[Closed] What's the best restaurant meal you've ever had?

The Cliff in Barbados... Absolutely perfect in every way.

L'enclume in Cartmel, Cumbria.
First michelin star restaurant I went to.
Blew me away.
It wasn't just a meal, it was a journey with many beginnings and no end...

EDIT: I went before Steve Coogan went for 'The Trip'

Can we have a bit more detail please - you know how food porn works - you need to talk about "textures" and "flavours"

Starburger in Woolwich- lovely!

At a beach barbecue. I was snorkelling with some guys, they harpooned a few fish, we gutted them, cooked them and ate them with some local beers as the sun went down.

Cost about 50p.

Edit: The most disappointing meal I ever had was here: http://www.joelrobuchon.co.uk/

2 Michelin stars, about £60 per head for pretentious but utterly flavourless food, no atmosphere, surly staff and (STW cardinal sin) crap coffee. I was so looking forward to it too.

I've been to a huge range of different places and actually think the michelin stars have some credence. But if you get hung up on the price then youre going for the wrong reason. I am sure many people will think its obscene to pay that much for food. I think to enjoy them you have to compare them to buying a ferrari track day... its more an experience, an event, its more than just a bit of grub. The best one was in Florence and went to the two-Michelin star Enoteca Pinchiorri. frankly it just blew anything else out the water. Quite increadible.

Starburger in Woolwich- lovely!

The beefy warm velvetiness of the burger combined with the light fluffiness of the bun complements the smooth texture of the cheese slice perfectly. And the sharp tang of the gherkin finishes off the whole experience to a tee.

Constantia Uitsig in Cape Town was pretty special

the galley, st mary's, isles of scilly.

one brother goes out on a day boat, the other brother cooks up whatever he catches.

I'm fortunate that I've been to a lot of good restaurants, but I suppose the one that stood out the most at the time was the Louis VX in L'Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo which is run by Alain Ducasse.
Yer man Roux's place Le Gavroche is top notch too, as is his new one at The Langham.

I've eaten in some fancy restaurants around the world thanks to work and, to be honest, not one really stands out. My favourite restaurant meal is probably one of salty, crunchy suckling pig with a glass of house red on top of a mountain in Mallorca.

And the sharp tang of the gherkin finishes off the whole experience with a tea.

perfect.

One of my locals (my folks live opposite) here in the shires recently received a Michelin Star. James, the chef and also a friend of mine, bought the pub about 5 or 6 years ago when he moved down here with his wife and daughter having previously been a chef on Skye.

Ive eaten in some excellent restaurants in my time in London, and across other European cities on business, but have never had as good a meal as I have at The Butchers Arms. Nothing goes into his kitchen any more prepared than a raw ingredient (except cheese!). He puts so much effort into preparing each dish its not surprising he does no more than 25 covers in any night.

We go about twice a year for treats. We went for my birthday a couple of weeks ago and I can still conjure up the sublime taste of his bath chaps w fried bantam egg and french blood sausage. Nom.

The Guardian even deigned to come and review it earlier this year, before James received his Star.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/sep/09/butchers-arms-eldersfield-gloucestershire-review?INTCMP=SRCH

Cheap little place in Hasselt, Belgium. I can't remember the name, but it's a really small restaurant run by a man and his wife.
At the time, it was a set menu - 30 euro and was a ridiculously good meal.
There was no choice, it was just plate after plate of whatever he was serviing. Can't really remember it all now, although I do remember a particularly nice plate of cured meats, a main of lamb cutlets and a massive apology when he realised he couldn't do his initial dessert plan of apple tart, but would we be OK with a belgian chocolate pudding!? Oh, go on then....
Even the coffee came out with a creme brulee in an egg cup.

Some small village restaurant in Northern Italy. I was absolutely starving and the pizza felt like the most gorgeous thing I'd ever eaten.

Fischers in Derbyshire was the best food I've ever had. Everything was just perfect and tasted incredible.

Been to a few Michelin restaurants, which although good, have not been quite as good.

One of the worst meals I have ever had was at Benares in London, not sure if its still a Michelin restaurant, but I went there 3-4 years ago and it was shockingly bad. Cold food, crap service, to be honest my local curry house did much better currys. They did even take any notice when we complained at the time or later in writing.

My favourite restaurant meal is probably one of salty, crunchy suckling pig with a glass of house red on top of a mountain in Mallorca.

I remember a similar place to that but in Majorca, in the mountains somewhere. I wish i could remember where it was though 🙁

Those are the best places- the rustic local tucked away places. Many of them arent even restaurants...

The Culm Valley Inn does properly wonderful food.

Quite enjoyed a family pizza at a pizza place all to meself after a monumental day's exertion earlier this year. I remember being about 5 minutes in and the plate was already 3/4 empty so I ordered another one nom nom nom

Man vs food I've yet to lose.

Best overall meal was at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons near Oxford. Fantastic food, great environment and friendly attentive service that never felt overbearing or stuffy, as close to perfect as I've ever experienced.

Best individual course was at the crazy bear in Amersham. Summer berry and white chocolate dessert. Was stunningly good, but then it had to be as everything else about the place was a level below average.

Best takeaway. Fish'n'chip shop near Cayton Bay, Not a lot of choice; "cods got skin haddocks got none" but food of the gods when eaten looking out to sea on a Summers evening.

L'enclume is very nice. Fat Duck for me is easily the best meal I've eaten, everything is near perfect.
There are some great cheap restaurants around though, the best ones in my experience are the places which do a small number of things very well.

El Faro de El Puerto in El Puerto de Santa Maria, Andalucia.

[url= http://www.elfarodelpuerto.com/ ]http://www.elfarodelpuerto.com/[/url]

Sorry I don't have time to write a pornographic description, but everything was fantastic - whereas everywhere else I have eaten there has been something not quite up to scratch.

My late friend had his own bistro for my first date with the now mrs c i rang ahead to make sure he'd do some vegan suitable dishes. When we arrived we were greated with personalised menues headed the "crankboy seduction special" All courses were well up to his usual standard and it was on the house.

Obviously the whole thing could have gone either way but seven years later we are still together married and with child.

As picked out above, Constantia Uitzig (La Colombe) is very good indeed.

La Terrazza on Sharrowvale Road in Sheffield.
Just went in to say hi with no intention of eating. Ended up getting a Nastro Azzuri and chatting for a bit. Then ordered a bit of Antipasti whilst sat at the bar with a limoncello aperatif. Had a browse of the menu and settled on veal in butter sauce, whilst the missus had king prawns. Proper king prawns as well, the size of lobsters. Bottle of some nice crisp Italian white (not Pinot, but can't remember what it was). Tiramisu for dessert, washed down with Amaretto coffee.
Granted the ambience and company made a lot of difference, but I've never enjoyed a more perfect meal.

S****iest - Gordon Ramsay at Claridges (when it had a star - Mark Sergeant was head chef). 22 of us in one of the art deco private dining rooms. Bill came to £13,500.... 😀

Excellent view - Las Brisas, Laguna Beach CA. Amazing seafood. Kindly paid for by friends.

Burger - Hueys in Memphis TN. I know it's a chain, but if you're going to have a burger, you might as well have fat running down your fingers. Yum! (Oh, and the weirdest pub quiz at the same time.)

Pudding (1) - key lime pie in some sweets only place near Harlem NY at around 11.30 one night. Listening to the lives of the locals played out all around us was great fun.

Pudding (2) - small bistro in Valbonne (village near Grasse in Cote d'Azur). Not sure it was there last time I passed through. The most amazing creme brulée that had been made with orange water. So good, I've had to stop choosing creme brulées as none get anywhere close....

[b]EDIT[/b] - how could I forget this..?!!! BEST MEAL EVER - noodle soup in one of the student canteens at Peking University when Mrs North had been working out there. Less than £1 for two bowls and the most fantastically deep flavoured meal I have ever eaten.

not sure about best ever, but the discovery menu at the daffodil in cheltenham was pretty bloody good the other day... 7 courses including a cote de boeuf cooked to perfection 🙂

Dave

In third place: The Waterside at Bray

In second place: The Sharrow Bay, Ullswater in its heyday with the two guys who ran it then

And the winner: Ham and cheese omelette & frites at Requin Hut, above Chamonix

I've eaten in 3 of the 4 3* restaurants in the UK (all bar the Fat Duck) and of those I think Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester was probably the best. Everything was just spot on, great food and wine, service which was friendly, attentive but not overbearing and a lovely feel to the place. Waterside Inn was particularly disappointing, just didn't feel particularly special, waiters didn't have a clue about the menu or the wine and hideously expensive.

That said, the best meal I've ever had was either at Dinner (the Meat-fruit starter and the Tipsy Cake were two of the best things I've ever eaten) or the tasting menu at Marcus Wareing at the Berkley.

a chinese for my 5th birthday.
restaurant closed 37 years ago.

Dinner is very good too, Meat fruit is fantastic.

Wanted to take the group [url= http://www.the-connaught.co.uk/london_restaurant.aspx ]here[/url] for Christmas lunch, but they required a hefty room fee. Lunch rather than dinner tends to be pretty reasonable, even at the best restaurants. Instead we have enjoyed the Roof Garden in Kensington.

Getting a lunch table at the Fat Duck may require perseverance.

Most memorable meal was probably Fish and Chips watching the sunset on the beach at home after my sister's wedding!

Purnells in Birmingham has amazing food. Glynn Purnell definitely knows how to cook, and his desserts are unbelievable

+1 for the cliff,

been to most of the restaurants on the west coast of barbados and a few really are top notch, Sasafras, Angry Annies, Daphne's but my favorite i cant remember the name of but it was on the cliff on 1st street just as you come into prospect st.james. 5*

For me it's never been completely about the food but the circumstances and company. On that basis, a tapas bar in Girona, Hemmingways in Grand Cayman, some beach place in Noosa, William and Vics in Harrogate, Joseph Tomneys in Tyrone.

Shit! Guys! Just thought I'd warn you. The middle-class-ometer is getting dangerously close to critical. If it blows it'll take down Mumsnet and the Guardian 'comment is free' site down too. Then we'll all be in serious trouble

Just be careful eh? 😉

Oh... and best meal was lunch in some little cafe above the hills near St Tropez. Unbelievable steak in a Roquefort sauce, washed down with chateauneuf du pape. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Khans in Bayswater circa 10yrs ago. It was amazing. Matey's been recently (we used to go every Sat without fail!) and its 'ok' now but not as great as it was.

Every expensive meal I've had has been rubbish.

The best was probably somewhere in Croatia.

lamb dish, tiny little Monaco restaurant about 200 yards from the Loews hairpin. For monaco it was unpretentious and cheap. The food oh my god 😀

Spud-u-like, Aldershot.

The tuna mayo and lemon topped spud was a masterstroke.

Seven course taster menu at The Three Chimneys on Skye. Closely followed by the breakfast they served the next morning. For a one-off bank-raping blow-out, I can't recommend a stay there highly enough.

I found L'enclume hugely disappointing.

Best meal I ever had was at the [url= http://www.patinagroup.com/restaurant.php?restaurants_id=31 ]sea grill[/url] sitting outside in manhattan in summer with my dad, eating, drinking and bullshitting. Fantastic skyscraper views and beautiful people, even if the bill came to $800 for two.

My favourite in london is [url= http://www.pied-a-terre.co.uk/home ]pied a terre[/url] on charlotte street. Expensive, but incredible food, good wine, good service and a fantastic atmosphere.

allthepies - Member

Spud-u-like, Aldershot.

The tuna mayo and lemon topped spud was a masterstroke.

😆

I've tried said establishment (many many years ago) and was never disappointed.

I think it is difficult to name a "best restaurant meal" as every time I've gone out for a meal the occasion has been different for some reason or another, however....

I had a fantastic meal in The Nant Tiffyn Cider Mill a few years back after a group of us had a particularly wet and cold day out on the Brecon Beacons, the food was tradition British fare and the wine and ale flowed. Sadly, the food wasn't quite so good on my last few visits.
I had a wonderful meal in the cellar of a house on a hill just outside Barjac, only locals knew about it and you had to knock on the front door and ask the owners if they would mind opening the restaurant for you in a day or two (you had to order your dishes there and then too). They agreed to open up for the four of us and the dining room was converted from the cellar, the food was wonderful and the quirkiness of the place just added to the whole experience.
I was a little underwhelmed with the food at The Cliff but the setting is lovely.

Hameau Albert 1er restaurant in Chamonix. Michelin 2* these days.

We went there on our honeymoon, and didn't realise just how exclusive (read : expensive) it was going to be. Pierre Carrier, the head chef at the time, spotted our evident discomfort - I was going to walk out when I saw the price of the wine list - and proceeded to recommend some amazing food, an excellent wine ("I think this will work better than the house wine, which is all you'll pay for"), some cheese to die for ("you NEED to know about Alpine cheeses - let me educate you"), and a dessert the like of which I've never had before or since.

He charged us £60 (admittedly twenty years ago) when the wine alone cost that. Just seemed happy that we were a honeymooning couple who knew nothing about French cuisine, and he was delighted to be our guide.

It was a tiny place at the time, with "just" a single Michelin star, and it's grown in size and stature in the last two decades. I've eaten there several times since, but I still remember the first visit.

A close second - I took my team to La Manoir aux Quat'Saisons for a Christmas dinner a few years back. After somehow making our way through (I think) seven courses, we were all suitably blissed out. Glorious, just glorious, and being able to wander round the garden between courses is a nice touch.

Fat Duck - a real disappointment. Blumenthal's a genuinely talented chef, but for all of the cleverness, some of the food didn't appeal (mustard ice cream is every bit as crap as it sounds), and I didn't hugely enjoy it. I'd certainly not go back there - £350 for the two of us, and we really weren't trying.

Le Gavroche - truly memorable, loved it. Possibly the best service I've ever had at a restaurant, and stunning food. A point off because I had to wear a jacket, however.

There's a little curry spot near Shudehill in Manchester that never fails to disappoint - 3 curries and rice for £3.99, though I never get the penny change...

The Rice and Three in Bolton is an absolute cracker:

http://ricenthree.co.uk/about.html

You can keep your pickled partridge du fromage au pain au cocklebleu.

You can keep your pickled partridge du fromage au pain au cocklebleu.

True enough. The Balti Hut in Rayner's Lane is another all-time favourite, and I've yet to spend more than a tenner a head there. Been going for 15 years, yet to be disappointed. The loos are a bit grim, mind you.

In a gazebo type thing in what looked like someone's back garden in Colombo.
The Lobsters were AWESOME.

Had a fantastic taster menu in Galvin at Windows (in that London place)
Each course had it's own wine - Bollinger ('84?) was like liquid gold.

I was surprised it was so good as i've always thought expsnive wine/champagne was just something people ponce on about.

second best meal was probably beach BBQ in Bali south coast
It's a Sunday tradition and I guess is their equivalent of a Sunday roast - loads of families there.
Shrimps the size of lobsters. We had to move our table as the tide was coming in and getting our feet wet.

/stomach rumbling

A restaurant in Honfleur, France.

Fat Duck - a real disappointment

I figured FD would be a [b]really[/b] overpriced gimmick so went to The Waterside Inn for lunch when in Bray for a wedding at Monkey Island in Sept. Did not disappoint! Tremendous food/service and not at an insane price.

Best I've had, though, is at Guy Savoy in Paris - absolutely stunning! And with a wine list about a foot thick 😯

Mind you Bobby's in Leicester does the best masala dosas on the planet for a mere fiver...

I've been to a few pricey places on expenses and they've been OK but really the place I like best is L'ancolie in Peisey Nancroix nothing pretentious just honest french grub and delicious, nice view too.

In the UK I'm always on the hunt for a bargain so Lahore Kharai, Mirch Masala, Culture grub and places like that are where I like to go.

Sod paying 80 quid a head for a small and not all that brilliant meal because a penguin serves it, cheap, fresh,ethnic tucker is always a winner.

Attempting a Weston-Super-Mare to Eastbourne coast to coast, I came over the West Mendips in cold and pouring rain and arrived in Bath like a frozen drowned rat. Decided I needed a treat.

The only restaurant in town was a decent Italian and the food was good but the most remarkable thing was the port that I had.

I asked for a glass of "Cockburn's '76".

This turned out to be a miss-print. What I got was the '67.

It cost me[b] £14[/b] for the glass, but was worth every penny. Tasted like liquid silk...

Any of many meals at one of the nameless seafood restaurants on the outlying islands of Hong Kong, most notably Lamma and the Po Toi islands, after having sailed there in a flotilla of mates' boats. Pointing at the fish, crabs and lobsters you want to eat as they swim about in tanks. And proper sized prawns being scooped out of buckets by the fistful. Cooked to perfection and served on formica topped tables, sat on fold-up stools. These are memories from over 20 years ago but my tummy is rumbling thinking about it!

There are 3 that spring to mind, is no particular order.

1st is Purnells in Brum, had the taster food and wine menu and it was INCREDIBLE, brilliant food with all kinds of little touches, great wine and we left after 4 hours feeling full and a little tipsy.

2nd is a tiny trattoria near Termini in Rome. It looked like someones front room but we had the most amazing home cooked food and even the wine was good.

And finally is the legend that Fergburger in Queenstown, great burgers, open all hours.

I got married In New York and had a meal at [url= http://www.lecirque.com/index ]LeCirque[/url] beside the New York Palace , I knew nothing about the place but by all accounts It is in the top 5 In Manhattan.
It was very pricey and I'll probably never eat In a place like that again but was well worth It.

fish vegs and chicken grilled in a pizza oven in vis one of the croatian islands

la gavroche nuff said from other posters
the converted monastery on lake annecy at the end of a holiday where i had some leftover money so had 3 nights there...awesome food/wine out on the terrace
the turkish in forfar run by a grumpy turkish guy....great nosh!

fish vegs and chicken grilled in a pizza oven in vis one of the croatian islands

la gavroche nuff said from other posters
the converted monastery on lake annecy at the end of a holiday where i had some leftover money so had 3 nights there...awesome food/wine out on the terrace
the turkish in forfar run by a grumpy turkish guy....great nosh!

Dim sum in one of the Manchester chinese restaurants. Three hours of good company and a constant supply of delicious food.

The missus and I tend to head for St John's Smithfield if we've got a reason for a posh meal. Yet to be disappointed.

The Walnut Tree near Abergavenny - very good indeed.

But the 2 places I'd go for "last supper" options?

The AQR hotel (Hotel Le Lutin) in Luchon. Russ the chef's duck a l'orange, or the pigs cheeks please. Goats cheese tart for starters and chocolate mousse for pud, and as much of that bread as I can wedge inside me.

Or the best meal I've ever had? Christmas dinner maybe 6 years ago at my girlfriend's parents. Roaring log fire in an ancient farmhouse, champagne and cheesy nibbles to start with, then smoked salmon, then a fantastic goose with all the trimmings inc the best roasties ever (and the g/f does damn good ones herself), xmas pud, then another hour or so polishing off assorted sticky treats along with a bottle of very fine port. Simply top notch. Makes restaurants look a little bit pointless.

S****iest - Gordon Ramsay at Claridges (when it had a star - Mark Sergeant was head chef). 22 of us in one of the art deco private dining rooms. Bill came to £13,500....

Thirteen and a half grand for a poxy dinner 😯

Are you mad?

Ever - A tiny tibetean cafe in Macleod Ganj in India

UK - The French Pantry in Ludlow

I'm not really a foodie with sophisticated tastes so my best meals are as much about the company i'm with as the food.

Like the take away burrito eaten at the Hotel du Vin with Scarlett Johansson. To be honest the burrito wasn't anything remarkable I just wanted to name drop (and hopefully mislead people into thinking it was a post coital snack) 😀

About 15 years ago I used to spend time in Edinburgh on business and often went to a little scruffy place in Hanover St called the Patio, run by an Italian guy Mimmo and his Scottish wife.

He used to go to Leith docks every day and bring back crawfish and scallops which he cooked in a way I've never found beaten.

Depends what you mean by 'best'. Are you talking value for money or quality? (or both)
The Crannog in Ft William always stays in my mind as quality & reasonable value.
Bistro 21 in Durham is quality but not IMO good value.
The Ship in Aldborough, North Yorks is decent quality & good value.
The Viva Goan, The Fishermans Cove, & The Inferno, in Candolim, Goa are probably what I'd call the 'best' I've been to. (bit far to travel for a curry though!)

Another vote for Purnell's. Serious cooking with some clever touches and service that wasn't too over-the-top-Michelin-star-creepy. As a keen cook I'm a big fan of Glynn's cooking and his approach to food and it was cool to hear the man's voice each time the kitchen door was opened. Not sure if he still does, but at the time he was still cooking at the restaurant every day.

The Hardwick in South Wales is worth a visit too. Superb food and relaxed service. Love the 'what pub food would be like if cooked by one of the best chefs in the UK' concept and the fact that (marketing aside) Steven Terry consciously walked away from the Michelin world to cook 'simple' food.

More 'everyday' in style and price is the The Pheasant at Keyston just off the A14 near Thrapston. Was best British restaurant in the F-word a couple years back and going there about every other month since have never had a disappointing course. IMHO a similar style and very, VERY close to the level of the food at the Hardwick.

Also a new place recently opened in Peterborough. Clarke's has a chef that can REALLY cook - the food is close to stunning - but for me is obviously trying just a bit too hard to be the first starred restaurant in this city.

slainte 😀 rob

20 years ago did a foodie binge in Sydney and Melbourne - Berowra waters and Stephanie's stood out.

Do less of this here. La Manoir Aux QS is great. And a special recommendation for Apicius in Cranbrook, Kent. Our closest Michelin starred restaurant - The Curlew - is less good...

But for all round brilliant meals, the starred restaurant I miss the most is Chez Nous - which used to be in Plymouth.

Like the take away burrito eaten at the Hotel du Vin with Scarlett Johansson. To be honest the burrito wasn't anything remarkable I just wanted to name drop (and hopefully mislead people into thinking it was a post coital snack)

I seem to find that the higher the price then the less I seem to enjoy the food and the experience. Been to a number of Michelin starred restaurants in London and they were all unmemorable and one or two (French ones) were really poor.

I didn't fair much better in New York, when I lived there, always found the standard top places too snooty and the food didn't seem particularly special.

I had a favorite neighborhood restaurant in the west village called Indigo, where I always used to have the confit of duck, followed by the hanger steak and chocolate torte. Well priced, good service and they didn't call me Sir.

The Quay in Vancouver is another favorite of mine. There was a spell when I used to travel there a lot on business and if I was traveling alone I would eat there every single night.

Back home. I have fond memories of Ma Goa in Putney (Goan food), and I ate at Quantas in Chiswick a few weeks ago and that was the best food I had eaten at home for a long time.

The mad Thai woman at Simply Thai in Teddington does simple wonderful Thai food. Those from the Twickenham, Teddington. Kingston area will know exactly what I mean.

More of a cheese burger kind of bloke, but 2 star Gidleigh Park in Devon is always memorable. I think they filmed celebrity master chef there this year apparently.

http://www.windlestraw.co.uk/

i stayed here once on a visit to the glentress the food was just awesome totally blown away by it.

I've been to a few places and had some great food, but there's one place I've been to twice that, to me, cooks the best food I've ever tasted, my favourite.

It in a small village called Wansford just off the A1 a few miles north of Peterborough. It's called Fiddlesticks and they cook British food. Proper classic British food, simply served but done so, so well.

I think Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester was probably the best

We used to do quite a few shows at the Dorchester and at lunchtime we'd still get the full silver service treatment at our crew table backset. The food was always good.

Like alot of posters Ive found the smaller,local restaurants to be the best. I think this can be true anywhere in the world.

3 way tie for best ever food.

Portimao, Algarve. Walking along the seafront and came to a little harbour. There was a make-shift dining room and a bbq fired up. Little fishing boats were coming in and handing over their catch. Lots of sardines, king prawns and squid.
10 sardines or 10 huge prawns for a quid. Just bbq'd and drizzled with a bit lemon juice. The freshes seafood Ive ever eaten. I dont think it gets any better TBH.

Pattaya, Thailand. Beachfront restaurant, Green Chicken curry and a bowl of sticky rice and a bottle of Singha. The best curry I've ever eaten. Fiery and zingy with lime.

Lagos, Algarve. Again in Portugal. Small restaurant just off one of the paths to the beach. A foot long lemon sole grilled with lemon butter and a side of baby potatoes drenched in parsley butter.

Its all about the freshness of the ingredients. Simple, honest and delicious.

Im starving now! Cheese on toast it is!

I enjoyed every second at the Fat Duck, and felt it was worth every penny. A few close friends and I were all turning 30 so we splurged on lunch - probably the better time to go because it was a nice relaxed 5 hours or so. Food was wonderful, matching wines were great too, it may be pot luck which dishes you get on each day but I loved all of the ones we had. Service was the best I've had anywhere too.

Not cheap (especially with cheese, port, and coffees) but a better thing to spend money on than things like XTR bits, IMO.

Another disappointed Fat Duck'er here (though bumped into Richard Corrigan as I was leaving), the Hardwick was much better than I thought, and the private treatment (ohh err) by Angela Hartnett before she left the Connaught was out of this world.

Probably the best 'experience' was Purnells for my birthday a few months ago, but the best food outright was the seafood in the Foveran on Orkney - or friday noodles in TryThai in wrexham 😛

I won a champagne dinner for two at the Dorchester in a raffle at the Big Bang Ball in the mid 80s. The bill, which I didn't pay,
was £175 and the food was sublime.

I once had a very average meal at The Ivy in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. Didn't know we were in The Ivy until I got the bill with the Restaurant name on it. We'd just landed, was jet lagged and wandered into a Resturant nearest to the hotel.

Maybe the Fat Duck is love/hate place then. I thought it was a level up from any another restaurant I've eaten in, the wine matching is brilliant as well.

You have to admire the skill though (spoiler to anyone who's going):

[url= http://thepleasuremonger.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/the-fat-duck-get-a-table-or-die-trying/ ]http://thepleasuremonger.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/the-fat-duck-get-a-table-or-die-trying/[/url]

Sorry to bring the tone down but stoner's

I can still conjure up the sublime taste of his bath chaps