After walking around in the cold all morning, we drove back down to Anderson Valley in search of sunshine - such a drastic difference in climate! We did more wine tasting at Roederer Estate. I thought their sparkling wines would be really good since they are owned by the French producers of Cristal...wrong! We had a much better experience at our next winery, Meyer Family Cellars. The Meyers were the original founders of Silver Oak and sold it in 2001. Silver Oak still makes great wine, however, it is much more 'commercial' now. The son of the family, Matt Meyer, then started this winery. B and I actually talked to Matt and his wife, Karen, for a while and learned a lot about their wines. It was such a rare treat to talk to the owners/winemakers, and they were so friendly and down-to-earth! (I call it serendipity: although I rarely order syrahs, our waiter had recommended the Meyer syrah at a restaurant. The wine turned out to be excellent, and I then realized that it was also the same winery that made the beloved port that I had bought at Silver Oak several years ago...and here we are!)
After taking one of my rare naps (like I said this trip was all about relaxation!), we headed to Cafe Beaujolais for dinner. The restaurant is inside a charming, yellow farmhouse in the heart of Mendocino. Inside, the decor is simple and elegant. The sage walls were framed with white molding, and everything was illuminated by candles and the soft overhead lighting. It had the feel of an intimate, yet modern bistro. We were immediately greeted by a very friendly and inviting hostess (and no, I wasn't just buttered up by the way she and the other hostess kept complimenting my dress; everyone at the restaurant was quite friendly). Our waiter was excellent -- he recommended some fantastic wines to complement our meal, was very knowledgable about the menu, and was able to describe the preparations of the dishes and the ingredients in great detail. (Pet peeve: when I ask about a dish, and the waiter says exactly what is written on the menu)
I know this sounds bad, but I can not remember what I had for my appetizer. (This is what I get when I wait too long before I write about it! Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of it either.) I think I had the crab cakes, but it must not have been memorable since good food usually sticks in my mind. For my entree, I had the arugula-stuffed organic free-range chicken on a bed of prosciutto and asparagus hash with champagne jus. The chicken was nicely roasted on the outside and juicy on the inside. The rich flavor of the champagne jus really accentuated the taste of the chicken. The hash was good, but could have used something tart or acidic to brighten it up.
I then had the chocolate lava cake with Tahitian vanilla ice cream for dessert. Since my ears automatically perk up when I hear anything with the words "warm/lava/molten" and "chocolate cake" together, I have had this type of dessert a LOT and my bar is pretty high. This dessert was wasn't bad, but left something to be desired...it didn't have that warm, rich gooey center. Overall, the food was good (not great), but the warmth and elegance of the ambience and staff make Cafe Beaujolais feel special.
BITE METER:
Roederer Estate - 2.0 bites (out of 5)
Meyer Family Cellars - 4.5 bites (out of 5)
Cafe Beaujolais - 3.7 bites (out of 5)
The restaurant is located inside the posh 
Warm Preparation of Asparagus and Sea Spider Crab – The frothy crab foam added a fun and light touch to the asparagus. Although I couldn’t see it, I could taste the wonderful crab flavor in the fluffy, airy foam. 
Cold Preparation of Creamed Asparagus and Sea Spider Crab – I really enjoyed eating this dish – digging into the creamy asparagus pudding and finding the sweet, succulent crab meat at the bottom…a buried treasure.
Roasted Blue Lobster in Spicy Curry Sauce – What a feast for the eyes (and lips)! I was captivated by the bold colors – never have I seen such vibrant red in lobster before. This dish also contained a myriad of different tastes and textures. One would think with so much going on, this dish could be muddled or overwhelming, but each component enhanced the other – the meaty roasted lobster, drenched in rich curry sauce, sprinkled with thin, crunchy coconut slides and tiny tapioca pearls, garnished with crispy fried Thai basil – a wonderful medley! (Btw, this was totally different than the lobster curry entree I had at 
Just when I think I am done being wowed, Sébastien wheels over a beautiful silver cart with a whole chicken. Now I’ve enjoyed many tableside preparations before, but never has chicken been special enough to be featured. (I later learned that Bresse chicken is a highly coveted breed of chickens only raised in France). Sebastien is a pro with the carving knife and deftly slices up the breast for us. 
Bresse Chicken Fricassée, Sweetwater Crawfish, and Spring Vegetables – Never have I had such incredible chicken in my life! It’s hard to describe because this was unlike any other chicken that I’ve ever had, the flavors were so uniquely clean and pure. It was served at just the right temperature, leaving the meat deliciously moist and juicy. The skin was also perfectly roasted and well seasoned. Although the crawfish and vegetables were on the side, they were just as tasty as the chicken. Growing up near Louisiana, I’ve been spoiled by a lot of fresh crawfish, but I have to say it has never been as sweet and succulent as it was in this dish. 
The dark meat of the Bresse Chicken in pureed baby peas
This is the mother of all cheese carts. There were at least 40 different cheeses under the enormous glass dome. I loooooooooove cheese and felt like a kid in a candy shop…so many cheeses, so hard to chose. [Clearly my wine consumption has affected my ability to focus the camera.] 
Aged Comté, Munster-Géromé, Fourme d’Ambert Blue, Triple Cream Brie – Although I was kindly encouraged to have as many cheeses as I wanted, I restrained myself and chose four (plus I knew I could taste the cheese selections that B picked as well). I don’t know if it was because the cheese was unpasteurized, or because it was from France, or because it was on the Alain Ducasse cart…perhaps all three, but my goodness, it was the BEST CHEESE EVER! They were also served with these magnificent olive rolls which further enhance the taste of the cheeses. 
In addition to the cheese course, we also had a procession (yes, a whole procession) of desserts. Thank goodness I always have an extra stomach for dessert.
Fried Crisps with Passion Fruit Syrup, Chocolate and Coffee Macaroons – The fried crisps were unbelievably light and airy. I only like macaroons when they are made just right, and these did not disappoint…slightly crispy on the outside and sublimely thick and moist on the inside. The coffee macaroons were especially tasty.
Wild Baby Strawberry, Panna Cotta and Coconut Shortbread Parfait – This dessert looks simple, but there was such extraordinary depth to all the flavors!! By far, my favorite dessert of the evening. Rich coconut folded in sweet strawberries and creamy panna cotta…absolutely divine. 
Wild Baby Strawberry Tart – The sister dish to the parfait with a similar flavor profile, but different textures. The baby strawberries were so cute and surprisingly sweet and juicy. 
Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Ice Cream – This dessert was good, but probably the least interesting to me. 
Chocolate Soufflé – A perfectly made soufflé…a delicate outer shell with sweet, fluffy goodness on the inside. What really stood out about this soufflé was how refined its flavor and texture was.
Although I didn’t take a picture of it, I have to mention their tea cart. It contained several live plants about 1-2 feet high. And depending on what type of tea you ordered, they would snip certain leaves from the cart and specially brew it for your tea – this restaurant is seriously over the top!!
Before we knew it, 4 hours had flown by and we were the last ones in the dining room…I didn’t want the night to end! This meal has redefined so many things for me and heightened food to a whole newlevel. I was constantly being blown away by the presentation and the execution of each course, savoring every single minute of it….all 240 of them. Thank you to the staff at Restaurant Alain Ducasse (and my wonderful husband!) for making this night so memorable.
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