I've only eaten here twice and I wouldn't consider myself a foodie but I thought I'd share some thoughts with my experiences with restaurants in wine country or applicable to the wine industry.

Bouchon Bistro is a Thomas Keller restaurant located in Yountville, California. Yountville is a very small town just before the big wine country tourist trap of Oakville, St. Helena and Calistoga. My impression is that most people drive right past Yountville without realizing it and honestly, they're really missing out. It's got a great, walkable downtown with great shops and some of the best "eats" in wine country. (Thomas Keller has two other restaurants here:  French Laundry and Ad Hoc)

If you don't know who Thomas Keller is... well, he's only one of the most influential, successful chefs/restaurateurs in California. Basically, his restaurants produce some of the most amazing foods nationwide. Bouchon Bistro is no exception. French-inspired, small tables, bistro portions, this place is open for lunch and dinner and has a bakery next door that will make you weak in knees over it's doughnuts and pastries (prepare for a long line however).

My first experience here was just my wife and daughter on a random weekday after lunch hours but before dinner. It was quiet, we were seated right away and had an incredible meal. My wife had the gnocchi, I had the pork belly and Olivia enjoyed a little of everything. What I loved was just how hospitable the wait staff was even with our daughter who is just 16 months young.

My second experience here was with a larger group, 5 total plus a high chair again for my daughter. We called the weekend prior to make reservations and they accommodated us within 30 minutes of our preferred time.

Our party ordered an array from the menu including: country salad, potato soup, quiche, escargot, trout, lamb, steak, bouillabaisse and pasta. Needless to say the food was delicious! This was my first time eating escargot too... and it was AWESOME. Best thing I ate in months! I am a huge fan of the snail =)

The wine list is intimidating for those not familiar with French wines. The California wines they offer have a serious mark-up too so our group was very conflicted whether to splurge on a bottle we knew would be good but cost us $150-200 for a single bottle or just order wine by the glass. Surprisingly enough, they offer red and white "house" wines by the carafe for a fraction of the price. They have a local winemaker make single barrel-worth of each, specifically for the bistro, that you can only enjoy at the bistro. We had the red which was a blend of the Bordeaux varietals and honestly, it was a wine I would buy by the case. AMAZINGLY good wine that went great with the food.

I have to thank and give mention to the waiters and waitresses who were gracious and so helpful guiding us through our lunch. Both my experiences here were noted with incredible hospitality from everyone; the host, wait staff and servers. So friendly, so helpful, so patient.

Despite being called a "bistro", this is by no means a cheap meal. You will pay a premium to dine here but its worth every penny if you want a comfortable atmosphere, good food and excellent service.

Simply stunning. I highly recommend it if you're near Yountville and want a laid-back but still perfect meal served to you.

(drink their house wine by the glass or by the carafe and for desert, ask for Bouchon "brownie" with peanut butter ice cream and a cup of their coffee. mmm... so good!)

Pairing wine with fast food. How about a 2003 Pinot with your Kentucky Fried Chicken or a nice Cabernet to go with your Taco Bell Burrito Supreme? Need more pairings for fast food? Try here, here, or here.

Following the elimination of tipping at Per Se, an op-ed by Steven Shaw says tipping should be abolished in restaurants. Considering the statistics on tipping, perhaps he's right. For a less refined take, here's why Reservoir Dog Mr. Pink doesn't tip.

You’re about to see a flurry of backnforthing about some apparent new service changes at Thomas Keller’s Per Se.

Page Six reports that Keller is standardizing tipping, with a flat 20-percent charge added to diners’ rather hefty tabs. The net will be whacked up among the various staff contingents. Not clear why Keller (or more likely, his wife and service guru Laura Cunningham) opted for this, though the general bitchiness about tipping in the top floor of New York restaurants, and the likely mix of high-rolling overtippers and one-time-visit cheap-ass undertippers probably contributed. (You’d think the two would cancel each other out, no?) Further confusing the picture, according to P6: “Most of the service staff are planning on quitting at the end of this month when the salary changes happen.” Now, is that because they’re tired of the tip structure, or tired of the endless Keller-quest for perfection, or just plain tired?

Worth noting that Alice Waters has long had a similar policy (17 percent, I believe) at Chez Panisse, so this is somewhat less earth-shattering than might be believed. And it may simply be that Keller has planted his flag against the arbitrary whims of the bizarre, generally fucked-up American system of gratuities — though if that’s the case, planting one’s flag at 20 percent isn’t exactly striking a blow against the bizarre quirks of service economics.

In any case, sit back and watch the navel-gazing fray.
- http://amuse-bouche.net/?p=305

The guy preparing your food in a restaurant is a "Mexican guy earning a paycheck, watching the clock praying for his shift to end as he sweats in front of a blast furnace"

It's not "someone like Emeril or Mario Battalia waxing ecstatically about herbs and oils, engaging in something close to foreplay as they lovingly prepare your entree".

Enjoy: Entire Article via Waiter Rant