San Fran/Napa Valley Dining

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We are heading back to San Francisco and Wine Country in April with a young chef from the UK. He is interested in seeing the "best" French/Mediterranean influenced places as his first priority however other suggestions would be welcome.

Two Lunches & two dinners in the city, two lunches & two dinners in the country.

Many thanks.

[little ms foodie]

Well in Napa I think French Laundry goes without saying? And Bouchon for something a bit more casual? I loved it for lunch.

I have also heard great reviews about Touque (is that the right name? maybe someone can chime in ) in Napa.

[melkor]

In Napa:

French Laundry, and La Toque for dinner. Terra as a backup dinner option. Martini House and Bistro Jeanty for lunch. Bistro Don Giovanni as a backup.

[samgiovese]

Redd in Yountville and Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford are also quite good.

[eje]

Baraka or Aziza, perhaps, for Cal/Mediterranean/Moroccan.

Depending on time, money, or inclination, you might try to get to Chez Panisse or Chez Panisse Cafe, for one of those meals, while you are in the area.

[Carlsbad]

I second Chez Panisse Cafe, although I wouldn't discourage the downstairs either. One of my favorite meals anywhere is a long lunch at the cafe, with several people so we can order a lot of things. Sometimes it's small plates, sometimes it's the big plates, or a some of both. The cheese is a must, even if we split it, and then a fruit dessert of some kind, and then one of their fresh herb teas, which I think are incredible (whatever they call them).

[BSK]

Hi Carlsbad -

Here's an itinerary that I did when a friend and I went on a four day food/wine tasting tour last year that turned out great. I had tried to book reservations at The French Laundry several months in advance and was wait-listed - after eating lunch at Bouchon next door I walked over and got into a conversation with the gardener who suggested I talk to the woman in the office. It must have been the stars, but just as I walked in someone had called to cancel for dinner and Bingo, I was in for 7 p.m. Needless to say I had a lot of working out to do after lunch and before dinner. Unfortunately, I tend to agree with Robert Brown's post of 11/03/02 on The French Laundry thread that the food gets somewhat boring after the first two courses. He stated it so eloquently that I will just quote:

"From the point at which we tasted our amuse-bouche until we finished the first course from the Chef’s Tasting Menu, I was unquestionably in league with the French Laundry partisans. The renown salmon tartare and red onion crème fraiche “tuile” cone was both witty in conception and a wonderful way to arouse the palate between the saltiness of the roe, the crunch of the tuile, and the creaminess of the crème fraiche. Even better, in fact way better-indeed so monumental that you could call it a Fountain of Youth for jaded palates- was today’s most famous dish by an American-born chef: Sabayon of Pearl Tapioca with Malpeque Oysters and Osetra Caviar, simply referred to as “Oysters and Pearls”. As described by Lizziee in a previous thread, the dish is “milk-softened tapioca strained with oyster trimmings and more milk and cream, which is further mixed with an oyster infused sabayon that is again mixed with creme fraiche and whipped cream and then placed in an even layer in a gratin dish. The sauce is a reduction of vermouth, oyster juice, shallots, vinegar and butter. The tapioca mixture is warmed in the gratin dish, oysters are added, sauce is spooned over all and a scoop of caviar is added for garnish.” To my wife, the creation was “a luxurious warm salt bath for the palate”; for me it brought back almost forgotten memories of eating in the best country restaurants of France many years ago when the intense flavor of a certain sauce would stop me dead in my tracks; and for my wife’s daughter, the Oysters and Pearls became an exercise in literally scraping every last vestige of the sabayon from her plate while lamenting that the portion was so small. Then, minutes later, something completely unexpected started to happen: From a purely gustatory standpoint, our meal began to unravel.

From the “Oysters and Pearls” until the dessert nothing we tasted transcended, at best, the mediocre. "

We were invited into the kitchen after then meal (Keller was in NY dealing with the James Beard foundation debacle at the time) and got to talk with the executive chef. There's a great little card with a Keller quote on it hanging on the wall that says something like "We should always strive for perfection, but in the end, it's just food." He told me that Keller's favorite dish was a simple roast chicken and that they basically seek out the best of the best of ingredients and step aside to let them speak for themselves. I was struck by that fact that the kitchen mise en place reflected what I had tasted in the meal - very few herbs, very little spice (as compared with the meal I had in Charlie Trotter's kitchen which was filled with millions of jars of this and that). On the other hand, I found the service and sommelier to be outstanding. When my friend and I decided to share the truffled risotto (and when Keller says truffled, he means it - must have been $100 worth of shavings on it and he does it deliberately for the shock value) since it was hot before we moved on to the foie gras - the server whisked away our toasted brioche and replaced it with newly and perfectly toasted slices the moment we actually switched over. The sommelier was a gem - barely shaving and a master - he told me that Keller refused to allow people to have a Chateau Yquem with the foie gras because it was a waste of a perfect sauterne to mix it with food and when I questioned the chalkiness of my Mt. Redon Chateauneuf du Pape he told me it came from the fifth geologic region of Chateauneuf du Pape close to the Dentelles de Montmiral hills which had more limestone deposits. All-in-all it is an experience of a lifetime just to be there and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Here are some of my favorites replete with their promo and menus. Caveat: the trip was last February so things might have changed a bit since then.

Medjool - Middle Eastern

(415) 550-9055

2522 Mission Street

Chef Marc Shoenfield

2nd Floor small plate menu

I loved this place and had a chance to talk with the owner. He told me that he was tired of having to spend a fortune for good food and wine. His goal was to do the best he could for a reasonable price. The tasting dishes and wine by the glass choices were great. The only problem I found was that the food was "temperature challenged" due to somewhat slow service pick-up.

Here's their promo and menu:

While the ground floor of this swank, three-tiered Mission newcomer is a casual cafe serving light Middle Eastern fare, the jewel of Medjool is on the second floor, where chef Marc Schoenfield (ex Red Herring) offers a Mediterranean small-plates menu; a third floor holds additional seating and a DJ booth, and the owner plans to eventually serve an alfresco brunch on the roof garden. (I talked with him and he was tired of having to spend a fortune for good food and wine. His goal was to do the best he could for a reasonable price. The only problem I found was that the food was "temperature challenged" due to somewhat slow service pick-up.)

Medjool, in the heart of San Francisco’s colorful Mission District, has taken the sun-drenched flavors and seductive aromas of the Mediterranean and added a decidedly California flair. With its cutting edge architecture and a seductively new take on “comfort food”, Medjool is truly an oasis in the middle of a revitalized neighborhood.

Like its namesake fruit found in the tombs of the Pharaohs, Medjool Café, Restaurant and Bar transforms what was once the food of royalty and makes it affordable for everyone with “small plates” inspired by the diverse cuisines of southern France, Italy, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia and parts of the Middle East.

Appetizer Specialties include : Baby Spinach Salad With Roasted Tomatoes, Pancetta & Goat Cheese; Fritto Misto With Fennel, Chickpeas & Zucchini Served With Red Pepper Aioli; Fried Sumac-Dusted Calamari, Red Onions & Lemons With Aioli; Mixed Green Salad With Smoked Almonds, Blue Cheese And Pear; Pita Pizzetta With Grilled Vegetables & Fontina or Pizzetta With Roasted Red Peppers, Olives, & Feta; P.E.I. Mussels In A Moroccan Chermoula Sauce.

Small Plates offer varied exotic options such as: B'stilla: Chicken & Almond Filo Pie; Zhoug-Marinated Shrimp With Spicy Tomato Jam; Grilled Harissa- Crusted Hanger Steak With Spinach; Alaskan Halibut With Braised Fennel, Olives And Rouille; Market-Fresh Grilled Vegetables With Tahini; Chicken With Almond-Pomegranate Sauce; Lamb Kefta With Pinenuts & Tahini

Sweet Ending Desserts feature: Cardamom Panna Cotta With Strawberry Coulis, Apple & Golden Raisin Crisp With Almond Cream And Moroccan Ice Cream Profiteroles.

The main dining room with its multi colored walls, abstract art, sensual surfaces and warm aromatics focuses on stimulating all the senses- sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. The front end Café, serving casual diners inside and out at breakfast, lunch and dinner has drawn a diverse crowd of locals, scenesters, politicians, and adventurous travelers since opening day.

House-marinated olives 3.

Pita crisps with za'tar & lebni 5.

Pommes frites with parsley & preserved lemon 4.

Olive oil-cured goat cheese with sun dried fruits 8.

Persian cucumber & radish salad with tonno botarga 9.

Baby spinach salad w/roasted tomatoes, pancetta & goat cheese 9.

Fritto misto w/fennel, chickpeas & zucchini served w/red pepper aioli 6.

Fried sumac-dusted calamari, red onions & lemons with aioli 9.

Mixed green salad with smoked almonds, blue cheese and pear 8.

Pita pizzetta with grilled vegetables & fontina 6.

Pita pizzetta with roasted red peppers, olives, & feta 6.

P.E.I. mussels in a morrocan chermoula sauce 9.

B'stilla: chicken & almond filo pie 12.

Zhoug-marinated shrimp with spicy tomato jam 11.

Grilled harissa-crusted hanger steak with spinach 12.

Alaskan halibut with braised fennel, olives and rouille 12.

Tabil-crusted pork tenderloin with romesco sauce 10.

Market-fresh grilled vegetables with tahini 8.

Chicken with almond-pomegranate sauce 9.

Lamb kefta with pinenuts & tahini 10.

Lamb & summer fig tagine 10.

Hummus 4.

Tabbouleh 4.

Baba ganoush 4.

Medjool sampler with hummus, tabbouleh and baba ganoush 8.

Couscous with choice of Medjool dates, olives or preserved lemons 3.

Pita bread 1.

Flat bread 1.

Marscapone semifredo with figs and balsamic 5.

Flourless chocolate torte with blueberry caulis and vanilla ice cream 5.

Gala Apple crisp with almonds & vanilla ice cream 5.

Profiteroles with chocolate sauce 6.

Bouchon

(707) 944-8037

Chef Thomas Keller

Washington St.

Yountville

I've been here a few times and am always impressed with the room - very upscale French bistro. I do find the menu a bit boring but the quality of the food is excellent. I was shocked to find that with all of the coquillage that they have, there was no Sancerre on the wine list.

Promo:

Although this Yountville restaurant is owned by French Laundry chef Thomas Keller, it's nothing like that famed temple of cuisine. Instead, it's a bustling, upscale French brasserie--albeit one designed by Adam Tihany, the designer of New York's Le Cirque 2000. The sophisticated dining room is done in sleek shades of shades of gray and maroon, with a hand-painted tile floor, an always-bustling zinc bar and mohair banquettes.

The French word "bouchon" describes a particular style of cafe that has existed in the province of Lyon for centuries. Bouchon, opened in 1998, lives up to this designation, offering authentic French bistro fare of a quality not to be found elsewhere in the United States.

The restaurant is located in downtown Yountville, California, in a historic Wells Fargo stagecoach stop built in the late 1800s. Renowned designer Adam D. Tihany has masterfully created a beautiful interior that features a magnificent French zinc bar, a vibrant mosaic floor, burgundy velvet banquettes, antique light fixtures and an expansive hand-painted mural by noted French artist Paulin Paris. An outdoor patio accommodates those wishing to dine outdoors in the summer months.

The exquisite décor is the perfect setting for Bouchon's culinary delights. Chef Jeffrey Cerciello brings his European experience to the table, serving award-winning French cuisine (listed among Gourmet magazine's "America's Top Tables of 1999"). The wine service is superb and the selection of fruits de mer is celebrated as one of the finest in the Bay Area. Flawlessly executed in every aspect, Bouchon delights both the palate and the eye, creating a singular local dining experience of global proportions.

Chef Jeffrey Cerciello has created a brilliant interpretation of French bistro fare at Bouchon, located in Yountville, California. Bouchon’s extensive menu offers locals and visitors to the Napa Valley a wide range of dining options, from a grand plateau of seafood, to exquisitely prepared fish and meat, to soups and sandwiches.

Chef Cerciello rediscovers the classics, using historical reference points and classic French techniques, combined with a modern approach. The results offer cleaner, lighter flavors highlighting the best seasonal ingredients available.

The day-long menu offers classic bistro dishes including steak frites, roasted chicken, quiche, brandade, boudin noir, pot de crème and profiteroles. The seasonal menu changes throughout the year and is enhanced by a blackboard menu that features the best products available each day.

In the traditional, relaxed atmosphere of a French bouchon, guests are welcome in the dining room, at the outdoor café tables or at the zinc bar. Dining can be as simple as a plate of oysters and a glass of wine, a cappuccino and a lemon tart, or as elaborate as a full course dinner paired with outstanding wines.

At Bouchon, food, atmosphere and service combine to create an exceptional dining experience

The Food

The parchment-paper menu unfolds to reveal bistro classics such as steak frites, sole meuniere and tarte Tatin. Start with the authentic onion soup or the comforting Swiss chard and potato quiche. Tender pink slices of leg of lamb arrive with the classic French accompaniment of pale green flagolet beans. Be sure to order a side of crispy, salty fries, which arrive piled high in a paper cone. Being one of the few places in the valley to have a full raw bar, many local chefs drop in just for the pristine, ice-mounded platters of raw oysters, raw clams, and chilled crab, mussels and shrimp. Dessert favorites include profiteroles bathed in warm chocolate sauce and tangy lemon tart.

Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar

403 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg

(707) 433-9191

A couple that I met at one of the wine tastings invited my friend and I to join them here for lunch and it was quite good - a true New England lobster roll and lots of other well-prepped small tasting plates that we shared. They also had an extensive Napa/Sonoma/Alexander Valley wine list by the glass.

East coast oyster bar with Latin flare. Full Bar, all wines offered by the glass or half bottle. Patio dinning. Open for lunch and dinner

Bistro Jeanty

Chef Philippe Jeanty

6510 Washington St.

Yountville

(707) 944-0103

Very authentic, very french, very in. My French chef friends love it. I like to eat at the bar and people watch.

Promo and menu:

Chef and Owner:

Philippe Jeanty has had a life long love affair with food. His restaurant in Napa Valley is a classic example of his philosophy on food and restaurants. Fresh quality ingredients, exacting and demanding preparation, consistent service at the table, comfortable and informal surroundings.

He was born in the Champagne region of France. This is a rural agricultural region where the wine is world famous for its' elegance and refinement. Philippe's father worked for the great Champagne house of Moet & Chandon. The family spent much of their time growing, raising, and preparing food. Their vegetables, chickens, rabbits, and lambs became an essential part of providing for the large family. It is from his grandmother and mother that Philippe learned many of the basics of French home cooking. Two of his fondest early memories are of visits to the neighbor's dairy for warm milk and special evenings with his family in the regional bistros where his favorite foods were to be found.

At fourteen his father helped him secure a summer position in the private dining room kitchen at Moet & Chandon, working under chef Joseph Thuet. He received special attention and training at Thuet's hand for the next three years and this secured his decision to make his life's work as a chef.

Philippe Jeanty came to California in 1977 with the first team from Epernay, France to open the Chandon Restaurant in Yountville. In a year's time he was made executive chef. This allowed Jeanty to develop his personal style of world class cuisine. A fine dining restaurant had never existed in the wine country before. Now residents and visitors could experience classic French Haute Cuisine in the bucolic setting of the Napa Valley.

The next twenty years of accolades, awards, and praise from customers and critics proved that Jeanty was one of America's finest chefs. His creative style introduced new flavors and dishes to the thousands of diners at Chandon during this time.

He began to look for a new challenge in 1997. His thoughts turned to his home in France. He decided to create a bistro where he could recreate all those favorite foods of his childhood. But with his heart and his family (wife and two daughters) in Yountville, Philippe Jeanty opened the doors of Bistro Jeanty in April of 1998.

Since then the doors have barely had a chance to swing shut. The crowds of patrons continue to come from around the world for the opportunity to dine in a true French bistro in America. It was chosen as the "Best New Restaurant in the Bay Area 1998" and chosen as one of four nominees for "Best New restaurant in America 1998" by the James Beard Foundation.

To know Philippe Jeanty you must come and eat at his restaurant. There you will better understand the man and his relationship with people and food. There is a shared excitement in the dining. As if you too have returned home, only to discover you are being served the most delicious food you can ever remember tasting.

In every day French life, it is the Bistro that is woven into the daily pattern of meals and celebrations. The Bistro is that little neighborhood restaurant where they know who you are, greet you warmly, and serve you satisfying foods that change with the seasons and define regional homey French cuisine.

APPETIZERS:Creme de Tomate en Croute 6.50 Tomato Soup in Puff PastryTruite Fumee 9.50 Home Smoked Trout and Potato SaladSalade au Bacon et Oeuf Mollet 8.50 Escarole, Soft Boiled Egg Bacon DressingSalade de Laitue 7.50 Butter Lettuce Salad, Mustard VinaigretteSalade de Betteraves et Mache 8.50 Beet and Mache Salad with Feta CheeseRillettes de Canard 8.50 Duck & Goat Cheese Pate with CornichonsTerrine de Lapin 9.00 Rabbit Pate with Mustard Celery Root Apple SaladCroutons de Foie Blond 9.50 Duck Foie Gras Pate, Port Poached PearLangue d'Agneau 9.50 Lamb Tongue and Potato SaladCrudites 8.50 Assorted Vegetable SaladsPieds de Cochon et Haricots Verts 8.50 Pigs Feet and Haricots Verts SaladEscargots 10.50 With Garlic Pastis ButterQuenelles de Brochet 12.00 Pike Quenelles with Lobster SauceSaumon Fume Au Bistro 10.50 Smoked Salmon Carpaccio StylePetit Sale Aux Lentilles 12.50 Home Cured Pork Belly With a Lentil and Foie Gras Ragout (Chef's Favorite)MAIN COURSESMoules au Vin Rouge 15.50 Mussels Steamed in Red WineSole Meuniere 16.50 Sole, Mash Potatoes, Lemon-Caper ButterCoq Au Vin 14.50 Chicken, Mushroom, Bacon Red Wine StewDaube de Boeuf 16.50 Beef Stew, Mash Potatoes, Peas and CarrotsJoue D'Agneau 18.50 Lamb Cheeks Gemelli Pasta & ArtichokesRabe Pasta 13.50 Linguini, Broccoli Rabe, Chili Flakes, GarlicSteak Frites 21.50 Rib Eye Steak, French Fries, Bearnaise SauceCote de Porc 17.50 Pork Chop, Mash Potatoes, Onion SauceRognons de Veau au Poivre Vert 18.50 Veal Kidneys, Creamy Green Peppercorn SauceFilet au Poivre 28.50 Tournedo, Black Pepper, Mushroom CreamCassoulet 19.50 Baked Beans, Duck Confit, Sausage, BaconSteak Tartare 15.50 Steak Tartare (not cooked) with Fries(SIDE DISHES)Haricots Verts 4.50Frites 3.50Creamy Potato Gratin 5.50Spinach au Beurre 3.50Carrottes Mignonette 3.50Buttered Egg Noodles (Yummy with Coq au Vin ) 4.50DESSERTS:Epoisse 9.50 Full Flavored Cheese From BurgundyFourme d'Ambert 8.50 Blue Cheese with Sundried Fruit CompoteJean Grogne 8.50 Soft Rind Triple Cream With Apple TatinCabecou au Miel 8.50 Goat Cheese with Honey and WalnutsMousse au Chocolat "Brulee" 8.00 Chocolate Mousse Creme BruleeCreme Caramel 5.50 Caramel Custard Tarte au Citron 7.00 Lemon Meringue Tart with Orange SauceCrepe Suzette 8.50 Warm Crepe with Orange Butter Riz Au Lait 6.50 Creamy Rice Pudding with Brandied CherriesTarte Tatin 8.00 Caramelized Apple Tart with Creme Fraiche Citron Givre 4.50 Lemon SorbetCoupe de Glace Vanille 5.50 Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce(Chefs Favorite Way, Try it with a Shot of Armagnac...pour it on top with the chocolate !)

CIA (Culinary Institute of America) Wine Spectator Restaurant

(707) 967-1010

St. Helena

I did the tour and ate the food and bought the chef apron, shirt and pants just for the heck of it and sat in on an Australian chef cooking demo. It was interesting but the food was very disappointing. The outfit is sure fun to wear though.

Promo and menu:

Greystone’s terraced gardens of herbs, vegetables, and flowers provide the perfect introduction to the vibrant colors, enticing aromas, and bustling activity of the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant. Local, seasonal ingredients are the inspiration for the cuisine, which features California’s bounty from the land and sea.

Begin your wine country experience on the terrace, with views across the Napa Valley vineyards, or in front of a roaring fire in the lounge. The beverage menu offers unique tasting flights as well as our chefs’ favorite wines by the glass or bottle. You’ll also enjoy traditional and creative seasonal cocktails and northern California microbrews on tap.

The dazzling restaurant space, created by noted designer Adam Tihany, offers a view of the chefs at work from every hand-crafted table. We invite you to relax and settle into your meal with Today's Temptations, which is an array of delicious "small" bites to be shared by all at the table. Our chef's calls them temptations because they are inspired by the culinary artisans, farmers and foragers who bring their tempting products to the kitchen door everyday. Enjoy the variety of flavors with a glass of sparkling Querenica Brut Rose, a Greystone exclusive. Then, perhaps, sample one of our first-course soups, salads, or pastas. What better place to experience the mingling of food, wine, and friends than the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant, in the very heart of California’s wine country.

Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant Main Menuupdated 12/30/04Today’s Temptations$8.95 per person for the tableOysterswith mignonette sauce11.25 ½ doz 22.50 dozQuerencia…the perfect sparkling wine for all temptations…11. flute 50. bottleOlive Oil TastingWe have selected a flight of three artisanal olive oils, hand-craftedfor exceptional quality so you can enjoy every dunk, drizzle, or splash.Ask your server about taking homeGreystone Hearth Baked Breads 6.************First CoursesSunchoke Soup 9.fried oyster and curry oilCrispy Soft Boiled Egg 11.maple-black pepper glazed pork belly and red wine shallot vinaigretteSeared Foie Gras 16.poached french butter pears, gingerbread and cranberry red wine jusEven Better with a Glass of...Quady "Elysium" Black Muscar 2004, California 5.Duck Confit Salad 10.crispy potatoes, frisee, balsamic roasted onions, sauce ravigote and bacon vinaigretteOven Roasted Sweetbreads 14.puff pastry, wild mushrooms, mache and sweet garlic creamRadicchio and Heirloom Apple Salad 9.buttermilk blue cheese, black arkansas apples,candied hazelnuts and pomegranate vinaigrette************Second CoursesGrilled Pacific Swordfish 26.french green lentils, bacon lardons and whole grain mustard emulsion Pomegranate Glazed Chicken Breast 19.almond & medjool date couscous and harissa vinaigretteLicorice Braised Beef Short Ribs 27.horseradish potato puree, brussel sprouts and fried parsnipGerardo's Potato Gnocchi 17.sunchokes, pecorino romano and walnut saucePan Roasted Filet of Beef 32.sautéed cardoons, marrow crouton, potato-leek purée and bordelaise sauceNantucket Bay Scallops 29.risotto nero, swiss chard and meyer lemon emulsionGrilled Balsamic Glazed Quail 25.forni brown tatsoi, fingerling potatoes, walnuts and roasted red onion vinaigretteCheese Course 12.Artisan cheeses with fig-star anise croutons

************Dessert7.50 eachClassic Crème Brûléeassorted biscottiBittersweet Chocolate Lava Cakevanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauceWarm Persimmon Puddingeggnog anglaise and huckleberry creamRoasted Golden Delicious Applegraham cookies, cinnamon ice cream and butterscotch sauceProfitrerolescoffee ice cream, caramelized bananas and hot chocolate saucePoached French Butter Pearalmond financier and bittersweet chocolate creamHousemade Ice Creams & Sorbetsask your server about today's flavors

Berkeley:

Kermit Lynch Wine - 1605 San Pablo Avenue (510) 524-1524

I'm not a fan of Lynch's wine taste (I far prefer Niel Rosenthal selections) and was really put off by a few of the stories he tells of his obnoxious behavior in France, but I have to admit that without him, America might not have discovered the wonders of the Rhone Valley as early as it did and I wanted to visit his shop just for historical reasons and to buy a few bottles of his friends', the Peyraud's Domaine de Tempier Bandol - La Miguoa.

Promo:

Lynch is a wine importer and retailer with a predilection for obscure French wines and a talent for persuading customers that Corsican wine is what their life is missing. The quirky mailers he writes for Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, his Berkeley store, have a near-cult following. And his unconventional preferences and prejudices, shaped over 30 years in business, have left their marks on the American market.

In 1970, the sedate world of imported wine was run by gentlemen with aristocratic bloodlines, English accents or Old World connections. Lynch had none of those. He was an unsuccessful Berkeley rock-and-roller with a small business making purses out of Oriental rug scraps. When he -couldn't bear the smell of glue any longer, he sold the enterprise, went to Europe with the proceeds and returned home with a hobbyist interest in wine.

No local wine shop would hire him, so Lynch borrowed $5,000 from a girlfriend and opened his own, a tiny storefront on San Pablo Avenue in Albany.

Not long after he opened the shop, an importer took him to France on a buying trip. He descended into Burgundy's dark, moldy cellars; tasted with winemakers and dined at their tables; and learned that many were willing to sell him only the wines he wanted. Before long, Lynch had banished the California wines from his shop and replaced them with inexpensive French wines that others had bypassed.

"He was the first, at least on the West Coast, to really beat the bushes and find the little people nobody had ever heard of," says Steve Gilbertson of North Berkeley Wine Company, a competitor.

Lynch sought out vineyard owners in Burgundy who had been selling their wine to negociants - middlemen who would blend the wine with many others - and persuaded the growers to bottle their own wine and give him an exclusive. He left the beaten path of Burgundy and Bordeaux to explore the wine routes of the Loire Valley, Provence, the Languedoc and Cotes du Rhone. He also met Richard Olney, the expatriate American artist and food writer in Provence, who profoundly shaped Lynch's taste.

"Richard was supposed to be my translator," Lynch recalls. "I had no idea who he really was. It turned out he knew all the winemakers and all the great restaurants."

Olney awakened Lynch to the idea that good wines have unique personalities, singular voices that express their place.

"Before, I'd say I had a Parker palate: the bigger the better," says Lynch, referring to influential wine critic Robert Parker, whose taste for high- alcohol wines is renowned. "If it wasn't big, it wasn't good. But it really struck me when Richard said, 'Let's see what the wine has to say.' "

Lynch filled his shop with Chinon, Bourgeuil and Saumur from the Loire Valley, Corbieres, Cahors and Coteaux du Languedoc, strange bottlings he would have to explain to Americans. He found affordable Champagnes from then- unfamiliar producers like Billecart-Salmon. And he began what is certainly one of the most important relationships of his business life, with Domaine Tempier of Bandol in Provence. The reds and roses of Domaine Tempier became virtually the house wines at Chez Panisse, and descriptions of languid meals at winery proprietor Lulu Peyraud's table began to figure in Lynch's mailer.

Narsai David, the Bay Area radio personality, said he visited Bandol a few years ago and -couldn't help noticing the Californian's impact.

"The people were all singing Kermit's praises," David recalls, "and they were all driving brand-new Mercedes. I think he single-handedly created a market for those wines."

Lynch's genius lay in sensing that his little-known bottlings needed context. Customers would buy them if they could imagine themselves at Lulu's table outdoors, eating aioli and pouring themselves another cool glass of rose.

The store's mailer abounds with you-are-there copy - there with Lynch eating fish in Toulon and craving a bottle of his white Cassis; there in Italy at a mountain winery (he imports a few Italian wines) having biscotti and moscato at 10 a.m.

Lynch rarely resorts to the predictable language that afflicts most wine publications. He likes to humanize wines, to give them personalities and human traits, instead of talking about oak and acidity. He recently described an inexpensive Bordeaux as "satisfyingly nonconfrontational." In a rant about massive, high-alcohol cult wines, he said they reminded him of Pamela Anderson.

"Kermit is the master of saying the most in the least space," says Gilbertson. "He really makes you thirsty."

Over time, Lynch realized that the wines he liked best - the ones with the most alluring voices - were almost always made by traditional methods, passed from father to son. When French young people began to study enology, the wines lost their soul, he says.

"I saw it happen. The kids would come home from school and say, 'Dad, what are you doing? You're going to ruin the wine.' And the kid would use some chemical and the dad would think, 'Well, he knows a lot more about it than I do.' They got ashamed of the artisanal way of making wine."

For at least the past two decades, Lynch - the son of a fundamentalist preacher - has campaigned vigorously against the modern techniques and attitudes that he believes are destroying the character of French wines. He harangues winemakers who filter their wines, a technique that minimizes sediment but that can also remove flavor if not done lightly. He chastises them about manipulating their wines to achieve a Parker-pleasing style, and he drops them if they -won't change their methods.

"Kermit has always been a purist about leaving the wines as they are and cherishing their eccentricities," says Gilbertson.

His anti-filtering crusade "-wasn't very fashionable when he started to do it," says Harvey Steiman, an editor at the influential Wine Spectator magazine.

Ironically, Domaine Tempier's bottlings are now too expensive to pour as house wines at the Chez Panisse Cafe.

Several years ago, Lynch moved his store a few blocks down San Pablo Avenue into Berkeley. His neighbors now are Waters' Cafe Fanny and Steve Sullivan's Acme Bakery, a triumvirate of merchants guided by a shared aesthetic with roots in France. On the exterior of his building and on every bottle of his wine, Lynch displays a quote from another Francophile, Thomas Jefferson: "Good wine is a necessity of life for me."

Lynch first fastened on the quote as a response to the government health warning required on wines, but it took him years to get his label past the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the federal regulating agency. With the doggedness he uses to hound winemakers, Lynch pounded the BATF, demanding in letter after letter to know how they could censor an American president. When Bill Clinton was elected to office, he tried again, reminding them that the new president's middle name was Jefferson. The bureau still refused.

"They said 'necessity of life' is a health claim, and 'good wine' implies that Jefferson endorses this particular wine," Lynch recalls. "So I wrote back and said that 'necessity of life' has nothing to do with health, that Jefferson could have meant it was necessary for pleasure. And I said that most label readers will understand that since the wine was made in 1995, Jefferson -couldn't have tasted it. And damned if they -didn't approve it.

"I think the Willliam Jefferson Clinton is what got to them, but it never bothered them that they were censoring Thomas Jefferson. That never struck them as odd."

In 1988, Lynch wrote a well-received book, "Adventures on the Wine Route," that recounted his comings and goings in France and laid out his principles and prejudices. Ruth Reichl, Gourmet magazine editor and a longtime friend, lauds Lynch's writing, which reveals the humor and occasional curmudgeonliness of its author.

"I think he should pay more attention to what a great writer he is," Reichl says.

But Lynch says he has no more books in him. He continues to write the monthly mailer from his home near Chez Panisse, where he eats at least three times a week when he's in town. From May to November, Lynch and his wife, photographer Gail Skoff, and their two young children live in Provence, not far from Domaine Tempier, in a country home with chickens and fruit trees.

Acme Bakery

1601 San Pablo, Berkeley, (510) 524-1027; 2730 9th St., Berkeley, (510) 843-2978

Baker Steve Sullivan cut his chops at Chez Panisse, and since he opened his bakery in 1983, it has become a symbol of the artisanal-bread revolution. Acme is well-known for rough-hewn breads, which are baked fresh on-site daily. Huge, crusty, round loaves of signature pain au levain vie for space with sweet baguettes, airy challah and New York rye bread.

Sullivan became interested in baking bread 25 years ago as a busboy at Berkeley’s famous Chez Panisse restaurant where he worked while attending the University of California at Berkeley. He started baking bread as a serious hobby after being inspired by Elizabeth David’s cookbook “English Bread and Yeast Cookery.” At Alice Waters’ request he went on to bake bread in the Chez Panisse kitchen. In 1983 he and his wife, Suzie, opened their first—now legendary—bakery.

Although it has been written about hundreds of times, any favorite bread bakery list would be incomplete without the famous, acclaimed, best of the best - The Acme Bakery. It is the grandfather of modern artisan bread-making. Without Chez Panisse's influence, Spago may not have achieved its place in the history of California cuisine & the same can be said of The Acme Bakery. Without it, the rest of this list might not even exist. Known for their rustic baguettes, sour baguettes and pain au levain, Acme's breads are featured at Chez Panisse, Zuni, the Lark Creek Inns, and many other fine restaurants as well.

Cesar's

1515 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709 t: 510.883-0222

I would have to say that of all the places I ate on this trip, Cesar's stands out as my absolute favorite for quality, atmosphere, selection and fun. It's owned by a former manager of Chez Panisse and friends and named after the Fanny trilogy. I talked with one of the owners and he "jokingly" said he wanted to open a seafood place named Marius next. They have a long-term lease from Alice Water's (Chez Panisse is next door). A friend read me their cookbook from cover-to-cover while I was recovering from knee surgery last year and it made me laugh so hard that I didn't need to take my pain medication (on second thought, it might have been their recipe for Mojito's that she mixed up that actually did the trick).

Promo and menu:

Q: What do you get when you cross Spanish food, a French name and American restaurateurs?

A: Cesar

Cesar is essentially, at its core, a Mediterranean café that serves Spanish food. Established by a handful of Chez Panisse alums, the bar is a fun and colorful tapestry of various approaches to dining. The wine list changes weekly and the spirits list has won numerous international awards several years in a row.

Cesar is a small, lively bar situated in the heart of the gourmet ghetto, the food haven of the east bay. It shares a wall with the restaurant that is recognized as the birthplace for California cuisine some thirty years ago, Chez Panisse. At Cesar you can stop by for a snack, an afternoon espresso at the bar or a full dinner with friends. The rustic, unpretentious food grounds the swanky, sexy bar scene. Finally Berkeleyans that like to dress up and go out have a place to see and be seen.

A large wood table crafted from recycled planks from a Berkeley warehouse serves as a large communal table that can be reserved for a ridiculously delicious and gluttonous paella dinner.

Chef Maggie Pond has cunningly revisited classic Spanish recipes and re-interpreted them with her own characteristic flair. She has developed a short but tight list of consistently tasty Spanish mouthfuls that bring wispy dreams of warm Madrid nights. Unusual and hard to find items fill the menu and make it well worth the trip.

Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, Cesar attracts regulars and first timers alike.

praise for césar

“Just a stone’s throw from the legendary Chez Panisse, Cesar makes its own mark with a small but well-rounded tapas menu and exhaustive spirits list.”

-Lonely Planet

“ One of the greatest bars in the world in terms of quality, selection and mixology.”

“ It’s that passionate attention to detail and respect for authenticity that sets Cesar apart.”

“ The café’s most mellow time is in late afternoon, before the evening crush. All the handcrafted details of the interior are best admired then-the communal table, the wall of sea green and blue tiles that curve like a wave, the beauty of the long tiled bar.”

Gourmet Magazine 3/99

“ No one cares if all you want is an espresso or a glass of sherry. Cesar is what few cafes are, a gathering place for everyone.”

Gourmet Magazine 3/99

“ One of the only grown-up bars and places to get food after 9pm in Berkeley,…this fun, fun, fun “authentic Spanish” spot in the “gourmet ghetto” is packed..”

Zagat Survey 2003

tapas menu

Chef Maggie Pond has cunningly revisited classic Spanish recipes and re-interpreted them with her own characteristic flair. She has developed a short but tight list of consistently tasty Spanish mouthfuls that bring wispy dreams of warm Madrid nights. Unusual and hard to find items fill the menu and make it well worth the trip.

6 febrero 2006

tapas

tapa del dia: three lamb chops with fried peppers & garlic, $12.75

olive oil fried marcona almonds, $5.75

marinated olives, $3.75

(the first dish is complimentary)

fried garbanzos with moorish spices, $5.75

tortilla española, $7.75

camarones con mojo verde, $7.75

lentil & morcilla sausage stew with garlic crouton, $8.75

romaine with creamy valdeon & anchovy vinaigrette, $6.75

roasted yukon gold potatoes & grilled scallions with romesco, $5.75

salt cod & potato cazuela, $4.75

mackeral a la plancha with meyer lemon & capers, $9.75

asparagus with green olive relish, $7.75

smoked salmon with cucumbers, dill, & queso fresco, $9.25

fried potatoes with herbs & sea salt, $6.75

jamón serrano & grilled d'anjou pears, $7.75

spanish cheeses: murcia al vino, urgèlía & iberico, $7.75

bocadillos

spicy tuna & egg, $7.75

manchego & greens, $7.25

toasted butifarra & queso tetilla , $7.75

trucha a la navarra (grilled trout & jamón serrano) with caper allioli, $9.75

postres

bread pudding with orange-caramel sauce, $5.75

espuma de chocolate con pedro ximénez, $5.75

blood orange pudding-cake, $5.75

fig cake & queso yerbera (almond-crusted goat cheese), $6.75

crème catalan ice cream with burnt sugar, $5.75

cinnamon-chocolate ice cream, $5.75

*while available-may run out early

1515 shattuck avenue

berkeley, california 94709

510.883.0222

bar hours:

noon-midnight

seven days a week

kitchen hours:

sunday-thursday

noon-3:00 and 4:00-11:00

friday-saturday

noon-3:00 and 4:00-11:30

Chez Panisse

Owner Alice Waters

1517 Shattuck Ave.

(510) 548-5048

I used to eat here with my family every few months when my son was at Berkeley. Like you, we would just order everything on the menu and pass it around. I loved to get there early and watch the servers taste the dishes. It's changed a bit over the years - now you need reservations even for upstairs (although there's usually some no-shows if you're willing to wait in the bar area). It's a bit more pretentious and I would have to say that the last few times I've eaten there I was a little disappointed with the dishes. I felt as if time had passed but the cuisine had stayed the same. On the other hand, it is a piece of American cuisine history and filled with wonderful family memories and I continue to stop by and say "hello" as I would an old friend whenever I'm in town.

Promo and menu of the day (changes daily):

Chez Panisse opened its doors in 1971, started by Alice Waters and an assortment of idealistic friends. A neighborhood bistro named after a character in Marcel Pagnol's 1930's trilogy of movies (‘Marius,’ ‘Fanny,’ and ‘Cesar’), the Restaurant and Café are a homage to the sentiment, comedy and informality of these classic films.

Alice and Chez Panisse have become convinced that the best-tasting food is organically grown and harvested in ways that are ecologically sound, by people who are taking care of the land for future generations. The quest for such ingredients has largely determined the restaurant's cuisine. Chez Panisse has tried for years to make diners here partake of the immediacy and excitement of vegetables just out of the garden, fruit right off the branch, and fish straight out of the sea. In doing so, Chez Panisse has stitched together a patchwork of over sixty nearby suppliers, whose concerns, like the restaurant's, are environmental harmony and optimal flavor.

CHEZ PANISSE CAFÉ DINNER MENUFriday, January 21, 2005Tomales Bay oysters on the half shell with mignonnette, $12.00Cannard Farm chicories with mustard vinaigrette and duck rillettes, $9.00Dungeness crab toasts with winter vegetable salad, $12.00Rocket salad with pecorino and hazelnuts, $9.00Blood orange, fennel, and green olive salad, $9.00Belgian endive and Sky High Farm egg baked in the wood oven with black truffle, $14.00Pizzetta with house-cured pancetta, ricotta, and herbs, $13.00Pizzetta with local sardines, roasted onion, black olives, and capers, $14.00 Baked Sonoma goat cheese with garden lettuces, $8.75Garden lettuce salad, $6.75Polentina soup with greens, $6.75

Spaghetti with meatballs and tomato sauce, $14.00 /$17.00Niman Ranch organic pork Milanese with new potatoes, turnips, and capers, $25.00Grilled Pacific grouper with black trumpet mushrooms, Aavoy cabbage, and chervil, $26.00Moroccan vegetable couscous with chickpeas, cardoons, nettles, and preserved lemon, $17.75Side orders: a plate of olives, anchovies, Parmesan cheese, or Tuscan olive oil, $3.50 eachDESSERTSArtisan cheese selection: Toussaint, Tumalo Tomme, and Gabietou, $8.50Sierra Beauty apple tart with Muscat ice cream, $9.50Coconut cake with Meyer lemon cream, $9.50Crème caramel with blood oranges and candied kumquats, $8.00Rio Star grapefruit sherbet with gingersnaps, $7.00Burnt caramel ice cream with chocolate sauce and toasted pecans, $7.50Jim Churchill’s Kishu tangerines with Medjool and Barhi dates, $7.50Service charge: 17 percent Sales tax: 8 3/4 percentCorkage: $20 per bottle, limit two (750 ml.) per table.

Happy Dining!

[ulterior epicure]

...so, I'll be heading to SF and Napa Valley soon....

So far, I have reservations in the following order:

Day One Dinner: Manresa

Day Two Lunch:???

Day Two Dinner: ???

Day Three Lunch: ???

Day Three Dinner: Chez Panisse

Day Four Dinner: Per Se

Would really appreciate those in the know helping me fill in the blank spots... what would make sense re: transportation/vicinity? I'm staying near Palo Alto on the first two nights.

I've already nixed Michael Mina and Slanted Door (from recent reports) - considering The Dining Room at the Ritz, Gary Danko's, Fleur de Lys, Quince and Incanto (although I think the latter two are nowhere near SF... need to do more research)...

Thanks!

u.e.

Edited April 13, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[melkor]

Quince and Incanto are both in SF.

[ulterior epicure]

...so, I'll be heading to SF and Napa Valley soon....

So far, I have reservations in the following order:

Day One Dinner: Manresa

Day Two Lunch:???

Day Two Dinner: ???

Day Three Lunch: ???

Day Three Dinner: Chez Panisse

Day Four Dinner: Per Se

Would really appreciate those in the know helping me fill in the blank spots... what would make sense re: transportation/vicinity?  I'm staying near Palo Alto on the first two nights.

I've already nixed Michael Mina and Slanted Door (from recent reports) - considering The Dining Room at the Ritz, Gary Danko's, Fleur de Lys, Quince and Incanto (although I think the latter two are nowhere near SF... need to do more research)...

Thanks!

u.e.

←

Right, so both are an option. What do members think about doing Chez Panisse Cafe instead of Quince/Incanto and doing Chez Panisse Restaurant the night after? Try something different?

Any other suggestions?

u.e.

[therese]

...so, I'll be heading to SF and Napa Valley soon....

Day Four Dinner: Per Se

←

Or did you mean French Laundry?

[ulterior epicure]

Yes, of course, sorry, TFL!

[samgiovese]

...so, I'll be heading to SF and Napa Valley soon....

So far, I have reservations in the following order:

Day One Dinner: Manresa

Day Two Lunch:???

Day Two Dinner: ???

Day Three Lunch: ???

Day Three Dinner: Chez Panisse

Day Four Dinner: Per Se

Would really appreciate those in the know helping me fill in the blank spots... what would make sense re: transportation/vicinity?  I'm staying near Palo Alto on the first two nights.

I've already nixed Michael Mina and Slanted Door (from recent reports) - considering The Dining Room at the Ritz, Gary Danko's, Fleur de Lys, Quince and Incanto (although I think the latter two are nowhere near SF... need to do more research)...

Thanks!

u.e.

←

I don't know how familiar you are with this area, but just to give you some idea, Manresa and TFL are around 100 miles apart, with the only ways there going through some of the most congested parts of the Bay Area. Palo Alto to Manresa is an easy drive and, depending on the day, should take you about 1/2 hour - 45 minutes. I am assuming you're staying there on days 1 & 2, and then perhaps San Francisco? Are you staying near Yountville on Day 4? If you could provide a bit more info, it would help us guide you.

Edited April 14, 2006 by samgiovese (log)

[ulterior epicure]

I don't know how familiar you are with this area, but just to give you some idea, Manresa and TFL are around 100 miles apart, with the only ways there going through some of the most congested parts of the Bay Area.  Palo Alto to Manresa is an easy drive and, depending on the day, should take you about 1/2 hour - 45 minutes.  I am assuming you're staying there on days 1 & 2, and then perhaps San Francisco?  Are you staying near Yountville on Day 4?  If you could provide a bit more info, it would help us guide you.

←

I'm vaguely familiar with the Bay Area - enough to know that Napa is much farther north than Los Gatos. But, to clarify for everyone for planning purposes:

Days 1, 2, and 3 I plan on staying in Palo Alto - with day/evening trips into the city - or wherever. Day 4 will be entirely devoted to getting up to TFL by dinnertime. And, yes, I suspect I'll be staying up near or in Yountville that evening. I'll be flying out the next day - probably from Oakland? Is that the most convenient airport for departure? Any suggestions for an (affordable) stay in/around Yountville would be greatly appreciated.

u.e.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Days 1, 2, and 3 I plan on staying in Palo Alto - with day/evening trips into the city - or wherever.  Day 4 will be entirely devoted to getting up to TFL by dinnertime.  And, yes, I suspect I'll be staying up near or in Yountville that evening.  I'll be flying out the next day - probably from Oakland?  Is that the most convenient airport for departure?  Any suggestions for an (affordable) stay in/around Yountville would be greatly appreciated.

u.e.

←

Where are you flying back TO? Technically, Oakland is the closest airport, but depending on the time of day, flying out of Sacramento can actually be faster. It is a slightly longer commute but the route is less crowded.

[ulterior epicure]

Re: Sacramento: good point. Something for me to keep in mind!

u.e.

[samgiovese]

I have many recs for lodging:

I don't know your price-point, but here's what we have in Yountville:

Napa Valley Lodge; Yountville Inn; Villagio Inn & Spa; Vintage Inn; Maison Fleurie; Lavender; Petite Logis; and Burgundy House.

All these are walking distance from TFL, and if you can afford the freight, highly recommended to avoid a greeting from the friendly CHP on your way home after your feast.

Edited April 15, 2006 by samgiovese (log)

[docsconz]

The Napa Valley Lodge was very reasonable and comfortable. While within walking distance to TFL, it is a good walk.

[samgiovese]

The Napa Valley Lodge was very reasonable and comfortable. While within walking distance to TFL, it is a good walk.

←

Gee, Doc...it's only about 4 city blocks, if that. Maybe you were suffering from your previous gastronmic extravaganzas?

Just giving you a bad time...It is a bit of a walk from either Napa Valley Lodge or Yountville Inn (the latter being farther), but it's not more than 1/2 mile, and Yountville is REALLY quiet, with no traffic.

Edited April 15, 2006 by samgiovese (log)

[docsconz]

The Napa Valley Lodge was very reasonable and comfortable. While within walking distance to TFL, it is a good walk.

←

Gee, Doc...it's only about 4 city blocks, if that. Maybe you were suffering from your previous gastronmic extravaganzas?

Just giving you a bad time...It is a bit of a walk from either Napa Valley Lodge or Yountville Inn (the latter being farther), but it's not more than 1/2 mile, and Yountville is REALLY quiet, with no traffic.

←

Perhaps we should have walked from the Lodge! It is certainly doable. I think part of our concern was not really knowing the distance and wanting to make sure we got there on time. We did make sure we walked to Manresa the following night from our hotel, The Tollhouse Hotel and were glad we did.

[style councillor]

I too ate at MM's and was not impressed (although I ended up sitting beside the woman who just finished writing his cookbook, ended up meeting him and then went restaurant hopping with her the rest of my trip!).

I would suggest Delfinas, a quick trip on the subway on the Bart to the Mission area. http://www.delfinasf.com/ Their pizza place is next door if you happen to be there during the day...I would also second Fleur de lys, Quince and perhaps have a look at Jardinere and Boulevard, but my most delicious meal was definitely Delfinas.