Napa — Most Recent — Three-Star Epicure

Deep in the gorgeous Napa Valley is Christopher Kostow and Nathaniel Dorn's gorgeous Restaurant at Meadowood. With a country-library feel to its interior and a spotless 3-star experience, Meadowood is worth an evening's visit... or 10.

NAPA, CA, USA

SERVICE: 8.5/10

FOOD: 8.5/10

PRICE PAID: $290 PP (LIST PRICE- PRE-CHALLENGE)

VALUE/MONEY: 8.5/10

FINAL SCORE: 8.5/10

Though a bit notorious for the price tag of its Chef's Counter menu, I found Meadowood to be a tasteful and disciplined execution of French-inspired American cuisine that didn't overwhelm with snoot.

Christopher Kostow has held the three-star rating at Meadowood since 2011, and won the James Beard award for best chef of the West in 2013.

With a diverse career that has taken him to France as well as up and down California, Christopher has worked alongside such greats as Daniel Humm and Elizabeth Daniel.

Though low-lit (and hence not terribly photogenic), the lobby of the restaurant has roaring fireplaces, cozy chairs, and bookcases built into the walls with books piled high. A lovely space to kill thirty minutes before beginning the meal.

Place Setting- Stone + Flowers — Place Setting- Stone + Flowers

Our greeting once reaching tableside was this beautiful bouquet of dried flowers, hand picked from nearby fields. A lovely sandstone tablet, which appeared absurdly heavy, loomed on our table.

"Our version of chips and dip." Fried veggies from their own proprietary garden. Bright bell pepper flavors, and a very crunchy chip. Very tart. Cream cheese with strong sour cream flavors, and tastes of fermented red pepper. This is a strongly-flavored dish to start with! 8/10.

1st Course: Fermented Kohlrabi + Shinjuku Oyster, 8/10

The first course was an icy broth of fermented kohlrabi with strongly-flavored Shinjuku oysters. The cold temperature was a very pleasant surprise. 8/10.

A savory, briny Tobago dish: cherry tomato broth with geoduck (an enormous mollusk), clam, and nasturtium. Accompanied by a lovely yellow-green plant butter to the side. 8/10.

3rd Course: Abalone + Matsutake Pine Mushrooms 9/10

My first experience with Matsutake Pine mushrooms, together with a smooth broth. The Matsutake have a nice even spice to them that really stands out. Fascinating ingredients and a well-constructed dish. 9/10

4th Course: Daylily + Prawn + Caviar, 9/10

A gorgeous presentation of daylilies from garden, with caviar and prawn. Rich and salty, beautiful to look at and even better to taste. 9/10.

Next, some halibut caught on Ocean Beach near San Francisco with grilled, fermented squash meant to look like squeezable lemons. Beautifully presented but a bit dry, actually. 7/10.

A savory, refreshing duck tea to prep us for the protein main. 8/10.

7th Course: Lamb + Marigold + Plum, 9/10

The main show was this gorgeous and colorful morsel of dry-aged rack of lamb with a marigold and plum coating applied after service. Big, bold fruit and flower flavors punch through- a very good main. 9/10.

8th Course: Goat's Cheese + Grape Plant Cutting, 9/10

A classic follow-up of cheese- in this case Goat's cheese and a beautiful grape plant cutting. 9/10.

Most definitely my favorite course of the evening, both for the gorgeous colors and presentation as well as the unbelievable texture and taste- olive oil and fig. Cold yogurt beneath the figs; chocolate flavors throughout. I could eat fifty of these. 10/10

10th Course: Grilled Date + Walnut Oil, 8/10

Not that I had ever wondered what hommos ice cream tastes like, but after this dish I feel confident that I know. 8/10.

11th Course: "The Garden, Candied," 9/10

A social-media-ready dish of candied vegetables and chocolate. They pick whatever is fresh, candy it, and coat it in sugar. Very fun, and who would have thought that candied carrot makes a good dessert? 9/10.

Finally: a large, rich selection of chocolate babka, an interestingly holiday-oriented choice to finish off a late-summer menu. 9/10.

NAPA, CA, USA

SERVICE: 7.5/10

FOOD: 9.0/10

PRICE PAID: $420 PP (LIST PRICE- PRE-CHALLENGE)

VALUE/MONEY: 7.0/10

FINAL SCORE: 8.0/10

Thomas Keller's West Coast headquarters has a vertically-integrated farm that supplies fresh produce, and when I visited in mid-May 2015 they were operating out of a temporary kitchen. The kitchen was set up in what used to be a gorgeous, well-manicured garden that I hope some day returns.

A fun old standby that I have seen before at Per Se, the softness of the Scottish salmon plays off nicely against the crunchy cone. 8/10. The herbs give a bright, fresh taste.

First Bites Part 2: Gougère Cheese Balls, 8/10

Another replay from Per Se, these are pretty much the best cheesy poofs in the world. 8/10.

I'm starting to notice a pattern here- this completely outstanding dish that I continue to love every part of was also a holdover from Per Se. I guess there aren't too many folks who will be disappointed by the repetition of trying both restaurants in the same 6-week period. Two perfect oysters in a cream broth are matched up with a generous dab of Osetra-grade caviar, which evokes sensations of the sea and a multitude of earth-toned flavors. A decadent, delightful dish. 9/10.

The fennel salad came with preserved green strawberries and rhubarb- one of my favorite combinations in the world- and the combo works out perfectly. The greens are incredibly fresh, and smelled like that first moment you walk into a greengrocers who is stocking a fresh delivery. 9/10.

A bit on the heavy, buttery side, this small flank of sturgeon reeks of smoke that comes through well because the fish is so fresh and mild. 9/10.

Though I won't often make a big deal of sides, Thomas Keller has a great success here with his East- and West-coast butters, star of sea salts, and phenomenal fresh-baked breads. I enjoyed way more of these than I think you're supposed to in one sitting. 9/10.

Another out-of-the-park home run as far as pairings go- duck and cherries are another absolutely classic match that are executed close to perfectly by the French Laundry. The interplay of corn, cherry, and duck is totally stellar. 9/10.

This made for an almost-perfect keystone dish. The A5 Wagyu is as rich and marble-y as one could ask for, but the chefs decided to coat it in an offensively thick layer of salt. I had to scrape most of it off with my fork, because before doing so it virtually bit my tongue. After removing the salt, it is close to perfect. 8/10

A simple, fresh cheese played off fantastically against the mulberries, which I'll admit I've never had before. 8/10.

The assembly and presentation was what really made this dish sing- A strawberry tart with saffron and pineapple blossom guava stems. There were also tiny cubes of strawberry gelatin throughout, and the small stems made for an amazing texture. The thyme also conveyed a tea-like taste that I enjoyed. 9/10.

This buttermilk ice cream came with a small tres leches cake. There is a black pepper/jam kick that pairs with the buttermilk in a truly unique way. 9/10.

Yet another throwback to Per Se, a rod of chocolate with a creamy center is married up to some salted pretzel bits. A reliable crowd-pleaser. 8/10.

As the meal concluded, we were offered a selection of hand-made chocolates from a wonderful presentation case that showcased each chocolate, organized by color. The case was what made this for me- someone hand-built a display for these chocolates! 8/10.

Yet another classic Keller dish, the "coffee" is actually coffee-flavored ice cream with macarons. Perfectly tasty. 9/10.

USA- The Restaurant at Meadowood- ✪✪✪

NAPA, CA, USA

SERVICE: 8.5/10

FOOD: 8.5/10

PRICE PAID: $290 PP (LIST PRICE- PRE-CHALLENGE)

VALUE/MONEY: 8.5/10

FINAL SCORE: 8.5/10

USA- The French Laundry- ✪✪✪

NAPA, CA, USA

SERVICE: 7.5/10

FOOD: 9.0/10

PRICE PAID: $420 PP (LIST PRICE- PRE-CHALLENGE)

VALUE/MONEY: 7.0/10

FINAL SCORE: 8.0/10