Ok - anyone bit the bullet here for lunch?
Some good friends coming out at the end of January and they would like to dine at French Laundry. I think I’d prefer to buy a case of wine, but hell, what do I know. Anyone have any feedback on lunch @ French Laundry?
Lance, can’t speak to the French Laundry, but a recent 4+ hour lunch at Per Se’ was one of the best meals I’ve ever had, and given that they’re both Keller restaurants with to some degree a shared menu, I’m sure the experience would be comparable. From my own standpoint, I can’t wait to go back ![[wink.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/04707e6a7bbb03e0153e349d8a9270d30e1e9525.gif "wink"){kind=small}
.
Bob - thanks for the feedback. Looks like the lunch and dinner menus at FL are pretty much the same. I was a bit reluctant to hit up FL for lunch when I’ve heard so much about it a dinner location. It’ll be dining with the sun up, not much difference.
Either way, call and make reservations just in case. Up until the “recession” reservations were pretty much required.
I’ve had many great meals at the Laundry, lunch included. It is every bit as good as dinner, but a bit more relaxed and not quite as emotionally draining (which may be because we drink more judicously). Absolutely go. my last lunch there was in October, and while the rest of the world has caught up in many ways, it still leads the pack in North America.
Reservations have been made - thanks guys!
John, any chance we can swing by your establishment post-splurge for some Pinot cleansing? January, 29th to be exact. I’ll bring dessert if you’ll take us in.
One of my first real brushes with true high end dining was lunch at FL back in the mid-90’s. I can still remember it today…the windows and doors were open with a gentle breeze. The overall experience was truly heavenly.
I had the tasting menu (same as for dinner) when I had lunch at Gordon Ramsay around five years ago. It was great. It was also kinda funny because I’d taken the overnight flight to London (and had a brief nap when I got there) so it was more like having the big tasting menu for breakfast. Urp.
Been there twice and can’t wait to go back for a third try. Amazing and utterly memorable. Enjoyable and perfect in every respect. Can’t wait for your report, Lance. Menu is the same at lunch and dinner, no? You’ll be good to go.
Holdredge … maybe you wanna come along? Mid-April …
Yeah, I am now very much looking forward to this. I was a bit skeptical at first, but hell, what do I know!
Tom - yes, apparently the lunch menu is the same as the dinner menu. I would have suspected a similar meal, but not entirely the same service. But again, what do I know.
This leads me to a few further questions for any of you guys who have partaken in the FL experience. First off, what is your approach to wine pairing with the meal? Do you follow the FL recommendations, take your own bottles ($50/corkage), or similar? Next, I want to get my tasting on! Any chance my palate will be in any shape to keep the wine flowing through the rest of the afternoon to go taste some Pinot treats?
We’ve never eaten there for lunch, but many times for dinner. We’ve done various combinations of taking our own wine in and buying wines off the list. They’ve been very accommodating.
They’re great about wine with lots of knowledgeable waiters and excellent wine service staff generally. I like to start with bubbles for the oysters and pearls and then tend to do a white early on and a red after. If it’s all drunk up, champagne or something else to pair with the cheese and dessert. Haven’t taken my own wines, but that’s been more of a function of accident. You can find some decent value on the list in aged Riesling or Burgundy.
We usually take Champagne, White Burgundy, and either Red Burgundy or Rhône; and have never been disappointed.
Their wine list is pretty amazing too. It’s available at their website so you can check it out. It was just two of us so we did half-bottles from their list and thoroughly enjoyed every minute.
Speaking of time… this is a 3 1/2 to 4 hour thing for most people, so there won’t be a whole lot of time for tasting afterwards. Right down the street is a small tasting room for Hope & Grace winery. It was recommended to us by a local we met at another restaurant in Yountville and was well worth the visit. Girard is down and across the street too. Not as good as Hope & Grace but pretty decent. Just suggesting a couple of things within walking distance of FL. After our dinner we could barely move.