Critics say world's best restaurant is French - but in California - Two month waiting list

The Daily Telegraph ^ | April 29, 2003 | Michael Paterson

[Cincinatus' Wife]

A British-dominated panel of food critics has decreed that the best place to eat in the world is the French Laundry, a French restaurant run by Americans in California.

Eleven of the top 50 restaurants are in Britain, up from five last year, according to the Restaurant magazine poll of 300 chefs and restaurant reviewers.

The French Laundry opened in 1994 in a two-storey 1890s steam laundry in Yountville, Napa Valley. Thom Hetherington, of Restaurant, said: "The stunning location in the hills of the Napa Valley was a big plus factor. But their cuisine was deemed better than any restaurant in France because, while they had a French-trained chef, they were not restricted by the more conservative tastes of many French clientele." There is a two-month waiting list for customers to pay around £80 a head plus wine.

Britain's highest-rated restaurant, at five, was Gordon Ramsay's establishment bearing his name in Chelsea, west London. According to the magazine, it only slipped from second in last year's inaugural list because of the exceptional standard of those above it. Mr Hetherington said the poll was dominated by British tastes, although voters were based around the world.

The top 10 were: 1 French Laundry, California; 2 El Bulli (last year's No 1), north of Barcelona; 3 Le Louis XV, Monaco; 4 Jean Georges, New York; 5 Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London; 6 L'Arpege, Paris; 7 Comme chez Soi, Brussels; 8 Rockpool, Sydney; 9 L'Ambroisie, Paris; 10 Gramercy Tavern, New York.

The Merchant House, in Ludlow, Shrops, was 14th and was awarded the prize for Outstanding Value restaurant.

[goldstategop]

How 'bout that. Best French cuisine is in Napa Valley, California! Bwahahaha!!!

[bluefish]

I ate there once. Requested ketchup for my steak and the cook came out of the kitchen swinging a meat cleaver.

OK, not really. I've seen that scenariou enough on T.V. This would be a fun place to to try it.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Better get your reservations in now.

French Laundry

[Always Right]

These critics obviously never ate at a White Castle...

[Green Knight]

"Can she have the chicken?"

"Can she have ze chicken?"

...

"She can have ze chicken."

[goldstategop]

Thomas Keller is a reowned chef. The best reason for tasting all those little dishes is joie de vivre. And you maybe get to do this once in your life.

[river rat]

There are a lot of things the Brits do well...
But eating well, or cooking is not among them..

A Brit dominated food judging team.....should be highly suspect..

I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that the REALLY best eating place in the world --- is in Japan.

I've had more REALLY fine meals in Japan - than anywhere I've been....including Europe.

Semper Fi

[KeyWest]

They obviously missed Fat Boy's in Brunswick, Maine.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

There are a lot of things the Brits do well... But eating well, or cooking is not among them..

I know. Their taste buds may be lacking but they more than make up for that, from what I've seen in Iraq, in other ways.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The best reason for tasting all those little dishes is joie de vivre. And you maybe get to do this once in your life.

A much better way to spend the money than plucking it down at Disneyland!

[mtbopfuyn]

Still find it humourous that 3 were in USA. I've never liked greasy French food and their wait staff are way too anal.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I missed that one. Next time I'm in Brunswick, Maine, I'll check it out. How long is their waiting list?

[Yeti]

OMG, did you see that menu?!?! Yum!

It made me feel like Gilligan in the Jekyll/Hyde episode of Gilligan's island.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It's quite a spread.

[AndyJackson]

There are a lot of things the Brits do well... But eating well, or cooking is not among them.. I know. Their taste buds may be lacking but they more than make up for that, from what I've seen in Iraq, in other ways.

The world would be much better off if these folks would stay in their lane, you know, the French staying with wine and food and completely staying out of politics and war. Likewise, the Brits would be very well advised to stay clear of the kitchen.

A joke. In heaven: The cooks are French, the mechanics German, the police British, the lovers Italian, and the Swiss run the whole place. In Hell: The cooks are British, the police German, the mechanics French, the lovers Swiss, and the whole place is run by the Italians.

[kcvl]

Contemporary American with French influences
Dinner: $120 Chef's Tasting Menu
$105 Five Course Prix Fixe Menu with choices
$80 Five Course Prix Fixe Vegetarian Menu

http://www.sterba.net/yountville/frenchlaundry/

[kcvl]

[kcvl]

Keller is the founder and owner of EVO, Inc., a nationally distributed retail line of premium California olive oils and vinegar.

[Winniesboy]

"There are a lot of things the Brits do well...
But eating well, or cooking is not among them.. "

If I may say so, an EXTREMELY out of date view. There has been an eating revolution in the UK in the last twenty years or so, reflected not only at the top end in the wide range of world class restaurants, in many regional centres as well as London: but also in the huge interest in and involvement in quality domestic cooking. You get some sense of this (but it's only a superficial sense) from the colour supplements of any of the broadsheet press, or the enormous popularity of "celebrity chef" programmes on UK TV. Yes, it is still possible to eat badly in the UK, just as it's possible to eat badly in France or indeed the US: but that's now only a small part of a much bigger picture.