French Laundry: Thomas Keller's Napa Suggestions
 

We sat down with Thomas Keller recently to hear his top picks for a Napa weekend.

I was curious if any of you had visited the haunts he mentions:
http://www.fodors.com/top_chef_travels/

Well, sit down with a local or two for a change! :)
Absolutely nothing new or particularly
special, IMHO. As a Sonoma County local who has ample opportunity to go over the hill, it's sort of sad to see all these heavily marketed places that are mentioned over and over and over and over and over. Now I know why the
CA Wine Country restaurant list on the site is so out of date !

((R))
R5

While I don't see much "new" either, I'm NOT bothered by the best places still being recognized. And I didn't see a title saying "the hottest new scene in Napa". The recommendation of Mustard's Grill makes me smile -- the first place we ever ate in Napa and it is as good today as it was then -- a worthwhile mention. I'd rather see a list of the great classic places mentioned rather than the "hot new" places that are here today and gone tomorrow. Over the years we've also tried a lot of the newest "hot spots" and some are gone the next time we return. Give me the great classic places anytime.

Auberge du Soleil may be "heavily marketed" but that's because it is still one of the finest run and most spectacular places in the area. I don't call the mention of such places "outdated".

Whom(Who?) are you quoting on saying the list was "outdated" ? There are quite a few "best places" missing from Keller's and Fodor's list.
Some are quite long lived and classics in my book. So, my guess the "heavy marketing" works and keeps the out of towners away, which is, in some ways for us who frequent and enjoy them, a blessing!

R5

"Now I know why the
CA Wine Country restaurant list on the site is so out of date !"

"Whom(Who?) are you quoting on saying the list was "outdated" ?"

My mistake. I thought you were trying to make a connection between the two.

Meanwhile, thanks for the "new" recommendations, razzle.

Hey razzie, how's the leg?

The list <i>is</i> out of date considering some of the gems they missed- and many of those gems are in Sonoma County, (yet should be part of
the CA Wine Country listing, IMHO.)
Don't want to step on those tender Napa
toes !
Thanks, Patrick for being your usual pithy self. I've been gone awhile
so good to have the same old vibe, LOL!

Dine on, dear !
R5

I'm with R5 on this, mainly because she has given priceless information on her areas of Napa and Sonoma on Fodors' forums.

Take Keller's recommendation of Quintessa Vineyards, for example. Quintessa is for the young and beautiful and the young-and-beautiful-wannabes. In other words, it's more a place to see and be seen, rather to taste superb wine.

I do believe that most of the people who go there have no idea how to tell a good wine from a bad. Been there once and not again. Parking is not ideal, but it's located on the Silverado Trail, a major road for visiting different wineries in Napa.

Anyhoos, there are a lot more better wines to be sampled in Napa than at Quintessa, IMHO.

If you want to know what to do and where to eat in Napa or Sonoma, you can't go wrong asking R5! ((d))

I apologize profusely. I did not realize that the article was titled &quot;THE ABSOLUTE DEFINITIVE LIST OF THE TOP CURRENT PLACES IN NAPA&quot;. I thought it was just a list of good places to visit in Napa. Sorry for my error.

I apologize profusely. I did not realize that the article was titled &quot;THE ABSOLUTE DEFINITIVE LIST OF THE TOP CURRENT PLACES IN NAPA&quot;. I thought it was just a list of good places to visit in Napa.

I also didn't realize that Katie was asking for a critique on the CA Wine Country Restaurant List. I mistakenly thought she was asking for feedback on whether of not anyone had visited any of the places in the article she mentioned.

Sorry for my errors.

I dont mean to hijack the thread and I apologize beforehand but since there is no private messaging here....

Razzle I have a thread called 'Backpacking wine country?' and since you are from the area I would appreciate it if you could take a look and post any suggestions. A local's input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again, and sorry.

By the way, razzledazzle, you may call me &quot;pithy&quot; and insult me all you want, but if you look back at the original post, you will see that at least I answered it. Can you explain what your post did other than to point out what a horrible article it was and then basically say &quot;I know many much better places but I'm not going to tell you what they are?&quot; What's the point of saying &quot;those suggestions are lousy&quot; without suggesting something else instead? Yea, that was a really worthwhile and valuable post, wasn't it?

Oy! Let's bury the hatchet.

To clear a few things up:

Top Chef Travels is a 6-week segment of interviews we have had with a variety of big name chefs. Next up on Friday is Bobby Flay's NYC. The recommendations in the interview are those of the chef (obviously).

In regards to our Napa guide here on the site; California 2008 will be out in January. Additions to that guide will than make their way here. In the meantime, winery and restaurant suggestions, as always, are welcome. Posting them here helps others out, but you can also send them along to [email protected].

I found razzles comments well placed and appropriate to the subject at hand.

What I didn't find appropriate was the following attack. I value razzles opinion and hope she is still onboard to guide me when I make it you Napa in the future.

Napa, schnappa. What Keller pointed out was the most expensive restaurants and most obvious wineries ...Opus One? Yeah, it's worth a visit, but you'll have to shell out 25 bucks for a sip. It didn't even rate 90 points in the last 2 Wine Spectators, but that's not the point here. The thing is, he's obviously not going to spill any beans about true charmers out there. St Helena? Sure, stay there and fight traffic the whole time. There are some really incredible wineries tucked away off various side roads and plenty of good places to dine that won't cost you an arm and a leg. But that would be SO beneath him, right?
Yeah, razzle, we speak the same language.

&quot;The thing is, he's obviously not going to spill any beans about true charmers out there.&quot; - neither do we, right? :))

kealalani, not to beat a dead horse, but what remarks did you feel answered the original post -- &quot;I was curious if any of you had visited the haunts he mentions&quot;?

And I assume the &quot;attack&quot; you mention was the first one I see in this thread &quot;Thanks, Patrick for being your usual pithy self. I've been gone awhile
so good to have the same old vibe, LOL!&quot;
Or was that remark OK because it was to me, not to razzledazzle?

For the record, I too have seen razzledazzle's posts on Sonoma and Napa and they are wonderful. She has much to offer (although for some reason chooses not to on this thread), but that wasn't my point.

Expensive suggestions from Keller -- well, sure. What would you expect from the owner of a place like The French Laundry? And yes, some of them are obvious plugs for partners. Do we really want to believe he wants to plug a little winery where you get a great $10 bottle, so when someone comes into his place they'll say &quot;we'll order that cheap wine you recommended&quot; instead of ordering the Opus One. He may not be original in his recommendations, but he's not a stupid businessman, either!

So, why doesn't Fodor's try something like this....
Fodors asks the owners of William Harrison winery,William Harrison and Mario Perelli-Minetti, whose family has been growing wine in the Napa Valley for over 100 years, to share true insider secrets about their favorite wineries, restaurants and lodging.

Wouldn't that be great reading?

How could you possibly interpret the word pithy as an attack? I interpret it as a compliment.

Pithy-def: having substance and point; tersely cogent.

Oh, I just thought she had a lisp. LOL

Oy, Katie there is no such item to bury !
:-?
Patrick, I truly meant no offense
((L))
Be proud you are/can be pithy ! It's a good thing !
((Y))
I couldn't navigate NYC without your posts, my dear, and I thank YOU for that.

Thank you for supplying the poper
definition, SAB
@};-

Now, after I come back this PM from getting the body cast off, (LOL)(Bill, you'll have mail)
I'll be in a happier place. I will attempt to share my other CA WC faves prior to the deadline-(when is that Katie ?) Linda has a few she can mention that we &quot;share&quot;that are missing from the list.

ET,Linda &amp; gyppie, thank you for your comments, oh kindred ones. :)
Sonoma County eateries(sp?) are not getting the kudos
they so richly deserve.
((*)) ((*)) ((*)) ((*))

Yet, others must share in adding the missing gems, tell a friend, take a look at the current CA Wine Country restaurant list -what's missing? let's build a proper list then !

Here are a few to start:
<b>ZAzu
K&amp;L Bistro
Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen</b>

&quot;Why&quot; will have to wait 'til after the docs. Now that I'm hungry may have to wait until after a late lunch.

((R))
R5

PS to vaxathrax, I will cruise for your backpacking thread after my MD vist !

Oh I know razzle--- I meant it partially in jest. Perhaps I just like saying the word, &quot;Oy!&quot;. *&gt;:D&lt;

In any case, thanks for your recommendations. I've forwarded them to the California editor to see if perhaps they have been included in the next edition.

I've never been to the Wine Country myself but it's definitely on my must-do list.