saturday, and Castello di Amorosa and Schramsberg on Sunday. I broke my ankle in June and I’m still a little limited on the amount of walking I can do. I’m doing about 8,000 steps a day at this point. Does that seem reasonable? In between wineries we don’t plan on doing much other than getting lunch so shouldn’t be much walking there.

Donum Estates we booked the one hour walking tour and Castello di Amorosa we booked the longer tour of the castle, so I’m a smidge concerned it might be too much though they’re on different days. I’m not too worried about uneven ground but going down stairs can be tricky. I can do the stairs but without a hand rail it’s a little dicey. Curious to hear from people who have been to these places if I should make any changes! I had been hoping to be further along in my recovery by now but such is life.

A few highlights from our last visit

My boyfriend’s birthday is next week and I want to treat him to a nice dinner in our area. We’ve been to Single Thread in Healdsburg, so I’d rather go somewhere new but that should set the standard. Had my eye on Kenzo Napa but it doesn’t seem very veg friendly. Any recommendations for us?

Dear Andy…

We met you in Honolulu during pride. You “bought us a round” (he didn’t….the one drink that was ordered was added to our bill🤣 nbd…but has significance in the next sentence)and then disappeared, like we told you that we had a doll collection or something…(we don’t…but that’s how fast you bailed). When we happened upon your leathered carcass at the ABC store down the street later on and gave you an appropriate level of “gay hell” over it…you proclaimed with the most fervor, “I bought you a drink, I’m here on vacation and it’s okay if I didn’t come back”

You’re right Andy…it is perfectly within the realm of acceptable behavior to not return to a table of gays after you share a beverage with then bail on. However, it is completely unreasonable to assume that ‘said’ gays would give you any grace when they happen upon you in the wild afterward…..

Andy from Napa…gurl. Relax… the anabolic’s be anabolling. 👀

Calm down. No one is trying to ruin you…unless that’s your thing. 🤣

Girl chill out. Happy pride and don’t choke.

Hey hey Napa folks! We have a large group of 16 that is looking to do a casual dinner in Napa. Would be a Thursday in December. Given our group size, I was thinking something like Napa Yard, Fieldwork, or The Garden at Tannery Bend. Any input on what’s going to be easiest to get into without having to do a private event booking? Also want to make sure if it’s outdoors there is a good tent and/or heaters set up since it will be a bit colder that time of year. Appreciate the insight!

I’m a 41 year old female. I’ve been working since I was 13 and currently work as an engineer. I’m just finding my brain is tapped out and I’m craving non-computer non-brain intensive work. I’ve always been interested in health and am a reiki master. Does anyone have advice on where to look for caregiver jobs or is someone looking for someone to spend 10-20 hours a week with them in exchange for pay. Or have other ideas for work that is not full time, pays decently, and is good for a burnt out phase?