Sunday, January 27, 2008

Happy Birthday Forrest


For Forrest's 33rd birthday, I was able to share with him one of the most defining experiences of my life...a meal at The French Laundry. We had lunch there on Friday for four hours. It was wonderful, everything more than I remember!

I forgot to take a picture of the Cheese Gougeres..almost forgetting that I had a camera.

The now famous, Salmon canape. The cone is filled with creme fraiche.

Cauliflower panna cotta with caviar, please note the VERY generous heaping spoonful of caviar.

Truffled egg custard - not on the menu :) I have seen this in the cookbook and have only wondered about it. I believe Mike poured a wonderful '78 Madeira for this.

Forrest's Beet Salad with pickled onions and cucumber ball salad.

My gluttonous serving of foie gras au torchon. I don't care how much more that costs...I will always want it.

Selection of sea salts to go with the foie gras and the rest of our meal. Clockwise from the top: Hawaiian black salt from molokini, french fleur de sel, japanese salt in the wooden box, grey fleur de sel, hawaiin red clay salt from kauai and finally, jurassic salt from montana.

My fish course = Sea of Japan Bigfin Squid. This flippin calamari tasted like honey.

Forrest's fish course = Fillet of Pacific Kahala (a Hawaiian fish similar to Hamachi)

There is a lobster course in here and I forgot to take a picture of it because I inhaled it before I knew what was happening. But is was "Butter poached Maine Lobster"

Forrest's meat course = Liberty Farm Peking Duck

My meat course = Wagyu beef tartare with a crazy orange egg yolk = crazy delicious

I forgot to take a picture of the lamb course as well - ARG - that was also crazy delicious.

I also forgot to take a picture of the flippin cheese course.

Sorbet course to cleanse the palette before dessert. Comice pear sorbet - Super light and refreshing.

The famed "Coffee and Donuts" made its way to our table. It is no longer on the regular menu, but it is something that I have read about time and again. This is a quintessential TFL dish, much like th salmon canape, that captures the essence of the restaurant. Perfectly refined food that conjures up much savored memories that are playful, making the dining experience more than just about eating.

I also forgot to take a picture of our dessert course which was lovely and of all the other yummy treats they brought out to us once we were done with dessert. At this point, there is no blood left in the rest of my body because it has all concentrated onto my abdomen trying to digest my lunch.

The rest of the weekend was equally as gluttonous and joined by wonderful company of Molly, Mike and Forrest's parents. We had a crazy wine nerd kinda time.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG! French Laundry!!! How much did it cost you guys? Doesn't one of your friends work there. Lucky u!

I've never been..what'cha think? is it worth the $$$$!

Malibu Betty said...

The price there is $240 for the tasting menu (which already includes gratuity) but does not include wine.

It was my second time there and Forrest's first. I think it is worth every single penny - it is singularly the best food experience(s) of my life. It's one of those events where you are not thinking about price because it doesn't matter...it's THAT good.

Anonymous said...

it's $240pp right?

Malibu Betty said...

yes $240 per person.