KFC . . . in *Yountville*?!

Staying at a Napa Valley Bed and Breakfast has its advantages. Like having access to some of the best fried chicken in the world.

For us, KFC means something a bit different. Read on.

If you've stayed with us, you may have dined at Ad Hoc, Thomas Keller's amazing (and affordable, for Keller) restaurant. It's about a 15 minute drive from the Old World Inns. A four course dinner for less than $60 per person, served family style, with little pretense (but *lots* of flavor).

Brined in honey and lemon overnight and lightly coated with flour and buttermilk, Ad Hoc's fried chicken has become legendary.

Under Construction: Ad Hoc's new fried chicken take-out window!

This past week, we noticed some unusual activity at Ad Hoc. Construction.

Thomas Keller on NBC's Today Show making Ad Hoc fried chicken

So we asked: What's up?

What we found was, in a word, unbelievable.

And wonderful.

(OK, two words).

The news:

Ad Hoc is building a "take out" window!



For fried chicken. And Barbeque.

No, we're not kidding.

The take-out window will only be open during lunch-- but boy, are we looking forward to some amazing fried chicken!

And Yountville finally has its own KFC: Keller Fried Chicken.

How cool is that!?

- The Innkeepers Napa Old World Inn

PS Want to learn how to make Ad Hoc fried chicken from Thomas Keller himself? Click here! Many thanks to the Today Show and MSNBC for all of the amazing images and video!

UPDATE: Ad Hoc's Addendum is now OPEN! Hours are 11 am to 2 pm (or until they run out, which will be more likely). Menus and foodie photos coming soon!

Kitchen Table- New Napa Restaurant at Oxbow!

Ah, the life of an innkeeper at a Napa Bed and Breakfast Hotel . . . all these new restaurants, and *someone* has to try them out—why not us?

If you ever had Todd Humphries' soup at Martini House (St Helena), you probably went into mourning when Martini House closed last fall. When we heard that two of the three original founders were eyeing the Oxbow for a new restaurant, we kept our fingers crossed.


And then it got better: We'd heard that not only was this new restaurant (walking distance from our Inn) going to happen-- but that Martini House alumni Todd Humphries (executive chef), Christopher Litts (chef de cuisine), and Tim Sebersen (general manager) were all on board.


(we first met-- and loved-- Tim when he managed Julia's Kitchen at Copia. Welcome back to Napa, Tim!)


We just got a sneak peek at the menu . . .


Mmmmmmm. 


Korean Short Ribs? Mushroom pasta? Armenian Pizza with spiced ground lamb?


. . . so many more incredibly yummy items.


And yes-- the mushroom soup is BACK!


Due to open next week, Tuesday, June 14 (Locals Night!)


Stay tuned for more pix and a foodie review!


- The Innkeepers 
Napa Old World Inn

Old World Inn & Wine Spectator

Napa's renaissance continues in a cover story on the June 15 Wine Spectator magazine. We're looking forward to reading it!


Those of you who have visited our Napa Bed and Breakfast Hotel may have noticed the Wine Spectator offices, housed in Napa's historic Noyes Mansion:

Noyes Mansion, built 1903 by E. W. Doughty

The Noyes mansion was constructed back in 1903 by local builder E. W. Doughty. 


Just a year or so later, Doughty began work on a home for his family, just 2 blocks away from the Noyes mansion. Doughty's home may look familiar to you:

Napa Old World Inn, built 1906 by E. W. Doughty

Doughty built a lot of the mansions and churches in the town of Napa, but none were as eclectic as the house he built for his own family. Back in 1904, he chose a location on the outskirts of town (4 blocks from Main Street), at a point where locals had to make a sharp right turn to head "up valley" to go to Yountville and St Helena.


Doughty built his house so that if you were heading out of town, you were looking at his house the whole time-- almost like a billboard, showcasing his skills. It's no wonder he used special woods for the floors and parlor. We're guessing he loved to show the fine woodwork to both guests and prospective clients.


The house stayed in the Doughty family for generations, eventually became the Old World Inn in 1979. Back then, it was called the "Napa Valley Bed and Breakfast Inn". Catchy name, eh? As one of Napa's first B&Bs, it became a popular spot for honeymoons and romantic getaways. We've even had guests who stayed here for their honeymoon come back here to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary!


If you've never stayed at our Napa Bed and Breakfast, we'd love to share it with you. Give us a call at 707-257-0112. Or you can book online at OldWorldInn.com


-The Innkeepers
Napa Old World Inn

Morimoto Napa: Sushi to GO?

Staying at a Napa Bed and Breakfast Hotel?


You say you don't want anything too complicated for dinner-- perhaps a little take out place?

How about some take out/to go food from an Iron Chef?

Yep. In Napa.

Great news:


Today Morimoto Napa opened their take out counter!


When Napa College was performing Shakespeare in the Park last year, we went to Morimoto first and ordered some sushi to go (we actually made a reservation, sat down, ordered, and then asked for everything to go). Sneaky, sneaky. But it worked.


We don't have to do that anymore. 


Imagine coming to a Chef's Market this summer-- and grabbing some sushi to go?


Life just keeps getting better in Downtown Napa . . .


- The Innkeepers Napa Old World Inn

Coppola buys Inglenook?

If you've stayed at our Napa Valley Bed and Breakfast Inn, you may have visited Francis Ford Coppola's Napa Valley Winery. Now called Rubicon Estates, the winery is known by many as "Coppola" (or "Niebaum Coppola").

A few days ago, movie director and winery owner Coppola announced that the winery would again change its name: back to Inglenook, the name the winery had for decades.

Currently used for cheaper "jug" wines, the Inglenook name once had a proud and distinguished heritage as one of the top producers of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Coppola intends to return the name to its former glory, and outlines some of his plans here, in a recent New York Times article.

Perhaps the most stunning news is the addition of Chateau Margaux estate director Philippe Bascaules as Inglenook's new estate manager and wine maker.

We are looking forward to a new renaissance of Inglenook wines, and we extend a heartfelt toast—and congratulations— to Francis Ford Coppola for all of his efforts in writing the newest, exciting chapter of the Inglenook/Coppola winery.

- The Innkeepers Napa Old World Inn

Bauer's Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants . . . look at the new additions!

UPDATE: We're proud to announce that TEN of the top 100 restaurants in the entire San Francisco Bay Area are within 15 minutes drive of the Napa Old World Inn-- and most of these are within a 10 minute walk!


***********


If you've stayed at our Napa Bed and Breakfast in the past year or so, chances are pretty good that you've walked to one of Napa's world class restaurants at least one of the nights you were here.

San Francisco Chronicle food critic Michael Bauer has just released his annual "Top 100" Bay Area restaurants. Most are based in San Francisco, but in a stunning surprise this year, FOUR of the 26 new additions are in the town of Napa!

Here's a link to his list:

http://bit.ly/BauersNewTopRestaurants

The "new" restaurants that were added to his top 100 list:

Morimoto Napa

Morimoto Napa. No surprise here. We've raved about this amazing place since the first week it was open. Their Omakase (taster's) menu is not only creative, tasty, and fun—but the chefs keep track of each Omakase you have, and will always give you something new. If you haven't stayed with us and walked there, it really makes for a special evening. Try the rock shrimp tempura with wasabi aoli-- it's addictive!

Ubuntu. Another welcome addition. Truly creative and innovative food, in a wholistic farm-to-table approach. 

Ubuntu

Our favorite thing to say about Ubuntu is that it's for vegetarians—but it's the *meat* eaters who walk out amazed! Veteran foodies say that Ubuntu gives French Laundry's vegetarian tasting menu a serious challenge. The first year it was open, the New York Times named Ubuntu one of the top three new restaurants in the entire US!

Oenotri

Oenotri. We were delighted to read this, as this is by far one of our favorite Napa restaurants (and we were fortunate enough to have their food featured at our annual B&B Holiday Tour last year). Keep your fingers crossed-- Chefs Curtis and Tyler have promised to come back for the 2011 Holiday Tour! Fortunately our review of Oenotri came out a few days before Micheal Bauer's original review—our review and his had so many similarities that we would have been too shy to publish it had Bauer's review come out first!

Angele. A beautiful French-style Bistro on the Napa River. And an easy walk from the Napa Old World Inns.

Table at Angele'

Here is the complete list of all 100 Top Restaurants in the SF Bay Area.

Cheers,

-The Innkeepers

Napa Old World Inn