An 1848 miners cabin, set in a lovely and bucolic area (well away from the office parks of Silicon Valley) is the setting for this gourmet's paradise, considered one of the 50 best French restaurants in the United States. Service is formal (how oculd it not be when the waiters are wearing tuxedos?) and the food relies on luxe ingredients, flown in from all corners of the globe: cold-water lobster from Australia, Kobe beef from Japan. Each day, there's a wild game special and if you just can't decide, there are tasting menus available (for either $65 or $85). Be sure to dress up: you'll be turned away if you show up in sneakers or shorts.

-Pauline Frommer