A Day in Yountville and Napa: Redd, Bouchon, Quixote…

Some LA friends came up for the weekend and we ventured into Napa and Yountville for some adventure and treats.  We started with lunch at Redd.  We had pork buns (obviously), a grilled chicken something over a fennel puree with brussels sprouts and a foie gras toast, butternut squash ravioli and a hunk of pork belly.  Everything was great except the chicken which was unremarkable and plain.  However, the fennel puree was amazing – something I will attempt to recreate later….

Redd's Pork Buns

Roasted Chicken with fennel puree and fois gras toast

Butternut Squash Ravioli

Next we walked up to Bouchon for some Macarons.  They are a lot larger than the ones I had in Paris and I have to say, they were very hard and actually… not great.  So sad because I really miss macarons and I thought Bouchon would not fail me.

Bouchon Macarons

After Bouchon we walked up to The French Laundry for lunch number two.  Just kidding.  One day maybe.  We walked through the garden, which was incredible, and sat and dreamed about what the inside of the French Laundry looked like.

Next, we went to Quixote winery in the Stags Leap district of Napa.  It was my friends’ first time in Napa and they loved it.  We shared a tasting and really had some incredible wine.  The winery is also really cool and definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area.  During the week you have to make a reservation, so beware, or go on the weekend.

Quixote Winery

We drove across the Golden Gate Bridge on the way home so the boys could see it and the view.

The Golden Gate

We made pizzas for dinner and Scott experimented with quail eggs on his.  Of course, all good.  I also made a little olive mix with navel orange slices…. try it: green olives, washed, olive oil, navel orange slices and pepper.

My Olives with orange peels

My potato, fontina and arugula pizza

Scott's quail egg pizza