Did anyone has eaten at the French Laundry?

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I have a reservation in May -- very excited. I am a foodie but have been trapped in the same city with no money for like 2 years and this is my LIBERATION AND REBIRTH.

Does it live up to the hype, what did you have, etc!

― wanko ergo sum, Thursday, 29 March 2007 18:51 (eighteen years ago)

Never been, always wanted to. You are to be congratulated on actually getting a reservation.

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 19:57 (eighteen years ago)

Never been. Only heard amazing things.

― Alex in SF, Thursday, 29 March 2007 20:07 (eighteen years ago)

Me either. I was supposed to go once but it fell through.

― Michael White, Thursday, 29 March 2007 20:14 (eighteen years ago)

Sorry, French Laundry. Where was the hickory-smoked bacon that time I paid you all that money?

― Jordan, Thursday, 29 March 2007 20:15 (eighteen years ago)

when I could have afforded to do this, i never wanted to go and assumed I couldn't because we're vegetarian, and then I found out they actually have a vegetarian menu, and now I want to go, but can't afford to anymore. Oh the misery

― akm, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:09 (eighteen years ago)

You will pay $240 per person, service included but wine is not. You must wear a jacket and shoes. It is a 9-course tasting menu and most of it has just been murdered or pulled out of the ground and thrown straight onto a plate, but a really nice plate. You will remember it for the rest of your life and call Thomas Keller a genius.

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:13 (eighteen years ago)

we were thinking of trying to get a reservation for july, but don't know if it's worth it, is it? adam's post made me think of radishes and dead rabbits.

― estela, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:20 (eighteen years ago)

Does this place have something to do with River Cafe? Is Mr. Eater in the house? I finally went to the River Cafe in London and for the price I really can't urge anyone to go there. It was weirdly anonymous feeling inside, and the food was, y'know, good, but not most-expensive-meal-of-my-life good, which, translated into dollars at least, it was. I'm probably wrong about that connection though. I know it's got something to do with another famous place.

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:21 (eighteen years ago)

I'd also like to point out that $240 will buy 34 Bongo Burgers and a soft drink.

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:23 (eighteen years ago)

Tracer, French Laundy has no association with The River Cafe.

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:24 (eighteen years ago)

I think I used to get the lamb burger, on the roll?

― Spencer Chow, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:27 (eighteen years ago)

Spencer Chow

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:27 (eighteen years ago)

I also just realized that in all the years I spent at Berkeley, I never once made the bongo-as-in-a-bongo-drum association. I always assumed that "bongo" was sort of like "crazy"!

― Spencer Chow, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:29 (eighteen years ago)

the only other restaurants this has to do with are Bouchon

― akm, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:30 (eighteen years ago)

Ok, well there's some chef that started French Laundry out there who began at another famous restaurant, I'm sure of it.

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:30 (eighteen years ago)

French Laundy has no association with The River Cafe.

perish the thought

― ▒█▄█ ▄▄ ▒█▄█, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:31 (eighteen years ago)

wait, those italics are reversed

― ▒█▄█ ▄▄ ▒█▄█, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:32 (eighteen years ago)

Adam. You're still first on my numbers list. Do you ever get accidental calls from me???

― Spencer Chow, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:32 (eighteen years ago)

spencer chow once told me i should go to father's office in santa monica for a great burger, eventually i did and he was right, so since you are here talking about burgers again, thank you spencer.

― estela, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:32 (eighteen years ago)

yes, Bouchon

― akm, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:32 (eighteen years ago)

I also just realized that in all the years I spent at Berkeley, I never once made the bongo-as-in-a-bongo-drum association. I always assumed that "bongo" was sort of like "crazy"!

I just never thought about it. My powers of association have usually been blighted by hunger. My new neighbour has started having friends round for impromptu bongo sessions. Everything they say is true!

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:33 (eighteen years ago)

Adam. You're still first on my numbers list. Do you ever get accidental calls from me???

No, I switched providers (and numbers). You're now accidentally calling a digital abyss.

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:34 (eighteen years ago)

and by "yes, bouchon" I meant that "thomas keller started the restaurant Bouchon in NY" before he opened the French Laundry

― akm, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:36 (eighteen years ago)

I thought "bouchon" was just your cute pet name for somebody on this thread.

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:37 (eighteen years ago)

Yes (back in the $150pp days), but it's gone infamously down hill over the past 5 years (Keller's rarely there, spending more time at Per Se and his other franchises).

FWIW: A very good friend was Expediter there (staging courses and getting feedback from the service w/r/t table pacing and communicating the timing to the various chefs/stations) for 2 years during the Heyday (late 90s) and has very uncomplimentary but bad things to say about the experience in retrospect.

I personally prefer the Dining Room at The Ritz Carlton or Chez Panisse or Gary Danko, but as my very close and personal friend Adam Levine (of Coldplay) once told me: "It's all a matter of taste!"

― Steve Shasta, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:38 (eighteen years ago)

How much squid shit will $240 buy me?

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:39 (eighteen years ago)

oh to eat out in a restaurant again! have a baby and you never get to go anywhere more fancy than Barney's

― akm, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:39 (eighteen years ago)

but = and

― Steve Shasta, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:39 (eighteen years ago)

Estela, glad you liked it. I think the LA times figured out the recipe but I can't find it (something about mixing in bleu cheese.

― Spencer Chow, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:41 (eighteen years ago)

You have a BABY???? YAY!

― Spencer Chow, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:41 (eighteen years ago)

yay except he keeps us from restaurants. but he incidentally does force us to eat better meals because he gets our table scraps, like a puppy

― akm, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:42 (eighteen years ago)

I must say burgers containing blue cheese are my bete noire but I will give you the benefit of the doubt.

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:44 (eighteen years ago)

Barney's is better than nothing (and kid friendly if I recall correctly).

Actually, I thought Adam had said the bit about the baby, but I also YAY you!

― Spencer Chow, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:44 (eighteen years ago)

NO, no baby for me!!

Though Kyle's baby is great.

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:46 (eighteen years ago)

RELATED:

The opening day menu of Ad Hoc (Thomas Keller's 6th? 7th? restaurant) had "In-N-Out" style hamburgers as course 2 of the prix fixe.

― Steve Shasta, Friday, 30 March 2007 00:20 (eighteen years ago)

Adam, did you see that collosal giant squid caught under one of the poles that if you were to make calamari out of it's legs they would be the size of bulldozer tires?

― Steve Shasta, Friday, 30 March 2007 00:20 (eighteen years ago)

(on and congrats akm) :-D

― Steve Shasta, Friday, 30 March 2007 00:21 (eighteen years ago)

We walked in to the FL for lunch about 7-8 years ago. I was in green jeans, and my wife was in a sun dress - we were in Napa for a day of wine tasting. We asked if they had any tables. The host asked "for what day?" We said "for right now." They, surprisingly, had had a cancellation, and had a table for two. Although, before seating us, the host made sure I saw the menu/prices (I think it was $65 for the fixed-price lunch back then). We had a great meal - rabbit saddle, the now-cliched tomato sorbet, and a bunch of other stuff I don't remember. When my wife started taking cooking classes, she went for dinner with a classmate. They spent over $200 a piece. She said she felt sick in a lot of ways - too much food, too rich, too expensive.

OTOH - I'd love to go back. Try and starve yourself beforehand, and maybe don't order the giant 20-course tasting menu. I usually enjoy myself more when I stick to 3-4 courses.

When you get back to San Francisco, give yourself a few months to recover, and then make a reservation at Canteen.

― schwantz, Friday, 30 March 2007 02:32 (eighteen years ago)

i'll be coming back to dallas, so I'll give myself a year or so?

and the tasting menu is just $240 so i think i'll try it.

there are lots of pix of FL DISHes on flikr i cd post but i wdnt waNT TO ndeuce hungarZZZ

― wanko ergo sum, Friday, 30 March 2007 02:42 (eighteen years ago)

I've had the experience of eating there, and it was amazing. The whole time I kept thinking it was rather obscene though. I don't think it's worth it.

― Super Cub, Friday, 30 March 2007 03:35 (eighteen years ago)

this is the part of the thread where you have to explian why 'obscene' = bad!

― wanko ergo sum, Friday, 30 March 2007 03:49 (eighteen years ago)

I suppose it just depends what you value. I felt that the money could be better spent on something else, but that's just my view of things.

― Super Cub, Friday, 30 March 2007 04:48 (eighteen years ago)

like chicken wings!

― s1ocki, Friday, 30 March 2007 05:45 (eighteen years ago)

A lot of chicken wings.

― Super Cub, Friday, 30 March 2007 05:54 (eighteen years ago)

I made a huge miscalculation - $240 will buy you closer to 70 Bongo Burgers.

― admrl, Friday, 30 March 2007 16:24 (eighteen years ago)

480 chicken wings

― Jordan, Friday, 30 March 2007 16:25 (eighteen years ago)

100x100 animal style

― Steve Shasta, Friday, 30 March 2007 16:48 (eighteen years ago)

1200 packs of ramen.

I guess I spent about $175 at Morimoto...definitely worth it, but the next time I want a $175 meal, I want a different chef's take on things.

― Rock Hardy, Friday, 30 March 2007 17:11 (eighteen years ago)

tasting menu "just" $240??????? that had better come with all the wine too! christ almighty no food is that good

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 30 March 2007 18:26 (eighteen years ago)

wine is not included in that. this is wine country!

― admrl, Friday, 30 March 2007 18:31 (eighteen years ago)

If you put much stock in these things, French Laundry was considered Best Restaurant In The World by Restaurant magazine in both 2003 and 2004. It has now slipped to a shameful 4th place - still the highest placing for the Americas. Wanko Ergo Sum is one lucky dude.

ILX really brings out the pedant in me.

― admrl, Friday, 30 March 2007 18:34 (eighteen years ago)

The FL chapter in Bourdain's Cook's Tour book made me reaaally want to eat there.

― Jordan, Friday, 30 March 2007 18:36 (eighteen years ago)

ha! me too!

― admrl, Friday, 30 March 2007 18:37 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah but Bourdain is a chump.

― Super Cub, Friday, 30 March 2007 18:38 (eighteen years ago)

Aslo the chapter about St. John in London. Sounds great!

― admrl, Friday, 30 March 2007 18:38 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, the omg wtf lol audacity of the "coffee and a cigarette" course did it for me too.

― Rock Hardy, Friday, 30 March 2007 18:39 (eighteen years ago)

when did adam come back?!

i think food can easily be worth over $240. i've certainly spent more than that, although not in the US. i haven't been to the french laundry, though, and i've heard conflicting reports as to how it stacks up to per se. alinea is where i'm most looking forward to eating in the US.

― toby, Friday, 30 March 2007 21:15 (eighteen years ago)

I came back just a few days ago. This new format is a little confusing.

― admrl, Friday, 30 March 2007 21:17 (eighteen years ago)

I've always wondered about that FL and Per Se and restaurants of that level. I think the most I ever spent on my own meal might have been $100 or so (this was not in a major city) including wine, desert, coffee, and actually it WAS one of the best meals I ever ate - lamb shank that made me feel as though I'd been drugged.

Sometimes I tend to think there's a threshold price level after which the increase in quality cannot possibly be anywhere near in proportion to the increase in price, and I don't tend to enjoy excessively luxurious settings or arty food presentation. Still, I'd like to try it once.

― Hurting 2, Friday, 30 March 2007 22:52 (eighteen years ago)

Oh, my dream of dreams, to pick restaurants without fear of price tags.

― Abbott, Friday, 30 March 2007 22:54 (eighteen years ago)

I've eaten at what's supposed to be the best restaurant - or one of them - in DC, on my parents dime, and I don't think it was good enough that I would have spent the money myself.

― Hurting 2, Friday, 30 March 2007 22:55 (eighteen years ago)

The distance between me and so many good inexpensive meals miffs me more than my inability to afford the expensive ones.

― Hurting 2, Friday, 30 March 2007 22:56 (eighteen years ago)

i had reservations once, but thought i was gonna lose my job so i cancelled them :(. i didn't lose my job.

the only other restaurants this has to do with are Bouchon

shasta already answered this, but he has a cheaper place called Ad Hoc. i went there a few months ago and it was fucking fantastic. everything on the menu was something that at least one person at the table had problems with (beets, frisee, duck, etc), but everything was outstanding and we kept going, "damn, i thought i hated frisee".

spencer chow once told me i should go to father's office in santa monica for a great burger, eventually i did and he was right, so since you are here talking about burgers again, thank you spencer.

i've heard 3-5 different people tell me this is the best burger they've ever had and one person tell me it was the worst burger he's had. i've only been there for the beer.

― jaxon, Friday, 30 March 2007 23:06 (eighteen years ago)

The distance between me and so many good inexpensive meals miffs me more than my inability to afford the expensive ones.

I HEAR YOU!

I really want a knockwurst sandwich from the local deli, but fuck if I have $4.

― Abbott, Friday, 30 March 2007 23:10 (eighteen years ago)

I mean I wish every Sietsema-plugged eatery was in the same 10-block radius, five minutes from my apartment.

― Hurting 2, Friday, 30 March 2007 23:12 (eighteen years ago)

I would take that over being able to eat a $240 meal once a week.

― Hurting 2, Friday, 30 March 2007 23:14 (eighteen years ago)

don't forget that's without wine

― admrl, Friday, 30 March 2007 23:15 (eighteen years ago)

the best food I have had in the last six months was a girl scout cookie

― admrl, Friday, 30 March 2007 23:16 (eighteen years ago)

Best food I've had in the past year or so was the $5-6 fried cheese and eggplant sandwich in Richmond, VA.

― Alex in SF, Friday, 30 March 2007 23:19 (eighteen years ago)

Best food I've had in the last month, in any case, was a $2 carnitas taco right here in Jersey City. Perfection.

― Hurting 2, Friday, 30 March 2007 23:23 (eighteen years ago)

I've eaten at what's supposed to be the best restaurant - or one of them - in DC, on my parents dime, and I don't think it was good enough that I would have spent the money myself.

the best according to whom and based on what? there are lots of top restaurants that aren't worth the money and there are lots that are, and it may depend on how old they are/who's in the kitchen (it also depends on how disposable to you the cost of the meal is). my understanding is that citronelle, for instance, is still well worth it, while galileo maybe never was. it's usually a good idea to ask who frequents (or who is the intended audience for) the restaurant. that for the french laundry might differ from that for a big-city downtown business restaurant, and that for the french laundry today might differ for that for the french laundry ten years ago.

― gabbneb, Sunday, 1 April 2007 15:03 (eighteen years ago)

wait the $240 is per person right? that's what i was basing my whole "no food is worth that much" thing on. if the tasting menu is $120 per person sans wine i would still say it was a rip-off - no matter what the food was like - but i recognise i am not speaking for the entire human race when i say that.

i've gone off tasting menus these days. first of all there's just not enough of any one thing, but mainly it's because it's this whole freakin rigamarole when i'd really rather just have a scrumptious, awesome dinner and get stuck into the conversation instead of being interrupted every 15 minutes to be given monologues about vineyard latitudes and mushroom foam and, i dunno, pink rock salt.

― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 1 April 2007 17:34 (eighteen years ago)

four years pass...

just got a reservation for per se http://i.imgur.com/zi7hd.gif

― "oh shit, i'm gonna spotify you so hard!!" (dave cool), Wednesday, 27 July 2011 05:17 (fourteen years ago)

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