Just got back and feel obliged to contribute a bit here after having read some of these reviews to prepare for the trip.
Bouchon:
French Bistro food done right, courtesy Thomas Keller. As I'm from the bay, I'm a fan of Keller's stuff and was excited to check this one out. Made a reservation for two well in advance; got placed in the outdoor seating by the pool where service (as well as customers) was non-existent. I asked to be reseated after 5 minutes passed without seeing any waitstaff. I blame the maitre 'd, who probably thought we were too young to have loot
As for the food, the pate was the best I've ever had, highly recommended. Also got an octopus salad (cutely labeled a "stew") which had the octopus prepared sous-vide (under pressure, a new, fancy cooking technique pioneered by Keller), which was decent but not up to par with the pate. The trout entree was delicate and recommended; the duck was a step up from standard bistro certainly, but not the best entree on the menu. Wine list was great. Overall, recommended. Total for 2 came to ~$200 after tip.
L'Atilier de Joel Robuchon:
If you are a fan of sampling and witnessing extraordinary cooking, this is your heaven. All parties of two sat along the bar, where we could watch the staff at work. Spotless kitchen, which proudly displayed Cerdo Negro (Black Iberian Pig) -- the wild pig from Portugal that eats only acorns, was unavailable in the US until 2008, and costs, well, an insane amount of money to enjoy (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jam%C3%B3n_ib%C3%A9rico).
I got the 10-course tasting menu, choosing the quail stuffed with foie gras as my "entree" dish. $149/pp is totally reasonable for a collection of mini-masterpieces of cuisine. The seasonal pumpkin soup, with an unevenly-cooked collection of chestnuts, was the only disappointment. Everything else was superb. Anytime I get to eat foie gras twice in a meal, I'm already hooked. [spoiler alert] The "pina colada" dessert featured...pop rocks! Yes, the candy rocks that pop in your mouth. You might think this is pure gimmick, but it was done tastefully, and added that bit of surprise you really hope to get in a meal of this caliber. Wine selection excellent, though I went with Sancerre by the glass ($22), and finished with a chimay blonde (for which they thoroughly cleaned the tap before serving, an extra plus). Staff was superb. Highly recommended++. Total tab for 2 was $480 after tip.
Two Plus Two
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