it was amazing. it's set in a beautiful stone building. actually a former laundry house. very unassuming from the outside. inside it is a relaxing and simple but elegant atmosphere with impeccable service.
the wine list was some 20 pages long and included an amazing variety or local, other american, and all kinds of italian and french wines. we chose 2. we had a full bottle of the 'sea smoke southing' pinot noir that was really light and fruity with lovely legs and a half bottle of the 'peay' syrah- which was much darker and bolder. (do i sound like a stooge? you'll tell me if i sound like a stooge, right?).
the food....the food! there were 2 menus available to choose from, each with 9 courses. one was the "chef's tasting menu" and the other was the "tasting of vegetables." since i eat seafood but no other meats, i had kind of a combination of them both. and because the portions are basically just small (beautifully designed) tastes, we aren't overwhelmingly full. very satisfied, but not sickly full.
when we got there, they gave us each a glass of complimentary champagne called "veuve clicquot." it's lovely and we've had it at home before.
for the rest of our meal, here were my courses, in order:
1. gruyere puff pastries (house appetizer- nutty creamy hot cheese in tiny pastry)
2. salmon tartar cornets (house appetizer little ice cream cornmeal cones w/ red onion and cream fraiche and silky salmon tartar)
3. cauliflower panna cotta (really creamy, totally blended chilled cauliflower gelatin with oyster glaze and white sturgeon caviar over top)
4. salad of french laundry garden tomatoes- compressed watermelon, jicama ribbons, avocado coulis and lime basil (this may have been my favorite- the lime basil was a meal by itself- so much flavor in tiny little leaves- and kind of a spicy sauce)
5. santa barbara sea urchin-hearts of palm, green apple, sesame tofu, thinly sliced radish, and scallions
6. sauteed pave of kindai tuna w/ sunchokes, broccolini, hazelnuts, and green orange sauce
7. new bedford scallop w/ frog hollow peaches, turnips, sugar snap peas, nicoise olice oil and garden thyme
8. fricassee of hand-rolled russet potato gnocchi w/ bluefoot mushrooms, golden corn, and lovage
9. rogue creamery oregon blue cheese w/ transparent apples, belgian, endive, toasted pecans
10. jacobsen's farm yellow nectarine sorbet w/ andante dairy yogurt and puffed quinoa
11. armando manni olice oil madeleine w/ almond glaze, bing cherries and marcona almond-olive oil sorbet
12. espressos and lattes
13. "mignardises"- a complimentary selection of tiny little chocolates (w/ different fillings- banana cream, peanut butter, praline, passion fruit, berry, etc) and a bunch of other little desserts like white chocolate and tupelo honey bar, almond toffee something, lemon meringue, chili chocolate truffle, cocoa and black sesame truffle, etc.
amazing. i'm so happy and satisfied and relaxed. a true celebration.
later tonight we're going to the little town near here to watch a new movie w/ alan rickman about the foundation of the american wine industry- "bottle shock."
the gardens of the "french laundry":
my husband's dessert- bitter amedei chocolate pave w/ banana tempura, peanut butter mousse and chocolate powder, frozen chocolate shavings:
my mom's dessert- delice au chocolat et a la menthe w/ amedei chuao chocolate-mint parfait and mint syrup:
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