Chez Panisse

[ngatti]

Well I went to the restaurant last night and in short I LOVED it... We had a wonderful dining experience.  The menu was skillfully prepared.  I can say that I have had "finer" (Aqua, Hawthorne Lane, Everest and Trotters in Chicago) dinners, but this one ranks up there.  The service was very attentive.  And overall it was a very nice experience.  I would definately go back 

<---(smug smiley)

Nick

[russ parsons]

Someday I'll eat at both CP and FL.  Oh yes, I shall.

in one over-ambitious trip last year, i did eat at both in the same day (well, lunch at the cafe). they were both utterly remarkable meals and both completely different. chez panisse is about products and direct flavor, a celebration of that which is natural. french laundry is about complexity and technique, improvement on hte natural. it's like the difference between plein air watercolor and rothko. one isn't better than the other and thank god we can choose.

[MatthewB]

Well, here's my first post to the site!

My SO & I spent the last week of 2002 in San Francisco--seven days of gluttony were thankfully counteracted with copious amounts of walking.

But I digress . . .

We had a fine dinner at the CP Cafe. My "fish & chips" were wonderful and we received solid service.

Nothing but compliments for CP.

Besides, the day started (fittingly?) by finding a nearly pristine 1st American edition hardcover copy of Elizabeth David's French Provincial Cooking in a used bookstore--for $18, to boot.

And I'll end with a question, if you find yourself in Yountville, do you really prefer French Laundry to Bistro Jeanty? :grin: