UK Michelin Ratings for 2008

[Andy Lynes]

Oh, you're so up with the news...

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Sorry, don't mean to be a smart arse.

I don't know who they've got in to replace him but he's going to be a tough act to follow. I was invited to a press launch at the Latymer and had a very impressive meal given that he'd only just taken over the kitchen. Lovely restaurant but the rest of the hotel, which is bloody huge, is a bit corporate for my tastes.

[BertieWooster]

Well the Dev is still mentioning Wignall as their Executive Head Chef, so they obviously haven't recruited a name replacement yet.

[naebody]

Wild Honey (if Arbutus got it, then why not WH. I like both restaurants, but don't think either is 1* standard. But consistency should dictate WH gets a star)

Agree. My last four or five meals at Arbies have been really quite disappointing, as was my one visit to WH. Either I've repeatedly hit bad nights, or it's not the same place it was a year ago. Still, I'd fully expect Mich to take the path of least resistance and give WH a star, rather than admit it made a mistake last year.

Aiden Byrne - nothing but praise, wasted in that room

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Agree, but does value for money ever come into it? The Grill Room is great at what it does, but it's so expensive you think it's a practical joke at first. I mean, £42 for Dover sole with nothing. Even on Park Lane, that's silly.

[Corinna Dunne]

just reading an article in the caterer with chefs predictions for stars in the 08 guide, some sensible calls, anthony's for one, champignon sauvage for three etc.

Was there any mention of Irish restaurants in the Caterer piece?

Derek Bulmer has been busy following up on inspector visits over here. He was back in to check 2* Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, which has had a refurb, but I don’t see there being any change there. Definitely not a third star. Their great room, great service and consistency are what keep them at the 2* level more than the food (which is good but short on wow factor, with the exception of the crubbeens and a few other dishes). There’s speculation that Thornton’s will get its second star back now that the room has been brought up to scratch. I prefer the food in Thornton’s to Guilbaud’s but just don’t feel that their front-of-house is 2*, which is a shame, but not enough to put me off. It will be interesting to see what happens there.

Mint is the one that everyone is watching. Dylan McGrath is a serious talent and it will be nothing short of disgraceful if he doesn’t land a star. He is the best chef in the country as far as I’m concerned. The room unfortunately is too small, approx 36 covers, with tables way too close together and there’s no reception area. But this is the only down side. On a recent visit, I couldn’t believe how much he had moved on, he is continuously improving on everything he does, he’s highly original and there seems to be no issue with consistency. The food is wonderful, sublime at times. He’s got the whole shebang in terms of glassware, plates, customised serving dishes etc, service is great and there’s an excellent wine list and sommelier. A television crew is following him at the moment, the obsessive chef reaching for the stars slant, so 24th Jan is going to be the bit that wraps up the story.

Loads of talk about Oliver Dunne in Bon Appetit. Bulmer has been in here too (v Michelin room, plenty of textbook stuff, much safer than Dylan McGrath and he’s very accomplished and accessible). He’s playing it cool saying he’s not thinking about stars, which is highly unlikely since he used to refer to his upstairs restaurant as ‘the Michelin contender’ until the media set about pitching him against McGrath, as if there’s only one star to be had and it’s an either or situation. No reason to assume this (although Michelin and generosity aren’t two words that normally appear close together), but if it comes down to a choice, my money is on McGrath on the basis that one star is meant to be all about the food.

Probably not going to get a star, but very deserving, is Paul Flynn in the Tannery, an excellent chef to the core, it just comes naturally to him in a very unfussy way.

As for Ramsay’s new place in Powerscourt, well the service is a complete shambles so it will be an outrage if he gets a star based on the pedigree of the name. Apparently things are picking up, but they’d need to. As far as I know, Ramsay was overlooked in the Michelin round in Japan, so hopefully they will see fit to allow things to get in shape in Ireland before they declare this place worthy.

Alexis should get a bib, but it’s probably too early, certainly next year, and the Winding Stair deserves one.

From a UK perspective, I enjoyed Wild Honey, it will be interesting to see how Michelin progresses with their stars in the haute bistro category, certainly if they keep going in this direction, I would expect Locks in Dublin to be in the running in 2009. I’ve only been to RHR once, but have to say that I found it excellent, it was quite simply faultless and the service was nothing short of outstanding, just perfectly pitched. Petrus excellent too.

[confiseur]

I don't know who they've got in to replace him but he's going to be a tough act to follow. I was invited to a press launch at the Latymer and had a very impressive meal given that he'd only just taken over the kitchen. Lovely restaurant but the rest of the hotel, which is bloody huge, is a bit corporate for my tastes.

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[Man]

Italian food is the only one (I think) I really understand and my experiences at Theo Randall's were extremely disappointing. Clearly inferior in my view not only to Locanda L but also to several others such as Latium, Semplice, Number Twelve (not really Italian but Italian chefs and Italian influenced cuisine), and even Via Condotti.

Of the others mentioned, I think Patterson's is miles below a star.

Man

[Basildog]

When is it published?

[Matthew Grant]

Semplice is another I heard tipped for a star.

[Andy Lynes]

When is it published?

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Amazon says 25 Jan.

[Corinna Dunne]

When is it published?

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Amazon says 25 Jan.

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And I think the announcement is 24 Jan.

[Simon_S]

Corinna,

Your post on the Irish dining scene is as comprehensive as always. It's interesting that, with each passing year, there seems to be more to speculate about. That alone must bode well for the Irish dining scene.

I think at this point I've made my feelings about Mint clear to all and sundry. If they don't get that star I may just have to slap somebody. Repeatedly.

Si

[ben mcmayon]

why has nobody said tom aikens for his second star, his food has become alot more consistent and i fell that hes finished showing off and now is showing his true colours, classic french food with a twist!!

[Corinna Dunne]

Rumour has it that there were two tables of four from Michelin there one night.

[naebody]

why has nobody said tom aikens for his second star

Ahem. Either your reading's cursory or your spelling's wonky.

What should happen: Garvoche up to three. Aikens and Aubergine up to two.

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Oh, and to touch on Man's point above: I agree that Patterson's is a nautical mile below star quality (my last meal there, as I think I wrote in this very forum, resembled nothing so much as abatoir sweepings). But the place has been an also-ran for so long that it's always worth a each-way bet.

Nevertheless, I'll remove Patterson's from my prediction list and replace it with that pay-per-view tourist fleecer, Galvin at Windows.

Edited January 7, 2008 by naebody (log)

[ravelda]

Naebody, I would be interested to know when your last meal at Patterson's was?

[naebody]

Naebody, I would be interested to know when your last meal at Patterson's was?

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An archive search reveals that it was was way back last February (oddly enough, I mentioned it in the Mich thread 2007). I know you're a fan though, as evidenced by the above link, so I'll assume it was an off night.

[ravelda]

Naebody, I would be interested to know when your last meal at Patterson's was?

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An archive search reveals that it was was way back last February (oddly enough, I mentioned it in the Mich thread 2007). I know you're a fan though, as evidenced by the above link, so I'll assume it was an off night.

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I would say I am rather a fan - so much that I ended up working with them (and still do!) I would recommend another visit - we are working on a new menu now which I hope should be a cracker and later in the year we will be going through some major changes as well. Do PM me if you do decide to pop back - I really would hope it was a one-off odd night - but don't take my word for it, have a look at Charles Campions new book, the latest squaremeal magazine or indeed http://www.silverbrowonfood.com/silverbrow...pattersons.html

and see what some other people think.

And as I said, do let me know if you decide to give us another go - we certainly aren't perfect yet but many of the wrinkles we needed to iron out have gone and following our planned re-vamp this year it will be quite different again!

[Conor]

One surprise addition to the list maybe The Ritz getting it's first star.

[Matthew Grant]

The Sportsman in Seasalter.

It meets some essential criteria that Michelin seem to enjoy at the moment. 1) The food is fantastic by anyones standards 2) It's in a nice casual setting though it could easily be in London with starched table cloths, legions of waiting staff and the rest of those typical Michelin restaurant type things but it isn't. It's in a pub which surely must attract the Michelin inspectors even more!?

[tony h]

Times are a changin' when egullet gets star billing in a Guardian article:

click here Cheers Jay!

btw - it would be great to see LeCS get its third star (the downside being I'll probably never be able to get a booking again...)

[algy]

Times are a changin' when egullet gets star billing in a Guardian article:

click here  Cheers Jay!

and the oikish Guardian readers are being beastly to him - how could they?

[Jon Tseng]

Times are a changin' when egullet gets star billing in a Guardian article:

click here  Cheers Jay!

and the oikish Guardian readers are being beastly to him - how could they?

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I'm not being beastly. he *does* look like marco pierre white

and neither am i an oik.

incidentally this must be the first year no ones started up a "RHR is going to lose a star" rumour. so on that basis it probably will. not.

J

[marc at fraiche]

Times are a changin' when egullet gets star billing in a Guardian article:

click here  Cheers Jay!

and the oikish Guardian readers are being beastly to him - how could they?

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i forgot all about this michelin stuff, but to add my bookies bet im going for the quiet horse hipping hall, had 3 strong consistant meals there over last 12 months

will i get good odds?

[howardlong]

I am not sure Le Gavroche will regain a third star, although I have to agree that it beats both the Waterside Inn and RHR. I have often compared the two Roux restaurants and certainly don't understand the disparity in their star awards. Predominently however I don't see what has changed at Le Gavroche over the past year or two that makes it better. Not that it needs to get better. If they do make three, to me that says they should have had three for the last five years.

Someone mentioned Aubergine. Aubergine has undergone a lot of changes recently. Some fresh-faced bean counters, armed with the catering experience of purchasing a Big Mac at lunchtime, have been in and only chef Billy Drabble seems to be left. Certainly the front of house is completely changed. Despite the new crew they still know not to ask for my credit card details, although I was half expecting it on a recent booking. And at least I still get my usual table. And there's still salted and unsalted butter. But it's not the same as it used to be front of house.

Regarding Galvin at the Hilton, I really don't think it deserves a star. Nice enough, but not quite star material. More a Conran sort of place. But then if Hakkasan can achieve a star, who knows?

Tom Aikens' food is a Marmite thing I guess. With a million different ingredients on the plate, trying to match the menu description with the dish is as impossible as trying to match a wine.

And finally, Ducasse deserves a special award for taking the p.

Cheers, Howard

Edited January 9, 2008 by howardlong (log)

[howardlong]

Times are a changin' when egullet gets star billing in a Guardian article:

click here  Cheers Jay!

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I found myself misreading this quote from a blogger:

"the Michelin guide is a travesty of a sham of a calamity."

I think it was 'a travesty of a sham of a farce".

Woody Allen in Benares.

Subconsciously it added up, probably because the last and only time I saw Woody Allen was in the Bombay Brasserie one Sunday lunchtime. He had a la carte while everyone else had to settle for the buffet. Somehow the thought of lining up in a buffet with Woody Allen seems rather more surreal than his films.

Cheers, Howard

Edited January 9, 2008 by howardlong (log)