637943 Mon Jul 20 08:50:53 -0700 2009 3 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 4873864 Just emailed Ad Hoc the following note: We ate at your restaurant for the first time last night. The food was great. The service was rushed (eg., salad arrived before anyone asked if we wanted to order drinks--check arrived the instant we finished dessert and w/ no one asking if we wanted coffee). We'd love to return because we loved the food and concept and very nice waitstaff. But last night was our anniversary, and the pace of service detracted from what we had hoped would be a very special evening. Thanks. I had limited space in the contact box on their Website, so couldn't elaborate. But the food was terrific. A lovely salad w/ perfectly prepared pork belly, deeply flavored oven dried tomatoes, bibb lettuce, and lightly poached eggs--the dressing came on the side, which doesn't allow for the best light coverage, so it seemed a bit oily and under-seasoned. Lobster roll was the centerpiece--the best we've had (I'm from New England). On buttery, toasted pain au lait, lobster cooked just right, thin slices of celery root and watercress, and very light mayonnaise-y dressing. Delicious. Great cole slaw. They served rounds of super-sweet corn on the cob, the super-sweet an odd choice (never tastes natural to me--somehow processed, even when, as these were, they were from Brentwood). And red-skinned potatoes. A cheese course, w/ a lovely cheese and honey, but nuts that were a little too spicey to completely work. The sweet was super--a light lemon yogurt mousse, w/ pistachio biscotti. So although there were some off notes, they were minor. The only problem was that if we hadn't actively worked to slow things down (leaving two bites of the lobster roll on my plate), we would have been outa there in an hour. The other thing I didn't write to the restaurant. As we were leaving the maitre de asked how our meal was, and I told him in a couple sentences (great food, rushed service). He never made eye contact, didn't apologize, made chit chat (where are you from? oh, they have great restaurants there). Basically blew me off. We'll go back because the food was great, and the waitstaff were nice, albeit hurrying us up. But it was disappointing. Mon Jul 20 08:50:53 -0700 2009 145123 sundeck sue 1 4906444 At least you did the right thing by emailing them. Nice report also. If you are up that way again, give Brix a try. Good food, good service and a much better outdoor area than that patio at Ad Hoc. At Brix it looks out on the gardens and vineyards that surround the restaurant. It just doesn't have the designer label, aka Thomas Keller, attached to it. Fri Jul 31 09:36:27 -0700 2009 4873864 10264 rworange 2 4907780 Thanks for tip re Brix. Will check it out. A p.s. re Ad Hoc. I guess I should have expected it when the maitre d blew me off, but no reply from Ad Hoc to the note I sent. I'm easy. You don't even have to comp me the cup of coffee you didn't ask if we wanted before bringing the bill (although it would have been a nice gesture). Just say you're sorry, and you appreciate the feedback and will work to do better. Fri Jul 31 17:18:22 -0700 2009 4906444 145123 sundeck sue 3 4908208 Forgot the link Fri Jul 31 21:38:18 -0700 2009 4907780 10264 rworange