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La Foret
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Sun 10:30 am - 2 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
194 reviews for La Foret
Review Highlights
"Grand marnier souffle with creme anglaise."
(in 27 reviews)
"I had the opportunity to try out TASTING MENU #3."
(in 49 reviews)
"Foie gras w/ delicious seared crust and gooey center."
(in 35 reviews)
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193 reviews in English
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Review from Joanna S.
2/7/2012 4 photos
Ah-mazing dinner. Truly. I loved every dish they brought out. The prefix menus are the way to go. Every course was fantastic, and the foie gras was huge (although it can never be big enough to satisfy my appetite)
I was less impressed with the "brunch" on Sunday. It's not your traditional breakfast food brunch. I think it should actually be called lunch. They offered pasta and elk which were as flavorful as their dinner recipe.
For dinner, I enjoyed the elk, foie gras, and lobster the most. The setting was very woodsy, not the normal fancy decor you'd expect like at Le Papillon (their sister restaurant). There's a lot of history that's behind La Foret. The house was built when Almaden was a coal mining town. It used to be a place for all the miners to go, and has been renovated since to be La Foret. It's a really nice and quiet venue to celebrate a special occasion, make sure you make a reservation because they don't take walk-ins!Listed in: Best Silicon Valley Eats
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Review from Kevin Q.
San Jose, CA
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Venue was decent and the service was great. Location on the other hand was a bit random.
Anyways came here with a large group of 16 people. The food was delicious. Many of us had the 6 course meal. All of it was rich in taste.
The 6 course meal that most of us had included foie gras, scallop, lobster, elk, kobe beef, and dessert. The only thing that bothered me was the fact that many of the beef was pretty rare even when we asked for medium, and also the portions in my opinion are a bit small. And to add, don't get the lamb, it wasn't that great. -
Review from Amy D.
Fremont, CA
1/9/2012
DISAPPOINTING for the price, and a LONG drive since it's in the middle of nowhere.
Our table ordered 1 tasting menu#1 for $85pp, and 3 of tasting menu# 2 for $135pp
Tasting Menu 1-
Tortellini, aged garlic, cream & morels mushroom
Scallops, over puff pastry with saffron, cream cheese
Ahi tuna, lightly peppered and grilled, served in horseradish and thyme sauce
Quail, roasted with huckleberry sauce
Souffle grand marnier or ice cream creme brulee & berries
Tasting Menu 2-
Foie gras, pan seared, sauternes sauce
Scallops, over puff pastry with saffron, cream cheese
Lobster tail, cold water australian with lime beurre blanc
Elk, portabellos, game reduction, cognac suace
Kobe beef, peppercorns, cabernet, sage & courvosier
Souffle grand marnier or ice cream creme brulee & berries
The food was very mediocre. Tortellini tasted almost like Bertolli, the texture of the ahi tuna was a bit mushy, quail was a bit tough, elk was very bland tasting, and probably the worst tasting kobe beef I've had. The portions were huge (I had trouble finishing my proteins), but there is no point in having a huge piece of meat that doesn't taste good. Presentation of the food was also terrible- how are criss-crossing carrots still used for a fancy restaurant in this century?? The service was also sub-par- I'm paying $135pp and we barely have our waters refilled? Ridiculous! The only postivies were the scallops and foie gras, the souffle was ok as were the scallops and lobster tail, but for the price Manresa is 10x better, food and service wise. Needless to say, I will not be returning to La Foret, and recommend you think twice before eating here if you don't want an overpriced, tasteless dinner. -
Review from Erin O.
Updated - 1/2/2012
Still earns 5 stars. When we visit San Jose now, it's on our "must eat here" list. I still order all my standards (below), but switched to the shrimp and mushroom salad. Not because the duck salad didn't meet my expectations, but because my mom kept swearing I needed to have the shrimp salad again (in my rotation in the early years).
Fabulous setting, fabulous service, best grand marnier (sp?) souffle EVER, and probably best ahi I've had anywhere (and I get it everywhere). Elements is a close tie though on that one.
Huber's in Portland (where I live now) touts it's flaming Spanish coffee as a big hoopla. Huber's has nothing on La Foret's flaming coffee. For taste and presentation, La Foret wins hands down. (Still love me some Hubers though for food.)
If in San Jose, Go, See, Do: La Foret.Listed in: I know the way to San Jose!
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/24/2009
La Foret still ranks as my favorite special occasion place. The food is phenomenal. Here's what I… Read more »
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Review from Francis P.
Hayward, CA
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came in for lunch in a big group. The place was located deep in the hills.
Food was great and service was good too. -
Review from Gary J.
12/14/2011
Disappointing -- started out really good, then went to mediocre, and back to very good. The ambiance is just what you would expect from a place named La Foret; warm, French and comfortable.
The meal began with a sample mushroom and goat cheese ravioli in a delicious reduction. Then the main entrees we're disappointing, tough fish, over spiced sauces, old vegetables, all of which was over cooked. I almost forgot the mushroom soup that was overpowered by rosemary, sage and thyme.
Then back to really tasty Grand Marnier souffles which proved to be very good.
Overall the price and experience proved to be a disappointment. No wine and a $375 tab including tax and tip for 4 will not bring us back for another 20 or so years. -
Review from Agnes K.
Torrance, CA
11/18/2011 6 photos
My boyfriend brought me here for our 4 year anniversary celebration last weekend. The drive from San Martin to La Foret was very interesting. It was like we were driving into the middle of the woods, in the middle of nowhere. Well, it was dark, so we couldn't see what was around. Maybe it's not REALLY in the middle of nowhere...
Food:
Appetizer:
Escargot, with garlic butter and pernod - it was our first time trying escargot. It was good, thanks to all the garlic butter it was drenched in.
Salads:
Mixed Greens - The smoked duck tasted like ham. Had I not known it said "duck" on the menu, I definitely would have mistaken it for ham. It was delicious nonetheless. My BF and I agreed that the goat cheese was THE best goat cheese we've ever had.
Mushrooms & Shrimp - This salad was a bit sweeter than the mixed greens. Still good.
Entrees:
Veal - Beautifully plated and tasted delicious. My BF finished the entire thing - left his plate clean. The creamy sauce that came with it was his favorite. He probably could have eaten more.
Linguine - Wow, this was delicious. What a great combination of seafood - scallops, shrimp and prawns. I've had rubbery scallops at other restaurants, but these scallops were cooked PERFECTLY. The prawns and shrimp were also very good. The sauce was just right, not heavy and not too light.
Dessert:
Souffle Grand Marnier - The souffle was huge. It definitely wasn't my favorite of the night. The grand marnier flavor was a little too overpowering. I wished it had been a little lighter. I probably would have liked it better that way. I couldn't finish it and didn't really want to...
Coffee:
My BF and I both said that the coffee was most likely THE BEST COFFEE we have ever had....EVER. And we've had A LOT of different coffee in the past several years.
Service:
The service was superb. Our cups were never empty, we always had everything we needed. Our server was very nice and all the other servers were, too. I couldn't have asked for better service. -
Review from Gregory S.
San Jose, CA
10/17/2011
We've been going to La Foret for more years than I care to mention. In fact, Cathy and I were married in the garden over 18 years ago. We still go back for anniversary dinners as well as Sunday brunches and anytime we really want to give ourselves a treat.
La Foret is one of the rare examples of a business that is really worth 5 stars. The food is always outstanding, the service is stellar and the setting is fabulous. When I give a pizza place a rating, I'm rating against other pizza places. I rate La Foret against all other restaurants.
The game dishes are always interesting, the sauces are the best you'll ever have and the desserts are to die for.
You can pay more but it doesn't get any better than La Foret! -
Review from Leddee H.
9/30/2011
Due to fellow yelpers' reviews, I had high expectations for La Foret. The place is secluded and quite romantic but served just okay food.
Maybe they had an off night, maybe I just ordered too much food, or maybe my stomach isn't used to French cuisine since I was disappointed after my six course tasting menu consisting of the:
- tortellini in a mushroom sauce
- scallops in puff pastry
- grilled ahi tuna
- roasted quail (really good)
- beef tenderloin
- crème brûlée
I have not given up on this place yet since they had a great selection of wine. Next time though, I will limit my food intake to only 2 or 3 courses maximum so that my stomach can handle the food. I will be back and I will be more prepared. :)
By the way, if you are a yelp check in fanatic, then good luck. The reception in the woods is not fantastic! -
Review from gloria x.
Cupertino, CA
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food was ok and the service was below par, hence 3 stars.
1. Food - not as great as Le Papillon. I had quail and my friend had elk. The meat itself was tender and the taste was ok. With the sauce, it tasted much better.
2. Service - definitely not up to the caliber of fining French dining. We stood in the waiting area for 2-3 minutes, without anyone to greet us. When we were ready to order, the server was nowhere in sight. The receptionist came to take our order and he didn't start with the female guest. The server came back and she was hyper with an extremely short attention span. She didn't seem to enjoy serving clients or listening to what you had to say. When we said we'll order grand marnier souffle, she immediately skipped away and said, "ok i'll prepare two". Actually we just needed one, but we didn't have time to tell her. When she was bring the plates to the table, she was swing her arms to such an exaggerated angle that the plates went 45 degrees. Luckily, they didn't spill. When she was walking around, she seemed to be strutting, with loud stomping on the floor. Too hyper as a waitress. Perhaps she was having an extremely wonderful day. When she brought the bill and asked what else we needed, her facial expression was so exaggerated that I thought she made a grimace.
Anyway, we didn't feel warmly welcomed, and the food was just ok. Service had a lot to be improved. It seemed they were short of staff.
I don't think we are coming back anytime soon. -
Review from Jo R.
San Jose, CA
12/19/2011
This is not a place for kids. Very expensive. They made a dish of plain pasta with butter - $13!!! for a kid.
My beef was way under-cooked even though I asked for medium well-done.
When the place gets busy, you can forget about good service. -
Review from Carlos O.
San Jose, CA
9/15/2011
This place lived up to the hype.
The food is fancy and DELICIOUS. The service is professional. The ambiance is good, but a touch less fancy than I expected (I'd say it borders on rustic, but nice rustic). I'd say for ambiance, decor and service it's a half-notch below its sister property, Le Papillon. But still very, very good. Dress code is also slightly less formal than Le Papillon, at least on a weeknight. Beautiful location, particularly when they light up the outdoor area.
I took my wife here for her 30th birthday so we splurged on the tasting menus. I say "splurged" but after having consumed them I should clarify that they offer tremendous value for what you get. I got tasting menu 1 at $85 and she had tasting menu 2 at $135. We really liked almost everything but particularly loved the ravioli, the lobster, the quail (I had no idea quail could be that good -- it was my favorite of my menu) and, naturally, the kobe beef (it doesn't melt in your mouth; it de-atomizes). The ahi was not very good and the elk was so-so. Her souflee was too salty and slightly undercooked but my ice cream creme brulee was fantastic (and creative!)
We brought our own wine (2002 Silver Oak -- wow), which they were more than happy to pour for a $30 corking fee even though they have it on their wine list for $150. Points for being cool about that.
Definitely not an average date kind of place, but if you've got the money to spend, why not treat yourself to a true gourmet experience?
I debated long and hard about whether to give this place a 4 or a 5. Were it not for the swing-and-misses on the soufflee and the ahi, I'd have no doubts about giving it a 5. Maybe this just means I need to go back . . . -
Review from Shanna N.
8/30/2011
Oh Yes. It is really really good!
It is nestled in the woods of Almaden and is perfectly understated from the outside. But when you walk in, you step into a fabulously classic French fine dining restaurant.
I would recommend getting the tasting menu-- it is really worth it to try so many little dishes and I swear you will be overly satisfied with the amount of food.
The souffle and creme brulee were absolutely the best I have ever had! The service was also really good- the staff was super warm and welcoming. They recommended a few great bottles of wine for us as well- I wish I remembered which they were :-/ but if you ask them they will definitely be able to help you pair a nice glass or bottle with your meal! -
Review from Jin S.
San Jose, CA
8/14/2011
Oh yea, I'm a fan.
Came here for my birthday and ordered the tasting menu.
Coming from a guy that loves meat, there was no "fillers". Every course was either seafood or protein.
Anyway, service was great, food was excellent. Will come back. -
Review from Kiko W.
Santa Clara, CA
10/28/2011
My husband and I went to this restaurant for our anniversary.
I heard good things about this restaurant, but food wasn't impressive. It was just mediocre.
Waiters were too casual to be at an "expensive" French restaurant. They started drinking at the bar even there were customers still eating! It's not at all professional, in my opinion.
People go to an expensive restaurant to be treated well. I don't say they treated us poorly, but it was much lower than I expected.
I like La Papillon in San Jose MUCH better. If you can't decide which one to go, definitely go to La Papillon. No doubt. -
Review from Ken B.
San Jose, CA
7/27/2011
Amazing Food - Decent Experience
My wife and I have been to La Foret about once a year for the past 5-6 years. It's pretty much our go-to place for birthday or anniversary dinners if we aren't inspired to try something new.
Every time we have eaten there the food has been amazing. We ordered a la carte initially, but have gravitated to the various tasting menus more recently, and we have never been disappointed. Portions are what I would expect from a nice restaurant, and if you do go with the tasting menu, you will leave full. very full.
Like another reviewer said, the food presentation is ho-hum, but the flavors are epic. The staff is solid, but not memorable, and the location is in the woods on the way up to Almaden Reservoir. It's very scenic and quiet, and the patons tend to be on the older side. I deducted a star because I have never had an experience there that I would classify as exciting or memorable.
If you are looking for a quiet dinner with your S.O. where you can get amazing food at a fair price, this is your place.
If you want to have a night out on the town with eye candy and excitement, then you probably want to go downtown or santana row (or make the drive up to the city). -
Review from Arman B.
San Jose, CA
4/13/2011
Ok so I've been to La Foret several times and always forget to write a review, so here it is. I LOVE LA FORET!!!! You seriously cannot find a better place with location, ambiance, staff, quality of food, variety, service, and extremely fairly priced! Oh and did i mention the wine list! La Foret is rated amongst the top 50 French restaurants int he country, but interestingly enough, their menu is unique and not the typical French style menu.
Most French restaurants i've been too have the following features: too expensive, small portions, good taste, brilliant plating, and nice ambiance (the first to characteristics are what mainly turn me off) La Foret is seriously a complete package and a gem, without the first 2 characteristics. I go here hungry and i leave full. I usually spend $100-$160 (on average) for appetizer, entree, dessert, and wine for TWO PEOPLE! THIS IS USUALLY WHAT I SPEND AT OTHER RESTAURANTS FOR JUST MYSELF! Another reason why I love La Foret is because of its versatility as a restaurant.
It can serve as a place to enjoy a romantic dinner with someone special, go and grab a nice dinner with a close friend, or just go to the bar and hang out and have a couple of drinks over a good conversation. I feel welcomed every time i go here and always look forward to going.
Overall the food is phenomenal. I recommend the foie gras, Scallops, Soups, Rack of Lamb, Kobe Beef, Buffalo, AL OF THE WILD GAME SPECIALS, Creme Brulee, Amaretto Cheese Cake, Dark Chocolate Pate, and the grand marnier soufle! -
Review from Annie W.
6/6/2011
Rarely will you find me at a fancy French restaurant. However, La Foret is NOT much ado about nothing. It is absolutely deserving of its many accolades not only here on Yelp, but by renowned food critics all around. The filet I had here is one of the best I have ever tasted. The service, the presentation, the ambiance were all excellent. Yes, it is pricey but this is definitely a special occasion kind of place and it is totally worth it.
The one downside was dessert. I felt compelled to order the souffle only because she said it took them so long to make so we had to order it right away if we wanted it, so I just said yes. I didn't really like it though, it tasted like an omelet to me. i love omelets, but not for dessert. -
Review from Julie W.
Saratoga, CA
8/15/2011
La Foret is our favorite 'special occasion' place; it has been consistently delivering top quality food and services. For our anniversary last Friday after considering several alternatives we decided to go for the sure thing and we had a wonderful time. (4.5 stars)
We were the first to arrive at 6pm and picked the corner table in the main dining area overseeing the creek, it was peaceful and relaxing. Our waitress, a cheerful young lady (sorry don't remember her name) took good care of us, several other wait staff also were very attentive in filling water glasses and replace fresh bread (hot bread was just so good).
We were not crazy about the complimentary ravioli, both of us are not big pasta fans.
I had the tasting menu #1; other then the first course (tortellini, it's pasta again) I thoroughly enjoyed the scallop, ahi tuna, quail, and fillet. Husband had escargot and elk fillet, he was extremely happy with both (and tasted my food too).
I chose the creme brulee with berries for dessert, husband also received a complimentary dessert sampler with his coffee. We were way to full to finish the sweets but appreciated the kind gesture. We also liked the wine by the glass @$12 each, both the Chardonnay and Merlot were very good.
We left around 8PM with smiles, we will be back again. -
Review from Berg W.
San Jose, CA
3/24/2011
I was surprised to hear of such a highly-rated restaurant in the culinary wasteland that is San Jose. Then I realized that this isn't really in what you would consider San Jose. La Foret is out in the cuts...I think I was out his way once to drink beer in the woods in high school, but other than that there's no reason to go this south.
Once you finally get to your destination, the scenery is striking..you really are in la foret. It's hard to believe you're only 10 miles from the concrete jungle of stripmalls. A nice convenient departure, if you ask me. You feel like you're in Woodside or something.
There is definitely an Old World feeling with the decor...not really much going on there, but you overlook a creek an forest, so they shouldn't really be distracting your from the glory of God's creation.
The service is competent, but lacking any real personality. It's definitely not the aloof hot chick at Santana Row, or the stuffy gray-haired man at the steakhouse. I think I'd prefer this level of service to the other two, but I've had a lot better at the price point.
The biggest disappointment for me was the wine list. Although the wine list was substantial, there were very few wines by the glass. 5 to be exact. And none of them were particularly intriguing. I mean, you're going to be a French restaurant and not have a Burgundy by the glass? Or if you're skewing local, maybe throw a Sonoma Zin on there...a Syrah...something beside Chardonnay, Sav blanc, cab, merlot, and pinot. Showed a real lack of thought. Makes me think the chef isn't much of a wine guy.
Other than that, the only other issue I had was with the bathrooms. Way too institutional. They don't have to be like an ultra-modern lounge, but maybe think of something beside the scratchy paper towel dispenser/garbage can. I don't think that would be too much of an investment. I was halfway expecting powdered soap after seeing that.
Now let's get to the good: the food. If there is one thing they can do great, it's the traditional protein/sauce/vegetable garnish formula of French food. To be honest, the menu wasn't innovative, but it was intriguing. You can get interesting proteins you normally don't see around these parts. Buffalo, elk, and quail were all available.
I had the quail, and they nailed it. Wasn't too excited about the presentation, as it was kind of like what you see in 1970's cook books, but the flavors were very good.
Personally, I come to dine and try different things, so I wasn't concerned about the lack of huge portions. Stick to Claim Jumper, if that's what you want. Price-wise, it was a little over-the-top. All that sauce-making is very labor intensive, so I don't feel ripped off.
All-in-all, I enjoyed myself and left feeling relaxed and satisfied but not gorged. It's a nice splurge I may partake in again, but I'm more of a new-American type guy, so that's where I normally invest my dining dollars. -
Review from Mark R.
Sunnyvale, CA
8/7/2011
For our anniversary, my wife & I were looking for a nice French restaurant in the San Jose area.
Thanks to Yelp (and one very enthusiastic Yelper in particular), we were pointed to La Foret, and boy, are we happy with our choice!
We started off with escargot, and this certainly got our meal off to an excellent beginning.
For our entrees, we tried the daily specials. I had the halibut, while my wife went with the wild game (elk). Each was terrific, with both the presentation and the taste quite appealing. The outstanding service and gorgeous creekside view added to the experience.
The combination dessert plate and creme brulee (thank you, Arman!!!) topped off our meal in a most savory way. Each item was delicious and very satisfying.
La Foret is now most certainly one of our restaurants of choice for special occasions! -
Review from Chikinini G.
Sunnyvale, CA
4/14/2011
It's basically a house converted into a restaurant. The service is good, Food is good BUT very small servings and Overpriced.
I ordered veil with veggies and potatoes It didn't even cover 1/2 of my plate! 35 bucks? Come on! -
Review from Dara C.
San Jose, CA
9/26/2011
Excellent experience. Reserve for special occasion.
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Review from Kayvon P.
Palo Alto, CA
2/26/2011
There is a reason why La Foret is one of the highest rated restaurants in the entire Bay Area. Very lucky to have a world class restaurant right down the street in Almaden!
What I've Had: Scallops, Smoked Salmon, Tortellini, Lobster Tail, Prawns, Soups, Rack of Lamb, Kobe Beef, Breast of Chicken, Creme Brulee, Amaretto Cheese Cake, Dark Chocolate Pate
At the end of the day, if you want to try the best beef of your life, order the Kobe Beef here. I've quit beef for a few years but I just came back here, had the Rack of Lamb (which is one of the best racks I've ever had in my entire life) and decided that when I have beef again, I will be ordering the Kobe Beef at La Foret.
Everything here has been amazing. The tortellini are just out of this world with morel mushrooms and this amazing sauce. I loved the prawns as well and that's probably my other go to appetizer here. The soups are always amazing and I didn't get one during my last visit but someone got the artichoke soup at the bar where I was eating and said it was the best she's ever had. The rack of lamb has this sauce (and I must say that the sauces at La Foret are really killer) but even better than the sauce is the actual meet itself which was cooked to perfection for me and pretty much melted in your mouth. It is VERY difficult to find lamb that melts in your mouth.
The only thing I'll critique are the desserts which are amazing but nothing really special. I'm not sure if La Foret has a separate pastry chef which could spice up some of the desserts but I will add that the Creme Brulee is one of the best I've ever had and just a treat. The desserts are all so reasonably priced that you really can't go wrong.
Last, but definitely not least, the staff and atmosphere here are just delightful. The restaurant is family owned and operated and the entire staff is just top notch. The restaurant doesn't have this snotty feel to it which is so amazing for one of the best restaurants by far and away in the entire Bay Area (and California and nation for that matter). I came here solo my last time out but it's definitely the PERFECT date spot for that special occasion as well.Listed in: Best Fine Dining Dinners
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Review from Cody S.
San Jose, CA
10/4/2011
By far my favorite restaurant! Everything about La Foret is absolutely amazing! Over the years, I have gone here many times. I have never been disappointed! Everything here is absolutely amazing! Definitely somewhere that everyone NEEDS to experience at least once!
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Review from Lonson B.
Emeryville, CA
2/13/2011
I've had the pleasure of going to La Foret for both, the 6-course dinner (Tasting Menu #1) and brunch. The former for an anniversary celebration and the latter for an early Valentine's Day celebration. I was surprised to discover that San Jose was capable of such a splendid French restaurant. It was nestled up in the Almaden hills area. Every time we go there, it feels like an adventurous getaway.
You can find my comments below (in parenthesis):
TASTING MENU #1 Six Course $85.00 per person (a bargain price when compared to its competitors like Le Papillon)
TORTELLINI aged garlic, cream & morels mushroom (great start to the dinner; had a nice richness to it, but wasn't overpowering)
SCALLOPS over puff pastry with safron, cream cheese (my favorite course of the 6; perfectly cooked and well-balanced; we wanted more!)
AHI TUNA lightly peppered and grilled, served in horseradish and thyme sauce (Wasn't crazy about the horseradish, but everything else was good)
QUAIL roasted with huckleberries (my quail was cooked perfectly; unfortunately, my gf's quail was a little too rare; tasted almost like a fancy chicken to me)
TOURNEDOS OF BEEF CHANTERELLE golden chanterelle, herbs, ginger & brandy (tied for favorite course with the scallops; cooked to perfection; very juicy and will give you food coma for sure)
SOUFFLE GRAND MARNIER
or
ICE CREAME CREME BRULE & BERRIES (we had the ice cream creme brulee and berries; my gf loves this dessert and will come here solely for this dessert)
a platter of:
assorted fresh fruit, cheese, marinated mushrooms, hearts of artichokes,
prawns and more with a choice of entree (nothing more I can say, then YUM!)
AHI TUNA 29.00 lightly peppered and grilled, served with horseradish and thyme sauce (same as comment above)
WILD GAME SPECIAL 32.00 (had the elk, which i've never had before; was very tender and beats steak in my opinion)
VANILLA ICE CREAME CREME BRULE & BERRIES 6.00 (so good, we ordered it again!)
Overall, La Foret is the hidden gem of the South Bay. You will not be disappointed if you go here. For fancy, you're getting the best bang for your buck. -
Review from Joey L.
Berkeley, CA
1/3/2011 1 photo
Being a native of Almaden Valley, I had heard much about La Foret. This past Christmas eve, I finally had the opportunity to have dinner there with my family and I have to say, this place does not disappoint.
Personally, I tried the tasting menu #2, but my brother had the tasting menu #1, which was pretty much identical to #2 except the appetizer and the desert. (note this is when they had 3 tasting menus)
1. Foie Gras - oh my god....probably the most juiciest and mouth watering piece of meat i have taste. cut like butter. tasted amazing - probably the best dish imo out of the 6
2. Scallops - Cooked well, but honestly, there was nothing too special about the scallops. Comparable to "Elements" restaurant in Almaden, if you have been there.
3. Ahi Tuna - It was an interesting dish since it was my first time tasting ahi tuna. Seared very well and a tasty sauce too
4. Quail - Very tender and the sauce was amazing
5.Tournedos of beef chanterelle - very tender and juicy
6. Souffle Grand Marnier - My first time having souffle so its hard to have a comparison. But honestly, I had expected a bit more from the souffle due to the hype.
Overall, a review will not do the food justice. It is worth the money and everyone should this place out. Definitely a hidden gem of the south bay. -
Review from Jessica F.
McLean, VA
2/18/2011
Wow! So delicious and romantic! My boyfriend brought me here for Valentine's Day dinner (the day after Valentine's; he was busy on the actual day and they had some over priced prix fixe menu in which neither of us were interested), and it was awesome!
I had read prior reviews on here, so I was expecting the woodsy feel. However, it felt more cozy and homey to me than woodsy, despite the complete lack of cell phone reception. The only regret I have (and a motivation to go back again in the summer--besides the food) is that we didn't get to enjoy the view of the creek or the mountains as it was dark.
The interior made me feel like I was at my Grandma's house, which is awesome! I love my Grandma! I had already read the extensive wine list on line, so I knew we had tons of options! We had the Cakebread Chardonnay--so good! I'd never had an expensive bottle of wine before, but I was thoroughly impressed. Now that I've had it, I'm not sure I can go back to the $7 bottle of wine I used to think was delicious :)
They brought out a complimentary ravioli (don't remember what it was filled with) in a port wine sauce-amazing! As was the case with everything else we ordered: Sea scallops (sauce is divine), mushrooms and shrimp salad, ahi tuna for him and tournedos of beef tarragon for me. Luckily for my girlish figure, we skipped dessert! Next time, bring on the Grand Marnier souffle!!! -
Review from Denise S.
San Jose, CA
7/27/2011
Best. Meal. Ever.
I've been lucky enough to have been wined and dined to several nice restaurants in the last few months with by beau. La Foret was definitely the tastiest.
We started with an amuse bouche from the chef of salmon and capers on a tiny crustini. I don't like salmon or capers, but the boyfriend said it was delicious. The bread they brought to the table was also amazing.
He ordered the prawns for the appetizer and the rack of lamb for the entree. The prawns were the best cooked prawns either of us had ever tasted - and I do love prawns. The lamb was very good (I honestly preferred the lamb at Tapestry better, but here it was still very good).
I had the Tasting Menu #1, and nearly every course was a stand out dish, each better than the last. The tortellini was good. The scallops were perfection; I loved the saffron sauce that accompanied it. The ahi tuna was cooked to resemble a steak - it was not what i was expecting, but it was pretty amazing. This was my boyfriends favorite dish.
The quail and huckleberries were lovely. The breast meat was especially tender. The sauce was a perfect compliment. And finally the tournedos of beef chanterelles was the single most tender and delicious piece of beef I've ever tasted. It was seasoned perfectly and had wonderful sides of vegetable and a small dollop of potatoes. No knife sharper than a butter knife was ever brought to the table, nor was one needed.
My least favorite dish was actually what people on here rave about: the grand mariner soufflé. Ours were not served with fruit, like others' seemed to be. I honestly don't have much to compare it to as I've never had soufflé, but I didn't care for it. My boyfriend got the same (minimum order of two) and he said it was good, but not great. I wish I had suck with something chocolatey.
We're definitely looking forward to going back again. -
Review from Jane B.
San Jose, CA
11/10/2010
My honey wanted to surprise me with a wonderful dining experience. He wouldn't tell me where dinner will be at, nor did he mention what kind of cuisine it was-he didn't want to spoil the surprise knowing that I would probably yelp it before the meal starts.
Hands down to La Foret. The prices are fair for the serving portion. Food is yelp-a-lious! Every bite I took I had this happy dance going on while seated. What weirdo does that? I mean come on... its food. Well apparently I do a little happy dance when I eat yummy food.
We ordered:
lobster appetizer
beef tarragon
chicken breast
2 lentil soup
1 iced tea
2 coffee
While I thought I was done with my meal and coffee, I saw Sammi doing magic tricks--just ask for a "Coffee Romano"
Coffee Roman (written as printed on the receipt) - I even recorded it.
Yes this is a wonderful anniversary dinner. La Foret is now forever etched into my h-e-a-r-t.Listed in: Places I H-E-A-R-T
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Review from Sofia H.
12/31/2010
For my 300th review I going back to where I used to go to celebrate all of my special occasions when I lived in South San Jose. It definitely has a special place in my heart.
La Foret is a quaint restaurant in an old house far down Old Almaden Road. There is a small stream that passes by the windows of the restaurant and I always would request sitting at one of those tables.
They have wonderful steak and game and my most favorite thing a Grand Marnier souffle. I highly recommend making a stop there if you are going to celebrate a special occassion. -
Review from H C.
San Jose, CA
2/1/2011
Hands down, the best French place in the South Bay. I've come here at least several times a year since 2005 and it's still never changed (which is a good thing, btw). What I love the most about this place (food-wise) is that they never make anything overly salty so you can really tell that they're using fresh ingredients and you get a good taste of the food. And the flavors are skillfully executed. Everything tastes great and I don't ever remember leaving unsatisfied.
With that said, it's not Vegas-French-restaurant good but hey, we're not in Vegas, aren't we? So if you're stuck in San Jose for a while, stick with La Foret and you won't regret it. It's worth your money and time. The ambiance is fantastic as well--romantic, cozy, elegant restaurant--a bit too serious for a first date, but lovely for an anniversary. -
Review from Maria G.
Cupertino, CA
9/16/2010
When my then-fiancé and I drove to this place, we kind of liked how it was tucked away in a forest-y area. The guys ordered the wild game tasting menu (#3) and I had ordered tasting menu #2 which didn't include wild game.
While my French friend and my Chinese friend seemed to enjoy each and every course that was presented to them, myself and the fiancé found them way too rich and one after the other, overpowering. I haven't had such luscious/heavy dishes since I went to Paris and at one point, I felt like all the dishes were starting to taste the same.
For me, I prefer an entrée that bring out maybe two or three flavors in the dish. If food and its flavor is like sex, I would say my taste buds got gang-banged at this place. Blech. Don't think I'll be coming back ever to La Floret. -
Review from Jen C.
8/16/2011 1 photo
My husband and I had dinner here for our first anniversary. We had a reservation so we were seated right away. I had the quail and it was so delicious. The sauce was very sweet and tasty. My husband ordered the elk and it was surprisingly good. For dessert I enjoyed eating the yummy ice cream creme brulee. There's nothing to complain about the service, it was all great. I love this quaint French restaurant.
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Review from Geigy S.
San Jose, CA
4/26/2011
If you're yelping, looking for a special occasion restaurant, and trying to decide between Le Papillon and La Foret, go with the latter. The bucolic drive through Old Almaden sets up the mood, and makes it feel like you're journeying to somewhere far and foreign. Then you enter their sparkling dining room that overlooks a creek and mature trees on its bank. (If you ignore the backyards of the two houses beyond the trees, you'll feel transported.)
The food (we had 3 courses), as all the reviewers have said, is glorious. The service is professional and friendly, so even if you're not of the ilk that frequents these high-priced establishments, you'll still feel like you've come to the absolute right place to celebrate your special occasion. -
Review from Eugene N.
8/24/2010
Wow, the other reviews do not lie. This place was something special.
Just being in a remote location just gave it a different feel.
You can definitely not question them about being pretentious.
I surprised my GF by taking her here for dinner during our anniversary. I had got a reservation a few days prior and got in right on time. It wasn't busy at all being a weekday and we were seated promptly.
It was both our first time here, so I had to take in the atmosphere. This restaurant does a different approach then what one normally would expect. Seeing the menu prior to the location one would think for this to be an extravagant lush atmosphere. With fancy decor and arrogant staff. However, it was completely the opposite.
It was very quaint, yet you still knew you were in a fine dining atmosphere. It was very romantic as well. Especially during dinner, as the sun sets, and the room is enhanced by the candles lit tableside. Although it is more of a simple approach, it does the job, and it does it very well. From the silverware, to the placement and arrangement of the dining room.
The staff was wonderful from beginning to end. The front of house was a bit more serious attitude, but the our waitress made us feel comfortable.
Let's jump right to the food. My girlfriend had the seafood linguine. I had the tournedos of beef tarragon. While we wait for our food, bread is served. Nice and warm, and a BIG scoop of butter. Doesn't seem like a commercial/store bought affair.
I ordered my beef tarragon was cooked to order (medium well), and it was perfect. The presentation of the plate was superb. I had to admire it before i followed by cleaning the plate.I would've taken a photo but I felt awkward hah. Besides I'm sure there are photos already on their site and here on yelp. The cognac sauce went very well with the beef. I highly recommend ordering this if you are unsure what to get your first time here.
My GF's linguine, was filled with fresh seafood. Pasta cooked perfect aldente. It tasted light and not overpowered by the typical super creamy sauce that you usually expect.
We ended the night with the Grand Marnier Souffle. It takes a while to cook so you really had to tell them at the beginning of your entrees being ordered.
We only ordered 1 to share, but the waitress was nice enough to just split it so each of us had our own. BUT, when I mean split, not just cut the one that was made, that would be messy if you are familiar with a souffle. What she did was tell the chef to just split the mixture in 2 separate mini cups, so everything is still served nicely in terms of presentation, when it was time. Now that is going the extra mile, and you can see the type of service you get here.
This was the first time I tried souffle and I absolutely KILLED IT! My GF had to tell me to slow down. You can really taste the Grand Marnier in the sauce. So if you are sensitive to alcohol, then you may grimace or complain, but it was the perfect balance with a piece of berry that is served on the plate with the souffle.
I forget to mention while we were waiting for our entrees, they brought out a complimentary ravioli for each of us. "Compliments of the chef", they said. It was more than welcomed, and it gives us a sample of what we can try in the future.
We ended the wonderful evening dinner, by strolling along the premises. It's nice to walk around and not see huge buildings and tons of cars. The combination of good food, romantic and quaint atmosphere, and great staff allows me to easily give them a perfect score.
I would definitely go here for another special occasion. -
Review from Cindy L.
Bay Area
9/11/2011
Had Sunday brunch at La Foret for a friend's bridal shower. We had a private room in the back -- very beautiful and scenic ambience! I had the salmon w/ port sauce w/ potatoes and asparagus. It was perfectly cooked: tender and tasty. The tortellini, vegetarian pasta, eggs benedict and chicken dishes all looked equally delicious!
Good service too!
Probably a bit of drive since its location is so far down Almaden road. But if you come for Sunday brunch, bring a change of clothes and go for a great hike across the road in quicksilver park afterwards! -
Review from Eric D.
San Jose, CA
10/21/2010
Wow...this place has been here FOREVER and I've never been...and what a find.
The menu is very French traditional and very good. I split the scallops appetizer with my wife and they were really tasty..and just the right amount of the rich food. I followed by a cup of the corn chowder...the corn was sweet so the chowder had a great taste. My chose the lamb as my entree and it was amazing...and did not taste "lamby" if that makes sense. I tied it all together with a creme brulette at the end...HOLY COW...very good.
The service is very good and the setting is very relaxing. However, know that the average age in there is roughly 65+...don't be surprised if you hear a lot of old fart noises, snorts, hacks, etc. I bet there is a defib somewhere on the premises.
Be prepared to drop some money here...but know you are buying a great treat of well prepared food. It's worth it. -
Review from D M.
San Jose, CA
2/17/2011
Okay this place is awesome.
I have been here at least 8 times in 2 years and I must say I LOVE it.
Their service is always great and when they mess up, they are sure to make it up for you with some good dessert or a discount but the mistakes don't happen often.
Their Lemon drop martinis??? Are you kidding? They are awesome! A must have when you go there beside their great selection of wines.
Their menu's taste is very consistent and the presentation of each dish is outstanding.
Te setting is beautiful and the staff is very friendly and helpful.
I will keep going back over and over again. -
Review from Long D.
Milpitas, CA
6/29/2010
Maybe they had a bad night, but my experience dining here was not good. The food was okay. I've had better though. But, the service was surprisingly mediocre.
I went on a weeknight with my girl. We had heard good things about this restaurant. When we arrived, the place was pretty empty. There were only maybe 3-4 tables of ppl. After we ordered, we didn't see anyone for a long time. And, throughout the whole night, they did NOT serve us any amuse bouches! I don't know if they just don't give out amuse bouches on weekdays or what.
The entire night, we only saw the waiter when she took our order, brought out our food, and cleared the table. It was shocking! It did seem like the tables next to us was getting pretty good service. So, I don't know what to say about that.
Considering the fact that our bill was about $200, we expected a lot more.
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