The French Laundry (September 1, 2002)Yountville, CA Finally, we're back, on our 6th anniversary. I've already recounted in great detail our first visit, so here I'll just focus on new elements of the experience. Needless to say, though, we're extremely happy to be back, and really looking forward to this meal. It's lunch, as we weren't able to get dinner reservations (this time, just wait a couple of days...) We review the menus. We're both pretty sure we're going for the nine-course tasting menu again, but Stacey debated getting the vegetarian version again, for variety. We discuss this with the server, who is pretty upfront about his views: "I shouldn't say this, since lots of people like the vegetarian tasting menu, but, you know, meat...(sigh)". I understand this completely. Despite his recommendations, Stace goes for the vegetarian version anyway. This turned out to be a big win, since now, we're effectively sharing 18 courses, and it's close as we can reasonably get to trying everything on the menu. I suppose if I had asked... I ask the sommelier for recommendations for a white wine to go with the first few courses, and I make my own selection for the red. 1/2 btl Gewurztraminer (Alsace) Gewurztraminers are actually a lot of fun. They're sweeter than your typical white wine, but not as sweet as a dessert wine, with an interesting herbal or earthy note thrown in, depending on the producer. I didn't catch the name of the vineyard for this one, but it was nice, with an interesting herbal note. 1/2 btl 1998 Araujo Eisele Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon A cult California Cabernet, and probably the only chance I'll have to try a wine of this caliber in the 1/2 bottle format. It's very nice, with a heady aroma, and a deep flavor. The finish is strong, but not as strong as I was expecting. This isn't the same caliber of wine as the '89 Mouton we had in Paris a couple of years ago, but that reflects more on the Mouton than this wine, which is still great. Cornets It's the standard opener, but notice that Stacey's version substitutes tomato and eggplant for the salmon. We exchange bites, and while I think mine is better, I'm surprised at how flavorful hers is. The eggplant is briny, just like you'd expect from caviar, and the deep tomato flavor of the confit offsets it nicely. js: Cauliflower "Panna Cotta" with Malpeque Oyster Glaze and Osetra Caviar I still don't know what to make of the cauliflower/caviar combination. I'm afraid my taste buds still aren't quite ready for caviar. On the other hand, I don't have any problem finishing this, so maybe I'm adapting. Her corn soup is pure essence of corn, and silky smooth. Just amazing. js: Moulard Duck "Foie Gras au Torchon" with Grilled Jacobsen's Farm Figs and Toasted "Brioche" Oh yeah, bring me the foie gras love. It's a gorgeous slice of foie gras terrine, with a lovely off-tan and pinkish color. I've had foie gras at a number of places now (gee, aren't I the gourmand), but Keller's version is just better. The texture is perfect, I don't know how you could improve it. The figs are full of the characteristic sweet/spicy flavor you expect, but the terrine is the star here, and the 30-year old balsamic doesn't hurt either. Stacey's dish is an interesting blend of ingredients. The hon-shemeji mushrooms are corn-kernel sized mushrooms that come in two distinct colorations; shiny black fading to grey, and shiny maple orange fading to brown (in fact, they fade in color the same way a corn kernel fades from yellow to white). Slightly sweet tasting, and an interesting counterpoint to the hazelnut and the soft saltiness of the hearts of palm. js: Sauteed Filet of Pacific Sablefish with Toy Box Cherry Tomato "Vierge", Dried Nicoise Olives and "Brioche" Croutons The fish is slightly lemony, perfectly crisp on the outside, and just meltingly tender. So good. Her dish is an exploration of tomato; the gelee is like eating concentrated tomato Jello (which I realize doesn't sound appetizing, but it tasted much better than it sounds). js: Sweet Butter Poached Maine Lobster, A Yukon Gold "Pomme Fondant", Garden Herbs and Lobster Vinaigrette The lobster is very tender, the potatoes are nicely prepared, and the wildflower garnish is very pretty. If I would have brought a camera along, this would have been the dish to capture. A beautiful and flawless stack of crispy potatoes, lobster meat, herbs, and flowers. You can't believe this even made it to the table without collapsing. Her onion dish is really an excuse to load up on truffles, and while I'm eating my lobster, I'm smelling her truffles. Pungent, mouth-watering. js: A "Ravioli" of Braised Veal Cheek, Swiss Chard, Toasted Pinenuts, Summer Squash, Roasted Sweet Peppers, and Lemon-Thyme Emulsion My dish is a pasta-pillow, stuffed with what I can only characterize as Pizza Roll filling, only the best pizza roll you ever had in your life. It's spicy, meaty, the herbs cut through, and I want about two dozen more of these, right now. However, her dish is actually better. Lobster mushrooms are slightly smaller than a portobello in size, with a maple-colored cap and white flesh, and to my amazement, in taste and texture they strongly resemble lobster. On a later trip to the Dean and DeLuca, we find these mushrooms for sale, for $40/lb. Wow. js: Pan Seared Elysian Fields Farm Lamb Herb Scented "Panisse", Sweet Carrot-Currant "Chutney" and Coriander Infused Oil This is expertly-prepared high quality lamb, and the chutney has the right blend of sweetness to match the meat. Her dish seems bland at first when it presented; it's a baked potato, big deal. Then the second server produces a silver pitcher, and delicately and perfectly drizzles drops of black truffle vinaigrette (!) around the potato and then right down the seam, and then the first server hands the second server a summer truffle the size of my fist and a microplane grater, and gentleman #2 proceeds to shave off truffle slices all over the potato. I can't describe how delicately and perfectly this presentation was performed at table, nor can I capture the strength of the aroma that resulted. Man. js: "Camembert de Normandie" with Granny Smith Apple "Compote" and Cinnamon Toast Cheese time. The Brillat-Savarin is a triple brie, and I like it better than the Camembert, but we don't have any problem finishing all of this. It's a nice change of pace as we shift towards the dessert courses. js: Jacobsen's Farm Yellow Peach Sorbet with a Toasted Almond "Financier" Her honey ice cream is just as good as it sounds, and if you like figs, you'd probably like her dessert better. But for my money, the peach sorbet was just unbelievable. I'm finding that one of the hallmarks of the French Laundry is the skill at concentrating a single flavor so that it is deep and penetrating, and this is just essence of peach in cream form, pure and simple. The financier is a paper-thin cookie with a satisfying buttery almond crunch, poised perfectly on the scoop of sorbet. js: "Delice Au Chocolat" with Coffee "Anglaise" and Chocolate "Dentelle" Now, if you love chocolate, my dessert is your personal heaven. There are three variations of chocolate in this presentation, and each one is very good. But I think I only like chocolate. I'm not sure I love it. Sure, I'll eat it if you put it in front of me, and I'll be happy, but generally, I tend towards vanilla or fruity desserts. So her dessert looks more appealing. In fact, it's the single best dish of the meal, which I don't think I've ever said about a dessert. First off, the dish is gorgeous. The plate has a syrupy pineapple glaze, in the center of which sits the following stack: a perfect disc of finely chopped and roasted pineapple, a paper-thin disc of crisp pineapple (and I mean paper-thin, we verify that we can see through it), an oval scoop of coconut ice cream, with a caramel-like pineapple sauce placed on top. The colors are striking, but the flavors are incredible; three distinct flavors, yet all characteristically pineapple. I'm not doing this dish justice. Bonus: Hey, bonus desserts! I'm pretty happy with the creme brulee, but her lemongrass pot de creme is more interesting flavor-wise. We fight over one another's desserts. Mignardise OK, for those keeping score, we've actually split 22 courses at this point, and so the mignardise, which admittedly are tiny, beautiful, and flavorful pastries and chocolates, are beginning to knock us out. But I'm not quite done. I mention to the server that this was a delightful way to spend our 6th anniversary, and to send our compliments to the chef. Perhaps a minute later, the server returns to provide us the following "for your special day": Bonus: 2001 Rivetti "La Spinetta" Moscato d'Asti (Piedmont) This is a sparkling muscat, which I actually like quite a bit (I generally don't like muscats because they can be cloyingly sweet). She loves it completely and insists on getting the details, which is why I have them here. What a great place to eat. I think the meal took about 3.5 hours from start to finish.
|