I go (temporarily suspended) to 2-3 concerts a week. Never spent even one-eighth of $850 for a ticket.
I was reading an article somewhere that many diners nowadays don’t post about their meals on Instagram because they feel a bit Marie Antoinette-ish for displaying their meals during times of widespread economic distress.
MaxEntropy has a good point though, that if these dollars keep the struggling restaurants workers and the farmers employed, then its not a bad thing. Better that than the well off hiring personal chefs at home en masse.
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At root, it’s about “scaling the house” when you’re in the exhibition business, and restaurants are. The exercise is pricing each seat so that a butt occupies it and there are no empty ones when the featured act takes the stage, whether in the first row or nosebleed section. Same for restaurants with happy hours, early birds, bar menus, etc. The price[s] evidence what management judgment thinks will make it worthwhile to light the house and open the doors, making it possible to pay landlord, employees, suppliers, etc.
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These are trying times. I would not wish the restaurant business on any one at this time. While I would not pay for a night at the French Laundry, I know those that would. But even now they would have second thoughts
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Your comments brought me a new perspective. Thank you both for adding them here.
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What a terrific post! We have not been there in quite a while, but always went when on vacation in Napa Valley. We were there when it was a small, not quite so famous place and the first time there was an eye opener. And, BTW, it cost $250 for the two of use. Gradually it got more famous and more expensive. The tuna tartare started out smoked salmon in the “ice cream cone.” I boy, do I remember the coffee and donuts. Every visit you were invited to the kitchen at the end of the meal to meet “Tom.” And he was humble and sweet. Eventually we decided that we had been there enough and, like you, wanted to got o other places. La Toque comes to mind. Thanks again for the really great post!!
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I remember my first visit - I took my parents on my moms birthday. We were at the second seating and nearly the last table to finish. When we got invited to the kitchen I think my mother assumed I had pulled out all the stops.
My second visit was with my fiancé (now spouse), who was allergic to spending $$$ on dining out. She had an inkling about what we were in for and asked before we arrived to make sure she didn’t see the check. By accident she did see the total. Her initial reaction was one of shock, but after a few seconds she smiled and said “it was sooo worth it”.
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Any business whose inventory is truly “sell by daily closing time” is tough to manage and price – also think airline seats, hotel rooms. The restaurant’s table, arena or stadium seat, etc. that goes unused today can’t be sold again, because tomorrow’s table or seat is a completely different service product.
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That sounds like our experience, probably in the early nineties. Husband said it was maybe $400 for the two of us, and he remembers wanting to stop at McD’s on the way home.
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Re the FL truffles:
Or you could visit La Foret Chocolates, next to Browns Valley Market, in Napa. The owner is the one who makes FL’s chocolates, or did when she first opened the store.
Why? I remember having so much food. There were the courses you ordered and the ones that came in between. So many!! That’s so funny!
I don’t know; That’s what he remembers, sort of jokingly. When I read him what they are offering now, there is not one thing on there we can imagine him eating. I’m guessing he agreed to go for my benefit.
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I hear you! There are many things I didn’t eat at the time that were on the menu, but I did eat them there.
<_< For the price you pay, I’m eating everything and anything.
But yes in general, the price is on the high side especially in these times but I’d like to hope that these places exist in the future. Fast casual is getting a little… boring.
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We would go there every year for our anniversary - maybe 4 or 5 times, and watched those prices climb every year. Now its just way too pricey.
I had dinner at TFL with family for a celebration back in November. My second 3* experience! Sorry if the details are a bit hazy, didn’t take that many notes, especially near the end of the dinner.
The building it’s in used to be a steam laundry in the 1920’s (hence the name), was converted to a restaurant (also named The French Laundry) in the late 70’s, and taken over by chef Thomas Keller in the 90’s. The interior feels pretty homey, a bit more like a (really big and fancy) residence than a restaurant. It’s in Yountville, a city in Napa County in wine country, about an hour and a half drive from San Francisco.
Dinner started with a signature salmon cone, but this one was a little different than usual I think, with smoked salmon, a dill cream cheese filling, and everything bagel seasoning mix. Delicious. A savory bite of smoked salmon on top of a shatteringly crispy cone filled with a dill flavored cream cheese.
And also cheese and crackers. Cabot cheddar filling. Better than Ritz Bits for sure.
"OYSTERS AND PEARLS"
“Sabayon” of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and Regiis Ova Caviar
Another signature dish. The stuff on the bottom was kind of like a rich savory tapioca pudding, topped with a couple shucked oysters and generous dollop of caviar. This was fantastic! Mix of a bunch of textures and umami tastes - popping bubbles of caviar and tapioca surrounded with the creamy sauce, along with two perfect briny oysters.
next, a soup - ROASTED CAULIFLOWER VELOUTÉ
Black Winter Truffle Purée, Toasted Marcona Almonds and Brown Butter
Very rich soup scented with truffle with lots of cauliflower flavor, with some almond bits to add some crunch and nuttiness from the butter. The soup was poured at the table.
"BREAD AND BUTTER"
Bitter Cocoa Laminated Brioche and Diane St. Clair’s Animal Farm Butter
A very pretty little brioche which was served warm and was flaky and buttery inside, upon which I spread some more butter. A bit of bitter chocolate flavor from the cocoa. Some really great bread.
Next was a ALASKAN KING CRAB "QUENELLE"
Caramelized Sunchoke Purée, Garden Carrots, Sunflower Sprouts and Barigoule Emulsion
A quenelle is a bit like a poached sausage. This one was made of a fine puree that had king crab in it. It tasted like what I think the essence of crab would taste like. This was on top of a rich frothy sauce made of sunchokes and “Barigoule emulsion”. I looked up Barigoule - it’s a white wine sauce which I think added a little acidity to it. Along with some perfect carrots.
And then another seafood dish:
"ROUELLE" OF DOVER SOLE AND MOUNT LASSEN TROUT
La Ratte Potato Purée. Tomato Water Glaze and “Pommes Maxim’s”
Rouelle means roll. This was like a trout and sole pinwheel sitting on some mashed potatoes. Pommes Maxim’s is a Keller recipe of thinly sliced roasted potatoes and was the crispy potato chip-like thing on the side.
The tomato water glaze added a savory umami essence of tomato. Delicious.
Next, some poultry:
APPLEWOOD SMOKED WOLFE RANCH WHITE QUAIL
Steamed Sour Cherry Pudding, Garden Turnips and “Sauce Périgourdine”
The alternative choice to this course was a risotto with Alba truffles - a $200 (!) supplement. We all stuck with the quail, which was fine because it was great! Succulent and juicy quail with a crispy skin. The pool of Périgourdine sauce in the middle was meaty and full of truffle flavor. There was also a little cake of sour cherry pudding, sweet and a little sour, which now that I think of it maybe served as a cranberry sauce-like accompaniment to the quail (I may have had a bit too much turkey this Thanksgiving). And also some more perfect vegetables - turnips in this one.
And then a meat course:
"CHÂTEAUBRIAND" OF MARCHO FARMS VEAL
Arrowleaf Spinach “Pain Perdu.” Garden Broccoli Purée and Toasted Pumpkin Seed Gastrique
The alternative choice to this course was a dish featuring grilled wagyu beef for a $100 supplement, all of us stuck with the veal. A perfectly cooked disk of veal wrapped in bacon, with a spinach cake on the side that if I remember correctly had a bit of sweetness. This was good but didn’t really stand out among the other dishes.
"GOUGÈRE"
*Andante Dairy “Etude” and Black Winter Truffle “Fondue”
And then a cheese course of sorts before dessert - a gougère stuffed with a mild goat cheese, sitting on a thick and creamy sauce perfumed with truffle. Very nice.
ASSORTMENT OF DESSERTS
Fruit, Ice Cream, Chocolate and Candies
Finally, an assortment of many delicious desserts
“Coffee and Doughnuts” - some perfectly fried doughnut holes with the “Cappuccino” semifreddo with warm milk foam on top and a cool mocha semifreddo (bit like ice cream) layer below
a chocolate (?) quenelle-like thing with some sort of fruit thing on the side, sorry should have taken some notes about this
a couple ice creams that I forget the flavors of but were quite good
guava flavored caramels wrapped in plastic, matcha macarons, some cocoa dusted confection
slices of a many layered cake that resembled an opera cake a bit maybe? - I forgot what the actual name of it was
We were pretty full from dinner so took what we couldn’t finish home. Also @Night07 - yes you can get the truffles boxed up to go!
L-R, top row first:
passion fruit, hazelnut, mint, pistachio,
pb & j, s’mores, caramel, “manni”
And wait there’s more - the box of shortbreads.
Service was exceptional - friendly and efficient without being obtrusive. We also got to take a peek in the kitchen before we left.
A delicious meal. Quite rich. Very fresh vegetables. Everything was executed very well. The top highlights for me were the “Oysters and Pearls,” the “Bread and Butter”, and the quail.
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Thanks for that. We haven’t been there in years, but your pictures brought it all back? Back when we used to go they would bring you to the kitchen to meet “Tom”. He was humble and kind. One year I brought the French Laundry cookbook with me and he signed it. (We used to go out to Napa Valley every year for our anniversary. Then, honestly, it got just too pricey.)
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That was a fun read to start the day!
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Cool that you were able to meet “Tom” when he was still running the kitchen!
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Thanks for taking time to share your fabulous meal.
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