The best restaurant in North America

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Not a bad day, the Canucks knock out the Kings, and I bit the bullet made a reservation (earliest I could get was 2 months from now) at what is considered by many to be the best restaurant in North America and one of the top in the world, Thomas Keller's "The French Laundry".

Thomas Keller is like the Eric Clapton of the chef world. Not many who can touch him right now. This video is a great watch for anyone into food to see what the experience is like from Anthony Boudain's show.

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Nice! Enjoy it. If you think of it, would love to hear about it after your meal.

Also, is the Vancouver housing market as expensive as I hear? Any thoughts on the Vancouver pricing compared to the Bay Area (which I'm more familiar with)? (I'm working on getting to the west coast)
 

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His food cost has to be staggering and so the items on the menu? I wonder what he charges for a 20 course tasting menu? has to be in the $500 range.

Drew, when you go you think you could get a photo or 2 of the menu? Or, even better, take some snap shots of his food; after all it is photo worthy, lol. The guys a freak! Bourdain looked like he blew a wad in his pants about half way through that tasing.
 

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isn't blue fin tuna an endangered species?
 

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It is a great place to stuff yourself. Bring a few Cuban cigars and if Tom is there he will go to the garden and smoke with you while giving you free booze.
 

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His food cost has to be staggering and so the items on the menu? I wonder what he charges for a 20 course tasting menu? has to be in the $500 range.

Drew, when you go you think you could get a photo or 2 of the menu? Or, even better, take some snap shots of his food; after all it is photo worthy, lol. The guys a freak! Bourdain looked like he blew a wad in his pants about half way through that tasing.


I plan to take photos of every course, it's actually encouraged at the French Laundry. I think he busted out the 20 course tasting menu specially for Bourdain and the guests so they could experience the full range of his dishes. Normally there is a new menu almost every day(with some of the signature dishes staying the same) of about 10 courses. The price is fixed at $240 which includes gratuity. You can also made additions to the tasting menu which are usually around $30-$40 per course.

I've owned the book for a few years now and it's not only the quality of ingredients but the insanely tedious preparations they go through to get the absolute best flavours/textures. Very inspiring to see someone cooking at the level Keller is.
 

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Nice! Enjoy it. If you think of it, would love to hear about it after your meal.

Also, is the Vancouver housing market as expensive as I hear? Any thoughts on the Vancouver pricing compared to the Bay Area (which I'm more familiar with)? (I'm working on getting to the west coast)

It really is as expensive as you hear. Not sure if you've seen this site yet, but it's a little discouraging (and completely real), to say the least.

http://www.crackshackormansion.com
 

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Drew, if I ever owner a place myself, it would (menu) change on a daily basis. based on fresh ingrediants of that season and region and that region would not be Buffalo NY..LOL; there in lies the problem. (Buffalo NY)

My dream restaurant would seat 50 people at the most and would have 10-15 menu items at the most; with the exception of 4-5 dessert items at the most. I lean toward French techniques (intensley rich sauces) and properly cooked seasonel veggies.
 

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Went there about 1.5 years ago - there's like 10 different fucking salts from every sea you could imagine - place is really insane along with the bill - had a different bottle of wine for every course (good thing my dad was paying)
 

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It really is as expensive as you hear. Not sure if you've seen this site yet, but it's a little discouraging (and completely real), to say the least.

http://www.crackshackormansion.com


Thanks for the input.

Actually, I recently found out about that site... Like you said, I was not encouraged after spending a little time there.

Glad you mentioned Bourdain's show. I'm not a foodie, but love the show.
 

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It really is as expensive as you hear. Not sure if you've seen this site yet, but it's a little discouraging (and completely real), to say the least.

http://www.crackshackormansion.com
Surprised to be able to get as many right as I did. Nailed 13/16.

Simply look at neighbors and lot size. Location, location, location.

No different in parts of California. Million dollar homes that would go for 100k in almost anywhere else in the country because of where they are.

LOL @ the Bank of Canada one.
 

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This place looks excellent. I looked at the possibility of going while in California at the beginning of the year, but I was too late to even think about getting a reservation. I am a huge fan of exclusive dining such as this, and 240$ is a bargain price for an all day experience that will last a life time. I always make it a point to treat myself to at least one exceptional meal when on vacation, and sir, I think you picked a good one!

:103631605
 

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Drew, if I ever owner a place myself, it would (menu) change on a daily basis. based on fresh ingrediants of that season and region and that region would not be Buffalo NY..LOL; there in lies the problem. (Buffalo NY)

My dream restaurant would seat 50 people at the most and would have 10-15 menu items at the most; with the exception of 4-5 dessert items at the most. I lean toward French techniques (intensley rich sauces) and properly cooked seasonel veggies.

I'm on the same page as you as far as dream restaurants go, 50 seats is perfect. I would love to be able to do a nightly multi-course fixed tasting menu like Keller does, except maybe 5-6 courses. It's the kind of cooking I enjoy the most.
 

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Is It Listed Here In The Top 50 In The World

World's 50 best restaurants list released

By Sarah LeTrent and Kat Kinsman, Special to CNN


<script type="text/javascript">cnnAuthor = "By Sarah LeTrent and Kat Kinsman, Special to CNN";</script>
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/04/27/fifty.best.restaurants/index.html


CNN)
-- Danish cuisine reigns supreme, according to the some of the planet's most prominent eaters.

S. Pellegrino's annual "World's 50 Best Restaurants" list was released on Monday at a celebrity-chef-studded event in London, England, marking the ninth edition of the much buzzed-about (and hotly debated) catalogue of the international culinary landscape.


The No. 1 spot goes to Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark. The restaurant, helmed by chef René Redzepi, ranked No. 3 in 2009. The Guardian newspaper's restaurant critic Jay Rayner -- better known to U.S. food fans as a judge on "Top Chef Masters" -- agrees with the judges' decision.
Writes Rayner on The Guardian's food blog, "Is that the right result? Allowing for the fact that I think the rankings are far less interesting than the list itself, I would say, yes. Redzepi, the 32-year-old chef at Noma, pursues a regional, seasonal agenda that is right on the cutting edge: if it isn't available in the Nordic region, he won't cook with it. The result is a very idiosyncratic style of food that speaks to concerns about the way a global food culture turns our eating experiences a uniform beige."


Noma's ascension to the top slot ends the reign of a culinary titan.


After four consecutive years ranked as the World's Best Restaurant, Spanish restaurant El Bulli takes a seat at No. 2. However, that won't make it any easier to snag a table. Only 8,000 reservations are accepted every year, out of a reported million requests.


The dethroning of Catalonia's culinary king, Ferran Adrià, comes after his announcement of plans to close the Mecca of molecular gastronomy for two years in December 2011.


In 2014, the restaurant will reopen as a nonprofit foundation -- "a think tank of gastronomic creativity" for 20 to 25 young chefs. Despite the second-place finish, Adrià was still awarded Restaurant Magazine's Chef of the Decade honor.


The illustrious list is compiled by The World's 50 Best Restaurants Academy -- an 806-member panel of the globe's most venerated chefs, food critics, restaurateurs and gourmands.


"The list creates tremendous debate -- and it's meant to," according to the World's 50 Best release.


Eight of the restaurants crowned this year -- Alinea in Chicago, Illinois; Daniel, Per Se, Le Bernardin, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, wd~50 and Eleven Madison Park in New York; and The French Laundry in Yountville, California -- are in the United States, this year's most honored country.
Of the remaining 42 top finishers, six are in France; Spain and Italy each have five. Here is the full list:



1) Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark)
2) El Bulli (Roses, Spain)
3) The Fat Duck (Bray, England)
4) El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain)
5) Mugaritz (Errenteria, Spain)
6) Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy)
7) Alinea (Chicago, Illinois)
8) Daniel (New York)
9) Arzak (San Sebastián, Spain)
10) Per Se (New York)
11) Le Chateaubriand (Paris, France)
12) La Colombe (Cape Town, South Africa)
13) Pierre Gagnaire (Paris, France)
14) L'Hotel de Ville - Philippe Rochat (Crissier, Switzerland)
15) Le Bernardin (New York)
16) L'Astrance (Paris, France)
17) Hof Van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium)
18) D.O.M. (São Paolo, Brazil)
19) Oud Sluis (Sluis, Netherlands)
20) Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)
21) Steirereck (Vienna, Austria)
22) Vendôme (Bergisch Gladbach, Germany)
23) Chef Dominique (Helsinki, Finland)
24) Les Créations de Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)
25) Mathias Dahlgren (Stockholm, Sweden)
26) Momofuku Ssäm Bar (New York)
27) Quay Restaurant (Sydney, Australia)
28) Iggy's (Singapore)
29) L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Paris, France)
30) Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)
31) Le Quartier Français (Franschhoek, South Africa)
32) The French Laundry (Yountville, California)
33) Martin Berasategui (Lasarte-oria, Spain)
34) Aqua (Bath, England)
35) Combal Zero (Rivoli, Italy)
36) Dal Pescatore (Montava, Italy)
37) De Librije (Zwolle, Netherlands)
38) Tetsuya's (Sydney, Australia)
39) Jaan Par Andre (Singapore)
40) Il Canto (Siena, Italy)
41) Alain Ducasse Au Plaza Athénée (Paris, France)
42) Oaxen Krog (Oaxen, Sweden)
43) St. John (London, England)
44) La Maison Troisgros (Roanne, France)
45) wd~50 (New York)
46) Biko (Mexico City, Mexico)
47) Die Schwarzwaldstube (Baiersbronn, Germany)
48) Nihonryori RyuGin (Tokyo, Japan)
49) Hibiscus (London, England)
50) Eleven Madison Park (New York)
 

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