Bouchon

Although this hard-to-miss scarlet-colored restaurant is owned by French Laundry chef Thomas Keller, it's nothing like that famed temple of gastronomic nirvana. Instead, it's a bustling French brasserie, albeit one designed by Adam Tihany, the designer of New York's Le Cirque 2000. The dining room--anchored by a towering potted palm--is done in sleek shades of gray and maroon, with a hand-painted tile floor, mohair banquettes beneath gold-framed mirrors and an always-jammin' zinc bar. The parchment-paper menu unfolds to reveal bistro classics such as steak frites, sole meuniere and tarte tatin. Start with the authentic onion soup or the comforting Swiss chard and potato quiche. Tender pink slices of lamb arrive with the classic French accompaniment of pale green flagolet beans. Be sure to order a side of crispy, salty fries, which arrive piled high in a paper cone. Being one of the few places in the valley to have a full raw bar, many local chefs drop in just for the pristine, ice-mounded platters of raw oysters, raw clams, and chilled crab, mussels and shrimp. Dessert favorites include profiteroles bathed in warm chocolate sauce and tangy lemon tart.