The French Laundry, or “French Laundry,” is a well-known gastronomic French restaurant located in the small town of Yantil in California’s Napa Valley Winery, a true foodie’s paradise. Previously, this humble building from the beginning of the last century was home to a laundromat.
In spite of the world fame, walking along one of the streets of the wine district of Yonville, California, you can not even notice this restaurant – it looks very modest, and a small sign near the entrance is not especially conspicuous.
The head chef of the exquisite restaurant is Thomas Keller. For many years the restaurant occupies a leading place in the rating of the best restaurants, and also keeps its high status – 3 stars from the experts of the Michelin restaurant guide.
Grand Chef
Thomas Keller is recognized as one of the best chefs of our time. His main focus is the theory of organic cuisine. All ingredients used in the kitchen of The French Laundry restaurant are grown without the use of chemical, hormonal substances, on farms do not even use fertilizers or any fertilizers.
Thomas personally monitors the food supply and its quality. For example, the beef meat used in the kitchen is traced from the birth of the calf.
Cuisine and specialties
The restaurant offers two 9-course tasting lists – an author’s list and a vegetarian list, about $300 each. The lineup of dishes is updated daily, depending on the season, and there is also a main menu with fixed dish rates.
Signature dishes include ground fish fillet with lobster sauce, albigoa white truffle, waffles with marmalade filling, and Atlantic salmon tartare.
Particular attention is paid to dish appearance and serving. The portions of dishes in the restaurant are very small, but their taste will be remembered for a lifetime. The restaurant is considered one of the most expensive in the world; the tip is 18% of the order and it is included in the bill. In spite of the high prices the place is very popular and you should reserve a table in advance of two months before the desired date.
French Laundry is a place for important events, not for everyday relaxation.