Simon_S

I've done 2 "hardcore" food trips, both reasonably short (4 days), and I don't intend to do another for all the reasons you might expect. So here are my honest answers: As I discovered, I quite simply can't. I suffered indigestion, bloat, overload and general revulsion at food as the trips continued. I found myself fantasising about dinners containing only plain rice and the like. Munching back Zantak and Rennies like there's no tomorrow can't be good for you. Still, a glass of champagne does wonders for your appetite. Because time is not easy to come by. One of the trips I mentioned was to New York, my first visit there in 7 years. There were a *lot* of places that I wanted to sample, and by the time I got back to NY who knew if said places would still even be there. Of course, there is an element of wanting to take in the big-hitters. It's like going to the Louvre and running up and down the corridors to see the 5 most famous paintings as quickly as possible, then leaving after 20 minutes. It's not the ideal situation, but if you've only got 20 minutes in the Louvre, what are you to do? Sometimes no, but sometimes yes, as it affords a unique ability to make comparisons and spot patterns in a way you wouldn't normally. For me, though, there's no doubt that I enjoy having such meals much more in relative isolation. Si

My comments on Bocuse were probably unnecessarily inflammatory. What ultimately made it a "disgrace" in my mind was a combo of mediocre/poor ingredients at times, and our treatment while there. You would expect the Truffle soup VGE to at least have the aroma of truffles when you break through the pastry. Ours didn't. The sole dish tasted only of cream. Even the Bresse chicken (which I had really been looking forward to) didn't seem to have anything to raise it above a "normal" chicken dish in any good restaurant. I've certainly had better Bresse chicken elsewhere. This combined with the fact that we were routinely ignored by the staff, that our wine arrived at the end of our first course, that one of our party was treated with barely-disguised contempt when he asked for 5 cheeses from the trolley, not to mention the fact that the "great man" stalked around the restaurant without condescending to visit our table, and we were all left with a very poor taste. On our food tour of Lyon, it was definitely the low point. Of course, whether you appreciate this food or enjoy this style of cooking is a completely different issue. I never expected to love it, but I did expect to get something approaching 3-star treatment while at this temple of gastronomy. Perhaps the fact that we ordered the Menu Grande Tradition Classique immediately labeled us as tourists, maybe the real action is to be had a la carte. There was also a definite sense that "regulars" were better treated by a significant margin. Certainly there was a very pure sense of "production line" the like of which I've never experienced at a restaurant of this calibre. Our experience may not, of course, be representative, but I won't be returning to give it another go.

I'm in no way qualified to comment on this thread, but I wouldn't be surprised to seem some pretty serious disagreement even amongst ourselves. In any case, there's NO WAY I could consider Bocuse in the "good" category, and I definitely wouldn't put it about Louis XV. Of course, this judgment is on the back of only one visit to each restaurant, but I left Bocuse feeling like I'd been had. It was, quite simply, a disgrace.

So San Sebastian got the nod from everyone, flights are booked, and we have reservations at Akelare on the Saturday night. It was widely felt that while a lunch would be optimal given the views from the restaurant, the likelihood of 6 Irish guys on a stag surfacing early enough and in good enough health to enjoy such a meal would be slim indeed! Truth be told, the Pintxo possibilities are exciting us just as much as the Michelin excursion. The photos on here have greatly whetted our appetites, not to mention the promise of inexpensive high quality wines told to us by friends who recently visited the area. Basically, we can't wait!! Si

One place that deserves an honorable mention is Kennedy's, just at the entrance to Tara St. station, which sells my favourite pint of Guinness in the city. It's a really old-school pub, small, quite dingy, ladies toilets a very recent addition, full of old men reading the Herald and watching the news on the TV in the corner. Once you're done there, pop around the corner to Mulligan's for what many others consider to be the best Guinness in the city, with a bit more life to boot. The Palace Bar, Kehoe's and the Long Hall deserve a look too. You should probably put your head into Cafe en Seine to see the other side of the Dublin pub coin. Whatever you do don't buy any of their crazily overpriced drinks, but have a wander through some afternoon and marvel at the size and scale of the place. Then imagine what it's like when it's TOTALLY full on a Friday or Saturday night, and consider the amount of money that must change hands. All that thinking will work up a thirst, so pop around the corner to the Duke for a swift one. Si

I love game, and it's common on menus in this part of the world. In fact, I love it so much that I always get a little sad at this time of the year when the season is drawing to a close. Personally I'd take venison/pheasant/partridge/woodcock/rabbit/hare over spring lamb any day of the week.

Daniel, that sounds like a great trip. My cap is doffed! I'd be interested to hear your views on Arzak vs. Akelare vs. Mugaritz, especially for those who might be inexperienced in cutting edge cuisine. I'm looking for one big meal for a group in June, and while I obviously want something mindblowing, I don't want to choose intellectual/cerebral over tasty. In any case, I'm looking forward to your report.

So FG, is it your contention that Ko will *have to* adopt the "FG" method in order to survive and flourish, or is it your contention that they *should* adopt your method in order to survive and flourish? It's my understanding that you're arguing the former, and I'm still not sure I agree, even in light of the various well-made points in the thread. I am of the opinion that Chang can do what he has said he's going to do and have a full restaurant for many years to come. Ultimately, even if you set aside 2 seats per night, enough people are going to be pissed off either way by the whole reservation process, whether regulars or newbies. I still think there are plenty of people left who will have no problem with the system, and whether you consider it "good" customer service or not, if there are enough people willing to forego reservations favouritism, then Chang will continue to have a business. It sounds to me from this thread that there are plenty of such people among the regulars, and since the non-regulars don't even come into this discussion, it's possible we're already seeing evidence contrary to your own opinion. This is one of those rare occasions where "popular opinion" really can win the argument over industry insight, because popular opinion is all that's really at stake here. Do you believe there's no chance whatsoever that the egalitarian model COULD, in this case at least, be successful?

Can I ask, is it possible to have a good Pintxos crawl in San Sebastian on a Sunday evening? There's a good sporting chance I'll be there for a Saturday and Sunday night in early June, but I'm concerned that pretty much everything will be closed on Sunday. Can anybody put my mind at rest? Saturday will probably involve Mugaritz/Arzak/some other blow-out. I'm assuming all of the "big name" restaurants are closed on Sundays? Thanks for any help. Si

Thanks to all for the suggestions. It looks like San Sebastian is going to get the nod after all. Gareth, I love that story, absolutely brilliant stuff. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that a stag is the ideal opportunity to eat well. I wonder could I persuade the lads to splash out for Yquem or something...

It looks like San Sebastian is winning. It just ticks so many boxes. SBonner, the annual embarrassment that is St. Patrick's Day ensured that I gave Dublin city centre a wide berth yesterday. I enjoy a drink as much as the next man, and have experienced my fair share of drunkenness over the years, but the image of hordes of 14 year-olds vomiting in the street by lunchtime is too much for me. In any case, my companions and I are very much looking forward to this trip. Thanks to all for the suggestions.

I've watched this topic from afar (safe in the knowledge that I'm probably never going to get the chance to eat at Ko anyway) but the question of treating regulars well vs. an "egalitarian" system intrigues me. It strikes me that what FG is saying is simply good business sense for the vast majority of restaurants, but I wonder if in this case the "egalitarian model" makes *more* sense. Firstly, a restaurant (albeit a pricey restaurant) with 12 or 14 covers in a place like NY probably has enough depth of clientele to keep them going for a long time without needing to worry too much about repeat business. Chang (like Hansel) is so hot right now. As well as the eGullet-style patron, there are probably plenty of others who will want to eat there on the back of the hype and inevitably cracking Bruni review. So that covers things for quite some time and gets a lot of bums on seats. The thing is, when that hype wears off, I have a sneaking suspicion that the kind of diner who will ensure Ko is filled every night is the kind of diner who approves of the "egalitarian" model -- young, hip, happy to drop serious cash for really good food without needing the other trappings of fine dining, basically the kind of person who does not really frequent Daniel or the equivalent. I suspect that, among such a demographic, even the vague sense that a 12-14 seater restaurant was really a private club that you couldn't get into would be a killer blow. There isn't much wiggle-room with such a low number of seats: if you're catering for regulars and VIPs in the usual way, you're probably going to need pretty much all of those seats, otherwise many who think they're of VIP status are going to lose out pretty regularly. One way to ensure such regulars don't get pissed off is to tell them there are no concessions for regulars, ergo you're special, we want you, we'll treat you well when you get here, but we just can't guarantee reservations. Of course, I don't believe that the 100% egalitarian system is ever really possible. If Chang's mother wants to eat at Ko, he's going to find her a seat, not a computer terminal. I'm 100% sure that there'll always be special dispensation for those *really* close, but I think there just isn't enough room to extend this luxury to all who might be considered VIPs at a larger restaurant. Si

Cadiz sounds interesting, I'll add it to the list of potentials. Is Girona too quiet to keep us amused for a weekend? It does of course have Can Roca, but is that all there is? I was there before and I seem to remember it totally shutting down on Sunday. Is that still the case?

Thanks Le Peche, I'd be lying if I said it hadn't crossed my mind. Monaco was the site of the proposal that led to said Stag Party, and Louis XV was the restaurant of choice for dinner that night. I'm somewhat "reluctant" to repeat it with the lads... Tell me, though, is there anywhere else you'd recommend on the Cote D'Azur?

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'd especially love to go to San Sebastian, as it's been on my "must-do" list for a while. The only problem is that I had always intended to go with wife-to-be. Oh well, maybe this is the ideal opportunity to check it out so I'll know all the good places to go when I return...! One of our party is just back from a very successful trip to Barcelona, and he has made it clear he'd be happy to go back in a few months. That's a definite maybe as it's just such a great city. I don't think I could go to Roses without an elBulli booking -- it would only taunt me!! Realistically, it probably isn't my cup of tea as a location without the elBulli connection, although I really *do* have to make it to Rafa's sometime as we couldn't get a table on our last visit. Are there any less-well-known places that anyone might recommend? Somewhere a little off the beaten track, perhaps? I'm just curious. Thanks again. Si

I've been to enough "get drunk, fall over" stag parties in my time that I'd like to do something a little different for my own. I was thinking of gathering together a group of 6 like-minded friends and heading away for a weekend somewhere in either Spain or France, where we could eat well before getting drunk and falling over. Our requirements are few in many ways: at least one top-drawer restaurant and ample opportunities for pub-crawling, etc. Near a beach for daytime would be a bonus but not crucial. We don't need nightclubs or strippers (they can wait until the "other" stag party). For some reason I'm struggling to come up with the ideal location. Any suggestions? Thanks Si PS I'll be posting this in the Spain and Portugal forum as well. I hope I'm not contravening any rules in doing so. Apologies to those who end up reading this post twice.

I've been to enough "get drunk, fall over" stag parties in my time that I'd like to do something a little different for my own. I was thinking of gathering together a group of 6 like-minded friends and doing a weekend somewhere in either Spain or France where we could eat well before getting drunk and falling over. Our requirements are few in many ways: at least one top-drawer restaurant and ample opportunities for pub-crawling, etc. Near a beach for daytime would be a bonus but not crucial. We don't need nightclubs or strippers (they can wait until the "other" stag party). For some reason I'm struggling to come up with the ideal location. Any suggestions? Thanks Si PS I'll be posting this in the France forum as well. I hope I'm not contravening any rules in doing so. Apologies to those who end up reading this post twice.

Well, as HannaBanana said, our second Ramsay experience was much more positive than our first. Before we ever even tasted a morsel, it was obvious that FOH have a much better grasp of the situation, and were far more in control of the room. It probably says something that I didn't recognise a single face from our previous visit... As for the grub itself, things were much improved, the Pata Negra with whipped foie gras and the Lobster and Salmon raviolo being obvious standouts. The only real low-point was the banal beef (as pointed out by HannaBanana above) but even then the croquette went some way towards salvaging that dish for me. Another misgiving would be the cheeseboard, which just doesn't seem to last so well in the AC until late in the evening, as one or two of my cheeses seemed a little dry. All in all, though, it was a good dinner, showing every sign that the restaurant is capable of very good things. Is it at the level of the other big boys around town? For my money, not really, and despite initial reports that the restaurant was aimed squarely at Guilbaud/Thornton quality but at a lower price, I don't think those guys have much to fear yet. That could be more to do with the fact that this food doesn't really "excite" me rather than any obvious failings, and maybe the Michelin Man will think differently when the time comes, but the wow factor wasn't there for me. Of course, not everyone wants wow factor, so if you're the sort who finds McGrath's food pretentious, R@P might be right up your street. I still don't especially like the room, and the promised improvements weren't all that obvious to me. It didn't affect us this time as we were in a much better location, but I still wouldn't want to be at the big table beside the corridor to the kitchens. I would be tempted to return for lunch some sunny Sunday when the all-important view might actually be visible, but a window seat would be pretty crucial. One of the waiters also mentioned plans to serve lunch/dinner on the terrace during the summer months, Irish weather permitting, and that sounds like an excellent idea. One other interesting thing to note is that FOH are making a specific effort to cultivate a relaxed atmosphere, nothing too stiff and formal, and this seems to be working quite effectively. It brings a fairly "Irish" feel to proceedings, and at the risk of sounding like an arrogant asshole, I suspect it makes the restaurant quite non-threatening to those not used to eating a la Michelin. This seems like a very sensible move to me, and I imagine Sunday lunch with the Mammy/kids is a guaranteed revenue stream. For now, I don't get the impression that they're targeting the *very* highest levels of gastronomy, nor the trappings that go with it, and that's probably no bad thing. So, who wants to organise an eGullet gathering at the chef's table? Si

It's still available here I think. I seem to be one of the few that thinks Dundon came across as a prick, by playing up to the audience on an obviously difficult issue for McGrath. Thornton's response both at the time and in print is somewhat unfair given the lashing he received over the "No Experience Required" programme, not to mention chip-gate. I am of course biased as I think Mint is a fabulous restaurant doing something genuinely good, as opposed to Dundon doing nice food for the masses that (in my experience at least) tastes like it's been under the lamp too long. Of course, I do like Thornton's grub. Anyway... Indeed, and McGrath has garnered this reaction from day 1. Whether McGrath is arrogant or not is pretty much irrelevant to me, but lots of people seem to want to take a pop at him, chefs included. I think the old "it's a long way from this kind of fancy food we were brought up" is alive and well here. In Celtic Tiger Ireland spending huge sums of money on dinner is okay, just as long as it's steak and chips. sidoyle, I must admit I respectfully disagree with your comments overall, and I certainly wouldn't call the food joyless. There are plenty of other well-regarded restaurants in town that fit the bill there, but Mint isn't one of them IMO.

Will you be having port with the cheese? If so, it can be hard to go back to dessert and the English way might shade it. If not, and people are just going to go on drinking the wine, I'd have the cheese first.

New Stars Mint One Bon Appetit One ← Yes indeed. You know, I really wasn't expecting *both* to get a star, but it seems that Corinna called it earlier in the thread:

Well, I'm delighted to see Mint (Dublin) got that well-deserved star. Now I have to make the pilgrimage to Malahide to see what's going on at Bon Appetit. I've never eaten there. Congrats to all.

Is that including Ireland Jay? (as in, are there no new stars in this neck of the woods?)

Me neither! Have they been calling successfully bestarred chefs in advance this year?

A definite possibility from where I'm sitting. FOH was *much* improved on my last visit just before Christmas. I asked about Michelin and they said that one inspector in particular seemed to have an excellent time when he visited, and told them he had been extremely well-treated. For me, the cooking remains somewhere between 1 and 2 stars (not that I'm basing that on very much experience elsewhere) but a part of me thinks it will happen for them this year. I'd still prefer to eat at Mint though...