The Tasty Memoir: Bouchon Bakery: Yountville, CA (Roaming Napa, Part 3)

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Bouchon Bakery: Yountville, CA (Roaming Napa, Part 3)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I've got a few hours before I gotta take off to the airport so I thought I'd work on sharing this post before I head home for some much needed time with the family.

So EHK and I woke up early the next morning hungry even after our monstrous meal at The French Laundry. Not wanting to wait around for the B&B breakfast, we headed into town to continue our homage to Thomas Keller and find something at Bouchon Bakery that would tide us over till the breakfast. We were greeted by a respectable line so we were expecting something good. Well something at least as good as Tartine since this is a Keller establishment. I kinda think that Tartine has ruined us for other bakeries. Every time we try a pain au chocolat or quiche or other comparable pastry we compare it back to our experiences at Tartine and I can't really think of a bakery that we've tried that measures up.

We finally make it in and we notice all these flies flying over these beautiful pasteries. Everybody seems to ignore this. We've been waiting in line and famished so at this point I'm willing for the attendant to give me anything that a fly hasn't landed on. Usually I'd walk straight out. I don't really understand all the flies. Tartine is several times over cleaner and its in the middle of the Mission. I'd be very forgiving if I saw a few flies around given what they've got to work with. Bouchon Bakery ... hmm I don't really see any transients or gross looking gutters with stuff I can't make out. What's with the flies!!!

So Its finally our turn to order and we first ask for a gougère for ML since she requested one. The girl looks at us blankly and asks us, "what's that?" Are you serious? I expect employees at Keller establishments to be familiar with the offerings at the other restaurants (especially when it's just down the street) even if they don't serve it under the roof they work in. So we decide to order a cheese danish and a slice of quiche. Ugh... cheese danish tasted like stale pastry with a dollop of slightly whipped cream cheese.The quiche was equally as disappointing as the crust was soggy like they had just stuffed it into a microwave to warm it (photos of the danish and quiche can be viewed at the end of these photos).

After such a spectacular meal the evening before, we had high hopes for an early morning snack here. Boy were we let down. Am I grading this place too hard since it's got Keller's name attached to it? Maybe we ordered the wrong stuff? I've heard some really good things so I was hoping these recommendations would translate well. I had really wanted to come back and try the macarons later in the day but I just couldn't forget about the danish and quiche. Maybe next time when I'm in the area and have forgotten a little about this experience.