Have you ever been to a Michelin star restaurant?

nc19 · 23-04-2014 06:06PM

Went to Chapter One once. Biggest waste of money. Food wasnt great, place is tiny and cramped, never again.

Maximillion Bistro in Blanc is 10 times better imo.

ManofStraw · 23-04-2014 06:07PM

RasTa wrote: »

I've being to 6 or 7, all 1 stars and in different countries. I love them however am noting that they are all the same food wise and presentation, you can get a decent enough feed that wouldn't be to far off the food level in somewhere like Vintage Kitchen.

However the service is were it really shines and I do love it. I wouldn't be too bothered about going again but it would have to be a 2 star.

Try Patrick Guilbaud's as many posters have said it really is a fantastic experience, the service really is excellent and the 50 EUR lunch special is pretty affordable as high end dining goes.

GenieOz · 23-04-2014 06:11PM

nc19 wrote: »

Went to Chapter One once. Biggest waste of money. Food wasnt great, place is tiny and cramped, never again.

Maximillion Bistro in Blanc is 10 times better imo.

That's impossible! But it doesn't have a star

how could this be!?

RasTa · 23-04-2014 06:13PM

nc19 wrote: »

Went to Chapter One once. Biggest waste of money. Food wasnt great, place is tiny and cramped, never again.

Maximillion Bistro in Blanc is 10 times better imo.

What did you have?

Gone West · 23-04-2014 06:27PM

nc19 wrote: »

Went to Chapter One once. Biggest waste of money. Food wasnt great, place is tiny and cramped, never again.

Maximillion Bistro in Blanc is 10 times better imo.

I personally dislike the Michelin guide, and stars for several reasons, and I'd never seek out a Michelin restaurant specifically. But I have dined in 10 or 12 of them in the last few years.

I have to say that I like Chapter One.
We had plenty of space, a huge quiet corner of the restaurant to ourselves.
The food is great, some very unusual tastes, some great twists on classic Irish fare.
They had a honeycomb milk crisp dessert that was really great, excellent presentation, the wines were perfect, and so on.
Atmosphere was quiet and chill, perfect for chatting. Nothing wrong with the place whatsoever.

I wouldn't spend "half a weeks wages" on it, as suggested earlier in the thread, but if it was more like half a morning's wages, or somebody else's dime, I'd bet that most of the haters would be there with bells on.

Calling anyone who eats there "pretentious" makes you sound like a typical jealous begrudger. Surely you can use a more nuanced term in your generalisations of people you don't know?

23-04-2014 06:45PM

Ann Landers wrote: »

And the people I know who don't get excited about food tend to eat much more sensible portions and more healthier in general from what I've observed.

I've found nearly the opposite
Not bothered, tired - eat a takeaway or any old muck
Bothered, tired - whip up something decent which is probably healthier

Jamsiek · 23-04-2014 07:18PM

Pocoyo wrote: »

Aldi hotdogs ew.....

Im civilized i only eat snails fish sperm,frogs and snotty raw shellfish,But i wont eat these foods unless im charged 20 times their value.

Reverse snobbery right here.
Guilty parties on both sides

Jamsiek · 23-04-2014 07:21PM

MagicMarker wrote: »

Can't beat a few frankfurters drenched in Ketchup and French's Classic Yellow Mustard. Yiz can stick yer braised atlantic turbot's and hereford organic blackcurrant souffles up yer holes!! :pac:

Why not try both?
Doesn't have to be a choice

trancemuzic · 23-04-2014 07:27PM

Cantremember wrote: »

You don't go to these sort of restaurants for a feed. **** off to supermacs for that. You go to appreciate the craft of cooking and the symphony of service, quality ingredients, superb cooking skills married to the best wine with the meal. It's an experience like a West End musical, El Classico or great opera. If you don't understand any of this **** off to supermacs.

**** off chef

Jamsiek · 23-04-2014 07:33PM

gg2 wrote: »

Symphony of service? Well la dee frickin da

Never been, don't have much of an interest. I like what I like, thats my story and I'm sticking to it

So you see fit to mock bother poster's tastes. I bet you feel better now

e_e · 23-04-2014 07:35PM

Jamsiek wrote: »

Why not try both?
Doesn't have to be a choice

Reverse snobs are even worse because at least some snobs know what they're talking about.

GenieOz · 23-04-2014 07:46PM

Jamsiek wrote: »

So you see fit to mock bother poster's tastes. I bet you feel better now

Well considering the arrogance of that post it's well deserving of mocking.
What it's compared to is laughable and then saying that if you don't understand that to fûck off to supermacs? Incredibly arrogant and pretentious.

awec · 23-04-2014 08:33PM

GenieOz wrote: »

Well considering the arrogance of that post it's well deserving of mocking.
What it's compared to is laughable and then saying that if you don't understand that to fûck off to supermacs? Incredibly arrogant and pretentious.

Says the guy who's spent the entire thread struggling to understand the concept of a Michelin star and taking thinly veiled digs at anyone who has displayed a willingness to spend money in a restaurant with one.

And you're also the guy who said there's no difference between having a star and not, and here you are talking about things being "deserving of mocking" ?

Have a word with yourself.

kfallon · 23-04-2014 08:35PM

Eating in a restaurant is something I absolutely hate doing so no, I haven't been in one (to the best of my knowledge)

GenieOz · 23-04-2014 08:38PM

awec wrote: »

Says the guy who's spent the entire thread struggling to understand the concept of a Michelin star and taking thinly veiled digs at anyone who has displayed a willingness to spend money in a restaurant with one.

And you're also the guy who said there's no difference between having a star and not, and here you are talking about things being "deserving of mocking" ?

Have a word with yourself.

I never said there wasn't a difference. I said it's fairly irrelevant to finding a good restaurant though when there's hundreds of the same quality without a star.

The concept of it is bullshît basically.

Have a word with myself? Lol ok yeah.

Palz · 23-04-2014 08:46PM

Been to about ten.
Disappointed by Vau in Berlin called otherwise outstanding.

The best was Midsummer House in Cambridge.
Two stars.
Its a set menu. No choice other than the second set menu which is another £20 more expensive.
Expect to pay about £150 per person all in including wine and tip.

Memories are made of dining on occasions like this.

Palz · 23-04-2014 08:47PM

Been to about ten.
Disappointed by Vau in Berlin but otherwise all were outstanding.

The best for me of those I have tried was Midsummer House in Cambridge.
Two stars.
Its a set menu. No choice other than the second set menu which is another £20 more expensive.
Expect to pay about £150 per person all in including wine and tip.

Memories are made of dining on occasions like this.

sashafierce · 23-04-2014 09:01PM

This post has been deleted.

Jamsiek · 23-04-2014 09:08PM

sashafierce wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

If you had been following the thread you would have seen that most people have said that they never left hungry so the chances are that you might not either

murpho999 · 23-04-2014 09:36PM

sashafierce wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Why are people who have never been confusing 'Nouvelle Cuisine" which was infamous for small portions with contemporary fine dining?

I've never left a Michelin star restaurant hungry and a tasting menu with 6-8 courses will leave you absolutely full.

Here's Chapter One's tasting menu 7 Courses for €85

Ann Landers · 23-04-2014 09:42PM

Fuzzy wrote: »

Calling anyone who eats there "pretentious" makes you sound like a typical jealous begrudger. Surely you can use a more nuanced term in your generalisations of people you don't know?

Cannot believe you typed the bolded bit in the same paragraph as one in which you called people "jealous begrudgers". :pac: The ironing!

Ann Landers · 23-04-2014 09:45PM

bluewolf wrote: »

I've found nearly the opposite
Not bothered, tired - eat a takeaway or any old muck
Bothered, tired - whip up something decent which is probably healthier

But not bothered, not tired people will likely eat less because they don't really care.

And tired, not bothered people might eat junk but they won't likely eat huge amounts of it.

lazygal · 23-04-2014 09:49PM

sashafierce wrote: »

What's the point in going out for dinner and leaving hungry..? If im going to see the art of cooking then shouldn't this be called a museum not a restaurant! ?

I've never left a Michelin star restaurant hungry. There's usually many additional elements to a menu like amuse bouche and taster plates.

murpho999 · 23-04-2014 09:51PM

lazygal wrote: »

I've never left a Michelin star restaurant hungry. There's usually many additional elements to a menu like amuse bouche and taster plates.

The knockers will have no idea what you are talking about.

KungPao · 23-04-2014 11:28PM

Seaneh wrote: »

Irish beef is the best beef in the world. What makes Argentine steakhouses special isn't the beef itself, it's the style of cooking them, they use a type of open charcoal grill called an Asado which is just perfect for cooking meats like beef, lamb and game because it gets insanely hot so you can sear things very quickly.

I must admit, last summer during our heatwave I went and bought a disposable BBQ (not much point in having a proper one in Ireland!) and I prepared some steak the Brazilian way, that is I covered it in rock salt, left for about 30 mins and then onto the BBQ. It was amazing.

But I did find that most beef (and sausage/linguica) in Brazil, no matter how cheap, is very very tasty.

Incidentally, the only Argentine beef I had was imported to Brazil, cooked the Brazilian way in a home BBQ. It really was something pretty special.

But yeah, the main problem here is people don't really know how to cook beef...(not enough salt/sauces ruining it/overcooking etc) so Irish beef may not get the credit it deserves.

Seaneh · 23-04-2014 11:39PM

KungPao wrote: »

I must admit, last summer during our heatwave I went and bought a disposable BBQ (not much point in having a proper one in Ireland!) and I prepared some steak the Brazilian way, that is I covered it in rock salt, left for about 30 mins and then onto the BBQ. It was amazing.

But I did find that most beef (and sausage/linguica) in Brazil, no matter how cheap, is very very tasty.

Incidentally, the only Argentine beef I had was imported to Brazil, cooked the Brazilian way in a home BBQ. It really was something pretty special.

But yeah, the main problem here is people don't really know how to cook beef...(not enough salt/sauces ruining it/overcooking etc) so Irish beef may not get the credit it deserves.

You've hit on another essential element of good steak here, and it's the seasoning.

The main things, for me, are seasoning, temperature of the beef before you cook it and the method of cooking.

Cooking it at a very, very high heat, such as on an Asado means you get that fantastic charing thanks to the maillard reaction and you get the smokey tastes imparted from the charcoal.

Salting it liberally before cooking and leaving it to sit for 20+ minutes before cooking does 2 things, it allows the meat to come up to room temp so that it cooks more evenly and chars easier and it also allows the salts to pull moisture to the surface.
As the salts draw moisture to the surface the moisture brings proteins with it, so you end up with a slightly sticky coating all over the surface of the meat.

When you throw the meat onto the grill, these proteins add massively to the maillard reaction process and give you amazingly defined char marks from the grill which give fantastic flavours.

KungPao · 23-04-2014 11:50PM

Seaneh wrote: »

You've hit on another essential element of good steak here, and it's the seasoning.

The main things, for me, are seasoning, temperature of the beef before you cook it and the method of cooking.

Cooking it at a very, very high heat, such as on an Asado means you get that fantastic charing thanks to the maillard reaction and you get the smokey tastes imparted from the charcoal.

Salting it liberally before cooking and leaving it to sit for 20+ minutes before cooking does 2 things, it allows the meat to come up to room temp so that it cooks more evenly and chars easier and it also allows the salts to pull moisture to the surface.
As the salts draw moisture to the surface the moisture brings proteins with it, so you end up with a slightly sticky coating all over the surface of the meat.

When you throw the meat onto the grill, these proteins add massively to the maillard reaction process and give you amazingly defined char marks from the grill which give fantastic flavours.

Thanks for the science behind it! I always thought it was simply the salt soaking into it to flavour it, rather than something more.

I remember reading a recipe/"how to" about cooking a steak, and they said NEVER salt it before cooking it! It will dry it out!

Tell that to nearly 200 million Brazilians!

Stavros Murphy · 23-04-2014 11:54PM

One Pico is very nice, Lecrivain is superb, nice people too, Shelbourne- Saddle room is imo superb, but I like the Shelbourne anyway and it would be my default, K Club usually fails, but there you go, Hangedmans Arch is brilliant and unfussy. If the kids are coming along, it's Yamamori as they know us and we get good treatment -I also like the food. Those would be my go-to's, stars aside, and I eat out a lot as it's my idea of a treat.

If it's me and the Missus, or a few friends, the bill is the bill and I can't honestly say I'd look or care much. If we are abroad I'd head for a restaurant I know and go for the food, not the price, which could mean €200 for two pretty easily. You're either into grub or not, I am. I'd rather a memorable meal and evening for €200 than a crap meal for €50.

I was in madrid for work for a big firm and twelve of us went to Restaurant Santceloni. The food was amazing and as it was a corporate gig, there was no ordering - they just brought out everything on the menu and "enough" wine. I'd shudder to think what the bill was, it must have run to 5-6k, for the meal, but as evenings go, it's one I'll remember for a long time. The guy picking up the tab was wealthy and I highly doubt he even blinked, but me, I blinked a lot. I'm guessing they did the same the next night too, minus me, but for me, that was a good meal.

Seaneh · 24-04-2014 12:12AM

KungPao wrote: »

Thanks for the science behind it! I always thought it was simply the salt soaking into it to flavour it, rather than something more.

I remember reading a recipe/"how to" about cooking a steak, and they said NEVER salt it before cooking it! It will dry it out!

Tell that to nearly 200 million Brazilians!

A lot of "high end" steak houses salt their beef and then brush off the salt with a pastry brush before cooking.

Brushing off the salt means you don't get speckling when the beef is cooking on a pan, but it also means you are brushing off a lot of the proteins which add to the flavour of the finished product so IMHO it's counter productive.

notnumber · 24-04-2014 12:16AM

murpho999 wrote: »

The knockers will have no idea what you are talking about.

Knockers, where I wanna see?

Have you ever been to a Michelin star restaurant?

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