RESTAURANTS • Fine Dining Report
STILL STARCHED: On a recent visit, newly promoted chef Ara Jo and her team crafted what was perhaps the best meal I’ve ever had at The French Laundry. The cuisine felt more ambitious and playful than ever, yet still deeply rooted in culinary traditions, anchored by a distinct sense of place.
Among the early seafood canapés, Nashville hot fried lobster claws stood out. Later, salt-baked whole abalone from Santa Barbara, first presented tableside in its shell, stole the show. Served over a porridge made from Koshihikari rice, crowned with Regiis Ova Golden Reserve caviar, it was a dish of immense depth, finesse, and luxury.
Truffle service was another particular highlight of my first visit with Jo at the helm. While TFL’s classic housemade tagliatelle is always a treat, it couldn't compete with the black truffle and “King Richard leek” Wellington, made invisible under a hefty downpour of Australian Black Winter truffles. The night ended with a cigar from the in-house humidor, enjoyed in the courtyard along with an extensive spirits list. –Lee Pitofsky
→ The French Laundry (Yountville, CA) • 6640 Washington St • 4-8p • Reserve.
→ NO PREP, NO CLEANUP WITH COOKUNITY (Nationwide): The people train. The chef’s fuel. Power your performance with high-protein, chef-crafted meals. Choose from 300+ rotating, heat-and-eat dishes made fresh and delivered to your door. CookUnity makes it effortless to eat like you train: smart, strong, and without compromise. Order gourmet meals now. [spon]
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Johnny drama
The Skinny: At the Hotel Bijou, the former Gibson space has been revived by Ciaorigato, a restaurant owing its portmanteau of a name to its aim of fusing Italian and Japanese cuisine. Owner Dario Nicotra and executive chef Marco Avila are also behind another fusion spot, Modi, the Italian-Mexican spot that debuted last year at Salesforce Transit Center.