The French Laundry: Traveling for a Dinner Reservation
Thomas Keller’s French Laundry in Yountville, CA is one such restaurant.
The French Laundry takes reservations two months in advance. In fact, they only take them two months in advance. It might take several days of calling to nab one, and once you get the reservation, you still have to schedule a flight, rent a car, and book a hotel room.
When you book your flight, make sure to include time to check out the area, because Yountville is in the heart of Napa Valley. Drive along either Highway 29 or Silverado Trail, and you will encounter some of the world’s best wineries. However many wineries you attempt to visit before dinner, though, manage yourself responsibly. It’s surprising how quickly the wine goes to your head. Go on the tours to lengthen the time of your visit to each winery and split the tastings with your friends so you’re not drinking as much. And remember, there’s no requirement that you finish off everything they pour in front of you. It’s not rush week. You still have dinner to attend, and you will want all your taste buds in prime form for it.
The French Laundry is a modest stone cottage. You’d pass right by it if you weren’t looking for it. Yet for such a subtle demeanor and unassuming name, it is both elegant and fulfilling. The prix fixe nine course dinner includes exotic choices, like Japanese glass eels, and more familiar fare like lobster tail. Even the normal dishes aren’t the kind you’re going to get at your favorite places back home, though. Chef Thomas Keller has a magic touch, in the forms of sauces, salts, glazes, and garnishes. Truly, his dishes have no equal. You can read about them in his awarded cookbook, The French Laundry Cookbook (Artisan, 1999).
In addition to the nine courses, the servers bring out treats to sample before the dinner, a variety of homemade breads during the meal, and after the two dessert courses, a tray of chocolates and a three tiered candy dish make their way to your table and you somehow find room to stomach just a few more bites. Then you leave with a bag of shortbread cookies. And throughout it all, you’re imbibing champagne, dinner wine, dessert wine, and coffee.
The French Laundry is no mere meal. It’s an experience. You will miss it as soon as you leave, dream about it that night at the hotel, and think about while you fly home the next day.
Some might be inclined to think that a long distance restaurant date is either a) not worth the trouble or b) not going to live up to the expectation, but the correct answer is c) none of the above. Some people take trips to Disneyland. In the end, they return home with the same thing you will have at the end of a fine dining experience: a time worth remembering. Pick a restaurant, wherever it may be, and make arrangements. It will be the best trip you ever take.
