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Predictions for January 2009


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They also have that annoying practice of showing you a huge selection of chocolates for petit fours, and then ask you to select some, not giving any indication as to how many one should take without appearing like a glutton.  Does anyone know what the magic number is?!?

Lee

The magic number *should be* as many as, and whatever, you like.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

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Let me add that one does not have a petits fours trolley to be stingy. Or, at least that should be the theory. Any restaurant considering and willing to bring out a petits fours trolley, in my opinion, should be prepared to offer and dispense as many as the guest may like. And, a voluntary show of generosity is always appreciated.

For instance, at le Cinq in Paris, we were quite full and rather modest in our petits fours selections. After our little dishes of sweets were presented, our server went through the trolley and boxed up a nice selection for each of us to take home without asking. Now, that's a rare occurrence (one that my not even happen regularly at le Cinq), but that's the kind of service I expect at a restaurant of that level.

Edited to add: Corrected for grammar.

Edited by ulterior epicure (log)

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

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Let me add that one does not have a petits fours trolley to be stingy. Or, at least that should be the theory.  Any restaurant considering and willing to bring out a petits fours trolley, in my opinion, should be prepared to offer and dispense as many as the guest may like. And, a voluntary show of generosity is always appreciated.

For instance, at le Cinq in Paris, we were quite full and rather modest in our petits fours selections.  After our little dishes of sweets were presented, the our server went through the trolley and boxed up a nice selection for each of us to take home without asking.  Now, that's a rare occurrence (one that my not even happen regularly at le Cinq), but that's the kind of service I expect at a restaurant of that level.

précisément.

Food Snob

foodsnob@hotmail.co.uk

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When we went to Marcus Wareing just before christmas and it was the opposite, they brought over the massive Petit fours chandelier we said "That whole thing looks like a challenge to me, can we eat the lot?" they said "take your best shot",  I stopped after about ten, they seemed to think we were lightweights for giving up so early

Maybe they read my post and changed their ways :P

Food Snob

foodsnob@hotmail.co.uk

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Now, that's a rare occurrence (one that my not even happen regularly at le Cinq), but that's the kind of service I expect at a restaurant of that level.

The same thing happened to us at Le Cinq just before Christmas, it contrasted with Martin Wishart just after Christmas when we were limited to four between two of us - not enough to have one of each type. We really enjoyed both restaurants, but went away feeling we got better value at Le Cinq for our £380 compared to Wishart at £180 (both long lunches).

Interesting how little things can have such an impact on the experience.

Edited by PhilD (log)
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When we went to Marcus Wareing just before christmas and it was the opposite, they brought over the massive Petit fours chandelier we said "That whole thing looks like a challenge to me, can we eat the lot?" they said "take your best shot",  I stopped after about ten, they seemed to think we were lightweights for giving up so early

Maybe they read my post and changed their ways :P

I tried them all, went back for seconds of the salted caramels and then they gave us more to take home. Which partially explains why it was my meal of the year

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Interesting blog from Tim Hayward in WOM today. He comments on the Michelin and the Michelin prediction game.

I liked the following..."Otherwise the kind of people who speculate most ferociously about the stars are an odd bunch - culinary otaku with the money to spend 'collecting' starred restaurants who've extrapolated an ability-to-afford into a notion of connoisseurship. Reading their postings is like listening to that talk radio station that always seems to be playing when I get in a cab, usually on the subject of football or immigration: intense, opinionated debate of events over which the participants can have no possible influence and, to any audience, irritatingly pointless."

Is he talking about anyone we know...?

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Interesting blog from Tim Hayward in WOM today. He comments on the Michelin and the Michelin prediction game.

I liked the following..."Otherwise the kind of people who speculate most ferociously about the stars are an odd bunch - culinary otaku with the money to spend 'collecting' starred restaurants who've extrapolated an ability-to-afford into a notion of connoisseurship. Reading their postings is like listening to that talk radio station that always seems to be playing when I get in a cab, usually on the subject of football or immigration: intense, opinionated debate of events over which the participants can have no possible influence and, to any audience, irritatingly pointless."

Is he talking about anyone we know...?

Guilty as charged?

Edited by ulterior epicure (log)

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

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Is he talking about anyone we know...?

He's talking about EVERYONE we know!

Michelin is sport, one that I (and many others) indulge in shamelessly. No ranking – football, college, business, or otherwise – is anything more.

Is Michelin the gospel truth? Clearly not, as many of us have voiced our confusion and disappointment. It's exactly the fact that the ranking is an event "over which the participants can have no possible influence" that makes the game all the merrier.

Be safe, aim well, and happy sporting.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

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Every year I get it wrong but I've got a good feeling this year. I reckon Ducasse will get a rising 3rd star and Robuchon will pick up his second. Hibiscus will pick up its second at I'll give a leftfield prediction that Whatley manor will also get a 2nd.

Tom Aikens will miss out again but will be tipped for 2 next year as will the Ledbury and Nathan Outlaw.

"Why would we want Children? What do they know about food?"

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Really, where's that? I reckon St John will get one as well, if past form is anything to go by Anthony's will miss out again.

This brings up a point I've been wanting to raise.

It's probably been raised on the St. John thread.

Does it deserve a star (or as Mr. Grant suggests, does it deserve the star it has just been awarded)?

I don't know. Was my recent dinner there great? Well, some parts, yes. Was it just "good?" No, it was better than that.

Partial to its kind of food, I would give it a star for the cooking.

In the end, I suppose I'm indifferent on the matter. St. John, for me, has achieved a non-commercial level of branding that is so unique unto its own that it really doesn't require Michelin's approval (whereas so many other places seem to rely on and seek Michelin status). The River Cafe might also be in that same category.

Edited by ulterior epicure (log)

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

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Really, where's that? I reckon St John will get one as well, if past form is anything to go by Anthony's will miss out again.

This brings up a point I've been wanting to raise.

It's probably been raised on the St. John thread.

Does it deserve a star (or as Mr. Grant suggests, does it deserve the star it has just been awarded)?

I don't know. Was my recent dinner there great? Well, some parts, yes. Was it just "good?" Not, it was better than that.

Partial to its kind of food, I would give it a star for the cooking.

I suppose I'm indifferent on the matter. St. John, for me, has achieved a non-commercial level of branding that is so unique unto its own that it really doesn't require Michelin's approval (whereas so many other places seem to rely on and seek Michelin status). The River Cafe might also be in that same category.

And then, maybe I'm utterly naive and unworthy.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

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Here's the new stars

One stars

Michael Wignall at The Latymer

The Terrace (at Montagu Arms)

Fraiche

Purnell’s

Turners

The Burlington (at The Devonshire Arms Country House)

Lords of the Manor

Casamia

Manor House H. and Golf Club

The Neptune

La Bécasse

The Nut Tree

Auberge du Lac

The Hambrough

SCOTLAND

Plumed Horse

Sangster’s

The Albannach

Boath House

LONDON

Chapter One

St John

Ambassade de L’lle

Hénène Darroze at The Connaught

Murano

Kai

Semplice

L’Autre Pied

2 stars

The Dining Room (at Whatley Manor)

LONDON

Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester (rising 3 star)

Hibiscus

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon

Deletions

ENGLAND

Juniper

The Goose

Gravetye Manor

The Abbey

Tean

LONDON

1 Lombard Street (Restaurant)

La Noisette

Mirabelle

Tamarind

L’Escargot

SCOTLAND

Glenapp Castle

WALES

Pwllheli Gwynedd Plas Bodegroes

"Why would we want Children? What do they know about food?"

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Here's the new stars

One stars

Michael Wignall at The Latymer

The Terrace (at Montagu Arms)

Fraiche

Purnell’s

Turners

The Burlington (at The Devonshire Arms Country House)

Lords of the Manor

Casamia

Manor House H. and Golf Club

The Neptune

La Bécasse

The Nut Tree

Auberge du Lac

The Hambrough

SCOTLAND

Plumed Horse

Sangster’s

The Albannach

Boath House

LONDON

Chapter One

St John

Ambassade de L’lle

Hénène Darroze at The Connaught

Murano

Kai

Semplice

L’Autre Pied

2 stars

The Dining Room (at Whatley Manor)

LONDON

Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester (rising 3 star)

Hibiscus

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon

Deletions

ENGLAND

Juniper

The Goose

Gravetye Manor

The Abbey

Tean

LONDON

1 Lombard Street (Restaurant)

La Noisette

Mirabelle

Tamarind

L’Escargot

SCOTLAND

Glenapp Castle

WALES

Pwllheli Gwynedd Plas Bodegroes

And so no demotions, for either Mr. Ramsay or others?

Edited by ulterior epicure (log)

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's the new stars

One stars

Michael Wignall at The Latymer

The Terrace (at Montagu Arms)

Fraiche

Purnell’s

Turners

The Burlington (at The Devonshire Arms Country House)

Lords of the Manor

Casamia

Manor House H. and Golf Club

The Neptune

La Bécasse

The Nut Tree

Auberge du Lac

The Hambrough

SCOTLAND

Plumed Horse

Sangster’s

The Albannach

Boath House

LONDON

Chapter One

St John

Ambassade de L’lle

Hénène Darroze at The Connaught

Murano

Kai

Semplice

L’Autre Pied

2 stars

The Dining Room (at Whatley Manor)

LONDON

Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester (rising 3 star)

Hibiscus

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon

Deletions

ENGLAND

Juniper

The Goose

Gravetye Manor

The Abbey

Tean

LONDON

1 Lombard Street (Restaurant)

La Noisette

Mirabelle

Tamarind

L’Escargot

SCOTLAND

Glenapp Castle

WALES

Pwllheli Gwynedd Plas Bodegroes

And so demotions, for either Mr. Ramsay or others?

good god ! :blink:

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