The French Laundry

It is not the fact that getting in to the restaurant is like hitting the jackpot or that Thomas Keller is like a god among chefs and restaurateurs.   It is because of Thomas Keller's tasting menus, locally sourced produce and meats, environmentally conscience practices and his choice in employees that makes dining at one of his restaurants, for us The French Laundry, an experience worth every penny.

We spent FIVE glorious hours from noon to 5pm, at this restaurant to indulge in every last bit of its charm, concierge style customer service and decadence.   Larry greeted us at the front with Happy Anniversary, Alex served us complimentary champagne to start off our celebration right and then we sat in shock and awe for a moment at the shear brilliant energy pulsing in the restaurant and gratitude we felt at being there to "feed" (no pun intended) on it.  After we snapped out of our stupor of delight we attacked the menu.  They printed it especially for us as they change their menu each day with Happy Anniversary our names and the date at the top.  Now, which side of the menu to choose from the vegetables or the meats?  Easy choice, meats it was.  From there, a few courses from Chef Keller's ingenious tasting menu had options others did not.

Oysters and Pearls versus Royal Ossetra Caviar, Salad of Hawaiian Hearts of Peach Palm versus Jidori Hen Egg Gnocchi and Herb-Roasted Elysian Fields Farm Lamb Saddle or Charcoal-Grilled Japanese Wagyu.   Our other courses were Sautéed Fillet of Pacific Sablefish, George's Bank Sea Scallop "Poelee" and Milk-Poached Four Story Hill Farm Poularde.

Amuse-Bouche
(Pronounced Amooz Boosh)
A French term whose literal translation is "Mouth Amuser"

Jon picked the Oysters and Pearls and Jidori Hen Egg Gnocchi - the gnocchi was particularly amazing and his favorite because of the bacon in the dish and black truffle grated on top.  Interestingly, the truffle is from Australia and is comparable to if not better than its French counterpart.  Fun fact, the chef figured out to freeze the truffle to preserve its aromatic and flavor qualities.  Once in the hand and then grated the warmth of both the friction and the hand leave the thin shavings almost melting onto the dish.  It was amazing!

Oysters and Pearls   

 Jidori Hen Egg Gnocchi 

While I picked the Royal Ossetra Caviar and Hearts of Peach Palm - I licked my plate clean on both of these dishes!

Royal Ossetra Caviar

Hearts of Peach Palm

We both picked the Lamb Saddle - We were both wishing we'd picked the vegetable focused menu at this point in the meal but the Lamb was very good just filling. They served the Lamb Saddle with a kind of curry and bean compote which was exquisite together.     

We also enjoyed Biale Zinfandel with our Sautéed Fillet of Pacific Sablefish

AND

 George's Bank Sea Scallop "Poelee"

Milk-Poached Four Story Hill Farm Poularde

I loved the lunch reservation as the menu is the same as dinner and you aren't as tired by the end of your meal and have an evening left to do more indulging, a night on the town, or have a relaxed night in with light fare to nibble on.

The course tasting menu ended with a late harvest white wine called Topaz and Cheesecake - literally, Andante Dairy "Acapella" cheese with a graham cracker crust and a garnish of Pink Lady apple slivers, Piedmont Hazelnuts, turnip medallions, whipped honey and mustard frills.

Andante Dairy "Acapella" 

This was an extra Chef gave us that I cannot remember what it is.  It was similar to ice cream.

Rum Raisin Sorbet with Carrot Cake and Ginger balls

A special anniversary chocolate cake

Cappuccino ice cream and donuts and handmade chocolates - we picked salted caramel, peanut butter and jelly and Hazelnut

We then went outside into the courtyard for a cigar and digestif.  They even escorted us to a garden table prepared with water, ashtray, cigar holder and digestif list for us to peruse.  Jon enjoyed a Macallan 18yr while I enjoyed a Chartreuse at the recommendation of Alex instead of Jaegermeister, which they didn't have.  It had more of a floral nose and beginning to it but was very similar to Jaeger on the palette and finish.  I am the cigar smoker and enjoyed a Gary Sheffield by Rocky Patel Homerun 500 Toro.  We discussed philosophy and our wonderful meal as well as conversed with Larry and Alex about the Recipe book we wanted to buy with Thomas Keller's signature signed to a local successful chef we know and love in Omaha, NE. This chef was inspired to go to culinary school and open a restaurant because of Thomas Keller's recipe book.  We cannot wait to give him a signed copy of this book, the reason for his inspiration and current career path.

Angela smoking a Gary Sheffield by Rocky Patel Homerun 500 Toro

 

Reservations to Chef Thomas Keller's The French Laundry!!

I have heard there are blogs documenting the journey from getting the hard-to-get reservation to every bite of the 9 course prix frixe meal....   

It began with spontaneously and somewhat flippantly calling the restaurant when we were in Yountville while visiting Napa Valley, CA in 2009.  My husband actually did get on the wait list but that is as far as we got.  We found the restaurant in U.S. Restaurants 2011 Top Places to Eat.  We had no idea what we were missing nor the near impossibility of getting a reservation.  Fast forward to this year, 2013.  Business plans bring us to San Francisco, CA in September. 

We now know reservations:

1. Cannot be made earlier than 2 months in advance to the date. 
2. You can make them on Open Table as well as by phone.
3.  Are near impossible to get.

We first decided to plan our travel around the reservation we WOULD get (the power of positive thinking) at The French Laundry.  We then picked a period of 2 weeks where we knew we could travel to San Francisco surrounding our business plans.

When the day had arrived, we were two months to the date of our first day in the 2 week period, my husband made the first call only to find out he called on the last day of their normal 2 week break during the summer and the restaurant was closed.  However, he found out that they were reopening in fact, the next morning at 9am to take reservations.  We calculated what time that would be in the Midwest and set the alarm on our phone to begin calling.  The next day I began calling.  Busy, busy and busy.  I then decided I was up against the likes of a radio-station-Winner-call-in kind of situation.  I remembered back to when I was 12 years old, trying to win tickets to a concert and my attempts to get through to the studio line to be that first caller.  Near impossible. 

Then I thought to myself, we have technology now.  I bet I could get a redial app, I thought.  Well, yes you can the two free ones are Redial App and Redial App 2.  The Redial App features include hanging up and redialing continually for you without you manually doing anything.  However, Androids are not compatible with this feature of the software.  Ruled that one out.  The Redial App 2 works but I have to manually hang up but it does automatically dial for you.  I used that for awhile.  It took a total of 1.5 hours of my time including researching the Apps and actually calling. 

Then I thought, I own a business, start thinking like a business woman.  Who could I pay to sit on the phone dialing and redialing?  My teenage son with no summer job.  How much would I pay?  $10/hr? No he'd be happy to make $7/hr.  Should I bonus him if he gets me a reservation?  Absolutely!  I want to keep him at it.  $100, I think is fair.  I asked him, then I asked my retired father then I asked my office manager's daughter.  Finally, batting zero thus far, my office manager said she would do it.  I told her the specs of the job and she began calling.  She immediately began strategizing.  She decided to call first thing when they opened and right near the end of the evening thinking she'd be more likely to get through.  Well, her strategy paid off!  The very next day she got me on the waiting list for a one week period.  This isn't a reservation but I was stoked! 

The weekend came with no more luck.  Saturday morning sitting around discussing how awesome it would be to get this reservation, my husband decided to Google "How to get a reservation at the French Laundry."  He read through an entire page of tips.  Can't make reservations earlier than two months to the date, try making them on Open Table and then...ask someone with a Platinum or Black AMEX card.  They seem to always have luck.  Voila!  We have a Platinum AMEX might as well use it.  We immediately called the Concierge service.  They happily said "of course", and then a "we have guy who knows a guy" type conversation ensued and THE NEXT DAY we received a happy e-mail stating "you have a reservation at The French Laundry"...

I have heard there are blogs documenting this journey....happily, here is one of those blogs. 

My blog post about the meal will be in October sometime!