Chef D: The French Laundry

So it's been awhile since my last post. Work has pretty much consumed most of my time through the holidays but this past Friday was my last day. Nothing lined up, going to take a month or two off and then start looking. In the meantime, I have a trip to Alaska coming up on Thursday for a week which is going to be really cool. Also Andi and I went to The French Laundry last night for our 3 year wedding anniversary and to celebrate me leaving my job. I know that last one is a weird thing to celebrate but trust me it was worth it! So I'm pretty sure anyone reading this know who Thomas Keller is and what The French Laundry is all about. If not, click on the links to become educated. He's one of the top chef's in the world and it took us 2 months to get a reservation. The day I called they had one reservation left for 2 at 8:45 pm and I scooped it up!

The moment you enter you are instantly treated like family. Your greeted by several different people asking how you are, if they can get you anything while you wait, is there anything they can do to make you more comfortable. We were seated quite quickly where are napkins where held in place by a cloth pin with "French Laundry" printed on it.

There are two different menu's you get to chose from: chef's tasting or tasting of vegetables. Each tasting runs $295 however you can supplement a different more expensive choice for an up charge. Both looked amazing but in the end we went for the chef's tasting. I supplemented the Japanese Wagyu beef for the lamb for $100 more.

We were started of with a canape of smoked salmon tar tar with cream cheese inside of a sesame seed tuile. In the back we were also give two small gougere which is made with pate a choux dough.

My first course was "Oysters and Pearls"-"Sabayon" of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and White Sturgeon Caviar.

Andi, who can't have raw shellfish, was supplemented with their version of "French Onion Soup"- Caramelized Vidalia Onions, Brioche Croutons, Aged Comte, Sweet Onion "Chiffon" and Black Winter Truffle.

We were then treated to bread and butter. Both butters came from Vermont: salted on the right, unsalted on the left.

Don't remember the name of this roll, it had a little hint of cheese on top.

Pretzel

Baguette

Sourdough. All of their breads are baked and delivered three times a day from his bakery Bouchon about a five minute walk from the restaurant.

Salad of Hawaiian Hearts of Peach Palm-Musquee de Provence Pumpkin, Asian Pears, Toasted Pepitas, Preserved Walnut Puree and Komatsuna

Scallop-"Pommes Puree," Compressed Sour Apple, Crispy Kale and "Sauce Bordelaise"

Sweet Butter-Poached Trout-Petite Fennel, Garden Radishes, Arugula, and "Sauce Maltaise"

Veal-Applewood-Smoked Bacon, Satsuma Mandarins, Celery Branch, Celery Root Puree and Piedmont Hazelnut Vinaigrette

Herb-Roasted Elysian Fields Farm Lamb-Tokyo Turnips, Mokum Carrots, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Sunflower Sprouts, and "Sauce Navarin"

Charcoal-Grilled Japanese Wagyu-"Sauerkraut" Dumpling, Roasted Ruby Beets, Brussels Sprouts, Watercress, "Sauce Raifort"

Andante Dairy "Legato"-Cope's Corn Beignet, Honey-Poached Cranberries, Caramelized Cipollini Onions and Swiss Chard Leaves

After ALL of that.......now came dessert! From here on out I'm going by memory. I got a cappuccino and we were both given a Meringue of Tangerine with Shortbread, Preserved Lemons, and Candied Orange.