Alas, 3 concierge services and 5 nights of them calling resulted in no booking. I had also gotten up and tried a few times. It was now the last date Hayden and I could be in the US. Lauren, who lives in Dallas, thought she could beat the professionals. And, well, she did! She kept dialing constantly until at 10:45, she got through, scoring us a booking for the last possible day we could be there!
So, Burger, Lauren, Hayden & I set out, ready to eat at The French Laundry! A legendary and must visit restaurant in Yountville, California - in the Napa Velley. We've travelled far Burger my friend, but this is it!
The experience and the food was truly amazing.
The restaurant was set in a beautiful house in the town of Yountville. One would not know it was a restaurant if you didn't look carefully enough (in fact our taxi driver from nearby Napa almost couldn't find it for a few minutes!). 10 courses, 4.5 hours later we emerged (although with some breaks in the courtyard) having shifting my Top 10 dishes ever list and feeling happy and fatter! Here is a review of some of the menu:
Amuse Bouche - Cauliflower panna cotta with Cavier
Beautifully smooth richness panna cotta with just a hint of cauliflower. The cavier added to and complemented the velvet texture, adding a small burst to it. It simply burst and melted in with each mouthful which was taken with a mother of pearl spoon. Amazing dish makes it to #3 on the Top dishes ever list for both Hayden in I. 10/10
Moulard Duck "Foie Gras en Terrine"
Golden Corn “Génoise,” Belgian Endive, White Honey, Huckleberries and Nasturtiume and a flight of salt!
Great play of sweet and salty. The flowers and berries added and played with the Foie Gras' inherent sweetness, the salt of course played with it's inherent saltiness. The two combined were amazing. Texture added with the corn base, eatable flowers and jelly on top. Makes it onto #5 on the Top dishes ever list. 10/10
The flight of salt accompanying the above dish. Italian sea salt, Rocksalt from Colorado and 40 million year salt! There is not doubt the last one was the least salty and very complex.
Tartare Of Cirtus Cured Kona Kanpachi
Hawaiin Hearts of Peach Palm Navel Orange, Hass Avocado Sea Crepes and Cilantro 8/10
“Caesar Salad”
Maine Lobster Tail “Pochée au Beurre Doux” with Caramelized Romaine Lettuce, Garlic Melba and “Bottarga di Muggine”
Perfectly cooked, juicy, tender lobster which could be eaten by itself for a week! With the caramelised lettuce would it could have made an interesting sweet/bitter combo. The garlic added zing. I could see what they were trying to do with the combinations of flavours and textures, but other than the lobster, the dish just didn't made the cut of the ones that it followed or the ones that followed it. 6.5-7/10
Hayden and Lauren in deep discussion while I am getting tired already after 5 courses and 5 full glasses of wine. But the food is sooo good! Must march on! We are let out for a wander in the courtyard.
Four Story Hill Farm "Cuisse de Poularde"
Roasted Savoy Cabbage, Akita Komachi Rice and Kanzuri Puree
Juicy tender chicken - probably the juiciest i have ever had with amazing savory (slightly spicy, almost Mexican capsicum like puree) and much the sweetness of the other sauce. The slightly hard rice was a great textural combination with the tenderness of the chicken.
9-9.5/10
Hayden and I. Another good birthday for Hayden (we have shifted it by two days). Last year we were at Arzak in San Sebastian with a 3 michellin star chef making up a pastry for him and the patron's of one of the best restaurant's singing happy birthday to him. This year, booked a restaurant 2 months in advance, we just flew to the US, drove the few hundred km's up to Napa. Next birthday...?!
