The French Laundry 2001 - 2005

[lizziee]

Really Nice,

Lunch is no different than dinner - same menu, same service, same perfection, same finesse -- enjoy.

[Stone]

I went for lunch, and I think if I had the choice I would choose lunch again. It's more relaxed. I'm more awake.

[Really Nice!]

I went for lunch, and I think if I had the choice I would choose lunch again.  It's more relaxed.  I'm more awake.

Well, what can I say. It was spectacular. I'll dismiss with the usual metaphors and adjectives used to describe an aesthetic meal such as this since I can't present it better than what has been previously stated.

Of course we started our stay in Napa with a visit to In and Out Burger on Imola. It almost has the same mecca appeal as does The French Laundry. We had Double Doubles animal style and the fries well done. Very nice way to start the week.

The price is still $135 per person for the tasting menu--$115 for the five-course menu, and $115 for the nine-course vegetarian menu. Gratuity is currently at 18%. Lunch/Dinner for two is at least $330 and that's not including beverages or foie gras.

Before showing the menu, here's a list of notable items you might enjoy.

1. New Sommilier. His name is Paul Roberts and he is coming from Cafe Anna in Houston. He should be there at the end of May.

2. The French Laundry is now giving out four chocolate bars for you to take with you when you leave. There is an embossed clothes pin on each bar, it is wrapped in silver foil and presented in a clear plastic bag and tied with a white cloth ribbon with the words "French Laundry" printed on it.

3. The construction of the French Laundry Bakery should be completed by June. It's right next door to Bouchon on Washington Street. They will be making breads for both restaurants as well as for the public.

4. The French Laundry China Collection will be available in August starting with 20 different pieces. They are being created by Limoge and will be the same style as the dishes in the restaurant. I don't know prices yet, but you can bet they won't be inexpensive. You can get them from Raynand, Neiman Marcus and Gumps. In December, they'll add an addition 50 pieces to the line.

Here is the menu including a couple of derivations from the regular menu. My apologies for the capital letters but that's how it's printed on the menu, and the scanner scans it as it sees it. I really don't have the time to retype it today.

CHEF'S TASTING MENU

APRIL 26, 2003

CAULIFLOWER "PANNA COTTA"

WITH BAGADUCE OYSTERS GLAZE AND CALIFORNIA WHITE STURGEON CAVIAR

---------------------

MARINATED HOLLAND WHITE ASPARAGUS

WITH "CONFIT" OF FIELD GROWN RHUBARB AND WINTER TRUFFLE SYRUP Note: We did not try this.

- or-

MOULARD DUCK "FOIE GRAS AU TORCHON"

WITH BERGAMOT ORANGE "MARMELADE" AND TOASTED "BRlOCHE" ( $20.00 SUPPLEMENT )

My girlfriend had this and our waiter offered me the seared foie off of the regular five-course menu:

SAUTÉED MOULARD DUCK "FOIE GRAS"

WITH "CONFIT" OF FIELD RHUBARB, BLACK PEPPER "BRIOCHE" AND BANYULS VINEGAR "GASTRIQUE"

---------------------

"BOUDIN DE BROCHET",

SLOW ROASTED ABALONE MUSHROOMS, SAVOYARD SPINACH AND FOREST MUSHROOM "GLACAGE" I had this as my girlfriend doesn't like mushrooms, but I did get her to try a taste of the forest mushroom 'glacage.' This is a major breakthrough in our relationship!

OR

"TARTARE" OF HAWAIIAN BIG-EYE TUNA

WITH PIQUILLO PEPPERS, HAAS AVOCADO AND "HUILE D'ESPELLETTE" My girlfriend had this.

---------------------

"MACARONI & CHEESE"

SWEET BUTTER POACHED MAINE LOBSTER WITH CREAMY LOBSTER BROTH AND ORZO ENRICHED WITH MASCARPONE CHEESE

---------------------

"PITHIVIER" OF FOUR STORY HILLS FARMS "POULARDE"

WITH CELERY BRANCH, DRIED MICHIGAN CHERRIES AND BLACK TRUFFLES

---------------------

RIB-EYE OF ELYSIAN FIELDS FARM LAMB "EN PERSILLADE"

WITH A "CASSOULET" OF SPRING POLE BEANS AND THYME-INFUSED EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

---------------------

"LIVAROT"

SLOW POACHED ROYAL BLENHEIM APRICOTS AND TOASTED ALMONDS

---------------------

GOLDEN DELICIOUS APPLE SORBET

WITH A FUJI APPLE "TATIN"

---------------------

It was at this point we were served creme brulee and creme anglaise sabayon

---------------------

"FANTASIE DE FRUITS TROPICAUX"

PASSION FRUIT "CHIBOUST" WITH ROASTED MAUI PINEAPPLE AND SPEARMINT "GRANITE"

---------------------

MIGNARDISES

We started at 11:35A.M. and left at 3:05P.M. We finished the evening at Bouchon and shared a cone of pommes frites.

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

Always good to read a FL review. Thanks.

[mikeczyz]

really nice!- sounds tasty. you drink wines at your meal? is stuckey there until the new dude shows up or has he already left?

mike

[KateW]

Ok, it is my goal in life to make it to the French Laundry. But I need to know some things...What is the attire? Do they have a la carte, or just tasting menus and prix fixe? If they have a la carte, what are the prices? I tried to find a website with this information but had no luck and I know I can find a much better array of info from you all Thanks, and if anyone has divulged these details before, please feel free to point me to them.

[mjc]

have you looked here:

french laundry web site

and here

open table web site

[Really Nice!]

really nice!- sounds tasty.  you drink wines at your meal?  is stuckey there until the new dude shows up or has he already left?

mike

Bobby Stuckey is gone, I forget where he went to. I'm sure it's posted somewhere but I can't find it. There's an outdated article here.

Yes, we had wines with the meal. Please forgive me, but I'm having difficulty reading the writing, so I apologize for any errors. Here's what we had.

With the salmon tartar cone and cauliflower panna cotta:

NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve, Mareuil-Sur Ay

With the foie gras au torchon:

2000 Maculan Turcolato Breganze, Veneto Italy

With the sautéed foie gras:

1996 István Szepsy, 6 Puttonyos Tokaji Aszú, Hungary

Both of these wines carried over to the fish courses (Boudin de brochet and Tartare of Hawaiian big-eye tuna)

With the macaroni and cheese:

2000 Texier Chateauneuf du pape Blanc, White Rhone

With the pithivier poularde (shredded young chicken encased in a puff pastry):

2000 Joseph Roty Marsannay Pinot Noir

With the rib-eye lamb:

2000 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

With the livarot cheese (an orange wash stinky cheese from Normandy: Good stuff!):

1996 Hans Lang Hattenheimer Schüzenhaus Auslese, Goldkapsel Rheinham, Germany

I always go with the wine flight when I visit there. There was a bit of a delay so I took a good look at the wine list for the first time. It's one of the most expansive I've seen. One thing that shocked me was the price of some of the California cult wines. $350 for '97 Dalla Valle Maya and $950 for '97 Screaming Eagle. These prices are very affordable compared to auction prices. If I hadn't lost my job in February, I think I would have gone for a bottle of the Screaming Eagle.

Edited April 30, 2003 by Really Nice! (log)

[Really Nice!]

Ok, it is my goal in life to make it to the French Laundry.  But I need to know some things...What is the attire?  Do they have a la carte, or just tasting menus and prix fixe?  If they have a la carte, what are the prices?  I tried to find a website with this information but had no luck and I know I can find a much better array of info from you all  Thanks, and if anyone has divulged these details before, please feel free to point me to them.

That's a very nice goal to have.

I just had lunch there last Saturday. It was my fourth visit in four years. The attire is dressy. Men are required to wear coats (ties are optional) women can wear slacks, but I usually see them in dresses. No jeans, tennis shoes etc. They have three menus, a tasting menu, a five-course, and a nine-course vegetarian.

The price is $135 per person for the tasting menu, $115 for the five-course menu, and $115 for the nine-course vegetarian menu. Gratuity is 18%. Lunch/Dinner for two is at least $330 and that's not including beverages or foie gras.

If you've never eaten there, I highly recommend the tasting menu. Also, bring a camera. I always bring my digital camera to take pictures of the dishes. Otherwise, I'd never remember how to describe them. Keep the flash off, however.

Do you have the cookbook? The food is just as pretty. As a side note: A couple other foodie friends and I recently put together a 13-course dinner using recipes from The French Laundry Cookbook.

You can view the photos here.

There's a long thread discussion going on in the California area of Restaurants. Click here.

To make a reservation you must call two months to the day before your visit. The phone line opens at 10AM Pacific time. I usually start calling at 9:55AM and just hit redial. The phone number is: 707 944 2380. Once you get the reservation, you need to call two days beforehand to confirm your reservation. Call 800 944 1224 and leave a message to confirm.

As I wrote, I've been there four times. You can view the first three menus at Pbase. Go to the bottom of the page, and the second page as well.

For your convenience, here's my post on my most recent visit.

-------------

Well, what can I say. It was spectacular. I'll dismiss with the usual metaphors and adjectives used to describe an aesthetic meal such as this since I can't present it better than what has been previously stated.

Of course we started our stay in Napa with a visit to In and Out Burger on Imola. It almost has the same mecca appeal as does The French Laundry. Here in Seattle, we tend to lack decent hamburger joints, although 'decent' is subjective. We had Double Doubles animal style and the fries well done. Very nice way to start the week.

The price is $135 per person for the tasting menu--$115 for the five-course menu, and $115 for the nine-course vegetarian menu. Gratuity is 18%. Lunch/Dinner for two is at least $330 and that's not including beverages or foie gras.

Before showing the menu, here's a list of notable items you might enjoy:

1. New Sommilier. His name is Paul Roberts and he is coming from Cafe Anna in Houston. He should be there at the end of May.

2. The French Laundry is now giving out four chocolate bars for you to take with you when you leave. There is an embossed clothes pin on each bar, it is wrapped in silver foil and presented in a clear plastic bag and tied with a white cloth ribbon with the words "French Laundry" printed on it.

3. The construction of the French Laundry Bakery should be completed by June. It's right next door to Bouchon on Washington Street. They will be making breads for both restaurants as well as for the public.

4. The French Laundry China Collection will be available in August starting with 20 different pieces. They are being created by Limoge and will be the same style as the dishes in the restaurant. I don't know prices yet, but you can bet they won't be inexpensive. You can get them from Raynand, Neiman Marcus and Gumps. In December, they'll add an addition 50 pieces to the line.

Here is the menu including a couple of derivations from the regular menu. My apologies for the capital letters but that's how it's printed on the menu, and the scanner scans it as it sees it. I really don't have the time to retype it today.

CHEF'S TASTING MENU

APRIL 26, 2003

CAULIFLOWER "PANNA COTTA"

WITH BAGADUCE OYSTERS GLAZE AND CALIFORNIA WHITE STURGEON CAVIAR

Wine: NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve, Mareuil-Sur Ay

---------------------

MARINATED HOLLAND WHITE ASPARAGUS

WITH "CONFIT" OF FIELD GROWN RHUBARB AND WINTER TRUFFLE SYRUP Note: We did not try this.

- or-

MOULARD DUCK "FOIE GRAS AU TORCHON"

WITH BERGAMOT ORANGE "MARMELADE" AND TOASTED "BRlOCHE" ( $20.00 SUPPLEMENT )

Wine: 2000 Maculan Turcolato Breganze, Veneto Italy

My girlfriend had this and our waiter offered me the sautéed foie off of the regular five-course menu:

SAUTÉED MOULARD DUCK "FOIE GRAS"

WITH "CONFIT" OF FIELD RHUBARB, BLACK PEPPER "BRIOCHE" AND BANYULS VINEGAR "GASTRIQUE"

Wine: 1996 István Szepsy, 6 Puttonyos Tokaji Aszú, Hungary

---------------------

"BOUDIN DE BROCHET",

SLOW ROASTED ABALONE MUSHROOMS, SAVOYARD SPINACH AND FOREST MUSHROOM "GLACAGE" I had this as my girlfriend doesn't like mushrooms, but I did get her to try a taste of the forest mushroom 'glacage.' This is a major breakthrough in our relationship!

OR

"TARTARE" OF HAWAIIAN BIG-EYE TUNA

WITH PIQUILLO PEPPERS, HAAS AVOCADO AND "HUILE D'ESPELLETTE" My girlfriend had this.

The wines from the foie gras carried over to the above fish courses.

---------------------

"MACARONI & CHEESE"

SWEET BUTTER POACHED MAINE LOBSTER WITH CREAMY LOBSTER BROTH AND ORZO ENRICHED WITH MASCARPONE CHEESE

Wine: 2000 Texier Chateauneuf du pape Blanc, White Rhone

---------------------

"PITHIVIER" OF FOUR STORY HILLS FARMS "POULARDE"

WITH CELERY BRANCH, DRIED MICHIGAN CHERRIES AND BLACK TRUFFLES

Wine: 2000 Joseph Roty Marsannay Pinot Noir

---------------------

RIB-EYE OF ELYSIAN FIELDS FARM LAMB "EN PERSILLADE"

WITH A "CASSOULET" OF SPRING POLE BEANS AND THYME-INFUSED EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Wine: 2000 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

---------------------

"LIVAROT"

SLOW POACHED ROYAL BLENHEIM APRICOTS AND TOASTED ALMONDS

Wine: 1996 Hans Lang Hattenheimer Schüzenhaus Auslese, Goldkapsel Rheinham, Germany

---------------------

GOLDEN DELICIOUS APPLE SORBET

WITH A FUJI APPLE "TATIN"

---------------------

It was at this point we were served creme brulee and creme anglaise sabayon

---------------------

"FANTASIE DE FRUITS TROPICAUX"

PASSION FRUIT "CHIBOUST" WITH ROASTED MAUI PINEAPPLE AND SPEARMINT "GRANITE"

---------------------

MIGNARDISES

We started at 11:35A.M. and left at 3:05P.M. We finished the evening at Bouchon and shared a cone of pommes frites.

[pixelchef]

AWESOME photos, Really Nice!

[elyse]

Great post, RN! And what fab pictures, too.

[bilrus]

Is the Lunch menu the same as the dinner menu?

[klinger75]

Really Nice, a wonderful lunch indeed . Two questions, No oysters and pearls? Any other deals catch your eye on the wine list?

Klinger

[Really Nice!]

Is the Lunch menu the same as the dinner menu?

Yup! Everything is the same, the menu, the wine, the atmosphere...

The only thing that's different is it's still daylight when you leave.

[Really Nice!]

Really Nice, a wonderful lunch indeed . Two questions, No oysters and pearls? Any other deals catch your eye on the wine list?

Klinger

I've only had the oyster and pearls once and that was my first visit. Is it a 'regular' item? I also noticed no rabbit on the menu. I was quite surprised at the chicken dish.

As for deals on the wine, I can't recall anything specific other than noting that the prices were much closer to retail than some places in and around Seattle (home for the moment) such as Rovers, Canlis, and The Herbfarm. Most restaurants put their prices 2 - 3 times retail.

I also noticed there's a lot of burgendy on the list. I guess that's because the acidity in the pinot noir makes it more agreeable with the wide variety of dishes.

A few years back I read that the FL wine list contained mostly young wines (< 4 years old). There were some bordeaux from the early '90s that I noticed.

There were also quite of few half bottles, which makes sense for a tasting menu of this caliber.

[Stone]

I had my second French Laundry meal today. Damn. It's good. I went with six people for lunch. One of us is in the wine biz -- a part owner of a small winery in Napa. The rest were interested in the food, but I wouldn't call them foodies (not that I'd necessarily call myself that).

The reservation was for 11:30. Seemed a little early for our first glass of wine at the friend's winery. But why not? We were greeting, as expected, by smiling, friendly people. Let me say here that the service does deserve the Beard award. Everyone, without exception, was wonderful. Not just friendly, helpful, knowledgeable. But they put the diner at ease, from explaining the menu, asking about wine, to the service. We had the same sommolier as I had last time (never caught his name), and he was great. Between he and the MD (I have no idea what the proper terms are for these folks), the wines were excellent. Very different, very new, and very good. I will say that some of our servers were a little more hesitant than last time. It became obvious that this wasn't for lack of knowledge. I think our table was more boisterous than they were used to.

We were sat upstairs, in a private room with a large table. The six of us fit easily. I took the privacy to remove my jacket and roll up my sleeves. Hell, I wanted to be comfortable. Taking the seat in the corner (makes it easier for the staff not to have to squeeze by my), I was greeted with a wonderful view of vineyards over Route 29 (which I could not see).

I brought two wines this time. Cos D'Estournel '90, and La Lagune '82. Another fellow brought a Stag's Leap merlot. We ended with about 7 bottles down by the time we'd finished. This one was a bit more about the wine than the food.

One problem -- given my advanced years and fragile condition, I was, of course, ill. The pneumonia I had back in February never quite went away. (Yes, doctor, I've noticed a buzzing in my head. For about two months or so. I don't know, I got used to it.) So I'm back on antibiotics, prednisone, sudaphed, and some left-over . . . "self-medication". I can't say that I was completely available, nor were my taste buds. But still, this was damn good. And without Cabrales, it wasn't really the opportunity to examine each bite, each morsel, each pea, each dot of balsalmic. But still, this was damn good.

The menu was completely different from the last time, except for the salmon cornet amuse. Ah wait -- one was a tuna cornet. I noticed also that instead of creme fraiche, it was filled with what appeared to be an herb creme. But I forgot to ask. I liked this one better than the last -- which is saying a lot since the last was wonderful. My slight criticism of the last -- that it was a tad oily (sorry Lizziee, whereever you are), was gone. This was bright, fresh, and full of flavor. The cornet was crisp and the creme fraiche light and airy. Very good.

Four of us got the chef's tasting menu. One chose from the five course. The last had the vegetarian menu. A risk, but from what I could see, they managed to pull off a nine course vegetarian meal that was as fulfilling and satisfying, in both flavor and volume, as the regular. Heavy on mushrooms, fresh green peas, beets, and a wonderfully light risotto. Looked good.

At the start, we had a 2000 Egon Muller, "Scharzhofberger" Spatlese (auction). Whatever that means. It was wonderful. This was described to us as an acidic, light reisling. That was right. It hit first with a good zing of acid, and followed with smooth and mellow sweetness -- but not too sweet at all. I'm not a fan of sweet wine, but this was terrific. Great to wake us up at the start of the meal. Many folks thought it was the best of the day.

Cauliflower 'Panna Cotta' with Bagaduce Oyster Glaze and California White Sturgeon Caviar. As with the oysters and pearls, this came served in a perfectly understated white bowl, sat atop the white plate. Each was lightly ringed, as if a small rake were circled in a Japanese rock garden of fine white powder. The panna cotta sat in the bottom of the bowl, topped with a generous quenelle of caviar, and a sprinkling of what I believe was Hawaiian sea salt. The portion of panna cotta was a bit small, but it was great. Light and creamy at first, the cauliflower subtley caught up with the flavor. Not too strong, which, even though I love cauliflower, probably would have been odd. The caviar was not a bright black as last time, but it's flavor came through much stronger. Very different from the oysters and pearls -- and the rest of the menu -- there was not a strong presence of butter today. (Perhaps because this was a spring menu?). It tasted of fish, and salt, and sea, and combined very well with cleaner feel and flavor of the panna cotta. I did overpower the cauliflower flavor however. And the one criticism is that the black color of the caviar bled into the white of the panna cotta, making it look somewhat dirty. It was not a bad presentation, but found it surprising, given the restaurant's perfection. (I can’t say that I noticed the oyster glaze at all.)

For my second course, I pulled the seared foie gras off the five-course menu. (Instead of the Moulard Duck Foie Gras Au Torchon, with Bergamot Orange Marmalade and Toasted Brioche.) I’m beginning to like this stuff. Two medalions of foie, scored and deeply seared, they were bursting with flavor. A bit salty, smooth and earthy. I can’t remember what it was sauced with, but I stuck to the foie itself. It did come with a small circle of toasted brioche that was too heavy with butter for me – but I’m not sure if I wasn’t a bit sensitive because of my cold.

The MD suggested an amazing glass of wine for the hot foie. 1996 Istavan Szepsy, “6 Puttonyos” Tokaji Aszu, Hungary. Say that five times fast. It was great. A buttercup shaped glass, filled with a strong amber colored wine. It tasted a bit of port, but not at all heavy. A bit sweet, but not at all sugary. Really good.

For the others, we had 2002 Forefathers, Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand, and 2001 Yves Cuilleron, “Les Chaillets”, Cundrieu , Viogner. By this time, my ability remember and explain the wines had passed. But for someone who doesn’t particularly like whites, these were terrific. Better, I’d say, than the reds we had later.

Next up, Crispy Skin Filet of Artic Char with Wild Asparagus and Pickled Ramps. Again, excellent. The fish was (like last time), beautiful. A good rectangular block of flesh, lightly heated pale on the bottom, lovely bright pink in the middle, and topped with, again again again, a perfectly crisped brown skin. The flavor of the fish was surprisingly intense and added greatly to the burst of flavor from the delicately thin asparagus tops and the softly pickled, almost translucent ramps. The only drawback: The skin of the fish last time was scored ever so gently – not very noticeable to look at, but it assisted greatly in cutting. This was not, so pressing the knife down on the crispy skin caused the piece to flake apart. The vegetables were, of course, bright and crisp, and served, I believe, with a light bit of cream.

Caesar Salad. Sweet Butter Poached Maine Lobster with Roasted Hearts of Romaine Lettuce, ‘Confit’ of Sweet Garlic, Paremsan ‘Crouton’ and ‘Bottarga Emulsion’. Not sure why everything is in quote here. But. O.k. I must say it – not as good as the Peas and Carrots. Just not. The Peas and Carrots were such a surprise and such a new and different way to enjoy lobster. This didn’t live up.

But it was pretty good. Pretty damnded good. A nice portion of butter poached lobster (half a tail and a claw?), curled over the roasted lettuce and sitting in the confit. It was topped with a thin disk of parmesan. The servers then shaved on top some red mullet bottarga. The drawback of the lobster was only that this tasted like excellent, sweet, succulent, buttery, moist, and fresh lobster. Not a bad thing. In fact, one of my favorite things. But, although this may have been the best lobster you’re going to get, it’s just higher on the stage from the lobster you usually get. Next time, I’ll beg for the Peas & Carrots.

The roasted lettuce is better than it sounds. The hearts held up well to the roasting and developed a surprisingly good flavor for, you know, lettuce. The garlic was very subtle and sweet. And the Bottarga was wonderful. Brined, dried and pressed roe, it looks like a hunk of orange jerky – or perhaps a dry orange salami. But the flavor and aroma of sea and salt are so concentrated and intense that the slight shaving changed the whole dish. It paired very well with sweetness of the lobster to offer two great flavors of the ocean.

We couldn’t decide what order to have the reds, so they brought them all at once. Probably a good idea, as the Cos D’Estournel, which had been decanted, needed a bit more time to breath. I thought the Cos was the best. The merlot was a little too round and fruity for me. The La Lagune started well – dry, and slightly textured across the tongue, soft on the tannins. But it crashed fast. I thought the Cos started strong, with smoky rough edge to it, that opened up well. The wine gal described, positively, as “stinky”, like a musky outhouse. Odd. Somewhat accurate. But very good. I wish I really could have tasted it.

Slow Braised Shoulder of Cloverdale Farms Rabbit, ‘Farcie Aux Ris de Veau’ with a ‘Ragout of English Peas and Applewood Smoked Bacon.’

Elysian Fields Farm ‘Selle D’Agneau Roti Entier’, Jacobsen’s Farm Fava Beans and Black Trumpet Mushrooms.

If the meats were the disappointment of the last meal, these more than made up for it. They were each incredible. The rabbit shoulder looked like a small, chicken drumstick. But the flavor was more intense and meaty than any chicken. The top end of the drummy was stuffed with a gentle amount of breading, rounded, and braised, and then the skin seemed to have been seared a bit to crisp it slightly. It sat on a bed of bright green, fresh peas and wonderful shreds of bacon. A bit of cream was added two round everything out.

The lamb came with two generously thick slices, beautifully pink and tender. They had a more subtle flavor than the rabbit, but the trumpet mushrooms underneath offered a blast of the earth. They were coarsely chopped and sauteed, but still retained their snap. The essence of the mushroom filled the mouth and nose with a refreshing blanket of woodsy warmth. Mmm.

Sorry, I’m too tired to finish with the desserts. I’ll get them later. Cheers.

(I wish I could have tasted all this better.)

[Beachfan]

Was the primary color of butter still the main one on the pallette?

Edited May 11, 2003 by Beachfan (log)

[Stone]

Was the primary color of butter still the main one on the pallette?

Not nearly. I did notice a bit more cream, but other than the butter-poached lobster, the meal was not heavily buttered. (Not that I'm suggesting the first meal was "over-buttered" in any way.)

[chantrelle]

better late than never huh? I haven't been around here in ages but just got a message from Stone so thought i'd pop in...I finally posted my "review" on FoodPorn just the other day:

http://www.foodporn.com/tabledance/frenchlaundry.html

I sooo want to go back again!!

I'll try to visit the forums more often but i'm a flake so i'm not guaranteeing anything

[Stone]

According to a blurb in today's Chronicle, Thomas Keller announced that he will close "the Yountville location" from October 31, 2003 until March 1, 2004 in order to open his new restaurant in NY, which will be called "Chez Escrit Spencer". I assume the "Yountville location" is the one we know of as "The French Laundry."

He will use this time off also to expand the FL restaurant and kitchen.

Oh, and the FL celebrates it 9th Anniversary this week.

Oh, Oh, I was kidding about he Chez Escrit Spencer.

Oh, Oh, Oh, since I've teased the Chronicle's food section recently, I'd like to say that today's had a very good and informative article on Indian joints in the 'Loin and an interesting articles on soft shell crab, which seem to involve more than slicing thin and arranging on a plate.

Edited June 25, 2003 by Stone (log)

[Fat Guy]

It was reported in the New York Times today as well. The part about Spencer too.

[rdailey]

I know its a little early, but for those of you that have had difficult times getting a reservation (who hasn't?), the day the staff comes back from hiatus/vacation at FL is one of the easiest days to get one. On Mar. 1 2004, they will be booking for the following two months starting that day. You still have to bang your redial for a long time, but when you finally get through, there should be many different reservations open. When I called on Jan 15 earlier this year, whenn they got back from a 2 week break, I actually had a choice of about 5 different nights.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Of a side note... if you were a waiter at FL and informed you had a four-month vacation (probably NOT paid), would you go back to work there? Unlikely these folks have the funds to NOT work for four months.

Just thinking out loud.

[Jinmyo]

Of a side note... if you were a waiter at FL and informed you had a four-month vacation (probably NOT paid), would you go back to work there? Unlikely these folks have the funds to NOT work for four months.

Just thinking out loud.

How about the kitchen staff? Are they that well paid either? Especially with the hemorrhage of funds in NYC?

(My vote for a name is still "Tommy's Salmon Ice Cream Cone Stand.")

[Flocko]

Only a little thread drift here:

Does anyone know if Chef Keller's venture at the Venetian in Las Vegas is open yet? I thought it was to be around this time??

Flocko