The adventure actually started TWO months before our reservation date when our own Tenacious "C", our persistent and ever clever friend Chat began to call the French Laundry's reservation number ten minutes before the lines opened at 10 in the morning, using two telephones lines. She hit the jackpot and got through. In reality, if you don't get through by 10:20, you don't have a shot at a reservation. Also, what makes it complicated is the fact reservations have to be made EXACTLY two months into the future---not one day sooner or later than your desired date. There is a $25.00 non-refundable fee PER PERSON and you will be charged the full price of the pre-fixe meal if you don't show up. With our reservation secured at 12:30 pm on Saturday, January 27, 2007, we felt like we hit the lottery.The French Laundry is located in Yountville in the Napa Valley area of California. It's world-renowned chef is Thomas Keller whose list of accolades and awards run ridiculously long. The French Laundry was voted TWICE into the #1 position of the 50 best restaurants IN THE WORLD. The restaurant is a member of Relais & Chateaux: Relais Gourmands and Traditions & Qualité, two distinguished French associations recognized for their dedication in creating and maintaining the highest international standards for hospitality and culinary excellence. As far as I'm concerned, it ridiculously exceeded my expectations even at my most cynical and glum mood. Above is a photo of the French cottage where the restaurant is housed.
We started our day at 9:45 when a long stretch limo picked us up from our hotel in San Ramon. Chat and Butch got picked up first and then they swung by our hotel and we were off to San Francisco to pick up Corsee and Marty. After that, it was off to Yountville!
The ride was great but I got carsick because we were sitting facing the side and well...I began to feel sick to my stomach. It hit me so unexpectedly and I thought I was going to hurl. I think what saved me was the fact that I had nil by mouth. Marty was kind enough to trade seats with me and as soon as I turned on the A/C and had the vent blow cold air on my face and a few sips of Pepsi, I felt so much better.
The ride was great but I got carsick because we were sitting facing the side and well...I began to feel sick to my stomach. It hit me so unexpectedly and I thought I was going to hurl. I think what saved me was the fact that I had nil by mouth. Marty was kind enough to trade seats with me and as soon as I turned on the A/C and had the vent blow cold air on my face and a few sips of Pepsi, I felt so much better.
After we made our choices including the wines that would accompany the various courses for our wine drinkers, our waiter brought us what looked like six tiny baked pâte à choux or puff pastry balls. I popped one in my mouth and a very delicate cheese burst out of the puffs---c'est magnifique! WOW. In a few minutes, six mini "ice cream cones" were brought out: they looked so whimsical. They were actually long and delicate wafers speckled with black sesame seeds. The finest creme fraiche was piped into the cones culminating with a ball of salmon tartare on top that formed the "ice cream" which was sprinkled with tiny pieces of chives. The flavors mixing in my mouth---the delicate crunch of the wafer, the slippery feel of the finely chopped salmon and the rich, velvety cream all combusted in my mouth in a wonderful whirl. C'est bon! I wanted to speak French but remembered that I don't speak the language. Que barbaridad.
There were apparently about 40 chefs and apprentices in the kitchen creating these fantastic concoctions. The servers worked in teams in what seemed like a proportion of two guests per server. Dishes were brought to the table with flair--beginning with the ladies...three servers brought our dishes, placing them on the table in concert, then brought to the men in the same fashion. There I am above feeling very important and royal because of how we were treated.
The first course was the cauliflower "panna cotta" with Beau Soleil Oyster glaze and sterling white sturgeon caviar. Now I've had caviar before...the first time when I lived in Spain and then a couple of other times after when the quality was supposedly much better. And I hated it. Caviar to me, tasted like extremely salty fish-smelling little dots. So, I was very leery. The dish consisted of a tiny oval mound of black caviar on top of a white, custard-like sauce with dots of brown glaze. I took a tiny bite. Mama mia---I was transformed. Now I know why one would pay hundreds of dollars for a can of premium sturgeon caviar. It was just fantastic! Next I had the moulard duck "foie gras en terrine with Hayden mango relish, pickled pearl onions, mizuna and mint "aigre-doux". There was a $30 supplement for this dish on top of the $240. On the side, I was served toast en pointe. Shiver me timbers! I placed a tiny slab of the foie gras mousse on the toast, topped it with a pearl onion, some of the relish and sauce, placed that in my mouth and just savored the melding of the flavors. It was just grand. I had barely finished eating half of my toast and was about to grab the other half when the server beat me to it. I mean, he took the toast and replaced it with a whole toast. Why? Because the toast was no longer warm and so out it went and he replaced it with a warm slice. For the next course, Kurt chose the roasted fillet of Pacifc Kahala with navel orange, piuillo peppers, green garlic and Nicoise olive oil. The dish is shown below.
I, on the other hand, chose the Japanese sea urchin brule with French laundry garden bok choy, red radishes, sweet pea shoots and "Yuzu Coulis". The photo below does not do justice to the dish. Note that only the middle part of the sweet peas were presented---the sweetest portion. All the herbs and produce that they use come from their own garden across the street and were picked just before preparation. You can tell the difference. Every morsel was sweet and prime. The sea urchins melted in your mouth. It was amazing how food can make one feel so wonderful. By this time, I had already decided that Chef was definitely serving us sexy food. Voila!
For the next course, we all were served Maine lobster tail "cuite sous vide" with glazed Tokyo Turnips, toasted macona almonds, watercress leaves and "rose" champagne emulsion. See photo below. I think if we had ended here, it would have been all worth it. The lobster was perfectly cooked. The irony here is that the lobster was exquisite probably because of how it was killed as much as how it was cooked. There is a science here...a culinary secret. I left nothing on my plate. Every crumb was eaten. By about this time, the servers presented us with the most luscious breads. Here was where I made a mistake that few will resist making...I ate a lot of the breads. We were presented with two different butters. I loved them both and proceeded to slap a lot of it on my breads. Note that I wrote breads. Be forewarned that eating the bread will, in the end, really give you that "too full, I ate too much" feeling. Not that anyone can do anything about it. Pass on the wonderful breads? Are you crazy?
For the next course, we were again given two choices. I chose the slow-braised Devil's Gulch Ranch "Epaule de Lapin" with wilted arrowleaf spinach, Royal Blenheim apricot, Jacobsen's Fram sunchokes and honey and foie gras mignonette. They did not disappoint. This dish, actually the shouder of a rabbit, was robust and savory and partnered with the apricot, the marriage of sweet and savory takes its true meaning that few will ever realize. It was just amazing. Take a look at the photo below:
The first course was the cauliflower "panna cotta" with Beau Soleil Oyster glaze and sterling white sturgeon caviar. Now I've had caviar before...the first time when I lived in Spain and then a couple of other times after when the quality was supposedly much better. And I hated it. Caviar to me, tasted like extremely salty fish-smelling little dots. So, I was very leery. The dish consisted of a tiny oval mound of black caviar on top of a white, custard-like sauce with dots of brown glaze. I took a tiny bite. Mama mia---I was transformed. Now I know why one would pay hundreds of dollars for a can of premium sturgeon caviar. It was just fantastic! Next I had the moulard duck "foie gras en terrine with Hayden mango relish, pickled pearl onions, mizuna and mint "aigre-doux". There was a $30 supplement for this dish on top of the $240. On the side, I was served toast en pointe. Shiver me timbers! I placed a tiny slab of the foie gras mousse on the toast, topped it with a pearl onion, some of the relish and sauce, placed that in my mouth and just savored the melding of the flavors. It was just grand. I had barely finished eating half of my toast and was about to grab the other half when the server beat me to it. I mean, he took the toast and replaced it with a whole toast. Why? Because the toast was no longer warm and so out it went and he replaced it with a warm slice. For the next course, Kurt chose the roasted fillet of Pacifc Kahala with navel orange, piuillo peppers, green garlic and Nicoise olive oil. The dish is shown below.
I, on the other hand, chose the Japanese sea urchin brule with French laundry garden bok choy, red radishes, sweet pea shoots and "Yuzu Coulis". The photo below does not do justice to the dish. Note that only the middle part of the sweet peas were presented---the sweetest portion. All the herbs and produce that they use come from their own garden across the street and were picked just before preparation. You can tell the difference. Every morsel was sweet and prime. The sea urchins melted in your mouth. It was amazing how food can make one feel so wonderful. By this time, I had already decided that Chef was definitely serving us sexy food. Voila!
For the next course, we all were served Maine lobster tail "cuite sous vide" with glazed Tokyo Turnips, toasted macona almonds, watercress leaves and "rose" champagne emulsion. See photo below. I think if we had ended here, it would have been all worth it. The lobster was perfectly cooked. The irony here is that the lobster was exquisite probably because of how it was killed as much as how it was cooked. There is a science here...a culinary secret. I left nothing on my plate. Every crumb was eaten. By about this time, the servers presented us with the most luscious breads. Here was where I made a mistake that few will resist making...I ate a lot of the breads. We were presented with two different butters. I loved them both and proceeded to slap a lot of it on my breads. Note that I wrote breads. Be forewarned that eating the bread will, in the end, really give you that "too full, I ate too much" feeling. Not that anyone can do anything about it. Pass on the wonderful breads? Are you crazy?
For the next course, we were again given two choices. I chose the slow-braised Devil's Gulch Ranch "Epaule de Lapin" with wilted arrowleaf spinach, Royal Blenheim apricot, Jacobsen's Fram sunchokes and honey and foie gras mignonette. They did not disappoint. This dish, actually the shouder of a rabbit, was robust and savory and partnered with the apricot, the marriage of sweet and savory takes its true meaning that few will ever realize. It was just amazing. Take a look at the photo below:
The other choice, which Kurt picked, is the "rouelle" of Four Story Hills Farm "poussin' with buttered savoy cabbage, salsify "rissole" and Perigord Truffles which is pictured below. He was kind enough (of course, because he loves me!) to let me taste a morsel or two. It was as good as my rabbit and I wished we didn't have to choose one over the other. 
And now for the coup de grâce...bouillon-poached rib eye of Elysian Fields Farm lamb with globe artichokes, herb-scented "panisse', San Marzano Tomato compote and Coriander seed-infused tea. This artichoke is a singular treat. I like artichokes but never had I ever tasted this variety...that I know of anyway. The lamb melted in my mouth. It was like eating cotton. The flavor was rich and savory. Lamb is my favorite red meat and it was a most apropo ending to main courses.
And now for the coup de grâce...bouillon-poached rib eye of Elysian Fields Farm lamb with globe artichokes, herb-scented "panisse', San Marzano Tomato compote and Coriander seed-infused tea. This artichoke is a singular treat. I like artichokes but never had I ever tasted this variety...that I know of anyway. The lamb melted in my mouth. It was like eating cotton. The flavor was rich and savory. Lamb is my favorite red meat and it was a most apropo ending to main courses.
By this time, I asked for some hot camomile tea and I was served a cup of the most delicious hot herb infusion that I passed on the sugar that I normally would mix into my herb teas. That was totally unexpected. We were then served a plate of Gros Michel Banana sorbet with a side of 'boule de neige" Muscovado cake and caramelized banana coulis. I didn't get enough! But it was a welcome prelude to the grand dessert to follow. 
The photo above shows a small dish of creme brulee---best I've ever had. Interestingly, the ladies were served the brulee and the men were served custards flavored with lemongrass in the pots to the right of the brulee. How I wish I could have had both! I just could not decide which one I liked the best. Thanks to my wonderful husband for letting me gulp a couple of teaspoons of his custard. These wonderful concoctions were served after the dessert. We did not expect them. On the side, they also gave us papillons--flaky buttered pastries baked with caramel sugar. 
Shown above are parts of the grand dessert: Calice de chocolat a la noisette with white chocolate "granite", toasted hazelnut 'sable' and praline 'semifreddo'. We were so eager to dive in that when we remembered to take a picture, we had already eaten most of it! It was a wonderful, fitting ending to a king's feast. By this time, we were already euphoric from the magnificent culinary experience of a lifetime.
The grand total for this feast was well over $330 per person and totally worth every penny. While we waited for our cards to process, they handed us a silver pot of treats: caramels, assorted truffles and confections. And to our delight, the servers handed each couple a white bag filled with goodies: more truffles and butter biscuits. The revelers above, my wonderful friends, Marty and Corsee, Chat and Butch---they were actually what made the whole event even sweeter and magnificent. I couldn't have asked for a better day! For naysayers, keep in mind that the value one can derive from this experience is more than just the exquisite gastronomic experience---the total experience is one that I am grateful to have. 
In the end, we posed in front of the famous blue door outside the restaurant. There is a beautiful garden around it where one can walk around and smell the herbs and vegetables growing therein. We decided that we will have to duplicate this experience every year or two. Can't hardly wait.
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