"Five days prior to eating at the French Laundry, I tried to divorce the ideas of money and value from this existential dining experience. This would clearly be the most I had ever spent on a meal in my life but who wants to be thinking about money when you are feasting on Thomas Keller’s famous “oysters and pearls.” I sure didn’t. So by the time of our 9 p.m. reservation I had successfully brushed aside the $210 per person (exclusive of wine but inclusive or service.)
Most French Laundry reviews start with how difficult it is to get a reservation. I can’t really attest to this. I called about four weeks before my wife’s March 8th birthday. They were of course full but I asked to be put on their waiting list. We made backup reservations at Myth in San Francisco in case the Laundry Gods didn’t shine their light on us, but about three weeks later a nice young woman bestowed a table for two on me. Sorry Myth, maybe next time.
The French Laundry occupies a fantastic little house in Yountville, Calif. It is a small cottage (1,600 sq. ft.) built out of river rock and timbers that dates back to 1900. It was originally intended to be a saloon, but a nearby veterans’ hospital prevented the sale of alcohol within one mile. The building was then used as a residence, a brothel, and a French steam laundry, hence the name. The French Laundry sounds a lot better than The French Whorehouse, doesn’t it? French laundries were know for their fine attention to detail and little tidbits of a French laundry permeate the restaurant today. The napkins are cascaded into wood laundry pins. The lamps have faint symbols on them that call to mind the washing instructions inside your shirt. Inside the feeling is cozy and intimate. The downstairs probably seats under twenty people all in one room, and there is another small room upstairs. The house is filled with cool architectural features like the wood beam ceiling and the asymmetrical built-in wine cabinet in foyer.
Before I get to the food I must also note that the flower arrangements inside The French Laundry are fantastic. The huge bouquet at the reception desk was probably the coolest I’ve ever seen. It looked like an explosion of crooked branches and exotic white flowers.
The food was in a word, mind blowing. Every course seemed to hit a perfect note. The flavors, the temperature contrasts, the textures, the smells, and gorgeous presentations were all completely stimulating. I’m sure all the superlatives have already been used to describe the French Laundry so I won’t add to them. But I will explain it like this: Above all the things that a restaurant of this class must overcome is the diners’ expectations. Many people come to The Laundry for special occasions and I assume that for most people, eating here it isn’t a regular occurrence. I have wanted to eat here for years and my expectations couldn’t have been higher. Somehow it shattered them.
The portions here are fairly small, and some courses only amount to a couple of bites. The meat and fish courses are the larger. After each course I found myself wanting just a little more. However, this dynamic worked nicely as it heightened the anticipation of the next course. The desert courses were followed by mignardises, which are assorted little chocolates. By the end of the meal I was pleasantly full, and I tend to eat a lot.
The wine list is deep but not excessively massive. It is a nice selection of cult California wines like Harlan and Screaming Eagle mixed with classic Old World counterparts like Mouton and Lafite, and then peppered with some unique under-the-radar selections. It includes quite a few pages of half bottles, which was helpful when trying to taste a number of wines with the nine courses. My wife Kelly got a nice laugh at the sweat beads on my face as I scanned the list. The wine list is also extremely expensive. It appeared that many selections were easily 3 times retail. The corkage fee is $50 so I opted not bring a bottle since it was just the two of us. I didn’t want to drink too much of one thing. If I have some friends along next time, I will definitely bring a nice bottle along. The by-the-glass selections are also expensive but very well chosen. We started off with two glasses of non-vintage Champagne for $48. The sommelier was fantastic and easily provided three half bottles for near my $150 wine budget. The Renard Rousanne was a standout for its peach pit, honey flavors, and restrained tartness. It paired excellently with the first few courses.
The service here ties everything together. The sommelier on the floor that night was magnificent. Service is competent, friendly, but not at all intrusive. From the moment we walked into the small foyer until Kelly’s coat was back on her shoulders, we were made to feel completely comfortable. I can’t wait to go back and share this experience with more friends.
The menu on March 8, 2006:
“Oysters and Pearls” “Sabayon” of pearl tapioca with beau soleil oysters
Salad of Jerusalem artichokes, marinated forest mushrooms, cilantro shoots and meyer lemon coulis
Sautéed filet of Atlantic black bass, fricassee of razor clams, red radish, water chestnuts, sweet carrots and roasted scallions
Maine lobster tail pochée sous vide, caramelized fennel chip, sweet peppers and sauce noilly prat
Aiguillette of Liberty Valley duck breast, applewood smoked bacon-wrapped hearts of romaine lettuce, princess la ratte potato purée and périgord truffle sauce
Elysian Fields Farm lamb ribeye en persillade with a cassoulet of winter pole beans and thyme infused extra virgin olive oil
Pleasant Ridge Sierra Beauty apple “pain perdu,” garden baby parsley and apple gastrique
White verjus granité with niçoise olive nougatine
Feuillantine au caramel butterscotch boite, caramel mousse and milk chocolate-pralline fuillantine"
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