Rutherford, CA - Auberge Du Soleil

For our anniversary this year we went to Auberge du Soleil. The price of Aubergine, the restaurant at L'Auberge Carmel, was pretty intense so we thought we would take it "easy" this year. First though, a little background on Aubergine and how I used it to rate Auberge du Soleil. I picked Aubergine last year based on it being in the Relais & Châteaux family. It didn't have a Michelin Star. Michelin Stars have nothing to do with restaurants I enjoy, and I hope to never become one of those snobs who can only eat or talk about Michelin Stars. It only came up because following our dinner, they mentioned that they are trying to get a Michelin Star. We were surprised that they didn't have one. It was, hands down, one of the best meals we had ever enjoyed. The presentation was on point, and the food was fantastic. Carmel is the perfect location for fresh seafood, and the chef definitely uses it to his advantage. That said, in choosing Auberge du Soleil this year, was based on other reviews and that it was in the same Relais & Châteaux family. The fact that it does have a Michelin Star had no part in the decision.

But then, the fact that it does have a star made it the more disappointing that it was not at the level of Aubergine. It was really the little things that took the meal down for me. Service felt perfunctory at Auberge, whereas Aubergine was very friendly and they anticipated what we needed. Crumbs were ignored between courses while even Ruth's Chris Steak House tends to them when they see them. When serving our last course, they assumed we wouldn't want the wine pairing because "most people don't want it." I found the comment strange. Overlooking the fact that the wine pairings weren't done anywhere near as well as Aubergine, and that the pours were too much for a tasting (I know, now I'm complaining about too much wine #firstworldproblems), why would you just assume that people don't want something that they paid for? Furthermore, I really need to add that Semillon with foie gras really didn't work for me. It was so sweet.

Do I have nice things to say about Auberge du Soleil? I do. I still enjoyed dinner. Dining companions affect my take on food and I was with good company. The view was nice and relaxing. There were a few courses that really worked well for me, and I think would have been better had I not gotten the wine pairing. Perhaps if I had skipped the wine pairing and just ordered the chef's tasting, I would have left with a better taste of the food. The squab, scallop, and dessert were my favorites. My suggestion if you want to give it a try would be to skip the wine pairing and order the courses you like from their regular menu. 

The Chef's Offerings change based on whatever is freshest and is six courses ($150 for the Chef's Tasting, add on $94 for the wine pairing).
The view from the deck.
French butter with salt. 
Complimentary amuse bouche - parsnip gazpacho with some bacon.
Course #1: Day boat scallop with glazed pork belly, black trumpets, grilled cabbage,Thai broth, and tapioca pearls. This was paired with a 2010 Vincent Girardin"Les Vermots Dessus" Chardonnay - Savigny-les-Beaune Blanc from Burgundy-France.

The tapioca pearls were trying a bit too hard, in my humble opinion, but the scallop was good, nonetheless.
Course #2: Foie gras torchon with roasted beets, bee pollen, and pistachios. This was paired with a 2011 Chateau Grand-Maison "Cufee du Chateau" Semillon - Sauvignon Blanc from Monbazillac-France.

I liked this course a lot. At this point though, I regretted getting the wine pairing.
Course #3: Veal Sweetbreads with morel mushrooms, fava beans, roasted shallots, ramps, and sherry. Paired with a 2012 DuMol - Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley.
Sea salts for the entree: salt from the UK and Himalayan pink salt.
Our cutlery.
Cute little bee.
Course #4: Paine Farm Squab with lentil du puy, foie gras, frisee, and bacon. Paired with a 2012 Clos du Mont Olivet - Chateauneuf-du-Pape from Rhone, France.

Cooked medium rare, the squab was pretty good.
Course #5: Prime beef Pave with asparagus, bacon spatzle, tarragon, and mustard vinaigrette. Paired with a 2012 Araujo "Altagracia" - Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley.

The steak tasted much better after utilizing the accompanying salt. 
Final course/dessert of Honey poached apples with yuzu mochi, Greek yogurt, Granny Smith Apple sorbet. Paired with a 2010 Domaine des Baumard - Chenin Blanc from Loire, France.

This was probably my favorite course. The sorbet was refreshing and light. The yuzu mochi was citrusy and provided a good contrast to the crumble and yogurt.

Address:
180 Rutherford Hill Road
Rutherford, CA 94573

Reservations recommended.

Hours:
Mon-Sun 7am-9:30pm
(different times for breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

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