The French Laundry

This is epic. 

What a way to kick off the rebirthing of HYLYT after a veryyyy long hiatus-

None other than an in-depth, course-by-course review of The French Laundry… OH YES!!!! Somehow my mother, sister, and I ended up dining here to celebrate my sister’s 21st birthday. Thank God she is a foodie, because this gift also felt like a birthday present to me!

Reservations were made months in advance. It didn’t feel real until we made our way to the entrance- a simple golden plaque reading “The French Laundry” followed by a blue door and a peek through the windows into the newly remodeled state-of-the-art kitchen. 

If you don’t know about TFL: It is a 3 Michelin Star restaurant located in Yountville (near Napa, California). The genius of the menu (which changes daily) is at the hand of none other than the renowned chef Thomas Keller. The menu revolves around classic French cuisine with the highest standards for ingredient quality and service. With the attention to ingredients, service, and detail that is held by the staff at TFL, it is an experience that you can almost not put into words. You have to be immersed in it to truly get it…

Alas, I shall do my best to recount the experience should you be a curious foodie or a soon-to-be diner at TFL. Let’s begin, shall we?

Amuse Bouche

First things first- once we were taken to our table and given the opportunity to order a bottle of celebratory champagne from the veryyyyy extensive wine list, we were presented with the first bite of the night. This was an ahi tuna cone of sorts- slightly sweet, a little umami, and one of those moments where you wish you had a platter-full of stuffed cones.

Oysters and Pearls

This dish is a TFL icon. It is one item that will NOT leave the menu because diners love it too much. People actually get angry if this doesn’t make an appearance on the menu, so it stays, evening after evening. And for good reason: This sabayon of pearl tapioca with Island Creek oysters and Regiis Ova Caviar is the epitome of a dish fit for royalty. Delicate, smooth, indulgent, and what my dreams are made of. (No piece of caviar was left behind, I promise.)

Royal Kaluga Caviar

This dish is so beautiful, with every component intentionally placed. I really appreciate plating as an art form, and TFL brings it. Here we have deviled hen egg Bavarois, toasted brioche and red onion gelée. My sister ate this and shared no bites. But it goes to show that it was impeccably delicious if no bites were shared, hehe.

Hudson Valley Moulard Duck Foie Gras Terrine

These bites were all mine!! You either love foie gras, or you hate it. I order it any time it’s on a menu because I love the buttery flavor and melt-in your-mouth texture. It paired perfectly with the Jacobsen Orchards figs, Sicilian pistachios, and pickled beet purée.

Sautéed Fillet of Mediterranean Turbot

Never underestimate a white fish dish. I feel like many people associate white fish with a boring or bland meal, but done right, it is light yet luscious, and full of flavor. TFL does it with romano beans “a la Française with pickled onion butter. This dish was surprisingly comforting.

Monterey Bay Abalone Poêlée

I love an abalone moment, because not many restaurants feature an abalone dish (especially one that isn’t deep fried). This beauty is paired with Early Girl tomato confit, young fennel bulb, and French vermouth emulsion. Heaven… I just want to bathe in those tiny bubbles and rest my head on the abalone pillow.

Bread and Butter

Yes, bread and butter- a staple wherever you dine, but this one stands above the rest for me- not only because of the flavor, but because of the story behind it. The bread is a bitter cocoa laminated brioche (brioche is my fave bread- it’ so light and buttery). Where it gets really exciting is the butter. Hear me out, ok? This is Diane St. Clair’s Animal Farm Butter. Diane has seven Jersey cows who live the happiest, most authentic life a cow can live. The result is a butter that is unadulterated in flavor and texture. Truly the BEST butter I have ever tasted. These seven cows provide the milk (that Diane turns into butter) SOLELY for Keller’s two restaurants, Per Se and The French Laundry. No other shop or restaurant has access to this butter. It is rare and magical, like the pot of butter at the end of the rainbow.

Wolfe Ranch White Quail

Have you had the chance to enjoy quail before? I would use the old adage “tastes like chicken”, but it’s a bit more flavorful if you were to compare a simply dressed chicken and quail side-by-side. Not to mention, it goes perfectly with chanterelle mushroom tapenade, Nantes carrots and mushroom jus gras. Fancy? Yes. Necessary? Also yes.

Châteaubriand of Durham Ranch Bison

Ahhhh, châteaubriand- essentially a thick cut of meat from the tenderloin filet. By this point in the meal, you might be thinking- “bah! How can you still have room for more?!” I assure you, there is room for more. The portions are small enough to be consumed in a few bites, and everything is impeccably perfect, so making room isn’t tough. Something reminiscent of a a steakhouse dinner, but elevated, this beef is plated on Geechie Boy Mill polenta, Brentwood corn salad, marinated peaches, and sauce Périgourdine. I never thought peaches and beef were a match made in heaven, but they totally are.

Truffle Gougère

Do we love anything truffle?? YES WE DO! This savory choux pastry included an Adante Dairy etude and Australian black winter truffle fondue. Light, airy puff meets the richness and density of creamy cheese and earthy truffle. A perfect last bite the the dinner courses if I do say so myself. Now onto dessert!!

Strawberry Gelee

So, I thought dessert would be a simple single course to round out the night, but I was severely mistaken in the best way possible. The desserts were brought out one after another, filling our table to the brim with all sorts of house-made delicacies. The first was a spin on strawberries in many forms- wild berries, gelee, and pastry with cream. A true strawberry bonanza!

Opera Cake

Next comes the opera cake which is brought to those who are celebrating a birthday. It comes out as a larger cake with a candle. We sang to my sister, she blew out the candle, they took the cake away (NOOOO, come back!!) to slice it, and brought us each a slice of decadence. Each layer was distinct in texture and flavor, topped with a quenelle of ice cream.

More ice cream!! Dessert was a whirlwind, and if my memory serves me correctly, this was house-made vanilla bean ice cream with puffed amaranth. Few desserts are better than homemade ice cream, especially when it’s made with the highest quality dairy that can be found.

Yes, more!! Macarons, doughnut holes, and chocolate bon bons all made by the endlessly talented chef and his team. If I brought a big enough purse, I’d be tossing these in, but instead I had to resort to my internal food purse, aka my stomach. Lol.

By this point, my mind was blown, my stomach was full, and my eyes were wide with surprise that at this point in the meal, I was prompted to select a hand-painted chocolate from a box. This one was matcha, one of my favorite flavors.

Just for perspective, here is a glimpse of what the table of desserts looked like… Heaven.

And after it all, when you think you can’t be any more delighted, they send you home with more desserts, hence the TFL tin full of shortbreads dusted in sugar. I love that, because it helps ease you out of the bliss that is The French Laundry back into the everyday dining experience. Like I said, 3 Michelin stars for a reason.

I will always cherish the memory of dining at The French Laundry. It exceeded all of my expectations. I cried when I left because I was so grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. (If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll get another shot in this lifetime to dine at TFL.)

Have you every had an other-worldly dining experience? I would love to know.

XO, Alexandra