Reviews of La Toque in Napa Valley

[raisab]

My husband and I are celebrating our Anniversary June 13th in Napa. I have booked a table at La Toque due to a favorable review I read on the internet. It is my first time in Napa...is this a good choice. French LAundry is the obvious choice I know, but I like to be different. Thanks for any and all advice.

Edited April 21, 2004 by raisab (log)

[melkor]

I've only eaten at La Toque once, but the meal I had was very good - The French Laundry serves better food, as does Gary Danko in SF. La Toque offers wine pairings with their tasting menu which TFL doesn't, and the tables have a lot more space between them. It's an excellent choice if your not going to eat at TFL. The biggest drawback to La Toque is TFL being down the road.

[Really Nice!]

In March 2001, we had dinner at La Toque the night after a dinner at The French Laundry.

Unfortunately our experience was a bit of a let down. Our reservation was for 7 P.M. but we had to wait in the bar for an hour to get our table. Along the wall off the entrance there's a window to the kitchen and we could see the staff was deep in the weeds.

Long story short, it turns out that wine critic Hugh Johnson was at the restaurant that night. His presence threw off the front and back of the house. After he left the service level picked up.

To be fair, I'm sure it deserves all the credit and raves it's receiving, and for a first time in Napa it should be a good choice. We just picked the wrong night. And for $350 it was an expensive wrong night.

If you're going to be there a few days, you might also want to try Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery, Bistro Jeanty, and Pere Jeanty. They're all on Washington Street in Yountville.

BTW, melkor, The French Laundry pairs their dishes to the wines if you ask. I've been there four times and each time they've paired a different wine to each dish or a different wine to every two or three dishes.

[melkor]

BTW, melkor, The French Laundry pairs their dishes to the wines if you ask. I've been there four times and each time they've paired a different wine to each dish or a different wine to every two or three dishes.

They are always happy to serve you a few things from their by the glass list, but they certainly aren't cooking the dishes with that specific wine in mind. For a table of 2 the wine pairings are far better at La Toque than they are at The French Laundry - if you have enough people at your table to go through 6 or 7 bottles in a night, you can do better at The French Laundry.

[Really Nice!]

but they certainly aren't cooking the dishes with that specific wine in mind. 

Quite true, and I wouldn't want them too! I'm there for the food first, wine second.

Other places I'm quite happy to have a menu designed around a wine flight, especially in a wine region. But at The French Laundry, the food presented that evening is the pinnacle of the entire trip to the region. [For me at least.]

[raisab]

I see myself making a phone call to TFL on May 1st. What was I thinking? After posting I have been reading up on all the reviews, it would be a sin not to attempt to go there, wouldn't it?

[melkor]

I see myself making a phone call to TFL on May 1st. What was I thinking? After posting I have been reading up on all the reviews, it would be a sin not to attempt to go there, wouldn't it?

Yep.

[raisab]

Thank you Melkor. Now in your opinion, are my chances good of getting in if I call that first morning at opening time (res opening time)?

[melkor]

Thank you Melkor. Now in your opinion, are my chances good of getting in if I call that first morning at opening time (res opening time)?

I think your chances are pretty good once you manage to get through - just keep calling until someone answers.

[Mulcahy]

They are always happy to serve you a few things from their by the glass list, but they certainly aren't cooking the dishes with that specific wine in mind.

They also have a decent number of half-bottles, which is what my husband and I enjoyed in addition to some by the glass choices.