so apparently one is not allowed to have heard of the french laundry but not be particularly interested in going? or is it just that that makes me such an uncultured fool that you don't care about my opinion on party size? ;)
I thought about that. If you don't think much about the place, you probably haven't spent a lot of time thinking about best party sizes to enjoy it. Or have you? What're your conclusions? And why are you thinking about things you don't want to do? :)
From what I recall, if you are a party of eight or more, you can book up to a year in advance, whereas smaller parties have to do the two-months-to-the-day-good-luck-getting-through reservation roulette. That alone would make me want to go in a larger party.
As you may recall, this is how my party did it, and it was entirely worthwhile. We were raucus and had a blast, and though I think I'd like to go sometime as a couple, it's hard for me to imagine it being better that way, just different.
I'd very much like to go to The French Laundry, but they've raised their prices to astronomical levels. When in Napa we usually go to La Toque, where the food is every bit as good. (I'm sure the service doesn't compare, of course.)
when i click on the second poll, it keeps tell me i do'nt have permission to see that poll, even though it says "open to all, results open to all" at the top. weird.
anways: french laundry. i want to go there someday, a lot. i've never yet been able to get a resrvation (and i haven't had flexible enough travel times where i can get a reservation, and THEN make travel plans). but everything i've heard about it is great.
if you're in that part of the country anyways, my uncle, who has been to both more than once, actually liked restaurant gary danko better, and i certainly had a fantastic meal when i was there.
personally, when going to restaurants like that, i like to go in a small group -- too many people is now fun, but 4-6 is about right, since you get to try more things that way (if you are the type of people to share among plates...)
4-6 is about right, since you get to try more things that way
Of course, at the FL, it's a tasting menu, so everyone gets the same thing, anyway, unless you have vegetarians. (And, frankly, it's hard for me to imagine the vegetarian menu being worth the money, a difficulty that has been supported by my two vegetarian friends who ate there.)
It wasn't until the very last question that I had any inkling that The French Laundry was anything other than a froofy laundromat. Meanwhile, I was puzzled about why you'd take a group of people to such a place.
Now I'm puzzled about why someone would name a restaurant after a place where you'd wash dirty clothes.
Part of me says I'd be happy to join your party... but another part wonders how the FL compares with his newer NYC restaurant Per Se. Take the money I'd spend on airfare and get a really good bottle of wine instead :)
BTW - did I tell you that Tam's dad knew Thomas Keller? Back in the 80s we had dinner at his first restaurant in NYC, RaKel. This was after his apprenticeships at Taillevent in Paris, but before he opened the FL...
That dinner was one of the best I'd ever had... it would be great to see where he's gone from there.
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no subject
Date: 2007-02-12 06:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-12 06:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-12 06:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-12 06:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-12 07:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-12 07:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-12 08:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-12 08:59 pm (UTC)With whatever size party pleases you most. Turning 40 was fun, and you should have fun with it.
Lauren
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Date: 2007-02-13 06:42 pm (UTC)Kimberly
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Date: 2007-02-12 09:11 pm (UTC)I'd very much like to go to The French Laundry, but they've raised their prices to astronomical levels. When in Napa we usually go to La Toque, where the food is every bit as good. (I'm sure the service doesn't compare, of course.)
Hmm. Well, keep me in the loop....
no subject
Date: 2007-02-13 06:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-12 09:46 pm (UTC)anways: french laundry. i want to go there someday, a lot. i've never yet been able to get a resrvation (and i haven't had flexible enough travel times where i can get a reservation, and THEN make travel plans).
but everything i've heard about it is great.
if you're in that part of the country anyways, my uncle, who has been to both more than once, actually liked restaurant gary danko better, and i certainly had a fantastic meal when i was there.
personally, when going to restaurants like that, i like to go in a small group -- too many people is now fun, but 4-6 is about right, since you get to try more things that way (if you are the type of people to share among plates...)
no subject
Date: 2007-02-13 03:01 am (UTC)Of course, at the FL, it's a tasting menu, so everyone gets the same thing, anyway, unless you have vegetarians. (And, frankly, it's hard for me to imagine the vegetarian menu being worth the money, a difficulty that has been supported by my two vegetarian friends who ate there.)
no subject
Date: 2007-02-13 09:26 pm (UTC)a party of me!
Date: 2007-02-13 12:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-13 02:54 am (UTC)Now I'm puzzled about why someone would name a restaurant after a place where you'd wash dirty clothes.
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Date: 2007-02-13 06:31 pm (UTC)http://www.frenchlaundry.com/tfl/tfloverview.htm
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Date: 2007-02-13 04:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-13 06:35 pm (UTC)Thomas Kellar Is My Master Now.
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Date: 2007-02-13 06:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-13 07:00 pm (UTC)That dinner was one of the best I'd ever had... it would be great to see where he's gone from there.