Great Expectations: Our Evening at The French Laundry

If you've been following my Michelin-starred dining adventures, you'll recall that Dio and I recently committed to two ambitious goals: ranking every three-star restaurant we experience and eventually trying all such establishments in the United States. After memorable experiences at SingleThread, Quince, and The Inn at Little Washington, followed by Per Se in December, we were finally about to experience what many consider the crown jewel of American fine dining: The French Laundry (TFL).

Having immersed ourselves in Napa's wine culture over the past year and experiencing Thomas Keller's other three-star establishment, Per Se, the timing felt right to tackle what's often regarded as America's finest restaurant. If you're curious about our previous wine country adventures, check out my post about our first Napa trip]. And if you'd like to learn our strategy for securing this coveted reservation (hint: book for four, not two), you can read about it in my second Napa trip post.

SETTING THE STAGE

Similar to our experience with SingleThread, TFL reached out ahead of our visit with a gracious email confirming our dietary restrictions and offering sommelier assistance. It was a promising start to what we hoped would be an unforgettable evening.

We arrived after sunset for our 7:45pm reservation, the beautifully lit historic building and garden creating an enchanting first impression. This marked our fifth three-star experience in just four months, and our friends Jeff and Sharon's first. The contrasts between these establishments became an early topic of conversation - particularly the difference between Per Se's refined Manhattan sophistication and TFL's more relaxed Wine Country ambiance.

WINE CONSIDERATIONS

After several days of extensive wine tasting throughout Napa, Jeff and I opted to order by the glass rather than commit to the full pairing. I placed myself in the sommelier's hands, with the Château Léoville Las Cases Le Petit Lion served with the savory courses emerging as the evening's standout pour - a welcome return for me to Old World wines after days of California tastings.

FIRST BITES

Our evening began with a delicate gougère amuse-bouche, setting the tone for the refined French techniques we'd experience throughout the meal.

SIGNATURE DISHES

Next came their signature 'Oysters and Pearls' - a dish I'd experienced in its non-seafood version at Per Se. When I tried this dish at Per Se in December, I was under the weather. Tonight, I could finally appreciate all its nuances properly.

A STUDY IN BACON

The Salade Lyonnaise arrived next, featuring compressed garden escarole and a deviled quail egg. But the true star was Hobbs' bacon, prominently featured alongside wild Napa Valley mustard blossoms.

FROM THE SEA

The Sautéed Fillet of Atlantic Striped Bass followed, accompanied by Rancho Gordo pequito bean hummus and a crispy cipollini onion, finished with persillade "panade" and green garlic "soubise".

Next came the Stonington Maine Sea Scallop "Poêle", served with creamed celery root purée, braised garden celery and preserved garden chili butter.

A FAMILIAR COMFORT

The "Bread and Butter" course - another dish shared with Per Se - featured their signature bitter cocoa laminated brioche alongside Hilary Haigh's Animal Farm butter. I remember enjoying Per Se's version even while feeling under the weather, so it was particularly nice to fully experience TFL's take on this classic.

DIVERGING PATHS

At this point, our table's orders diverged. I opted for the Liberty Farms Pekin Duck with its smoked gizzard beignet, creamed aromatic spinach, Nantes carrots and whole grain mustard jus, while Dio chose the "Carnaroli Risotto Biologico" with its delicate shaving of black winter truffles.

THE MAIN EVENT

The "Prime Rib" of Elysian Fields Farm Lamb arrived next, accompanied by braised collard greens, Jimmy Red cornbread custard, sweet potato purée, "boudin noir" and preserved black walnut jus.

TRANSITIONS AND SWEET CONCLUSIONS

The progression continued with the Gougère, featuring Andante Dairy "Etude" and black winter truffle "fondue", followed by a Yogurt Panna Cotta with almond sponge and blood orange "suprême".

The Lemon and Buddha's Hand Sherbet provided a bright interlude with its limoncello syrup and lemon tuile.

A SWEET FINALE

The K+M Chocolate and Banana "Délice" preceded the "Mignardises" course - which included their famous "Coffee and Doughnuts", another dish I was grateful to properly experience after my earlier Per Se visit.

Our server then presented TFL's legendary chocolate service - a wooden box filled with an array of handcrafted bonbons. For many diners, these chocolates are as much of a draw as TFL's other famous dishes, and their reputation as some of the finest restaurant chocolates in America is well-earned. They were delicious!

BEHIND THE SCENES

After dinner, we were treated to a tour of the kitchen, though unlike at Quince, we weren't offered a cellar tour.

THE FINAL VERDICT

While the meal showcased technical excellence and the kitchen's impressive ability to accommodate dietary restrictions, something was missing. The upstairs dining room felt cramped, and multiple celebration dinners created distractions that detracted from the intended atmosphere. Unlike our experience at Inn at Little Washington, which proved that historic settings and classic dishes can still surprise and delight, TFL's offerings seemed to lack innovation.

The fact that Thomas Keller wasn't in the kitchen that evening may have contributed to our impression. Given our positive experiences at Per Se and Bouchon Bistro (which, surprisingly, we actually enjoyed more than TFL), we're inclined to give it another try when the chef is present.

For now, however, TFL takes last place in our growing list of three-star experiences, falling behind Quince, SingleThread, and The Inn at Little Washington. This isn't to say it was a poor experience - at this level, even "last place" represents exceptional dining. But perhaps our expectations, built up over years of hearing about TFL's reputation, were simply too high.

As a final touch, we left with their signature cookie tins - adding to our collection since we now have them from both TFL and Per Se.

Look for a future post on our return visit - everyone deserves a second chance to make a first impression, especially a restaurant of this caliber.