I want to plan a celebratory meal for two with my partner, anywhere in the world, on a "meal of a lifetime" scale--a little difficult for two people both of whom travel like mad for business and have fairly lavish (but still financially justifiable) business meals. Do you have any recommendations for me? Assume that miles (UA or DL) and hotel points (Hyatt or Hilton) are no object, and that the budget can go up to at least 2000 USD.

My current inclination is to fly to Paris on UA or AF in F, stay at the Park Hyatt Vendome to recover from jet lag, and dine at Le Jules Verne in the Tour Eiffel. Do you have any other recommendations for me?

Pierre Gagnaire, Paris.

Fly to NRT, NGO or KIX, make your way to Kyoto one way or the other and try to schedule the whole in May ( outside of Golden Week ) or September. Hilton in Osaka or the new (re-branded ) Hyatt in Kyoto itself.

Let the hotel concierges make advance bookings in one of the top notch Kaiseki restaurants located in the mountains surrounding Kyoto. What you get is al fresco dining on tatami mats, first class Japanese haute cuisine, matching fine drinks, the sounds of a mountain stream flowing underneath and beautiful nature just next to you.

And this was only lunch. Now it's time to head to your mountainside Ryokan ( of course civilized by taxi ) for a relaxing bath before sampling another set of local fine cuisine and rolling the futons out for the night. No need to worry about getting down into the valley before next day...

Thanks ... When I saw your user name I thought you would send me to Mos Burger at some point on this itinerary!

I have not been to Europe or Asia, but in the US my recommedation would be the French Laundry in Yountville, CA. The best meal I've ever had.

My current inclination is to fly to Paris on UA or AF in F, stay at the Park Hyatt Vendome to recover from jet lag, and dine at Le Jules Verne in the Tour Eiffel. Do you have any other recommendations for me?

Right city. Wrong restaurant.

Quite a few restaurants there are far superior to Jules Verne. I'd pick Taillevent (http://www.taillevent.com/english/index.html), which has and deserves its two additional Michelin stars.

If you want the view, there's nothing wrong with a visit to the Eiffel Tower after your meal.

Highly recommend the rooftop restaurant at Hilton Calvalieri (Rome)- the food, setting and service are unbelievable! I've considered going back just so I can eat there again ;) (not a big fan of Rome as you may gather)

What's the big deal about Le Jules Verne? Another vote for Taillevent if you go to Paris.

On a completely different note, there's Sooke Harbour House near Victoria, BC: www.sookeharbourhouse.com.

I echo Taillevent in Paris; Pierre Gagnaire is also a good choice. Le Moulin de Mougins near Cannes; Le Louis XV in Monaco; Troisgros in Roanne; Auberge de L'Ill are other special places.

Perhaps the Krug Room at The Dorchester is quite celebratory as it is exclusive.

El Bulli or Arzak in Spain may be some other choices to consider.

Yes, definately not Jules Verne. My pick for best special occassion restaurant anywhere would be Taillevent also. Pierre Gagnaire would probably be second choice. In the States, Alain Ducasse, New York.

For another possibility go to Kyoto and stay at Tawaraya Ryokin. Get one of the larger rooms and have them serve the full keiseki meal in your room. Tawaraya has been in the same family for over 300 years and is a spectacular experience. Do some searches here on FT for it. It has been mentioned in a number of threads.

I just thought of something else. At least in NY, and possibly in Paris, some of the better restaurants have "chefs tables". For instance at LeBernardin, a Michelin 3 star in NY there is a special room that is glassed off from the rest of the diners and open to the kitchen. The chef comes over to the diners in the room and discusses the dinner with them, and how he is preparing their food. That might be something to consider if it is available at some of your choices. I wouldnt do it at a lesser restaurant for the sake of having the chefs table. But if you can do it at a Michelin 3 star it would be something to consider.

Buy a RTW ticket and dine at Taillevent and Tawaraya.

I'd start following wine spectator, and find another of their super spectacular meals. the one I recall from a while back:

NYC-CDG-NYC on the Concord

Special meal by joel robuchon upon closing what at that time was the greatest restaurnat in France. I recall 10k/pp.

http://www.salon.com/weekly/robuchon960708.html

The Chateau Robuchon in Tokyo is now the greatest restaurant, being run by the greatest French chef in the world today.

Try to get to one of his super special charity meals....one million yen/pp.

http://www.robuchon.com/

I must be the only person on earth (maybe with the michelin rating person) that does not understand Taillevent. I think it's a tourist trap that has a duck special.

El Bulli or Arzak in Spain may be some other choices to consider.[/QUOTE]

I would second either of these recommendations.

Highly recommend the rooftop restaurant at Hilton Calvalieri (Rome)- the food, setting and service are unbelievable! I've considered going back just so I can eat there again ;) (not a big fan of Rome as you may gather)

I've posted before that we were disappointed with La Pergola. The food just wasn't that exceptional given the astronomical price. And the service is too theatrical. IMHO.

I must be the only person on earth (maybe with the michelin rating person) that does not understand Taillevent. I think it's a tourist trap that has a duck special.

Tourist trap with a duck special? Sounds more like a description of La Tour D'Argent than Taillevent, which seems to predominantly cater to the French, not us visitors.

Forget Paris, go to NCE and dine at Le Louis XV.

Having recently celebrated my birthday in the village of Bray, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Fat Duck or Waterside Inn.

I've been to just about all of the restaurants that have been mentioned in this thread, and IMHO, none of them measure up as a true "special occasion" restaurants compared to the Fat Duck or Waterside Inn.

They're both within easy distance of Heathrow and the Waterside Inn also has rooms with a very romantic riverside setting.

Mostly good suggestions so far, but really not "meal of a lifetime" material or much better than you could get at the French Laundry (which you could go to any day that you want, presumably, if you could get a reservation). I'd suggest a different tack to a memorable meal, which is to get good (even fine) food in a memorable setting. Rather than better food in a less special setting (as all of these restaurants are, as much as I love Le Bernardin et al, they simply make for "meal of the year" and not lifetime).

By the OP's criteria I would go to Bali and either rent a private villa (with a staff of 10 and several chefs) or stay at Aman. Food will be a notch down from Taillevent, but the ambiance will more than make up for it. Just don't go to Bali and stay at the RC or PH, that would be disappointing in this context. You could even stop over at HKG on the way to Bali and have a very fine meal at Gaddi's in the Peninsula or at the IC ... cheaper than Paris and in some ways better than most of the Michelin 3-star choices (not entirely, but close enough to be competitive and interesting).

Agree with the French Laundry recommendation wholeheartedly.

But French Laundry is such a hassle getting to - I just go to Gary Danko in SF. Didn't FL get a new chef recently and have their ratings decline?

Mostly good suggestions so far, but really not "meal of a lifetime" material

Perhaps that underwater restaurant at the Burj al Arab or having the FS Maldives (when the older Kuda Huraa amd the new Landaa Giravalu (re)open) take you to a remote atoll for a beachside gourmet picnic.....

Paris:

In addition to the above (but not the Tour restaurant): Guy Savoy, Alain Ducasse (still - coz the room is so good) and I still like Helene Darroze.

San Sebastian:

People have mentioned Arzak; but better still is Martin Berasategui in Lasarte. Akelare is very good too.

Japan:

Tawaraya, but only if you get a good room. It makes the experience. Problem is that the nuances of kaiseki are sometimes lost on non-Japanese palates. In Tokyo for haute kaiseki ? Try Waketokuyama.

You could even stop over at HKG on the way to Bali and have a very fine meal at Gaddi's in the Peninsula or at the IC ... cheaper than Paris and in some ways better than most of the Michelin 3-star choices (not entirely, but close enough to be competitive and interesting).

I'm sure Gaddi's is one of the finest restaurants in HKG. For a most memorable meal, I recommend a restaurant that offers a stunning view. I recommend dining at the Intercontinental:

http://hongkong-ic.dining.intercontinental.com/honic/index.shtml

I believe either number_6 or luxury highly rate the restaurants at this hotel.

The IC (ex-Regent, not the other IC which is quite poor) has a superb seafood restaurant (Yu) and also excellent Chinese, but their French restaurant (Spoon) is a rare Ducasse failure and really not up to snuff. Several other great restaurants in HKG that give Paris a run for the money (they tend to be cheaper, serve larger portions and be up to 3 star quality).

Thinking about the original project, a memorable meal, I'm now leaning to something like trout fishing in NZ (or salmon fishing in Alaska if the season is right). Incredibly good food at the right location, but this is the anti-city anti-restaurant trip.

For a most memorable meal, I recommend a restaurant that offers a stunning view. I recommend dining at the Intercontinental:


The best meals I had there were at Yan Toh Heen, whose view is
quite notable - for its absence, as the restaurant is in the basement!

their French restaurant (Spoon) is a rare Ducasse failure and really not up to snuff.

I read somewhere that Nobu is supposedly replacing Spoon sometime later this year..... has anyone else heard any ruminations of this?

I read somewhere that Nobu is supposedly replacing Spoon sometime later this year..... has anyone else heard any ruminations of this?


http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/invoke.cfm?page=2&objectid=9416E8DD-A74C-4327-80417BFFF6AC2926

THE AMENITIES You don't need to step outside to eat well here. Savory salads are served in the lobby. Decadent corn-fed chicken burgers and Wagyu rib eyes are delivered in the lipstick-red Steak House. Alain Ducasse's Spoon is overrated and overpriced for dinner (entrées push past the $60 mark), but at its demure Spoon Bar, you can curl up in an eel-skin chair for sweeping Hong Kong vistas and an à la carte menu (unusual for Asia). The next tenant will be Nobu, set to open in November.

Several other great restaurants in HKG that give Paris a run for the money (they tend to be cheaper, serve larger portions and be up to 3 star quality).


Care to share some of these recommendations?

Taillevent, Le Bernardin, Fat Duck, French Laundry, Inn at Little Washington, etc will all provide memorable and wonderful meals.

But I have to agree with number_6 and luxury -- if you build them up as **meal of a lifetime** you are setting yourself up to be disappointed!

It seems to me that you need to hedge your bets (spread them out across a range of experiences) and make the entire journay part of the trip to remember...

So you might
* Do the Maldives and the underwater restaurant as noted above
* Do several days in Paris and eat at ALL of the 3*s there
* Do a RTW as noted above as well, eating at a top restaurant in Europe and in Asia

One meal just won't cut it if you've built it up so much. Either add truly unique setting to the equation or make it a series of meals.

And if you make it a series of meals, consider Lyon. Buy the Michelin red guide, and march thru the top restaurants there. I have done it twice, and it truly has been the most memorable dining I have had.

One meal just won't cut it if you've built it up so much. Either add truly unique setting to the equation or make it a series of meals.

I agree with what Gleff says. My husband and I have been married for many years and have had many memorable meals. We had "one celebratory meal of a lifetime."
Here goes----
10th wedding anniversary
Reserved the wine cellar for the 2 of us (it seated 12) at our favorite restaurant in Los Angeles..Scandia (sadly, now gone).
We worked closely with the maitre-d to design the menu. My husband and I got very dressed up and had a limo pick us up at home (grandparents were watching the kids). We brought our stereo and a selection of our favorite operas. We had our own waiter and captain. In between courses we went for walks. The captain took photographs of our event and someone wrote the menu in lovely calligraphy (it is framed, of course). After dinner the limo took us to a suite at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
MENU
Beluga Caviar
Dom Perignon 1961

Consomme Celestine
Scampi Americaine in a Viking Ship
Mersault 1969

Pheasant Facon du Chef
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1945

Roast Saddle of Lamb
Broccoli Souffle Anna Potatoes

Assorted Cheese and Fresh Fruit
Chateau Yquem (we added this and don't recall the year)

And if you make it a series of meals, consider Lyon. Buy the Michelin red guide, and march thru the top restaurants there. I have done it twice, and it truly has been the most memorable dining I have had.

YES YES YES YES YES

I disagree, because I find it takes me a week to recover from a lavish meal like this. Too rich, too sensual -- it really is sensory overload to try to do this 2 nights in a row. For lesser meals, fine; in fact I've had 10 lunches in a row at michelin 2-star restaurants, and enjoyed it. But 10 dinners in a row would likely lead to liver failure....

These restaurants are undoubtedly out of my league (at least right now in my life) being a younger person, but I would recommend getting one with a view. If it's supposed to be special...really special...there's nothing more memorable than sharing a perfect view with someone. The food can be great, but that's not the whole experience.

This thread is fun for dreamers... :)

I disagree, because I find it takes me a week to recover from a lavish meal like this. Too rich, too sensual -- it really is sensory overload to try to do this 2 nights in a row. For lesser meals, fine; in fact I've had 10 lunches in a row at michelin 2-star restaurants, and enjoyed it. But 10 dinners in a row would likely lead to liver failure....
10 in a row? Impossible.

But a few nights in a row? Sure. That's why you have a nice spicy szechuan lunch, counteract all that buttery goodness.

These restaurants are undoubtedly out of my league (at least right now in my life) being a younger person, but I would recommend getting one with a view. If it's supposed to be special...really special...there's nothing more memorable than sharing a perfect view with someone. The food can be great, but that's not the whole experience.

This thread is fun for dreamers... :)
Please see, however, The view is great, the food is not (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=308253). :eek:

Please see, however, The view is great, the food is not (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=308253). :eek:


Interesting thread, I missed it before. I almost choked on the first post though, Montgomery Inn has a view???? Of what. In any case, two places that I think have stunning views and very good to excellent food are Ventana in Big Sur (was there 2 Saturdays ago for lunch, it was great) and Kozue on the 44th or so floor of the Park Hyatt in Tokyo. Ventana is about 1000 feet above the ocean at Big Sur with panoramic views up and down the coast in one direction and at the coastal ranges in the other direction. When we were there 2 weeks ago you could see snow on the mountains in one direction and the ocean in the other. Kozue has two floor high ceilings and glass walls on one side with an unbelieveable view over Shinjuku. Food at both are first rate although not the absolute best.

Please see, however, The view is great, the food is not (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=308253). :eek:

Hemispheres magazine did a pretty good story about this a few years ago. Owners of restaurants with fabulous views admitted that their rents are so high they generally have to compromise with less expensive ingredients or that there isn't the budget to hire a fine chef. Then, I believe, there are a lot of chefs who believe their food is such a multi-sensory treat, there is no need for additional stimuli.

I've ate at many highly acclaimed restaurants and I can think of few with good views. Scirocco and the other restaurants atop the state building in Bangkok are good and have great views; and if you sit outside at Oustau de Baumaniere for a summer dinner you'll have a fabulous meal and a lovely view of the surrounding rocky mountains.

These restaurants are undoubtedly out of my league (at least right now in my life) being a younger person, but I would recommend getting one with a view. If it's supposed to be special...really special...there's nothing more memorable than sharing a perfect view with someone. The food can be great, but that's not the whole experience.

This thread is fun for dreamers... :)

You'd be surprised how many great restaurants there are that offer very reasonable set menus during lunch.

Two come off the top off my head. I believe Jean-Georges has a set menu for lunch for only $45. And then there's this one:

http://www.taillevent.com/restaurant/menu3.html

You'd be surprised how many great restaurants there are that offer very reasonable set menus during lunch.

Two come off the top off my head. I believe Jean-Georges has a set menu for lunch for only $45. And then there's this one:

http://www.taillevent.com/restaurant/menu3.html


And what I think is the best restaurant deal in the world with the special lunch for about 100 Euros at Pierre Gagnaire.