The French Laundry- Yountville, California
Anthony Bourdain calls it, “The best restaurant in the world, period.” But this is the man that also despises Alinea. This is also a man that can get into the place with just his name. Others, however, may have a more difficult time. We were planning a trip to Napa in May. We started calling in February. Of course, we couldn’t get it in. Thankfully, the week before our trip, a friend of a very good friend was able to get us in. It was the first time for our entire group of five and enthusiastic wouldn’t even begin to describe us. We were telling everyone we knew that we were finally going to experience the elusive and notorious French Laundry!
The 1900 historic building is completely unassuming, but we still took twenty pictures in front of the sign on the covered stone entrance. We were warmly greeted and taken upstairs to our table in the back. Simple white tablecloths, grey carpet, grey upholstered chairs with a deep wood base, some greenery and a few white sconces. The décor is simple, the clientele was a little stuffy. No matter! We were there to have a fun and enjoy this coveted culinary hot spot!
This is supposedly THE PLACE every self-declared foodie wants to be. It’s ironic though, because while the food is good, it isn’t anything so extraordinary that you can’t find it anywhere else. I also read that I would never experience the level of service that French Laundry offers. I guess I’m fortunate to live in a part of the United States that offers a few restaurants with absolutely top notch service. I grew up in a restaurant. Service is second nature to me. It wasn’t astonishing to me that my water glass was filled when it got empty, especially when the staff outnumbers the customers. It wasn’t amazing that the sommelier picked out some really great wines for us. I can get that in my own home town. Maybe all the reading up and hype that I had placed in my mind about this place ruined the actual real life experience. The French Laundry is the foodie mecca much like the green jacket is a golfer’s grandest prize. A green sports jacket doesn’t go with anything. It’s actually kind of ugly when it comes to fashion. But the history and tradition behind it is what drives its worth. The French Laundry might not be the best anymore with such incredibly talented and dedicated chefs now working hard to fight for their place. But it has history of being remarkable. It earned a cult following a long time ago and it will not let go of it anytime soon.
If you’ll allow me to channel a bit of Simon Cowell on this one, some of the dishes were just plain forgettable. I won’t think of them the next day, nor have I thought of them since. That’s not what I expected from The French Laundry. This is not to say that they didn’t taste good. Of course they tasted good, but nothing really wowed the pants off of me like I expected it to. The reviews suggested that I would be in a food coma by the end of the night. I guess I sweated through all my calories (and my dress) in that sultry back table because I left there wanting more. More of anything in particular? No, just more of anything that would make me feel like I had the experience everyone said I would.
Dishes that were incredible: Oysters and Pearls. Between two of us, that is what we remember from the French Laundry. The cream was rich and absolutely energized with the salt of the caviar. Charcoal Grilled Alaskan King Crab Leg was just a tiny “knuckle” of crab leg with black sesame puree and rhubarb. The Liberty Farm Pekin Duck was a bite sized portion served with port wine shallot jus, onions and spinach. That wasn’t really anything surprising or different. I think that was the main problem. Nothing was stunning or astounding. Nothing to make me really feel like I was sitting in the heart of the foodie world. When I look back at the pictures from my meal, I don’t get the warm and fuzzy feeling of a mind-blowing culinary experience. I did however, make a shadow box of my menu and hang it on my dining room wall. I do still stop and say, “I went there!” when The French Laundry is featured on Food Network. It’s about the notoriety, pomp and circumstance, and unfortunately not really about the food anymore.
Our menu:
Oysters and Pearls- “sabayon” of peal tapioca with Island Creek oysters and white sturgeon Caviar
Chilled Belgian Endive Soup-Medjool Date Bavarois Marcona Almonds, nasturtiums, and black winter Truffles
Gulf Coast Red Snapper-spilt English peas, pickled ramps and sweet carrot emulsion
Porridge of Carolina Shad Roe-applewood smoked bacon custard, garden turnips, compress green apples, and Sausalito watercress
Charcoal Grilled Alaskan King Crab Leg-flowering cucumber, poached field rhubarb and black sesame puree
Liberty Farm Pekin Duck-petite spring onions, red tipped spinach and port wine shallot jus
Ris de Veau A La Grenobloise-cauliflower, preserved Meyer lemon, parsley shoots, Spanish capers and “beurre nosiette”
Herb Roasted Elysian Fields Farm Lamb Saddle-cracked bulgar wheat, green asparagus, confit eggplant, and garden mint
Cave Aged Comte-pickled green strawberries, heirloom red beets and Dijon mustard
Verjus Blanc-demi sec grapes, jasmine tea ice cream and caramel crisp
Princess Cake-animal farm buttermilk, Navel orange marmalade, toasted marzipan and Cara Cara orange sorbet
-Sylvia Hurst
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