kfontaine27's Profile
JG lunch tomorrow - ordering recs?
definitely get the sweatbreads. also foie gras brulee and/or frog legs soup, as they're classics. people love the chateau chalon sauce, but im not crazy about skate. i much prefer the turbot with which that dish is served at dinner. i havent had either arctic char or the slow cooked halibut,but i hear they're both excellent, and they're also both on the dinner menu. also i'd avoid the squab. its tasty but i had tiny portions at lunch.
Daniel vs. Jean Georges
did either of you (trumpetguy, di82) find the atmosphere less romantic than the "old" Daniel?
Daniel vs. Jean Georges
also, i've heard Daniel is less romantic since it's renovation...
Daniel vs. Jean Georges
depends what you're looking for. daniel is a more romantic ("special") atmosphere, but JG has, in my opinion, considerably better and more interesting food.
Per Se Summer Visit (Benno leaving)
plan to visit Per Se this summer-- does anyone know what their closing dates will be? tried calling/e-mailing the restaurant, and no response.
also, chef Benno is leaving, according to this:
http://nymag.com/daily/food/2009/05/keller_confirms_benno_will_lea.html
does anyone know when ? should i be worried about dining there if hes gone, or during a period of transition? 1st time at per se and would rather wait until a new Chef is settled than experience it below its A-game
Gagnaire dress code for lunch?
went to PG for lunch and was the only one in a suit. few jackets, for that matter, so i wouldnt worry about it. easily the most casual 3-star i've been to
Need help choosing among the following restaurants!
i just had to make a similar decision and went with Ledoyen and Gagnaire, both of which were excellent, though in different ways. it depends what you're looking for, but if you're really in it for the food you should rule out Taillevent and Vefour and consider Gagnaire, Ledoyen, Ambassadeurs, and Le Cinq.
Please critique my list for our Paris trip!
i'd replace L'avant Gout with L'ami Jean. i was unimpressed with L'Avant Gout. L'ami Jean, conversely, should be memorable. Biche au Bois is also excellent and informal/authentic.
Berlin in August - looking for a couple places to round out my food itinerary
i would avoid Restaurant 44. i just spent 2 months in berlin, and i would recommend Fischers Fritz for your high-end choice. i only ate lunch there, but it was quite excellent, and the dinner menu looks considerably better. the fish is truly excellent. monsieur Vuong is absolutely worth trying, but it can be difficult to find an open table. perhaps during off hours--late afternoon. unfortunately i dont know anything in your location, as its somewhat far west...
3-star Paris lunches
as an update, in planning my budget, i've unfortunately had to rule out gagnaire and savoy because of price, and i've settled on Astrance. this leaves open 1 traditional restaurant, with Les Elysees unfortunately no longer an option... i won't be in paris on thursday or friday, the days that Lasserre serves lunch, so that really leaves Rostang and Ledoyen. as Rostang is, to my understanding, more traditional, and also slightly cheaper, i'm leaning towards it. however, i'd like to hear if anyone thinks the Ledoyen lunch is definitively superior, or how they might compare.
Bouley??
have only done the bouley lunch tasting menu (most recently 2 months ago), but it is incredible. the finest french food i've had in new york, and superior to jean georges and daniel, in my opinion. the phyllo crusted shrimp is a true masterpiece. the service is nothing special, though i've found it more casual than stuffy. its not a place to go for an fiine dining "experience" like EMP, but if its great french food you want, Bouley is the one.
restaurant Bareiss
went to Bareiss and got the 6-course tasting menu. it was undoubtedly the greatest dining experience of my life. i found it superior to all of new york's 3 stars, and also to any great french restaurant i've been to, including the old lucas carton. the setting is breathtakingly beautiful. the service is impeccable but thoroughly unpretentious, and the food... the food... highlights included a white halibut with mordels and sherry sauce, perhaps the greatest single dish i've ever had, and a curd cheese tarte with rhubarb sauce. claus-peter lumpp's cooking is subtle and masterful. tastes combine in often surprising but always satisfying ways. the effect was overwhelming.
restaurant Bareiss
made a lunch reservation for next week. i've heard fine things about it. anyone know what the lunch is like? prices, etc.? is it the same menu as dinner? prix fixe? thank you
3-star Paris lunches
i had decided on gagnaire and les elysees, but i called elysees today, and they'll be closed the week i'm going in july. betwen savoy, ledoyen, and les ambassadeurs, which would you recommend? ledoyen offers a cheese course, i believe, which is a nice added value for the prix fixe. they're all at a comparable price, but how would you compare the food?
3-star Paris lunches
do you know how much the lunch wine pairing would cost? i fear it would put me well over my budget
3-star Paris lunches
hmm... i'm debating between savoy and ledoyen, as i've been reading great things about the latter. does either restaurant offer a wine pairing for its lunch?
3-star Paris lunches
hmm, i suppose i'm reluctant about savoy because they mention a "half-entree" and a "half-dessert" on their website as part of the 3-course deal. were these half plates decent portions? was there a plentiful number of amuse-bouches and petit fours? and souphie, is there a particular Robuchon establishment that you find particularly representative of his mastery? i just dined a few weeks ago at his Atelier in new york, and while the food was executed with utter mastery and an elegant simplicity, i would not call it spectacular. i'm also highly skeptical of how often M. Robuchon is actually in the kitchen, but thats another question entirely. aren't his only paris restaurants currently the Atelier and la Table? which were you recommending? i've heard his most inspiring food is currently in Vegas, though i'm not placing my trust in the 19/20 rating from Gayot, whose north american ratings are even more absurd than Michelins.
3-star Paris lunches
thank you for the great suggestions. i haven't heard much about Ledoyen. it seems to have less hype than some of the other parisian 3-stars, but my impression is that the food, if not perhaps traditional, is at least more traditional than the creations of say, gagnaire or passard. do you know if the lunch menu is a good reflection of the restaurant's usual quality, and if this would be a good example of (somewhat) traditional french cooking? is it 3 courses, various amuse bouches, decent choice of dishes? my reasoning is that while i've already been to the old L Carton, tour d'argent, etc., i'm traveling with a friend and gourmand who has yet to experience Parisian dining. and i still haven't heard whether Gagnaire will be closed last two weeks of july. i e-mailed the restaurant but didn't hear back. does anyone know??
3-star Paris lunches
i wouldn't say that the Astrance or Arpege dining rooms are luxe or sumptuous, per se. obviously, i assume fine decor and service at any 3-star restaurant, but i'm not actively seeking these elements in my decision. if you believe those restaurants you recommend have food on-par with the 3-stars, i would be thrilled to try them. does anyone know if Ledoyen has a lunch menu and, if so, at what price?
3-star Paris lunches
thanks for the advice. i think i'll pass on robuchon and senderens, as i've been to other JR's in the world, and i went to Lucas Carton before it became Senderens. i heard that Gagnaire is closed the last 2 weeks in July, which would rule it out for me. does anyone know if this is true?
3-star Paris lunches
I need suggestions for two 3-star quality lunches in Paris (i'll be there in july). my budget is (hopefully) a prix fixe of 100e max, and i'm thinking Taillevent and Le Meurice. my interest is solely quality of the food. with two options, i was thinking one traditional, one more adventuresome. as far as the traditional choice goes, do you think Taillevent is a good option? great service/warm atmosphere aside, is it representative of the Absolute highest level of 3-star french cooking? i've heard some say the food has become quite ordinary, and i'm worried it might be too touristy. has it become a tour d'argent-esque relic? similarly, i've heard Le Grand Vefour is overrated. does L'Ambrosie have a set lunch? i've been unable to find pricing on it. would this be a better choice? as far as the second lunch goes, i've ruled out Arpege because of the price, and i've been unable to find pricing information for l'Astrance, whose surprise menu is out of my price range. is this the only menu offered there? finally, does anyone have experience with the Pierre Gagnaire prix fixe lunch? while i would love to go, i've heard that the lunch isn't up to the level of his dinner. if the best restaurants in paris are the more adventuresome ones, i'd be willing to forego the traditional experience. again, i'm looking for inspired and sublime food, not great service, nor a special wine list. i've heard consistently that the food at Le Meurice is on the highest level, but i'm open to any suggestions.
