EoPandaBear

I've seen his pictures. It looks like he's using a SLR with remote flash. I bring a camera with me too but am sheepish about it so it's this tiny digital camera. I end up sneaking a pic like it's a crime *laughing*

I decided on Le Bernardin only because I've been to French Laundry so we'll see how it goes! I'm going to Paris in May for 2 weeks and haven't decided on my splurge meal. The problem is that I've read a lot about consistency issues at the restaurants. I'm actually considering going for lunch this time around...maybe Le Cinq. I went to Lyon a few years ago and visited Paul Bocuse. It was like Disneyland (ick). His truffle soup almost made the dinner worthwhile but the rest of the experience was blah.

What happened to ADNY if it was so successful? ← Oh and how is Adour?

What happened to ADNY if it was so successful?

Excuse my ignorance but who is Bruni?

In response to Bryan, LOVE seafood so it's all good. Le Bernardin seems to me that it lacks atmosphere but if it's good food, I can forgive them. I realized after I posted that Per Se included service so I guess in the end, it's NOT that different. I can't drink alcohol anyway (cruddy Asian liver to blame). I agree that some restaurants in the US rival the Michelin 3 start restaurants in Europe...for 1/2 the price! The thing in the US is that they gauge you for wine, whereas in Europe, wine is very reasonably priced. Since I don't drink, I'd rather have affordable food.

Hey everyone, I'm going to be in NYC for a weekend and am wondering which restaurant is an, overall, better experience. I went to Daniel last year and thought the food, atmosphere, and service were wonderful. I've been to French Laundry and honestly was a little underwhelmed. Is the 2x price of Per Se compared to Le Bernadin justifiable? ($275 vs $135) I'm leaning toward Le Bernadin.

Thanks! I was trying to plow through some of the old lists but it got a little crazy!

I went last month and I would not recommend it. The food was mediocre at best (for the price) with many uninspired dishes. The BEST dish by far was this mojito ball. The WORST dish was this celery dish, which was just vile. The wine, though paired relatively well with the dishes, weren't particularly good. They have a 17/20 on Gayot and 2 Michelin stars. I'm not sure they even deserved one star. There are 4 restaurants in LA with 2 Michelin stars (none with 3). Melisse is a better restaurant than Providence but also not deserving of 2 stars. Spago...come on...Wolfgang is such a hack. Lastly, Urasawa, which is most definitely deserving of that status.

1) For the drive up, you can probably stop off at Sausalito. There used to be a restaurant called Christophe that had an early bird prix fix meal for $17. It was run by a couple from Alsace but I think they recently closed? I was last there about a year ago. 2) Wineries - We went to Opus but you have to book that tour early. On Saturdays, they have a wine tasting class at Merryville that's a lot of fun. They break down the components into different glasses for you to taste and you get a tour as well. For beautiful grounds, Sterling would be a good choice. I didn't go for a tour but I'm a fan of Stags Leap wines as well. 3) Since it's your honeymoon, the other thing you could do is go to Dean and Delucca and pack a picnic basket. 4) For dinner, I went to La Toque and thought it was very mediocre. The food was solid and the service great but the dishes were unoriginal. The atmosphere was lovely though...we had a table by the fireplace. One of my best meals there was actually Julia's Kitchen. It was moderately priced and we had a lovely meal. It seems that they're inconsistent though because reviews reviews have not always been so good. I don't know if they're closing because I heard Copia may be closing? Also, if you're wanting to splurge, French Laundry would be an option.

I have a reservation there for Valentine's Day. I'll let you all know how that goes.

Honestly, nothing comes to mind.

I went to Hamersley's 3 years ago and honestly, it wasn't memorable but I don't remember coming away disappointed either. I went back a few weeks ago and didn't have a good meal there at all. The first thing I noticed is that the menu hadn't really changed....in three years. I had the roast chicken, which was poorly executed. The seasoning wasn't flavourful and it was over salted. It was also extremely dry. Our waiter also had the worst body odour. I will definitely not be returning.

Depending on when your birthday is, this might be too little too late. 1) Clio - I had their tasting menu there a few years ago and thought it was a solid meal but not spectacular. The atmosphere is cozy. 2) O Ya - Poor service and pretentious. Everything was foamed or deconstructed. I thought most of the dressings did not really enhance the flavour of the fish but merely added visual appeal. We spent around $160 per person (not including tax and tip) and left there relatively unfulfilled. I think it depends on what you want. I just want an amazing piece of fish and don't necessarily need microgreens and foamed olive oil on it to make me happy. 3) Rendezvous - I agree that I've always had a solid meal there but it's not really an intimate setting if that's what you're looking for. 4) Harvest and Mistral - agree that they're mediocre. 5) No 9 Park - I had the tasting menu and it was a solid meal. Maybe it's just me but I thought the dishes were uninspired. I thought the atmosphere was a little impersonal though. 5) L'Espalier - I'm going to add this to the list. I really enjoy this restaurant and had the best tasting meal experience here (for Boston). Their new location isn't nearly as cozy as their old one...it just feels like any other hotel restaurant. However, their service is always impeccable - attentive but not overbearing. If you're on a tight budget, you can consider their Wine Mondays or Cheese Tuesdays. It's a 3 course tasting menu with wine pairings (+/- cheese depending on the day) for $60. If you tell them it's for a birthday, they'll give you a private table. Because they're appealing to the masses, the dinners on Wine Mondays aren't nearly as inventive as their regular tasting menu. Craigie on Main is on my list.....

Hi there, I'm going to Paris in May for 2 weeks and this will be my third trip. The good thing is that I won't have all those touristy obligations this time! I was wondering if people could tell me what their favourite eateries are....just places that are reliable and consistent. I went to Au Bon Accueil and Le Coup Chou last time, loved the former but not the latter. I also went to Fromagerie 31 and had a good time there. I'll be staying in the 5th but will be wandering all over town. Any advice would be great! Thanks.

I'll start... We went to Pigalle last week. Appetizers 1) Duck liver Terrine with Dijon mustard, toasted brioche and harvest berry jam - The terrine was actually fluffier than usual so it made it a lighter dish, which was nice. 2) Tuna martini with seaweed salad, spicy creme fraiche and tobiko roe - This was a very average dish. They put the tuna in so sorbet cup instead of a martini glass, which made it less elegant. I thought the spicy creme fraich tasted terrible...glad they put it on the side. Main course 1) Steak frites Au poivre with creamed spinach and sliced flank steak - The steak was well cooked and the fries were well seasoned. 2) Asparagus risotto with baby carrots, crispy oyster mushrooms and asparagus tips - It was good risotto but the flavours just weren't that interesting. I've just had much better risotto, such as this amazing crab risotto I had in the North End. Dessert 1) Quince and pear cobbler with golden raisins, home made vanilla ice cream and Brown sugar granola crust 2) Trio of sorbet tasting (blueberry, strawberry, and passion fruit) - the best flavour was definitely passion fruit I don't know.... I thought overall the meal was just okay. The food just wasn't that creative nor were there interesing flavours. It was great for $33.50 per person but I'm not sure I would have have felt like I got my value if I had paid full price. The atmosphere was somewhat noisy and crowded, which made it feel more like a bistro rather than a high end restaurant.

Since so many of the great Chinese chefs have now migrated to the Flushing area, I was wondering if anyone could give me tips for a very tasty dim sum experience. I haven't been back to New York in a while so I need some Chinese restaurant advice.