The French Laundry 2001 - 2005

[robert40]

I thought anyone who may be visiting the FL on these last days before they close will find it interesting that according to the receptionist I spoke too today, there will be no five course menu offered before they close.

The menus I received by fax today are the normal chefs tasting[up to $150.00] and a veg. tasting also $150.00 for 10 course's and a Breathtaking white and black Truffle tasting for $275.00 a person.

I have no idea if the five course will be offered again after they reopen in the spring.

RR

[Stone]

I've heard it was a bad season for white truffles this year causing the prices to skyrocket.

[robert40]

Stone,

Yes I heard about the bad season but what a mouth watering menu!

Maybe my mind is wandering but I find it unusual to drop the five course for the last month of service.

Could this be a test on how well it will be received before the opening of Per Se?

I was also told they are likely going to take res. two weeks before the opening of Per Se but she seemed somewhat unsure of this.

RR

[Schneier]

Dinner at the French Laundry Thursday night. I'm not going to post as extensive review as last time, but here's the menu with some highlights.

Amuse Bouche 1: A cornet cone of salmon, creme fraiche, chives, red pepper, and sesame seeds

I had a version of this last time, and it was just as good this time.

Amuse Bouche 2: A gougere.

Fine, but nothing special.

"Black and White" Truffle Menu

December 4, 2003

Course 1. Scrambled Liberty Valley Duck Eggs with Perigord Truffles and Toasted "Brioche"

We were served the eggs, and then the waiter grated some black truffle on top of it. Very tasty. The truffles went very well with the eggs.

Course 2. "Soupe de Musquee de Provence aux Truffes Blances d'Alba"

Pumpkin soup with pumpkin-seed vinaigrette drizzled tableside.

The white truffle presentation was over the top. It came in a sold-looking wooden box. Inside was a white truffle, which was presented for our inspection. One waiter held the box open, and another waiter shaved the white truffle on our dish.

It was an amazing dish. The soup was too sweet, but when mixed with the vinaigrette and truffle it was perfect.

Course 3. Perigord Truffle "Wellington"," "Fondue" of Walla Walla Shallots and Sauce "Perigourdine"

The best truffle dish I have ever eaten. It was a piece of black truffle wrapped in a pastry. It was served with sweet onions and veal stock. Perfect in every way.

Course 4. "Seafood Newburg": "Fricassee of Main Lobster "Mitts," Nantucket Bay Scallops, Celery Branch, Jacobseen's Farms Crosnes and White Truffles from Alba

This came with another white-truffle box presentation.

Very good. The flavors all melded together.

Course 5. "Soup and Salad": Wolfe Ranch Breast of Squab "En Crepinette," "Sa Cuisse en Confit" Frisee Lettuce, Double "Consomme" and Perigord Truffles

Delicious delicious delicious. The squab was wrapped in truffles.

Course 6. All-Day Braised Marcho Farms Veal Breast, "Mille Feuilles" of Granny Smith Apples Crusted with Italian Hazelnuts, Cipollini Onions "Fracie a la Moelle" and Shaved White Alba Truffles

The prettiest dish. It was three round towers: the veal, the apples, and the onions. Delicious in every way. The waiter shaved white truffles on top, which didn't really add much. Not a complaint, mind you, just an observation.

Course 7. "L'Edel de cleron" and a "Stew" of Dried Apricots, Fennel Bulb and Perigord Truffles

The cheese course. Very good.

Course 8. White Truffle Infused Custard with Shaved White Truffles from Alba and a Truffle "Financier"

Okay, now we're getting silly.

Course 9. White Chocolate "Velours" Dark Chocolate "Sabayon," Black Truffle Liquid Center, Perigord Truffle "Syrup" and Ruby Red Grapefruit" Sorbet

Super delicious.

"Mignardises"

Don't know. We were too full.

Bruce

[Jason Perlow]

bastard.

[Schneier]

bastard.

Yeah; I kind of felt that way, too. I wanted to go once more before they close for a few months.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I wanted to go once more before they close for a few months.

We have to get Melkor to give us an account of closing night. HE and Ms. Melkor got into the last night's offering.

You are both rat-bastards...

[robert40]

Thats the truffle menu they faxed to me the other day!

I'm so glad it tasted as good as it looked,Only wish I got to do the tasting.

Schneier,

Did you happen to notice if they where offering the five course menu?

I was told its no longer offered,Or at least not for the remainder of the month.

[Schneier]

Our options were the 9-course Chef's Menu, the 9-course Vegetarian Menu, or the 9-course Truffle Menu. There was no 5-course menu.

Bruce

[jat]

What an absolutely outstanding evening, I'm going next year, no

reservations about going at all. What is the best place to stay in the area?

[Schneier]

What an absolutely outstanding evening, I'm going next year, no reservations about going at all. What is the best place to stay in the area?

Actually, you need reservations or you're not going.

There are several small hotels and guest houses in the area that cater to people who eat at the French Laundry. I don't know about any of them, but after you make your reservation the restaurant can send you a list.

The getting there was the only sucky part of the night. We landed at SFO in the afternoon and rented a car. What was supposed to be a 90-minute drive ended up being a 150-minute drive in the rain and dark, and we were an hour late for dinner. The drive to our hotel was only 90 minutes.

I don't recommend doing it that way, but we had no choice.

Bruce

[Schneier]

Bruce, can we announce our transcontinental transdecade engagement in another dimension?

That's probably best. My wife would have issues.

Our hotel was in Santa Clara, a looooong way away.

Bruce

[melkor]

Thanks for the report. I've got reservations for newyears and now I'm seriously excited about the truffle menu.

[bilrus]

The white truffle presentation was over the top. It came in a sold-looking wooden box. Inside was a white truffle, which was presented for our inspection. One waiter held the box open, and another waiter shaved the white truffle on our dish.

I still remember the smell that came out of that box a month later.

I have to imagine the whole restaurant smelled like that when you were there.

Was the pricing the same as standard? The supplement for the Risotto we had was $40 (!?!?) just for the one dish.

Or are they trying to use up the truffles before they leave for New York?

[melkor]

They are doing a truffle tasting menu - 9 courses for $275.

[bilrus]

That sounds more like it.

[Schneier]

They are doing a truffle tasting menu - 9 courses for $275.

How did you get a discount. Our truffle tasting menu was $300 per.

Bruce

[melkor]

They are doing a truffle tasting menu - 9 courses for $275.

How did you get a discount. Our truffle tasting menu was $300 per.

Bruce

I'm going on what they said a month ago when I made the reservation - seems there has been a change

[russ parsons]

as a french laundry fan and a responsible citizen (well, fairly), i'd like to recommend to people that they investigate some of the local bed and breakfasts in keller-ville (er, yountville). there are a half-dozen places within walking distance of the restaurant and most of them aren't that expensive (vintage inn excluded). try the bordeaux house, the burgundy house, maison fleurie. i've stayed at all three and they're all fine. a friend also recommends petits logis.

this is a good listing of yountville places

[tanabutler]

Ruh-roh. "Page not found," Russ.

I was just composing an e-mail to JAT, and this is my most-recommended Napa link of all time:

Napa Valley Clickable Map

Zoom in and move around. It's not the comprehensive, but it's darn good.

Also, plunk down $5 and get one of these maps. They show wineries, shopping, dining and just about every kind of recreational activity (including bowling, if you are interested) and resource available.

Edited December 14, 2003 by tanabutler (log)

[SiseFromm]

We had dinner at French Laundry on 12/22/2003. Available were three menus (Game, Chef's, Vegetarian). Being a party of 5, we ended up with one of each so I would imagine, all told, we probably had 35 - 40 total dishes. I could probably write a review on each and every plate that hit the table, but instead, I'll just cover some of the highlights.

"Oysters and Pearls"

This was a classic that I was glad to see on the Chef's menu. Loved the oysters and the Iranian Caviar was superb. One of my favorites of the night.

"Carnaroli Risotto Biologico with White Truffles from Alba and White Truffle Oil"

This was a $50 supplement, but very cool. Even the "presentation" of the truffle in a velvet-lined box was interesting, if not a little over the top. They certainly didn't skimp though. The vegetarian course of Vidalia onion "risotto" included the truffles without the supplemental cost, so with three shroomy courses at the table, the perfume of that lovely thing was everywhere.

“Bacon and Eggs – All Day Braised Hobbs Shore Pork Belly with a Crème Fraiche Enriched Flan, Wilted Arrowleaf Spinach and Applewood Smoked Bacon Emulsion”

This was wildly good. I could have spent all night on that pork belly.

“Sauteed Moulard Duck Foie Gras with Butternut Squash, Jacobsen’s Farm Pecans and Banyuls Vinegar Sauce”

This was a no-brainer. Obviously it was good, but really, I can eat foie gras any way all day long. The reduced vinegar was the ticket.

"Wild Huckleberry Sorbet with Stewed Huckleberries and a Cornmeal Financier”

This was on the game tasting and a huge treat. By far my favorite dessert. The flavors of the fresh huckleberries really packed a whollop. I'm salivating right now just thinking about it. The sorbet was excellent as well and went pretty much perfectly with the financier, which had a perfect crust and soft, explosive inside.

”Sweet Carrot Sorbet, Carrot and Cream Cheese Roulade and Celeriac Pudding Cake”

This was a splendid sorbet course on the vegetable tasting menu. The roulade was the best part, but the whole thing really popped. The pudding cake was a perfect accompaniment.

All in all very good, but I wasn’t absolutely floored by any single dish, which is probably to be expected since I've poured over Keller's cookbook for the last couple of years, learning some of his technique and assembling/plating probably a dozen of his dishes. Maybe I just knew too much going in?

As or maybe even more impressive than the food was the service. The servers must be trained mind-readers because there was never a point through the 3.5 hour dinner where we didn’t have exactly what we needed, even when we didn’t even know we wanted it. They were beyond courteous and snapped a few pictures with us in the kitchen. I’d love to spend a month in that kitchen though, I can tell you that for sure. Working around all that luxurious food would be a mind-blower.

R. Jason Coulston

[bilrus]

All in all very good, but I wasn’t absolutely floored by any single dish, which is probably to be expected since I've poured over Keller's cookbook for the last couple of years, learning some of his technique and assembling/plating probably a dozen of his dishes. Maybe I just knew too much going in?

More than likley you may have just suffered from what many of us who have posted previously have experienced. You went into it expecting to see the Holy Grail, to have an earth moving, mind expanding experience.

Instead you had what we all should have expected - a great meal, nothing more, nothing less.

[SiseFromm]

More than likley you may have just suffered from what many of us who have posted previously have experienced. You went into it expecting to see the Holy Grail, to have an earth moving, mind expanding experience.

Instead you had what we all should have expected - a great meal, nothing more, nothing less.

You're probably right about that. Looking through my post again, I probably sound slightly ungrateful. Really, it was superb and I feel lucky for having gone. I know how much I've envied those before me that went when I had yet to go. It was a superb meal and the overall experience was one I wouldn't trade in.

It's interesting walking into the restaurant for the first time because you have a certain expectation in your mind of what the place is going to look like. It wasn't what I imagined. I had never seen full-blown photos of the dining room prior to walking in, so I was a little surprised by how simple and traditional it seemed. Very standard white-clothed tables, elegant furniture, and walls that weren't adorned with too much art. We sat upstairs and there really wasn't anything to distract you from your meal. The décor was understated, which I imagine was deliberate to let the meal speak for itself.

I'm curious to see what Per Se is going to look like in Manhattan. Being in a more cosmopolitan setting than rural Yountville, I'm guessing they'll have to be a bit more dramatic with their interior and menu choices.

Anyway, it was marvelous and I certainly don't want to pick it apart, because it's better than I can do.

R. Jason Coulston

[SiseFromm]

Oh yes, I totally forgot. After our second dessert course we received an excellent surprise in the form of an "Egg Nog Pots de Creme". A nice nod since it was Christmas week. Man that thing was good.

R. Jason Coulston

[robert40]

SiseFromm,

Could you give us some details on the Game Menu?

Sounds interesting and would like to know what type of game was offered.

Robert.R.