Jeanty At Jacks   

The polished mahogany wood, black wrought iron railings and original Vercasson prints at Jeanty at Jack's might have you thinking Paris, but this spot is nearly as old as San Francisco. Original owner Jack Reddington opened the gentlemen's supper club Jack's during the Civil War, and it remained popular until it burned to the ground after the 1906 quake. New owners rebuilt on the same ground, and over the next century Jack's entertained notable celebrities like Ernest Hemingway. In this century chef Philippe Jeanty (of Bistro Jeanty fame) took over but retained the charm of Jack's, with the garland and basket wall reliefs, brasserie-red facade and even the bell system waiters once used to inform patrons entertaining ladies upstairs that dinner was coming up. The menu is crafted in the tradition of the French brasserie, what with escargot, coq au vin or sole meuniere. Many favorites of Jeanty's delightful Yountville bistro are available here. The tomato soup in puff pastry is a favorite, as are the mussels steamed in pinot noir and duck "foieblond" pate. Jeanty at Jack's is pricey, but the fine dining, knowledgeable waitstaff and rich history will take your mind off of it. -- Martha Levison