The French Laundry

6640 Washington Street

Yountville, CA 94599

(707) 944-2380

www.frenchlaundry.com

The most coveted table in the nation through the years. It escaped me in 2002, I pressed redial for two and a half hours straight. Once I got through, I was on hold for another 30 minutes only to hear that the restaurant was fully booked. Flash forward eight years, my girlfriend and I pressed redial for 40 minutes; we got through only to hear Chef Keller was hosting a Bocuse d’Or private event on Saturday. It’s Groundhog’s Day and I repeat the same process on Sunday. But, this time there is a table for four available at 9:15. I’m so excited, I ask whether that’s AM or PM. It’s doesn’t matter to me, I just didn’t want to be late.

But, this institution is in a new chapter of its life. Timothy Hollingsworth is chef de cuisine running the day to day operations for over a year now. Thomas Keller has exchanged his chef’s knife for a pen and has transitioned to the more lucrative restaurateur. Chef Hollingsworth has been at French Laundry for about eight years and I couldn’t wait to taste his progression.

As we approach the entrance, we got a glimpse into the kitchen noticing Chef Hollingsworth and staff fully focused plating a round of dishes.

The table is set with the signature clothespin. The staff estimates that 105% of the guests take the clothespin home. We did.

GRUYERE CHEESE GOUGERES

BOUCHON BREAD


SALTED BUTTER - Vermont Butter & Cheese Company

Some of the best butter, I had to ask where they got it from. I believe they source from the same place as Eleven Madison Park.

In order to maximize the variety, two of us did the Chef's Tasting Menu and two us did the Tasting of Vegetables (non-vegetarian). When there was a choice in the prix fixe part of the menus , we altered the dish. So, in the end we were able to taste all 26 courses offered on both 9 course tasting menus (18 plus the 4 prix fixe choices). We also begged for the Coffee & Doughnuts and they obliged. The only dish I saw in the dining room that we didn't receive was a signature truffle infused custard. The sommelier mentioned it was given because a mistake was made at that table. I took a few moments to convince him that a mistake was made at our table also, but to no avail. Due to the number of courses, I won't write a bunch of comments about each, but rather primarily rank the dishes and mention the highlights. I prioritized the dished by a 1 (dishes I loved), 2 (dishes I thought were good) ,or 3 (dishes that I didn't care for). I had 12 #1s, 14 #2s, and 2 #3s.

(click to enlarge)

#9 “CORNETS”
Salmon Tartare with Sweet Red Onion Creme Fraiche
Avocado Tartare

#2 “OYSTERS AND PEARLS” “Sabayon” of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and White Sturgeon Caviar

I had this dis at Per Se as well. I actually thought Per Se's was a little better since it was a more concentrated cream. Still this was a highlight of the meal.

#13 SALAD OF HAWAIIN HEARTS OF PEACH PALM Nantes Carrots, Marcona Almond, Medjool Dates, Cilantro Shoots and Young Coconut

Visually it's amazing how much color they retain in each component. I've read Thomas Keller's techniques and views of big pot blanching and I still can't produce the same result, not even close.

#8 MOULARD DUCK “FOIE GRAS AU TORCHON” Mission Figs, Piedmont Hazelnuts, Belgian Endive Relish, Watercress and Aged Balsamic Vinegar ($30 supplement)

THREE SALTS (from Sea Level) Grey Salt, Filipino Salt, Jurassic Salt

A great representation of foie gras. I probably overdid with the salts because I wanted to see the difference in each one.

#20 SWEET ONION “FLAN”Mission Fig, Sicilian Pistachio “Nuage” and Rosemary Essence

#27 COMPRESSED SUMMER MELONS Fennel Bulb, Niçoise Olive, Arugula and Basil Yogurt

I'd imagine on this one, they sous vide to take the water out of the melon, but the result leave you wanting more substance in the dish.

#17 SAUTEED FILLET OF RED SNAPPER Tomato Confit, Nicoise Olive, Fennel Bulb and Saffron “Vierge”

With both fish preparations, it was light in flavor. No errors, but nothing to crave either. I think Jean Georges may have them beat with their seafood.

#22 BRITTANY TURBOT “EN PERSILLADE” Maine Lobster, Summer Squash, Toybox Tomatoes and Extra-Virgin Oilive Oil Emulsion

#6 SALAD OF TOYBOX TOMATOES English Cucumber, Young Ginger, White Sesame, Perilla Shoots and Bonito Gelée

Maybe the alcohol was setting in, but once we tasted the tomatoes we questioned how they prepared them. They boldly stated the tomatoes were raw. The flavor was so intense. I find that hard to believe, we must have been feeling the wine.

#24 GLOBE ARTICHOKE GRATIN Swiss Chard, French Laundry Garden Carrots and “Mousseline Choron”

#18 NEW BEDFORD SEA SCALLOP “POELEE” Hobbs' Bacon, Brentwood Corn, Celery Branch, Ramps and Summer Truffle

Very tender, but I like a longer sear on my scallops. I didn't think the bacon complimented the scallop.

#12 CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMS “A LA GRECQUE” Red Radish, Hawaiian Hearts of Palm and Cilantro Oil

Another one of the beautiful dishes. Simple flavors and that was a good thing.

#26 FAIRYTALE EGGPLANT “EN PERSILLADE” Summer Squash, Jingle Bell Peppers, Parsley and Sweet Garlic Pudding

The dish looked and tasted a bit dated. The crusted eggplant was a bit mushy.

#14 RUSSET POTATO “GNOCCHI” Baby Corn, Summer Truffle, Celery Branch and “Ficoïde Glaciale”

Decent gnocchi and were won over by the grand presentation of the truffles.

#4 HAND-ROLLED BEET “TORTELLINI” 48-Hour Brisket, Fingerling Potatoes, Petite Lettuce and Horseradish Crème Fraîche

An intense beet flavor shined through the pasta that was heavily coated in beurre monté. Isn't nothing wrong with that.

#3 FOUR STORY HILL FARM “POULARDE” Kanzuri, Navel Orange, Red Radish, Perilla and Black Garlic

A phenomenal protein, so tender. I can only they sous vide this as well and finish it with a sear. Only second to EMP's chicken for two.

#15 45-DAY DRY-AGED SNAKE RIVER FARMS BEEF SIRLOIN Matsutake mushrooms, Potato “Mille Feuille,” Broccoli Stems and Pickled Shallot Sauce ($75 supplement)

For $75, I was expecting a steak Fred Flintstone would have travel finishing. At this price, I could get an entire American wagyu steak at CUT. It was nonetheless a well executed dish and it was my first time trying matsutakes.

#19 “CHATEAUBRIAND OF MARCHO FARMS NATURE-FED VEAL globe Artichokes, Marinated Eggplant, “Piperade” and Caper Jus

#25 ANDANTE DAIRY “CAVATINA“ Pink Lady Apple Compote, Red Beets, Walnut Streusel, Sorrel and Truffle

#7 “FLEUR DU MAQUIS” Roasted Belgian Endive, Toasted Pecans, Grapes and Verjus

The group's favorite of the cheese course. I was always been impressed by chef Keller's cheese courses. Most places do cheese and accoutrements. At French Laundry, we had three courses that highlighted cheese. There's a difference and it's better.

#5 “QUICHE” Blu del Moncenisio Cheese, Asian Pear, Pickled Cauliflower and Watercress

My favorite of the cheese course, I'm a sucker for blue cheese. Now I was definitely feeling the wine because I was baffled at how such a little tart could be so uniformly cut into ten slices.

#23 JACOBSEN’S FARM AMBROSIA MELON SORBET Summer Melons, “Moscato d’Asti” and Garden Mint

Very light on flavor, although it was cool to see how thin they could slice the melons.

#21 ARMANDO MANNI OLIVE OIL SORBET Muscovado Sugar “Génoise,” French Laundry Garden Summer Berries and 30-Year Aged Balsamic Vinegar

#28 “PEACHES AND CREAM” Santa Rosa Plums, Pine Nut Nougatine and Tahitian Vanilla Bean-Basil Ice Cream

The peach was too raw and unripe here. I know, it looks beautiful. We all had high expectations. The flavors just didn't come together well.

#11 “PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE” Maple Toffee, Chocolate Ganache and Salted Popcorn Sherbet

They're just cheating at this point. Chocolate and peanut butter at The French Laundry. Of course it's going to taste great.

#16 VALRHONA GUANAJA CHOCOLATE “MARQUIS” Goat’s Milk Mousse, Bing Cherries, Thai Long Peppercorns and Cassis Sorbet

#10 DELTA BLUEBERRY FLOAT Vanilla Sablé, Persian Lime Sherbet and Lemon Verbena Foam

Aside from the proceeding dessert, this was my favorite. I like the multi-layers of the dish and I've always loved the stacked plate presentation.

#1 “COFFEE AND DOUGHNUTS” Cappuccino Semifreddo and Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts
Talk about cravings I'm having trouble writing about this dish just looking at the picture. It's near perfect. In my world, there is ice cream and really good ice cream and they call that gelato and semifreddo. The lightness of the semifreddo eaten with the still warm doughnut is just pure heaven. I want to try to make this out of the cookbook.

MIGNARDISES

MIGNARDISES

MIGNARDISES

The damage for four


Originally presented on a laundry tag to help soften the blow

I was curious how anybody could have a bad experience at French Laundry, so I read some reviews and noted the service was to blame for a majority of the negativity. I could see that, there was a bit of snootiness as we were looking over our menus and deciding a wine strategy. My only advice would be to check your ego at the door and have fun. Yes, it can be a very fun place.

The only question left to answer is whether this was the best meal of my life. The short answer, yes. Based on other great dining experiences I've had. Urasawa couldn't hold its own against FL and FL was a much better bargain. My girlfriend, who recently traveled to Paris and was able to try L'Arpège and Ledoyen, still ranked FL as her #1. Eleven Madison Park, Daniel, The Fat Duck, Jean Georges, and probably 95% of high end restaurants are not designed to compete because they don't offer extensive tasting menus and I think that's where you get a full range of a chef's talent. The only restaurant that I had in contention was my previous #1, Alinea. FL plays it safer and you can't finds faults with any of the preparations. Alinea takes more chances, sometimes it pleasantly surprises, other times it makes you question his motive. When I went to Alinea, I ranked the dishes in the same manner: 1 (dishes I loved), 2 (dishes I thought were good) and 3 (dishes that I didn't care for) and realized the experiences may have been a lot closer than I had previously thought.

The only thing I find disheartening is that arguably the most talented chef in the world has put his chef’s knife down. Probably not for the obvious reason of profit, but to allow more time for the most important things in his life. Understandable, but, damn I would love to sit at a table with him in the kitchen. If this is how one of his understudies cook, one can only imagine what the master could produce.

Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream

2790 Harrison Street

San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 550-6971

www.humphryslocombe.com

We first heard about Humphry Slocombe when they were given press for their prosciutto ice cream. We thought it would be a great place for a snack during our visit and were hoping to get a taste of this traditional Italian dessert. Unfortunately, they have 80 plus flavors in their arsenal with only 10 or 12 available on a daily basis. The prosciutto was out of commission during our visit. The process takes about 3 days to get the flavor out of the pork fat, so it's in very limited production. Nonetheless there were other creative flavors available. As we had dinner plans in a few hours, we decided to take it light. We each got three scoops and ordered an extra 3 scoops for good measure. The duck fat pecan pie was purely an impulse buy.

Daily Menu

$5 Three Scoops - (clockwise from 12 o'clock) Peanut Butter Curry, Malted Milk Chocolate, Secret Breakfast (Bourbon + Cornflakes)

$5 Three Scoops - (clockwise from 12 o'clock) Cantaloupe Cayenne Sorbet, Tahitian Vanilla(9), Strauss Strawberry + Poppy Seed Yogurt

$5 Three Scoops - (clockwise from 12 o'clock) McEvoy Olive Oil, Harvey Milk (Honey Graham Cracker), Balsamic Caramel

$4 Duck Fat Pecan Pie (5)
Although I liked the gooey center, I couldn't get over the presentation. Its unfortunate resemblance to a commercially produced Little Debbie cake was a bummer. I'd take a homemade slice instead any day.

Overall, I would give the ice creams about an eight. They were all great quality. On a few, I would have liked a little bit more cream in the flavor. Our favorites were the Malted Milk Chocolate, Cantaloupe Cayenne Sorbet, and the Peanut Butter Curry. This is a great spot for a refreshing snack while in the city. Highly recommended and just jog back to the hotel to work off the calories.

Primavera - Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

1 Ferry Plaza

Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market

San Francisco, CA 94101


While finishing our first visit to the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market, we walked by several food stands and a couple grabbed our attention. One was RoliRoti Gormet Rotisserie; however, the line was 50 yards long so there was not a chance in hell I was waiting. We walked a little further and noticed Primavera Mexican. The food coming out was vibrant, but the line was only slightly shorter than RoliRoti. My girlfriend convinced me to wait and thank god we did.

$3.75 Chi Chi Rodriques - Ginger Peach Tea (6)
Refreshing, but I still prefer the unsweetened version at Nordstrom Cafe.

$9.50 Chilaquiles Verdes (9)

Green chilaquiles with a sauce of chile poblano-tomatillo, sour cream, avocado, onion, cilantro and cojito cheese.  Holy shit, I've been looking for Mexican food like this for years. The key to the chilaquiles was having a thick chip to hold up to the salsa. It was topped off with a light cream and the ripest, meatiest avocado in recent memory.  This was an eye-opening dish. The fluffy eggs that accompanied the chilaquiles on the side wasn't a bad addition either. The only reason I didn't give it a ten was because I still prefer Bobby Flay's elevated perfection on this traditional dish.

$9.50 Chile Relleno de Elote con Crema (9)

Roasted poblano stuffed with cream, cheese and white corn, cherry tomato salsa
The soul of this dish was the creamy corn, which was perfectly complemented with light cherry tomatoes and fresh tortillas. We also enjoyed their house salsa with hearty slivers of roasted tomatoes.

This experience made us question the Mexican food back home for a moment. I thought LA was supposed to be the American capital for Mexican food. We'll have to try another spot on our next trip to San Francisco.

Gary Danko

800 N Point St

San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 749-2060

www.garydanko.com

Years ago, planning a short San Francisco vacation, I failed to lock down that impossible French Laundry reservation. Looking for another high end restaurant, I was drawn to Gary Danko. Back then, however, there were no yelp pictures, no saturation of bloggers; all I had was a Zagat guide and it was rated a 29. That was all the convincing I needed and it ended up being one the best meals to date. I remember a couple things about the experience. One, the waiter said just go with what you like because everything was good and that was the case. Two, the menu design is one of the best I have ever seen. It can best be described as a prix fixe menu where you can order anything you want. Choose between three and five courses and any permutation you can dream up. You can order one from each section. Three starters, cheese and a dessert. Try five entrees if you if dare. I just love the flexibility it gives you and really lends to a better dining experience for the guest.


On this trip, we decided to take Friday off and head to San Francisco earlier, which meant an additional dinner. Coi was fully booked and Chez Panisse would have meant all three dinners would be out of the city. Gary Danko was able to fit us in at 9PM, so that made the choice easy.


 Being that I held Gary Danko in very high regard, we both opted for the five course dinner to get a full range of the chefs' talent. The price point has gone up over the years, but I still find it a good value at $102.

 

 (Menu)

Amuse bouche

Course #1a - Seared Sonoma Foie Gras with Caramelized Red Onions and Peaches (9)
A classic preparation of foie gras and executed very well. The caramelized onions were sweetened to perfection and provided a balanced contrast to the dish. One of the best dishes of the night.

Course #2a - Risotto with Lobster, Rock Shrimp, Mushrooms, Roasted Tomatoes, Corn and Peas (9)
The dishes started out strong. The risotto was one that we eyed on Yelp and knew we would order it. It didn't disappoint; I love how the creamy risotto lent itself to the tender crustaceans. It was offset by a light dollop of minced roasted tomatoes. 

 

Course #1b -  Crispy Farm Egg with White Polenta, Royal Trumpet Mushrooms, Frisee and Pancetta (4)
This was where the quality of the dishes took a turn for the worse. The contrast in texture between the soft poached egg and a crisp fry on the outside was absent. I had high hopes for the polenta and pancetta. But the other components didn't add the needed punch.

Course #2b - Branzini with Sorrel Gnocchi, Romano Beans and Fried Capers (6)
I've always been impressed by how good restaurants achieved a crispy skin on fish and still maintained tender meat. It's something that still challenges me when I cook at home. The branzini was a great example of this skill. The remaining components were decent, but not addictive.

Course #3a - Seared Sea Scallops with Zucchini-Basil Puree, Tomato Fondue, Red Peppers, Haricot Vert and Shimeji Mushrooms (4)
The scallop and sauce preparation reminded me of dish that was acceptable in the 1990's.  The accompanying flavors were blurry and masked the dish rather elevate the protein.

 Course #3b - Seared Filet of Beef with Yukon Potatoes, Zucchini, Mushrooms, Chard and Tomato-Eggplant Confit (5)
I'd like to say this was a glorified meat and potatoes dish, but the flavors and preparation was very outdated. It's a safe dish, one to please the masses with limited inspiration. However, it doesn't showcase Chef Danko's talent.

Course #4a - Braised Veal Breast with Pistachio Crusted Sweetbreads, Potato Puree, Leeks, Capers and Piopini Mushrooms.(3)
The first of two dishes that had messy presentations and the fifth dish with mushrooms. Keeping in mind, we were only on course seven at this point. I love well prepared sweetbreads, but even with the pistachio crust it was mushy. The veal didn't fare much better. The mushiness must have spread to both proteins. A poorly conceived dish all together.

Course #4b - Roasted Pork Belly and Tenderloin with Potato-Sorrel Puree, Peas, Bacon, Pickled Jalapenos and Maple Glaze (4)
Besides the presentation, I wasn't fond of the pork belly preparation. What I like about a good piece of pork belly is a crisp exterior and an oozing fat layer leading into succulent meat. Here, it was cut very thin, laid on its side and the distinction between fat and meat was unapparent.

 Course #5a - Lemon Pepper Duck Breast with Duck Hash, Carrot-Ginger Puree and Cherries (5)
A dish that came heavily recommended by our server and perhaps his only misstep in a very well orchestrated evening.  The duck was very tender, but lacked a strong sauce to hold up to the duck's natural flavor. I'm not a big fan of hash, so it would had to of been a play on words for me to really enjoy the accompaniment.

 Course #5b - Baked Chocolate Souffle with Two Sauces (9)
I ordered the signature souffle last time I dined at the restaurant. It has been on the menu for as long as I can remember; it might have actually been included with the lease and for good reason. It's consistently prepared well and the quality of the chocolate really shines though.  I'm all for avant-garde and innovative plates. But, when you can take a classic dish and elevate it past the ubiquitous fluff, I'm game.

 

(Petit Fours)

I had high hopes for Gary Danko, but the theme of the night was outdated dishes and overuse of the same ingredients with a couple shining moments. We had a few drinks during the course of the evening; maybe the strategy was to start strong and hope diners don't realize the lack of progression in the dishes over the years. If I had to guess, I would say Gary Danko has its clientele and they like the standard fare he is serving. But, I can't imagine he is attracting a new, younger market. And as long as the bills are paid, we won't see an update in the selection, and I'd be hard pressed to recommend the restaurant to any of my friends.

San Francisco Labor Day Weekend 2010 Trip

It's been a few years since I've been to the bay and it's one of my favorite American cities. My girlfriend on the other hand, not so much. She's not intrigued by the Victorian charm of the Painted Ladies, not drawn by the dozens are well regarded restaurants, nor does she embrace the residents 'Manhattan' sophistication. She even believes God put a layer of fog over the city so he doesn't have to see the gays. Well, it was time to see who was right. We called 4th of July weekend and were fortuitous enough to garner a 9:15PM at The French Laundry. And this meant nothing was changing our Labor Day plans. Even if we broke up, we would still go to The French Laundry together.

I've listed our rankings of the food enjoyed with book ends being crystal clear on both of our accounts. We enjoyed all meals with the exception of Manresa, which I would describe as the worst dining experience of my life.

1 The French Laundry
2 Primavera - Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
3 Tartine Bakery
4 Koi Palace
5 Gary Danko
6 Boccalone
7 Cowgirl Creamery Artisan Cheese
8 Humphrey Slocombe Ice Cream
9 Dynamo Donuts and Coffee
10 Acme Bread Company
11 Sierra Mar
12 Manresa

In the end, I was right. It was a great time and I think she's found a new love for the city. We will be back next year, but that trip will be focused on Napa.