Bistro Jeanty and other Places

[jeffperez62]

Going to SF and Napa for 1 week, any suggestions? (I'll pass on the French Laundry this time) How about some Sonoma spots?

[klinger75]

was out in napa last month. Had lunch at Bistro Jeanty and it was quite wonderful. Great Tomato soup encrusted in puff pastry. Lambs tongue salad also a winner. Dry creek kitchen in healdsburg is an option in sonoma. Had lunch there as well. service was not outstanding but the food was good. Great overpriced wine list of sonoma gems for reading!

[Clay]

Tra Vigna in St Helena (I know it's not Sonoma) is ALWAYS good.

[jeffperez62]

Has anyone out there been to Tra Vigne lately? I haven't been there in 3 years. Is it still as wonderful as when Chef Chiarello was riding the ranges there?

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

Went to Bistro Jeanty--and it was pretty darned good--save from the monkfish in Bouillabaise broth. Apparently they don't store the fish with as great a care as Thomas Keller. It was a nice bistro type dinner though. Phillipe was on the phone outside the restaurant on a bench arguing with his significant other. Made for a colorful moment. I almost asked for his autograph but said F it.

Hit French Laundry...best meal ever. It's hyped to the nines but the guy performs. He looked like death when he made it to our table at 115am. Do try and make it there but save your cash for a couple of years...

[Rail Paul]

Great Tomato soup encrusted in puff pastry. Lambs tongue salad also a winner.

Signature dishes for Jeanty. Had both at Domaine Chandon when he was chef there circa 1982

If it ain't broken, don't fix it...

[southern girl]

The fried smelts and steak tartare are yummy too

[melkor]

Tra Vigne is good, but the menu is fairly static; their braised short ribs with polenta is worth the drive this time of year, but the place is almost entirely filled with tourists. If you want something off the beaten path, Cafe Lucy on clay st in downtown napa has one of the most reasonably priced wine lists in the valley, no tourists and the food is really good.

I'd agree with klingers comments on the dry creek kitchen, if you're up in healdsburg it's worth stopping by, but I wouldn't make a special trip out there for it.

...

-Dave

I suppose this means I'm not lurking anymore.

[cabrales]

Michael Bauer's recent Bistro Jeanty review:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...0.DTL&type=food

[lizziee]

We were also at Bistro Jeanty New Year's Day.

From an earler post:

New Year's Day found us at Bistro Jeanty for lunch - a definite "must" for us in Wine country. The restaurant opened at 1:00. By 1:30, every seat was taken and there was a line outside the door waiting for a table.

Eating at Bistro Jeanty, you feel you have been magically transported to Paris - French music plays in the background, French posters on the walls, white paper tablecloths, "bistro" chairs.

The food is classic bistro fare - no bells and whistles.

We split each of the following dishes:

An amuse of foie gras on a crisp baguette

Terrine de Lapin (rabbit pate with celery root apple salad)

Salade au Bacon et Oeuf Mollet (Escarole, Soft Boiled Egg. Bacon Dressing) We requested 2 eggs "mollet" which they graciously did.

Steak Frites (ribeye with fries served in a paper cone with béarnaise)

Hearty food, well-prepared served by knowledgeable, professional waiters.

[cabrales]

Do members have input on the newish Bistro Jeanty at Jack's, in SF itself?

[lizziee]

Nick's review can be found here:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...ST&f=27&t=10439

Unfortunately, our last meal at Jeanty at Jacks was also poor.

[Han]

The tomato soup in puff pastry is definitely very good. You can share it with two persons. It's a large portion.

I would skip the lamb cheeks.