A roll call of finessed classics at The French Laundry

Jaime Ee | The Business Times | Mon Sep 10 2012

by Jaime Ee

US, September 10, 2012

The French Laundry 6640 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599.
Tel: (707) 944-2380
Website: www.thefrenchlaundry.com

Such is the entrenched appeal of The French Laundry that despite offering fundamentally the same menu for over a decade, there is no stopping the constant flow of starry-eyed foodies making the trip to add its signature clothes peg to their collection of Michelin-related souvenirs.

The three-starred institution that gives Napa Valley its culinary gravitas is for the most part, an upscale tourist attraction and offers a peek into the priviledged lifestyles of moneyed Americans.

On the evening we were there, a wedding party was taking place in the restaurant's lush green surroundings - a low-key yet infinitely uppercrust celebration.

But dining at The French Laundry is more of an occasion than a place to flex your dining muscles - it's perhaps one of the rare restaurants in the state that dictates a dress code, to the point that ladies in formal wear are not uncommon.

Still, it's the kind of place where you go to gain some measure of bragging rights, and why not. It's still a perfectly polished act from the food to the service, even if the friendliness borders on the practised rather than genuine warmth.

Thomas Keller is no longer in the kitchen at The French Laundry, but his presence is entrenched in the menu that features a tried-and-tested roll call of his classics.

There are the warm tasty cheese gougeres for you to nibble on as you contemplate the supplements of US$75 for a truffle and egg course or US$150 for a better cut of beef.

This on top of the US$270(S$336) price per head. Still, you've come all the way, you rationalise, so why not.

You kick off with a very familiar amuse bouche now seen on canape platters at some chi chi cocktail parties - crispy baby cone filled with creme fraiche and a scoop of minced smoked salmon. Nothing new, but still an evergreen.

Speaking of evergreen, what's a meal at The French Laundry without its signature oysters and pearls - savoury sabayon thickened with tapioca pearls embracing the oysters artfully (and a tad wastefully) trimmed into two pearl-shaped nuggets, finished with a good dollop of caviar. Again, perfectly executed.

A rich but delicious ravioli with runny egg and a shower of truffle slices almost warranted the extra 75 bucks, while lobster poached in butter is textbook succulent, with salsa verde and a fluffy round bun. The hake is also perfectly pan-fried to a delightful crunch on the outside and melting soft flakes inside, balanced with the tanginess of beetroot essence with candied citrus zest.

Right down to the excellent robluchon cheese course with its chewy texture countered with a savoury onion sauce, dessert of cheese bavarois and white peach sorbet and comforting coffee and doughnuts, the food at The French Laundry didn't skip a beat.

The ingredients were prime quality (although the beef was a tad disappointing), the execution was perfect and there remains an aura about it that may explain why it still maintains its three-star status.

It may be just clever marketing, but the fact that legions of diners around the world are still clamouring for a table show that The French Laundry will still be washing its fine linen for a long time yet.

This article was first published in The Business Times.