The French Laundry: Yountville, CA
The minute I saw this sign, my heart started racing like I was going on a blind date.
The French Laundry building.
The courtyard outside the restaurant.
The door to the restaurant.
Our menu which they personalized, at my request, for my friend’s birthday.
Napkin and branded clothespin.
Salmon tartare coronets filled with creme fraiche.
Gougères to help start the meal off right.
Cauliflower “panna cotta” with Island Creek oyster glaze and Sterling White Sturgeon caviar.
Assortment of salted and unsalted butters (at perfect temperature, I might add).
One of the many gorgeous breads from Bouchon Bakery.
Salad of golden chanterelle mushrooms, first of the season fava beans, hearts of romaine and red pepper essence.
“Tartare” of Kindai bluefin tuna with Tokyo turnips, English peas, Jacobsen’s Farm radishes and garden mint “aigre-doux.”
Sweet butter-poached Maine lobster tail with cara cara orange, glazed sunchokes, nicoise olive emulsion and squid ink.
All-day braised Kurobuta pork belly, Yukon gold potato “confite,” frisee lettuce and preserved green tomato vinaigrette.
Elysian Fields Farm lamb ribeye “et son plat de cote,” melted swiss chard, green garlic and glazed fennel bulb.
Mrs. Quicke’s cheddar with “Branston pickle” and cilantro shoots.
Diane St. Claire’s Buttermilk Sherbet with spiced streusel and honey-glazed cranberry.
Valrhona Chocolate “Dobos” with chestnut butter, candied chestnuts and brown bread ice cream.
Granny smith apple “bavarois” with cinnamon “sable,” dijon mustard ice cream and crystallized Napa Valley mustard blossoms.
Tahitian vanilla creme brulee.
Meyer lemon pot de creme.
Mignardises: Caramel and chocolate covered nuts.
Mignardises: amaretto cookies.
Mignardises: assorted sweets.
Mignardises: assorted sweets.
The bill, cookies and branded clothespin to take home.
The new 2-acre organic garden manned by our very own, Tucker Taylor.
What a divine looking meal. I drool with jealousy!
I’m so jealous–it looked wonderful!
How many people ate for $517?
Paulie: 2 people.
Such is the price of perfection…
So many deserts. Is that typical?
I guess anything is possible…
But, in most “fine dining” meals I’ve had (such as this one, the dessert course is followed with various sweets to choose from. We were stuffed.
This is precisely the type of review I have often read about on this amazingly creative restaurant … you have gotten the highpoints and your photos complement the text to perfection … I see nothing unusual about the bill because I spent almost as much at Manresa on a tasting dinner by Chef David Kinch, who is not unlike Thomas Keller …
Excellent work, as always, Jen!
was 517 or however much with wine pairings for two? if so, great price!
You are so lucky. I have been to the other Keller restaurant Bouchon, which was great, but I know does not hold a candle to Laundry.
you didn’t order any wine?
Nope. I normally don’t like to drink during the day especially when we had plans to be out very late that night for my friend’s bday.