BottleRock Napa 2019
Every Memorial Day Weekend I pack my bags and head up to Napa for BottleRock. BottleRock is probably the only summer music festival where you can watch Morimoto break a world record on the culinary stage for slicing 100 pieces of 3.5 ounces of tuna from a 205-pound fish in 12 minutes and 49 seconds, spend $60 on a bottle of Decoy Rose (multiple times) and snag a selfie with Antoni from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
But the driving force bringing me to Napa year after year is the food and the food at BottleRock Napa 2019 did NOT disappoint…even if it did leave me with an empty wallet.
Morimoto
Spicy tuna handrolls from one of my favorite spots in Napa, Morimoto Napa. I could have easily had 5 of these, but at $14 a pop, only one was in my budget (the other was for a friend)!
JaM Cellars Frosé and Truly Hard Seltzer
What’s a music festival without a cocktail?
Ad Hoc
This year is the first time Thomas Keller’s Yountville restaurant Ad Hoc has offered a bucket full of its moist yet crispy fried chicken. Finished with a sprinkling of fresh rosemary and salt this was a MAJOR highlight for me at BottleRock…
However, the famed Ad Hoc buttermilk fried chicken was one of the most expensive meals at the festival’s Culinary Garden at $60 a bucket!
Was it worth it?
100% YES
La Calenda
For a bit of a more affordable Thomas Keller experience (for bay area standards that is), we also hit up his new spot, La Calenda.
The Oaxacan cuisine offerings, which includes three tacos for $16 was also selling chips, guacamole, and salsa for another $16!
The elote (grilled sweet corn) from La Calenda was also a major hit for me, even if corn on the cob almost ALWAYS gets stuck in my teeth!
Check out more food posts here.