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Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Points

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Lusciouslush » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:00 pm

I loved the article about the Singaporean Hawker getting a star for his chicken & noodles.......!

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby WhitefieldFoodie » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:01 pm

Pampy wrote:Totally agree, WFF - what's the point of a Michelin starred meal if you are eating it on your own or in bad company? Like you, the enjoyment for me is the social situation as much as the food and my ideal dinner with friends and family goes on long past the food. We stay seated at the dinner table, pick on any leftovers, drink (usually copiously :wino ) and just thoroughly enjoy ourselves - I can think of nothing better.


Totally.

When I was in London, I visited City Social, Jason Athertons place. Me and my friends had been out and drank quite a lot of Gin in the day around Shoreditch and because we were laughing and joking and enjoying ourselves, and not excessively or loudly it must be added, the waiters asked us to stop joking around. I was 100% gobsmacked. But it was all because a bunch of corporate lawyers were trying to have a "meeting" at the table next to us, and they were "regular clients" in their words. What a soul destroying, heart braking way to ruin what was a stunning meal.

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Lusciouslush » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:09 pm

As I said in my earlier post WWf - suits on expense accounts!

Or even worse - a lot of silver-haired 'uncles' out with their 'neices' - changes the atmosphere completely - no laughing allowed!

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Stokey Sue » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:34 pm

I've told the story before, but when we met the drunk (and racist) sommelier we would have left, but two things stopped us
1. Our teenaged waiter was on the verge of tears, he was so embarrassed
2. The cliche self-made northern business man at the next table, a regular, spoke very sternly to him and clearly intended to tell the patron.

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Joanbunting » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:38 pm

While I agree about expense account customers I have to say that, as we usually go to such restuarants as a couple for a special occasion I really hate overly loud tables near me.

A truly lovely meal at Benares in London came very close to being ruined by not one, but two fairly large groups of youngish men and another of young women out for the evening - the food just didn't matter to them.There was another elderly (yes we are elderly) couple next to us and we both asked to be moved. The head waiter agreed that it was particularly noisy and duly moved us both.

If I had wanted a loud cheerful night out I wouldn't choose that sort of restaurant, Not that I think everywhere should be treated with silent reverence. but I do think chefs who have worked hard , probably for many years ,to achieve recognition deserve some respect and attention to their efforts.

I'm afraid I do find the UK a much much noisier place to eat. The only place I have experienced that was worse was the USA when it is not only incredibly loud but so rushed you just don't have time to enjoy your meal.

WWF your fun meals sound much more the sort of place to go for a good night out with a group so good luck to you. You choose your venue according to your mood and the occasion

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Lusciouslush » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:49 pm

We had a similar experience last year when we were at a very well regarded resto out in the country - usually a very relaxed place.

We asked to be moved when a table of around 10 were seated next to ours - very cor-blimey & Malaga tans & noisy - not loud, but we didn't want to hear their conversation & we could - turned out it was Katie Price et al.

:lol:

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby WhitefieldFoodie » Thu Sep 21, 2017 4:00 pm

Joan - Whilst I agree with the notion of loud and loutish being unacceptable, we were just being relaxed and sharing a joke and chuckle. It was as if the restaurant and certain diners expected people to be sat at attention. We were treated by certain staff as second class customers. I actually left feeling offended. The funny thing was in our group there was more than a little foodie knowledge. My friend is a food blogger from London, her (ex)partner was a trained chef from Switzerland and me and Mrs WFF like to think we have discerning palates and our fair share of technical knowledge, also.

All in all it was a shame because the food was exquisite and I fed as much back to the FOH manager when asked for feedback at the end. She went on to apologise for what had happened, and offered us a drink at the bar.

I think it may be this sort of experience which pushes "fine dining" away from the masses. Even if they can afford the prices many may be put off from experiencing the alchemy and beauty of what these skilled and talented chefs can put together and that is such a shame.

Recently I have been invited to Michael O'Hare's restaurant in Leeds by a friend who knows his family somehow. It is apparently a very modern and relaxed establishment with a more "accessible" approach to fine dining. I am very much looking forward to it.

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Stokey Sue » Thu Sep 21, 2017 6:06 pm

I'd love to go to Michael O'Hare's :)

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Alexandria » Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:49 am

To All,

Thank you for all your feedback ..

Fine dining and an exemplary meal with exceptional local wines, whether Michelin or not, could be urban, seaside, rurals, a candlelit arbor in an old villa, a bright trattoria, a three table classic traditional bar filled with local fishermen along the northern Costa Brava or on the Tuscan or Adriatic Coast of Italy or Southern France, the solemn chic of of an elegant restaurant in a metrópolis or cosmopolitan Capital city, a stand up top notch scene making Barcelona bar with dazzling dynamic tapas, and / or a rural hill top manor house in the high mountain pass of Brasov, located close to the Braun Castle, in Romania where many locals have never seen a foreigner before ..





Have a lovely weekend ..

:wino
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Joanbunting » Fri Sep 22, 2017 11:20 am

WWF do let us know about your Micheal O'Hare exoerience.

One of the best meals we had on our last trip to London was at Pollen Street Social - we were blown away.

On Sunday we have been invited by our chef friend Mannu who left the last retsaurant, where he was head chef, to open his own place in a nearby village. He is getting rave revues but he wants us to go and try his autumn menu whci he is starting this weekend.

He left the previous place because the patron started cutting costs, we think to make the most of the tourist season and then close up in the winter months. Mannu is absolutely dedicated to catering for everyone locals as well as tourits.

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Joanbunting » Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:26 pm

Did anyone see the final of Celebrity MasterChef last night?

The chefs' table was filmed at City Social and we realised that we had eaten at the restaurants of all but two all but two of chefs. Jason Atherton was a sympathetic and patient teacher, as were his staff.

I completely agreed wiith the choice of winner.

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby strictlysalsaclare » Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:43 pm

Joanbunting wrote:Did anyone see the final of Celebrity MasterChef last night?

The chefs' table was filmed at City Social and we realised that we had eaten at the restaurants of all but two all but two of chefs. Jason Atherton was a sympathetic and patient teacher, as were his staff.

I completely agreed wiith the choice of winner.



We are hoping to watch this in the next couple of days - thank you for not giving the game away Joan!

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Sakkarin » Sat Sep 23, 2017 4:36 pm

Quite by coincidence I landed on this review of Michael O'Hare's restaurant by an ex-Beeb Boarder (Schmoofaloof back then). The pix look fabulous but she seems underwhelmed. Maybe it's a case of "too much of a good thing".

http://lizzieeatslondon.blogspot.co.uk/ ... leeds.html

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby strictlysalsaclare » Sat Sep 23, 2017 5:17 pm

Hi Sakkarin

Thanks for posting that link. I had a good old chuckle reading that because I can imagine feeling the same way if I was ever wealthy enough to afford to eat in a Michelin Starred restaurant that had a tasting menu. Although I would probably go to a Burger King or KFC afterwards :lol:, I'm not overly keen on McDonalds.

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Petronius » Sat Sep 23, 2017 6:02 pm

I've posted before about lunch at Manoir, our only experience of Michelin star places. Yes, all the periphery stuff is there and we truly had a great time. Probably made the mistake of choosing the tasting menu and their wine flight. They served the same wine for two dishes, had a pleasant chat with the Sommelier but no mention of reduction. The red wine drinkers were unimpressed with the Bordeaux for the beef and we didn't think the dessert wine was right for a citrus dish. At £89 each, less that impressed.

In Lille we had a far better meal and wine for about £100– no stars of any sort, and in a back street near Monmatre a similar experience.

We tried Raymond Blancs place in Bath (no stars) – poor. A few weeks later, in a local pub, we chose exactly the same items on the menu – far, far better.

We've toyed with idea of Le Gavroche, but earlier this year it became public that all the tips Roux was keeping for himself and didn't go to the staff. Always liked his programmes, but now won't even watch him for that reason.

The best meal I've ever had was in a place called L'Aberwach(?) north coast of France after a longer than expected sail across the Channel. Wooden trestle tables, no cloths, piles of bread, mussels served in the saucepan in which they were cooked. Perfection.

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Badger's Mate » Sun Sep 24, 2017 1:03 pm

I guess these places run the risk of lapsing into self-parody if they're not careful, but I can honestly say I've never felt hungry after a meal in a posh place, tasting menu or otherwise. Our first tasting menu was in a restaurant called Bacchus in Shoreditch. It wasn't starred, although the Portuguese chef had trained at El Bulli and went on to get stars in several subsequent ventures. £40 per head, seven courses. After three, I was thinking it might require a visit to the chippy, but the fish and main courses were so rich it certainly didn't. It was largely cooked sous vide , when that was a novelty. As a consequence (and where our experience mirrors Schmoof's) everything was tepid, nothing hot.

Presumably, eating a McDonalds afterwards is meant as a criticism of the restaurant rather than a criticism of McDonalds, though logically it should apply equally to both...

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Joanbunting » Mon Sep 25, 2017 11:32 am

Re large parties and couple in restaurants. I thought you would like to hear about our friends newly opened restaurant. He was heading for a star as head chef at his previous place but decided for various reasons to go it alone.

The restaurant is in a veru old building part of which was the vlage grain store and is stone with a wonderful vaulted roof and a gorgoeus tiled floor Tables are simply dressed with red gingham mats, napkins to match the chair sushionsa the furniture is warm polished wood. Tables for two are all in the vaulted part and seperated from larger tables with a local style buffet which is not totally encloseed so both halves can glimpse each other.

Yesterday there we some couples and two quite large parties but the accoustics and the room arrangement meant that everyone could converse without difficult and, belssed relief no piped music

It had been wonderfuuly thought out and most tastfully but traditionally done. Essence of Provence.

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby WhitefieldFoodie » Mon Sep 25, 2017 3:44 pm

Joanbunting wrote:Re large parties and couple in restaurants. I thought you would like to hear about our friends newly opened restaurant. He was heading for a star as head chef at his previous place but decided for various reasons to go it alone.

The restaurant is in a veru old building part of which was the vlage grain store and is stone with a wonderful vaulted roof and a gorgoeus tiled floor Tables are simply dressed with red gingham mats, napkins to match the chair sushionsa the furniture is warm polished wood. Tables for two are all in the vaulted part and seperated from larger tables with a local style buffet which is not totally encloseed so both halves can glimpse each other.

Yesterday there we some couples and two quite large parties but the accoustics and the room arrangement meant that everyone could converse without difficult and, belssed relief no piped music

It had been wonderfuuly thought out and most tastfully but traditionally done. Essence of Provence.


That sounds wonderful, to be fair.

Everything I would look for in place to fill my hole. I will definitely add it to my trip advisor scrap book of "places I want to eat if I find myself in the area".

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby strictlysalsaclare » Mon Sep 25, 2017 10:38 pm

We caught up with Celebrity Masterchef today, and like Joan, we were very pleased with the result as well!

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Re: Have you ever eaten in a Michelin Star Venue ? View Poi

Postby Sakkarin » Mon Oct 02, 2017 7:20 pm

WHOOPS, POSTED THIS IN WRONG THREAD! MOVED...

I see they've just dished out this year's honours. Astonished to see that the latest restaurant to attain three-stars has only 9 seats. Strange number that, kind of guarantees that there's always a wallflower.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... elin-stars

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