The French Laundry

A four star restaurant that redefines “exquisite”

Address: 6640 Washington St., Yountville, CA
Phone: 707-944-2380

It’s not uncommon for a patron at The French Laundry to declare it “the best meal of my life” (including highly acclaimed chef Anthony Bourdain!) Will it be yours? There’s only one way to find out.

Chef Thomas Keller glides near perfection with his haute cuisine. Keller’s food embodies wit, sensitivity, and amazing balance between the textures and tastes of the different elements in each dish, and this complex and delightful balance is reflected in the meal at large. Be sure to try the trademark “oysters and pearls”, consisting of a Nova Scotia oyster and a pearl-like Iranian caviar. Other fanciful offerings might include a Persian lime jelly with toasted coconut, or a miniature ice cream cone that turns out to contain a spicy salmon tartare.

The chef’s tasting menu is a wonderful way to spend a long, winding evening in charming conversation, punctuated by long, silent moments of pure appreciation for high culinary art. It is sublime. Tiny, perfect portions grace huge, gleaming white plates again and again... expect your visit to take a minimum of three hours.

A tasting menu of nine courses costs $150. Additional options, such as truffles or foie gras, can add up to $80 more. Then, of course, there is the wine—and if you drink, you’ll want to drink at The French Laundry. Options include a wine flight to match the courses. If you order a bottle, consider “Modicum,” the house label Cabernet—you are in the Napa Valley, after all!

The floor manager, Laura Cunningham, is also a perfectionist and never stops trying to create and deliver the perfect dining experience from the staff end. To facilitate a sense of intimacy, The French Laundry has four different interior dining areas to choose from as well as a lovely garden patio if you visit in the summer. The decor is opulent without being fussy. The service is both friendly and excellent.

Even though this is sunny, casual California, jeans, shorts, and t-shirts are not welcome at The French Laundry and men are expected to wear jackets. Come dressed for the meal of a lifetime and you won’t be disappointed.

A word of warning: getting a reservation can be a nightmare. The restaurant books two months ahead; every day the restaurant is deluged with calls from people trying to reserve a table two months from that date. The best ways to snag a reservation for yourself are to A) call around 2 PM and very politely ask if there have been any cancellations ANYTIME for a party your size and then take anything they offer, or B) use a concierge service, especially from a high-end hotel in Napa Valley. Whenever you’re able to get a table, take it! There is virtually no chance that you’ll be disappointed.

Image Credit: French Laundry Restaurant Painting by Gail Chandler