"The French Laundry" news and stories

When it comes to food and travel guides, some are known for their frugality, others for their edginess and still others for their humor. Frommer's could perhaps best be described as "Old Reliable," with picks that rarely stray far from the well-trodden path and are somewhat on the pricey side. Instead of budget-friendly options and spontaneity, Frommer's devotees could bet on an authentic, safe and somewhat luxe travel experience.

That's why it's surprising that the hot-off-the-press new book "Frommer's 500 Places for Food and Wine Lovers" offers an incredibly wide array of options for every budget. Sure, it tips its hat to the traditional institutions that one would expect from the venerable publisher, but it also offers some down-market choices that should give adventurous gourmands a run for their money. Within its pages we spied Coney Island's Totonno's Pizzeria, with some of New York's most-buzzed-about pies in spite of its location on a scuzzy stretch of Neptune Avenue, and old-school Frank Pepe's pizzeria in New Haven, Conn.

Other Frommer's finds after the jump.

They went to New York first, but this week, the inspectors for the Michelin Guide made their designations around the San Francisco Bay area. 356 restaurants were listed. 23 received one star (*), four received two stars (**), and only one restaurant received the coveted three star rating (***): Thomas Keller's The French Laundry in Yountville (Napa Valley).

It's not totally surprising, as Keller also received three stars for his restaurant Per Se in New York. However, some folks, like Paul Franson, a wine country writer and author of the weekly Napa Life newsletter, were surprised that more restaurants didn't receive the highest rating.

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As is often the case, I found myself perusing the shelves of a specialty beer store the other day when I spied a bottle of Harpoon Brewery's Kellerbier. No, the brew doesn't take its name from Chef Thomas Keller, but I'm pretty sure the man behind The French Laundry would appreciate it.

Kellerbier, as it turns out literally translates to cellar beer in English. The unfiltered, unpasteurized lager was first brewed by Germans in the Middle Ages. Harpoon's version is the 13th entry in the New England brewery's 100 Barrel Series. I couldn't wait to try it since the beers in this line are all made in batches limited to 100 barrels. Small-batch bourbon, sure. But small-batch beer, I could hardly contain my glee as I walked home with the bottle.

I'd never had a kellerbier before, but Harpoon's was fine as kind as they say in New England. The cloudy brew has few bubbles coursing through it, almost like a bitter. It pours with a delicate head, which in spite of its lightness leaves trails of Belgian lace on the glass. Aside from being quite refreshing and packing a nice little kick at 5.5 alcohol by volume it's delicious. There's not much pronounced malt flavor, but whatever hops they used gave it some mighty complex notes. I was reminded of sweet tea and orange. Further investigation is in order.