California Official Visitor's Guide 2018 - 39

The French
Laundry

FOOD-FOCUSED

Hotels
ADDISON AT FAIRMONT
GRAND DEL MAR
SAN DIEGO

THE FRENCH
LAUNDRY
YOU N T V I L L E

PROVIDENCE
LOS ANGELES
Ever since its Hollywood debut in 2005, Providence
has been an unwavering beacon of tasting menus
and tableside preparation. A 2017 dining room
makeover, which added custom damask wallpaper
and deep blue velvet upholstered chairs, underscores the restaurant's commitment to elevating
the guest experience. Sustainability is the guiding
principle of the seafood-centric menu, and chefowner Michael Cimarusti cuts no corners, sourcing
only wild-caught products, mostly from American
waters. Multiple tasting menus are offered nightly,
the seasonal version perhaps best representing
Cimarusti's talents. providencela.com

For more than 20 years, chef
Thomas Keller has pursued perfection, not just in the execution
of his French-meets-California
cuisine but in every detail of the
customer experience. From the
moment you step foot in the
famous timber and river-stone
cottage, Keller and his team
anticipate your every want
and desire. Keller is a master
of the perfect bite, and though
portions are small, they're also
intensely rich. The nearly threeacre garden across the street is
his biggest muse (arrive early
and wander the plot); however,
he elevates heirloom produce
like petite plum purple radishes
with luxurious items like caviar,
foie gras, and truffles. No single
ingredient is repeated throughout the nine-course meal. The
restaurant's "Bread and Butter"
is treated with just as much
fanfare as the charcoal-grilled
Japanese wagyu.
thomaskeller.com/tfl

Thomas Keller has called chef
William Bradley "the future of
our profession," praising his
refined simplicity. At Addison,
Bradley orchestrates extraordinary multicourse menus with a
SoCal meets France bent.
addisondelmar.com
NORMA'S AT THE PARKER
PA L M S PR I NG S

Brunch on the sprawling patio
at Norma's, a Palm Springs institution, is a half-day affair. The
banana-macadamia flapjacks
are well worth a deviation from
any low-carb diet.
theparkerpalmsprings.com
LUCIA AT BERNARDUS
LODGE & SPA
CARMEL

Chef Cal Stamenov's fourcourse tasting menu honors
the local bounty in dishes like
Monterey wild salmon with
succotash, featuring vegetables
from the on-site garden.
bernarduslodge.com
TERRANEA
R A N C H O PA L O S V E R D E S

Terranea's culinary immersion package gives guests
a deep dive into the resort's
farm-to-table philosophy, with
interactive workshops like sea
salt harvesting, sommelier-led
wine tastings, and a chef's table
dinner. terranea.com
THE RESTAURANT AT
MEADOWOOD
S T. H E L E NA

A meal at this three-Michelinstar restaurant is remarkable
every night, but for a truly
special experience, book tickets
to one of Meadowood's 12 Days
of Christmas dinners featuring
some of the world's most
renowned chefs. therestaurant
atmeadowood.com

Providence

VISITCALIFORNIA.COM

| 39

http://www.addisondelmar.com http://www.theparkerpalmsprings.com http://www.providencela.com http://www.bernarduslodge.com http://www.thomaskeller.com/tfl http://www.terranea.com http://www.therestaurantatmeadowood.com http://www.therestaurantatmeadowood.com http://www.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of California Official Visitor's Guide 2018