The only ones I'd go to on the reg are for a Sunday roast. Just had a brilliant one at the weekend at the Hind's Head. Even then I couldn't eat dinner because I was stuffed.
3 courses (well, 4 if you include the Scotch Egg) for £44. Money well spend I thought!
The way I think about it is I could have a shitty night out and spend £50 and not remember most of it and despise the bits I do remember. Or, I could have a great meal!
no foodie but eaten at a few over the years (Two so far this year with a third coming up, mind you I didn't realise until halfway through the meal at one of them that it had a star. It was the fannying about that gave it away). There is a certain level of faff and theatricality involved that I could do without:
- fiddly bits - amuse-bouche, between course palate cleansers etc. Sometimes nice;
- explanations, sometimes lengthy, of what stuff's made of, meant to taste of, is from etc. Again sometimes fine, but sometimes what staff have been programmed to say. If you're really unlucky you might even get to learn something of the food philosophy of the chef;
- instructions: what you've got to eat and the order you've got to eat it in etc. Sometimes helpful, sometimes not;
- your wine poured: I'll control the embarrassingly high rate of flow thanks. Again not everywhere.
I think to get the rating they must have to do at least some of this stuff (30 secs googling would confirm but I cba). But all that said you should get a really good meal. Ate out the other night in Edin which was great. But compared to our last posh M* meal you'd have to say things like the sauce on the kidneys was a bit overpowering, not really getting the full range of flavours yadda yadda. The ox liver stuff was over salted. The veg wasn't quite perfect etc. Still a really nice meal don't get me wrong and the place and service was great, but if you're at a place with a star you'd want and legitimately expect all this stuff and much else besides to be spot on.
Blimey I've turned into a food critic.
I've eaten at two 2-star restaurants and both were experiences.
Midsummer House was the first and that was a seven course taster menu. The food was good and I originally thought that the small portions were going to be an issue. I was wrong and left pleasantly satisfied. I thought the wines went very well with the courses and enjoyed the attention to detail and presentation.
Oäxen Krog in Stockholm was a different type of eating. it seemed more personal, more intimate, with a view into the kitchen and the owners both cooking and waiting. The food was superb and I would recommend it.
Were either worth the money? Midsummer house arguably is better value (about £400 for two with the flight of wines), but the theatre of Oäxen and the care taken in the dishes put it ahead for me. I think that ended up costing about €600 for two with a very nice bottle of Reisling.
Sod it, you only live once, right?
I would have said it's all a load of elitist, snobby crap except I know someone who works in a restaurant who have just been awarded a star (outside of London and the SE too so even harder to get one). The effort, dedication, craft, skill etc. that they put into the food is unbelievable. Not only are they extremely talented but they work ridiculous hours for not much money at all.
Remember behind every Michelin starred chef is a big team of people working 80hrs a week for very little reward.
How so? Genuinely terrible, or 'my standards are so astronomically high that it didn't stack up'?
One was Benares is London - The place was too busy, food literally came out cold. They ran out of stuff on the menu. The curries were absolutely nothing special. And it was just plates of curry. Michelin you should be getting something different. Our local (award winning) curry house in Shipley has tastier food.
Yorke Arms - was just average food. Paying £100+ per person it should be exceptional service and food. Beef should melt in your mouth and not need a steak knife to cut it. The staff should know what food they are bringing out and be able to describe the content. You should not feel rushed either. I would have been happy paying £40 per person not £100 per person.
Box Tree in Ilkley - Again nothing special for the money.
I ate at le Champignon Sauvage last week, which has two stars. It felt like a throwback to the age before the celebrity chef: the husband did the cooking, out of sight, and the wife ran the front of house with quiet, understated professionalism. The menu was reasonably priced, as was the wine list, with an extensive selection by the half bottle. The whole place seemed dedicated to the practice of feeding their customers with excellent food, rather than trying to make a name for themselves.
New list just out!
Not eaten in many Michelin star places but I've always found them excellent value, not cheap but the food has always been worth it. One two star, the rest one. To be honest my favourite was the one star Martin Wishart at Loch Lomond. Might have just been the time of year and the menu that was available but that's the one I enjoyed the most.
