You
can tell a lot about The French Laundry from the other side of Washington
Street. Do not look at the building which houses America’s most famous
restaurant. Instead, turn around and see what is behind you. It is a cultivated
area with a flagpole. I took a photograph of it for you. Its three acres
comprise perhaps the most valuable vegetable garden in California. It provides
about a third of the produce used in the kitchen of the French Laundry by Thomas
Keller and his brilliant Chef de Cuisine, Timothy Hollingsworth. The point is
that nothing is too much trouble when it comes to Mr Keller’s pursuit of
perfection. If it means growing his own vegetables on his own land, then he will
grow his own vegetables on his own land. You will understand, I hope, why Thomas
Keller is one of my culinary heroes. He is widely – and rightly – acknowledged
as one of the best chefs in the world. But he is not only a genius at the
stoves. He is also a man full of creativity and original thought.
Yountville
is one of the prettiest towns in the Napa Valley. I am happy to wander up and
down its flower-bedecked streets. But I am happier still when I am on my way to
The French Laundry. The prospect of any restaurant with three Michelin stars
pleases me, but this particular dining room has given me so much joy over the
years that I now regard it as a friend – an elegant, witty and exquisitely
turned-out friend (which, after all, is the best sort). This is partly because
the people who look after me here are so charming and so professional, and
partly because the food and drink on offer are so good that each meal is
positively life-enhancing.
The
building opposite the vegetable garden is discreet. At one time,
it was, indeed, a laundry. Two stories of stone and a pretty
garden are all we see – although, be assured, a mighty kitchen
is tucked away, out of sight. There is a degree of serenity
about the place, which is as it should be. I was greeted in the
entrance hall by the Assistant General Manager, Martin Repicky –
as is the case with everyone at The French Laundry, he was
suave, dapper and friendly. He spoke to me the words I like to
hear: “You are at your usual table.” And so I was – table number
five, next to the wall in the downstairs room. I settled myself
comfortably, as a spotlight shone onto the white damask and the
Riedel glasses before me sparkled in its beam. Around, my
well-dressed fellow diners murmured contentedly. (The restaurant
insists that there be no jeans, t-shirts, shorts or tennis shoes
– and thank goodness for that.) The waiters, smart in their dark
suits, arranged French cutlery and replaced the napkins of those
who left their places for a moment. Throughout my evening in
this calm and intimate space, I was looked after exceptionally
well by the splendid fellow who has looked after me before –
Milton Higgins, one of the service captains.
The
French Laundry is not in the business of serving breathless
meals to those who are in a hurry. Its pace is measured and its
plates are numerous. Mr Keller offers two set menus of nine
courses ($250): one with meat and fish, and one of vegetables.
In fact, I could describe my feast as a 15 course affair, but I
know that the restaurant likes to describe the numerous opening
dishes as merely ‘appetizers’. Allow me therefore to resort to
the word which Rolls-Royce used to use when anyone was
sufficiently vulgar as to enquire about the power output of its
motor cars, and say that the number of courses was “adequate”.
Lest I gush at too great a length, I will pick out some
highlights.
Mr
Keller has both an appreciation of the theatrical and a keen
sense of humour. Both were in evidence with the tartare of
Bigeye tuna, with mission fig, onion flan and Sicilian
pistachio. It arrived on top of four plates. When the glass dome
was lifted, out came a cloud of wood smoke. The presentation was
outrageous, and the subtle flavours were outrageously good. Of
course, along came one of my favourite dishes, the truffled egg.
Within an egg shell was egg custard flavoured with white
truffle, topped with ragoût of black truffle. I have eaten this
dish on every visit to the French Laundry, and I adore its
satisfying richness. Delicate and exquisite, an aubergine salad
led to the masterpiece of the evening: the simple but brilliant
tagliatelle with black truffle. Yes, I know it sounds easy, but
it reached as near perfection as we can hope to achieve in this
Vale of Tears. And the sautéed foie gras and duck breast was
very nearly as good.
45-day
dry-aged beef sirloin now catered fully for my carnivore
instincts. Then it was Cheddar cheese, raspberry sorbet and the
ending to which I had been looking forward: coffee and
doughnuts. Like the truffled egg, this is one of Mr Keller’s
most inspired inventions and one which I could not bear to omit
from a meal here. ‘Cinnamon-sugared doughnuts with cappuccino
semi-freddo’ is the official description. I defy anyone who
likes puddings not to find this one ravishingly delicious. For
me, it embodies all the many pleasures of California.
A great restaurant must have a great cellar. The list at the
French Laundry has 103 pages, in which you will find thousands
of the world’s finest bottles. For those of you with deep
pockets, think for a moment of white burgundy, sauternes, claret
and red burgundy. Here you can choose between 24 Montrachets
(including the 2002 DRC at $9,450), 1949 Yquem ($6,000), 1959
Latour ($5,510), 1982 Lafite ($11,000), 1961 Mouton Rothschild
($4,800), 1982 Pétrus ($12,875) and Romanée-Conti from 2004,
2005 and 2006 ($6,610, $10,045 and $9,250). But there are many
bottles with much more modest prices, and, if you have one (but
only one) special bottle which is not on the list, the corkage
is $75.
From
the substantial section of half-bottles, Head Sommelier Dennis
Kelly recommended three of fine quality. The 2007 Rossj-Bass
chardonnay/sauvignon blanc from Mr Gaja ($160, half) was
brilliantly suited to the truffled egg – well-structured,
carefully balanced and with seductive suggestions of peach and
lychee. And the pairing with the tagliatelle was equally
intelligent – a huge and complex Napa Valley chardonnay (Kongsgaard,
2007 - $125, half). The red was one of Mr Keller’s own wines,
which are called Modicum. This one was a cabernet from
Rutherford in the Napa Valley. Its smooth, silky 2006 vintage
was densely and deliciously packed with ripe black fruit ($100,
half).
As I walked back to my hotel on Washington Street, I saw again
the vegetable garden. It was now in darkness, with the flag of
the United States moving gently in silhouette against the
moonlit sky. The symbolism was right. The search for perfection
at The French Laundry goes on. And we, its patrons, know how
often it so nearly reaches that impossible goal.
© 2010 Francis Bown. Used by
permission. All rights reserved. For reviews of hotels and restaurants across
the world, visit
www.BownsBest.com
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