Trying to nab a reservation at Thomas Keller's Wine Country restaurant has become infamous. The restaurant accepts reservations two months in advance, and to get through, most people keep their phone on redial. If you don't call that day, your chances of getting in are slim. Still, it's worth the effort. No chef comes as close as Keller in producing combinations that emulate the three-star restaurants in France. The interior fulfills that idyllic Michelin fantasy, too -- the exposed stone of the century-old French laundry is still visible in some of the cozy rooms, and an impressive herb garden beckons diners to stroll before, during or after a multicourse meal that can go on for hours.
Cuisine: French-Californian Specialities: Five-course vegetable menu; bacon-wrapped monkfish with a cassoulet of pole beans; squab with melted savoy cabbage, truffles and foie gras; coconut bavarois with roasted pineapple. Seats: 62 Prices: $115-$135 (fixed-price menu) Parking: Free lot and street Vitals: 6640 Washington St. (near Creek), Yountville; (707) 944-2380. Lunch Friday-Sunday; dinner daily. Beer and wine. Reservations and credit cards accepted.
