Dish By Dish San Francisco Napa
Bouchon Bistro Remains a Study of French Finesse
Bouchon Bistro has been serving French fare with finesse for the last 26 years in the heart of Yountville. Opened by Thomas Keller just four years after he took over the French Laundry down the block, Bouchon remains a more casual, yet still white tablecloth, destination with seasonally changing bistro fare: your favorite French classics done up and done well, like buttery escargots, tender duck confit, and perfect steak frites.
“Our main focus at Bouchon is to serve classic French bistro food with the best ingredients we can find, using many resources and purveyors to bring in the best of the seasons,” says chef Ryan King, the current chef de cuisine at Bouchon.
The below is a deep dive into some of the beloved, must-order dishes at this Napa Valley institution:
Petit Plateau
The Petit Plateau has been on the menu since Bouchon opened in 1998. The selection of fruits de mer is an ideal way to start a meal here.
The lobster and mussels both hail from Stonington, Maine, sourced by Sue Buxton. She specifically sources hard-shell lobster from colder waters, because the meat tends to be a bit sweeter. The lobster is steamed, then broken down — some parts are dressed in a mix of mayonnaise and lemon, and others are served undressed for you to dip into Dijonaisse or cocktail sauce.
The mussels and the plump gulf shrimp are steamed, while littleneck clams are served raw on the half shell, like the oysters. Those oysters, by the way, are served with mignonette and lemon, and generally consist of two East Coast, two West Coast, and one wild card, typically Kusshi for its small size and complex flavor.
“The shucking of the oysters is a skill that takes time and practice to become proficient,” says King. “Being able to open the oyster without puncturing the meat of the oysters and the gills, leaving the abductor muscle intact to show the whole oyster in its shell.”
Pair with Champagne, Chablis, or Sancerre; and wash away all your cares.
Oeufs Mimosa
In French, deviled eggs are called oeufs mimosa, supposedly named so because of the resemblance to the mimosa tree. We don’t see it, but they’re decidedly delicious at Bouchon, and have been on the menu for the past decade.
“Hors d’oeuvres are an important part of the dining experience for a French menu. It offers the guest small bites before their entree or while having a glass of wine,” says King.
Bouchon sources Hi-Desert eggs from Southern California that are hard-boiled, peeled, and cut in half. The yolks are then removed, milled though a ricer and mixed with mayonnaise, celery, Dijon mustard, and vinegar. The mixture is then piped back into the whites and topped with crispy fried capers (the best kind) along with sliced chives and a dusting of paprika. It’s a simple classic just done well.
The Laitue
The Laitue is a simple green salad, but don’t be deceived — assembling a salad requires skill. You don’t want to overdress, you don’t want to underdress, and you want to handle the lettuce carefully such that there’s no bruising of the leaves. Bouchon accomplishes all of this, consistently.
“As simple as this salad is, it is important that each part of the salad is done extremely well, says King. “With a dish consisting of lettuce and herbs, the lettuce needs to be fresh and crisp, the herbs are picked every day, the dressing consistency is always the correct viscosity.”
Fresh Bibb lettuce is dressed in a vinaigrette of Cabernet vinegar (we’re in Napa after all), Dijon mustard, and a bit of canola oil. It’s mixed and emulsified together until creamy yet sharp. The lettuce is also seasoned with lemon juice, chopped shallots, and fine herbs.
Boeuf Bourguignon
It doesn’t get much more classic French than boeuf bourguignon (said with your best Julia Child enthusiasm).
“We look for short ribs that are well-marbled, which helps with the flavor and tenderness of the beef once it is braised,” says King.
The beef is marinated overnight in red wine, mirepoix, and some aromatics. The next day, the meat is seared, then placed back in the marinade before being slow-cooked for 48 hours. The cooking liquid is reduced and used to glazed the short rib during service. The final dish is served with a rich and reduced Bordelaise sauce fortified with veal jus.
Unlike the traditional method of braising the beef and vegetables in one pot, Bouchon does things the hard way by cooking the carrots, mushrooms, and pearl onions separately until each component is perfectly cooked before bringing it together on the plate. “We clean and cut our vegetables in a meaningful way to show refinement to the dish as well as being able to cook them to the desired doneness,” says King.
Profiteroles
The profiteroles have also been on the menu since Day One. They’re made with a traditional pâte à choux, made by slowly adding flour to a boiling mixture of water and butter. This mixture is transferred to a mixing bowl, where whole eggs are slowly folded in to add richness. It is then piped into small balls before being baked into light, airy yet golden and brown.
The profiteroles are sliced in half, filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with a rich chocolate sauce made from cream and 55% chocolate. The sauce is poured tableside for guests to get that good ‘gram and enjoy.
Omar Mamoon is a San Francisco-based freelance writer and cookie dough professional. Follow him on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.
