Punjuna

Another michelin year, another shocker. From my experiances I thought Sat Bains, L'enclume and Wishart were stone wall 2 stars this year. The one star level is bizarre.Having been lucky enough to eat at five of the new one stars last year, how the hell Adam Simmonds at Danesfield House is not worth one is extremely puzzling.

Thats an end of topic answer if ever I heard one. Lets move on now then!

In my opinion the greatest it is not, I think that is something we can agree on. I just think it is wrong that he seems to get slaughtered every time he does something new and different. Is it Heston's fault that the trade press treat him in this supposed way? Maybe all the commotion that is caused is playing into his hands and making his position even stronger. In fact I have just had a thought, is one of you Heston

My oh my, fanatical fan base, people that can't think for themselves, one would think we are talking about a murderous dictator! You show an amazing way of showing respect and who ever said that Heston's way is the only way, of course it's not there is room for everyone. I have been to the Fat Duck two years ago and on the whole thoroughly enjoyed it, but in my opinion some elements of the meal were not perfect and have had better meals elsewhere. But thats just me, it does not mean its wrong and I am not going to join the Heston witchhunt.

It would also be an interest to know from our overseas friends whether the thriving avant garde movements in such countries as Spain, USA or now even France receive the same treatment. Is it just a British thing to 'slag off' the success story?

That is quite true. But that does not give people the right to ridecule and abuse either. He is not putting guns to our heads, he is standing up and doing something he believes in.

"Spurious authority." What a fantastic phrase to basically call everyone morons for not agreeing to ones point of view. Well I think I am basically a 'genuine' kind of girl so it did make me sit up and realise that instead of trying to earn a living by providing a product that is different, it is in fact, an evil regime that is brainwashing each and every one of us so we had all better look out and he deserves all the abuse he gets. This is all very serious!

You can be sure it is something he thinks is an interesting new variant. It sounds fun to me but I suppose you have to have a developed sense of humour to think so. What I do think is "tossage" is the slagging off of a chef who is probably the most brilliant working in the UK today.

I think this is a classic local rag misquote. Simon Rogan believes that the reason he did not achieve a second star this year was the simple fact that in michelin's eyes it wasn't good enough! I don't know what was said by the staff member but maybe the journalist got the idea from them. With all that has gone on there recently michelin would be the last thing on his mind. Very sad.

An interesting reason for leaving a restaurant. The pursuit of michelin stars! I thought it should be about pleasing your customers and making money??

sorry meant "no idea" . Been to pub!!

Well stick to US kitchens if you have on idea who MPW is. God forbid.

Fair enough

Mr Bapi, I talk from REAL experiance but my partner would kill me so I cannot elaborate. We must agree to disagree at the moment

And yes its very depressing!

Of course the problem exists nationwide but it is a lot more obvious in the north. The notion of you get what you pay for certainly has not reached the masses and the attitude of the customer is light years ahead in other parts of the country.

Sketch, no question

There are some quality places in the North no question that was not my point. It is the attitude and the eating habits of the customers that hold the region back. Fantastic restaurant offering a well balanced perfectly cooked experiance, half full. Pub serving massive portions of rubbish and they are actually paying just the same although they don't realise it full to the rafters.

Is that just Liverpool? I thought that was true of much of the north of England. Getting shitfaced and gladly paying over the odds for anything with a pie crust on it.

Sorry Maze that is! opps

My partner and I ate there last summer. It started very well but fizzled out simply because you are basically constucting your own menu. Anybody can devise nice little portions, it is the way that the portions are brought together in harmony that matters. To make matters worse some of the options we chose on our "diy tasting menu were mediocre. We left dubbing it the British Homestores of fine dining!

Bloody big rats at that

VLS in a darkened restaurant where nobody can see him!!! Suddenly this restaurant does not sound so bad after all.

I have eaten that lamb dish and I do not think it is one of his finest dishes and I have told him so but Simon being Simon disagrees, stubborn so and so. The problem is that the design and content of each dish so blatantly revolves around the taste and texture menus that their concept is lost to some when eating a la carte. For this reason I am told the a la carte menu will go soon.

I was about to say that the darkness thing is the same sort of concept as the headphones at the Fat Duck. However, this disturbs me slightly.