Thread: San Fran & Napa food help?

French Laundry is overrated IMO. You eat there for the experience.
My friend used to be a chef at Manresa and they are really good. They have a few ex-French Laundry chefs and they think Manresa is better. Last time I talked to them they are really close to get the Michelin 3 star rating.

Another good place is El Paseo in Mill Valley. They have great wine and many our priced cheaper than what you can find in stores. We had a 75 Chateau Latour for an incredible price! The only thing is I wish they changed their menu more often.

And if you're in Napa take a drive up Hwy 29 and head over to Taylors Refresher. Some of the best burgers ever! And definitely order the sweet potato fries. Last time I was there it was a 45 min. wait but definitely worth it. Right across from the Merryvale winery.

Taylor's Automatic Refresher - Saint Helena, CA

Originally Posted by tsubasa650

French Laundry is overrated IMO. You eat there for the experience.
My friend used to be a chef at Manresa and they are really good. They have a few ex-French Laundry chefs and they think Manresa is better. Last time I talked to them they are really close to get the Michelin 3 star rating.

i doubt they'll get a 3rd star in this economic environment. i talk to the chef frequently (i am a great customer!) and he is, for obvious business reasons, clamping down on costs and extravagances. when the economy picks back up, and if they survive, i'd expect them to get the 3rd star.

Another good place is El Paseo in Mill Valley. They have great wine and many our priced cheaper than what you can find in stores. We had a 75 Chateau Latour for an incredible price! The only thing is I wish they changed their menu more often.

i've only ate one meal there but it was hit or miss. the wine list is definitely the best in the Bay Area (it actually has European wine at reasonable prices) but the food was too over-priced for the execution i got. but it was only one meal so it could have been an off day.

- chuck

Originally Posted by carendt242

i doubt they'll get a 3rd star in this economic environment. i talk to the chef frequently (i am a great customer!) and he is, for obvious business reasons, clamping down on costs and extravagances. when the economy picks back up, and if they survive, i'd expect them to get the 3rd star.



i've only ate one meal there but it was hit or miss. the wine list is definitely the best in the Bay Area (it actually has European wine at reasonable prices) but the food was too over-priced for the execution i got. but it was only one meal so it could have been an off day.

- chuck

The owner of El Paseo is a huge wine enthusiast and he has his own vineyard and sells very limited number of bottles. He has a nice car collection as well! The problem with El Paseo is that they don't have many chefs and they have Mexicans who are untrained that make some of the food. That's why they can't afford to switch menus every so often.
But the chef there who is a cute petite Japanese woman is very good and if you call in advance she will prepare a special menu.