All posts by Heart2Heart

This was our real reason for going towards Napa Valley.  We drove around 2 hours from San Mateo to Yountville.  We were so lucky to get a reservation at The French Laundry! What a blessing!  Hoping we could come back and stay overnight to tour Napa Valley  

Across the restaurant is the organic garden of French Laundry

The garden of the restaurant – How I wish they would convert it to more restaurant space so more people can dine without having a hard time reserving 🙂 or maybe even part of it 🙂

Ground floor

Love the flowers on the stairs

Second floor and our table

Love the laundry pin which they eventually gave to us as a souvenir

They had two menus – one vegetarian

And the Degustation.  One of the most unforgettable meals I have had in my lifetime 🙂  What a great opportunity and blessing this is!  Grateful!

Bread basket – you can take as much as you want 🙂

Love the butter!! At the end of the dinner, they give you a folder and it includes a list of all their purveyors

The photos will show the complete meal with all the supplements

Assortment of desserts! I wish I got all the names.  This is the most desserts I have ever had in my life!  And it was amazing until the end    

Wow!! Chocolates!!  Again take as much as you like! Peanut Butter & Jelly, Salted Caramel, Cashew and Passionfruit, S’mores, Dark Chocolate Mint, Hazelnut and Dirty Martini

We could not finish everything, it’s a good thing they gave us this bag 

with our menu and giveaway which was shortbread in a French Laundry tin can 🙂 

The book of Purveyors.  It’s so nice how Chef Thomas Keller gives importance to this.  He even printed a nice booklet

Click below to go to their website

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We drove towards Napa Valley and went to Yountville for dinner.  We were early so we followed the recommendation of my friend Triccie to pass by Bouchon bakery

WOW!! LOVE!

Gigantic macarons 🙂  and very delicious

Everything looked so good!! And because it was before dinner, of course we were hungry.  Mom bought some and they offered to bring it to our dinner restaurant which is the sister restaurant of Bouchon 🙂  

Show kitchen

Love the names of the pastries

click below to go to their website

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After having two meals in PAL – dinner and breakfast upon arrival,  James is still hungry arriving at 830pm San Francisco time 🙂  Good thing Pepe knows where to take us!  He told us that in Old Town Sushi there is always a line – so of course I am curious and agreed to try it

An extensive menu!

But I am here for the rolls! I love American Japanese rolls.  James doesn’t but I  like trying and having variety

I wish I could try all! 🙂

But Pepe told us that one of the popular rolls here is the Number 1 roll and true enough I saw almost every table order this! So I ordered it

Oh my gosh! This is the highest roll I have ever seen and tasted 🙂  I LOVE IT! 🙂  The mound is made out of kani.  I liked it but maybe next time I will ask them not to put anymore the hot sauce

View from the back!  We were three and we could not finish this 

James on his healthy mode – everything grilled

James likes Japanese because it’s healthy and yummy of course.  There are so many Japanese restaurants in the area! In one street there could be 10 🙂   

We went to Dash in San Mateo as recommended by our friend, Carlo. The place was full so they put us in the Sushi bar which was perfect for us

Anago for me! I love Anago! A bit different from the usual. James said they don’t usually serve you this long a piece, they only serve the prime parts.  But this is okay for me, I still enjoyed it 

Tuna sashimi for James!  Now I know why he lost 30 pounds!

Another recommendation by Carlo also in San Mateo

As usual James orders the most simple with no frills since it is healthier

 This is mine 🙂  Avocado is something I don’t really eat but it’s almost in every roll, the Americans love it and they say its very healthy.  It’s a good thing when it is together with other ingredients I do not get to really taste it 🙂  I got the Dragon roll which had tempura, unagi, avocado, mani and cucumber  

Close up! Oishi!

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