I'm sure you're right. A lot of places will even reduce the total accordingly if I don't swap for something else like the cheese trolley. I think Tantris might have done that. In any event, I'm so burnt out I'm off the circuit.

L´Arpege Paris ***
 

As I´m very interested in vegetables L´Arpege was the logical choice. To be honest I didn´t feel like eating a huge meal, but I hoped it will get better when I taste delicious food....
From outside it´s not spectacular:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4571/...8ce612d4_b.jpg

From inside it´s furnished in an elegant Art-Deco style. It was fully booked. We were greeted by nice plates:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4586/...00505a70_b.jpg

We could choose between a Lunch-menu (145,00 €) and the Vegetable Tasting menu (320,00 €). We decided to try the Lunch.
First some little bites, which were good:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4543/...3f068c31_b.jpg

For the first course some beetroot tatar.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4583/...ffdc1b33_b.jpg
Not my favourite dish.

Second came one of their signature dishes, an egg:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4565/...51f3d430_b.jpg
I found it not bad, my company gave me half of hers. She wasn´t impressed.

Next came some soup with ravioli:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4585/...8e1ba3a0_b.jpg
The soup had an intense taste of celery, which isn´t my favourite vegetable.

Now beetroot sushi:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4568/...92b77611_b.jpg
Nice idea.....

At this point I wasn´t really hungry anymore.
I don´t know excactly what it was.....
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4520/...0268800c_b.jpg

Punmpkin soup with cream:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4547/...061cdf8e_b.jpg

After this dish I felt a rumbel in my stomach and I had a longer and unpleasant visit at the bathroom. It didn´t really help that the guy from the neighboring table permanently rattled at the door. Normally I would...... but not this time. When I finally was back at the table I was drenched in sweat and my company was a little bit worried.....

I decided to stay stong. When I pay for food I eat it.....
No real memories about this one:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4537/...9baa3d73_b.jpg

Alain Passard did his round thru the restaurant. I wasn´t absolutely not in the mood to chat.... He asked if we liked his vegetables and told us they are from his own garden, that he likes beer etc.... Sorry, but I had other problems....

Now the first main, monkfish:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4556/...5f8a8f16_b.jpg
At this time I wasn´t really able to rate a dish, but the fish tasted like roasted smoked pork neg (Kassler on German). In my memories a terrible monkfish, one of the worst I ever had. I´m not sure if it was because of my illness, but my company also confirmed it wasn´t her taste.

After the monkfish they served another soup....
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4550/...864f79d5_b.jpg
I took a bite but was surprisingly clever enough to stop.

My GF asked how many dishes were coming and they told us one main. She decided to skip it, I didn´t object.

Dessert:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4548/...d60034dd_b.jpg
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4548/...620265b6_b.jpg
I only took a small bit, my GF thought it was not impressive.
We asked for a taxi. Normally one more dessert should come, but the waiter wasn´t able to tell us what it was. We denined.
Our taxi arrived soon and we left, Alain Passard said goodbye.....
It was one of the worst meals I had due to my illness. So I can´t really judge the food. But I´m sure even in perfect health I would not have been impressed, I had much better meals elsewhere. For me not really a 3 star......

great review and sorry to hear about not feeling well.

Epicure remains my favorite fine dining restaurant in Paris.

We went to L'Arpege this summer and I wouldn't go back.

L'Arpege was a much more reasonable value as a lunch diner. I wouldn't pay EUR 300+ per person for the dinner seating. Think I posted in past thread - enjoyed the meal, but way too much food and not (IMO) deserving of the supremely high praise it gets.

So sorry to hear about the illness! That would make it very difficult to enjoy such a meal. My vegetarian friends are all dying to try L'Arpege. Of the Parisian 3-stars, I've only been to Epicure and I thought it was divine, definitely in my top two meals of all time.

100% agree! That was the reason I went for dinner;)

Thanks! As addition I had to cancel my reservations at Kei and Astrance:(

L'Abeille **
 

We decided to try L'Abeille, the 2 star restaurant at the Shangri-La.
The restaurant is elegant as you can expect:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4569/...d8cf7618_b.jpg

First they brought a tartelett with mushrooms and some bread.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4539/...4472b365_b.jpg
While the tartelett was pretty good the bread was uneatable. Terrible, a toughly mass. I got a little bit afraid.

The normal bread was OK, with excemption of I kind we did knew all from breakfast.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4553/...ea06e3fa_b.jpg

We choosed the tasting menu with 3 dishes, cheese and desserts. Price was 230,00 € per person. Paris......

Amuse Bouche: Sea Urchin with caviar
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4577/...04229112_b.jpg
Good.

First course: Marinated scallops - hay and Lapsang Souchong cooked beetroot, shizo / balsamic condiment
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4561/...5ae6f284_b.jpg
Something missing? Yeah....
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4516/...1c0a1ca3_b.jpg
They like the show.....

Second course: Line caught pollack and caviar - cauliflowers, gently pan-fried brioche in Le Ponclet’s butter
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4530/...fa1b201d_b.jpg
And? Yes, of course.....
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4571/...224e1e2b_b.jpg
Caviar? Yes, they also brought some but I forgot to take a picture. The dish was good.

Third course: Chausey Isle’s lobster - vanilla, pumpkin and chestnuts cooked in casserole
The presented it at the table:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4567/...ff6e422b_b.jpg
The dish itself was harmonic and delicious.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4577/...b33aac06_b.jpg

Now the cheese:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4523/...6fa07526_b.jpg
Nothing too special, here our selections:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4537/...b1af8370_b.jpg
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4531/...74997d1b_b.jpg

First dessert: Roasted Rocha pears, beer ice-cream and malted flour biscuit,bergamot condiment
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4557/...d4991299_b.jpg
One of my least favourite desserts this year. The pear was OK, the beer ice-cream for us uneatable and the rest so so.

Second dessert: Frosted corsican honey - perfumed with lemon and eucalyptus
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4523/...19ddb31c_b.jpg
The signature dessert of the restaurant. Pretty good but also nothing I will tell in years about.

Petit fours:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4563/...1a6db17f_b.jpg

Overall a good meal, solid 2 star level with better main dishes than desserts.

I was not overly impressed by l'Arpege back in 2012...

Looking forward to my second meal (lunch) at le Sputnik on Friday!

Lucky you. I really enjoyed my dinner there. Another excuse to go back to Tokyo when the J fares dip again.

Wish I was there ;)

Based on Fliar, Bohemian1, and estnet's recommendations, I just reserved a dinner at Le Sputnik in December. I hope you're all correct :)

Sad that I couldn't get a table at my RyuGin unfortunately (been going annually for past several years), oh well.

Ate at Clocktower tonight on a whim, as it's close to where I live. Just got its first Michelin star this year, and I have to say that it does a fantastic job of making you feel like you are in ye olde London as opposed to in NYC. The appetizers were okay but the entrees (duck for my wife, braised halibut for me) were exquisite. Cheese selection was quite good for dessert as well. In all, a well-deserved selection (and perhaps the only British-inspired Michelin star in NYC as of now) - good mix of ambiance and taste without burning too large a hole in the wallet.

le Sputnik yesterday was superb again on this second visit. A slight disappointment was that the menu was almost identical to that of a few months ago.

Today I tried Sushidokorosuzu, which was at a very high level. Superb ingredients along with the always wonderful Eau de Desir sake (the 2014 in this case) made for a very happy lunch. Easily in my top 10 sushi restaurants.
(This is not a comfortable restaurant for those who are not accustomed to eating at high-end restaurants in Japan.)

Went to Gordon Ramsay last week -- had the Menu Prestige with wine pairings. I added in a cep linguine with parmesan emulsion and Alba white truffles--that was simply divine. I should also add that the lamb, prepared five ways, was the best I've ever had. The food was very good and technically flawless, but lacked the wow factor and moments of surprising flavors that I associate with some other 3-stars that I've been to: EMP, Epicure, French Laundry, La Pergola in Rome. I'm wondering how much of it is just my increased exposure to fine dining. It reminded me of how I felt after my meal at the Waterside Inn--happy but not euphoric. I enjoyed more my meals at NYC 2-stars Atera, Blanca, and The Modern, and even my food at 2-star Helene Darroze at the Connaught, where I will be returning in a few weeks.

I've got a few Michelin stars lined up in Bilbao this week (including 3 star Azurmendi), and then early next month I'll be at 3-star sushi joint The Araki, so I'll update on those after I go.

Had another fantastic meal at CTBF Saturday night. Every course was executed perfectly as per usual, but of course we were there for the truffles! White truffles from Alba done two ways -- savory (on top of tender bay scallops) and sweet (truffle ice cream with truffle shavings). One of the great things about CTBF is that you can have the A5 wagyu, the caviar, and the multiple truffle courses with generous shavings, all without having to pay a single $ of supplemental charge.

Did they know you had been before? When I went twice in one week the menu the second time was completely different (but to be honest I would have been very happy with the same one again ;))

I'm going there later this week for a Friendsgiving dinner. Since it'll be a large group I think we'll try a bunch of things on the menu, any particular dish to avoid?

I wasn't that impressed by the steak tartare - I like tartares that are a little off the beaten path, but I didn't get the sense that the meat was as high-quality as others I have had.

Definitely make sure to get the duck or the braised halibut - the latter was a revelation, while the former is just duck cooked really damn well. :)

Has anyone had breakfast at Al fiori in the Langham NYC? Any suggestions or comments? I'm a little worried as I tend to not like hotel breakfasts, and the last one star place we had while staying at a hotel, Boulud at the Surrey, was just totally underwhelming.

For me breakfast is not really star related, it´s mostly only the diningroom. Often completely different kitchen-team. Only had dinner at Al fiori, no breakfast.

Many thanks!

Last night we had one of our two best meals of the year, and a place that I once said was my favorite restaurant in the world because it executes a chef's vision: it's small, there are no menus, great and unpretentious service, good value and superb wine pairings. Formerly the number 1 ranked restaurant in DC, but now number three according to the only respectable guide in DC: Washingtonian. Sure it has a michelin star and minibar, which I didn't particularly care for (like Fat Duck this summer) had two, which only reinforces my belief that michilen stars are trash. But yes, it had one, as much as the dreadful Benoit with it's horrible service and mediocre food but interesting location. I say french restaurants often get a free pass, but that's just my opinion.

Yes, I am talking about Komi. One of the the first place that Mr. and Mrs. Obama went out to many years ago. Absolutely delightful and almost an entirely new menu since we last went. It's my ideal vision for a restaurant. Just blows away (or maybe I like the cuisine more) all the 3 star places we went this year by miles.

Only downside is that I believe there's a no camera policy, which is actually a boon and made the meal better since I didn't have to see people pulling out their camera, knowing that I needed to focus on the event itself.

I still have yet to try Pineapples and Pearls, however.

Komi is near the top of my bucket list, but I've never been able to manage a reservation. How difficult was that, or did you just call up a concierge service?

the first time around we were armed with phones. This time, there was a notice on the website that they had an opening last night, so I sent an email, received a phone call and booked. Super easy, but it may just be luck.

I had dinner when it first opened - it was delicious. My wife did have dinner there some years ago for brunch and found it nearly inedible. YMMV.

We had a 2-star day in Chicago last weekend - brunch at Roister and dinner at Blackbird. Roister brunch was great. We had both the avocado toast and foie gras toast to start, and would eat the foie gras toast every day if our wallets and waist lines could take it. For mains we had the biscuits and gravy (enormous and delicious) and the fried bologna sandwich (surprisingly tasty, particularly because of the pickle). Dessert was the foie gras candy bar. Really enjoyed our brunch and would gladly return for dinner next time we're in town. Loved the seating right at the open kitchen, and the staff were fantastic.

Blackbird has been on our list for a few years. We had a 7pm reservation on a Saturday night, so of course the restaurant was packed. We were not huge fans of the incredibly close seating along the bench on the side of the restaurant. It was impossible to enjoy our meal without overhearing what was happening at the tables on either side, and it forced the wait staff to awkwardly put stuff on my side (bench side) of the table instead of placing it correctly. We had the tasting menu and were not blown away by anything. While the food was "fine," I would not say it was worth $500 for 2 (including pairings). Our other one-star dinner experience in Chicago (Boka, this time last year) was far superior.

Wasn´t there a time Fois Gras was banned in Chicago?

If true, it would have been well before my time of eating in Chicago....

The foie gras ban in Chicago was from 2006-2008.

What do folks think about Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London? It's open on Christmas Day, which is why I booked a reservation for dinner there, but one of my coworkers (who is a London native) said it is vastly overrated.

We despised it. Not quite as much as St. John’s, but nearly as much. Would never return. Haven’t been interested in any of his restaurants as a result, either. Vastly overrated is a very fair characterization.

Had Lunch in July last year. Interesting, but also overrated in my eyes.
My review: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26997801-post364.html

I actually enjoyed my meal at Dinner but at the same time I didn't see anything to justify the ridiculous amount of critical acclaim heaped upon the restaurant. I think you stand a good chance of having a decent meal there, just don't expect it to rise to Michelin star dining, let alone best in the world type fare. So yes, extremely overrated, but maybe okay if you lower your expectations.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about a meal I had at Chez Bruce last year. Now that was a really memorable London meal, in sharp contrast to so many disappointing ones I've had of late.

On that note then - does anyone know of any other Michelin-starred restaurants that are open on Christmas Day for dinner in London? :)

That is a very tall order - I looked this morning and I don't see anything.

Update - two minutes ago I got an email from the Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester team advertising a special Christmas Day lunch menu. Six courses plus wine pairing for £350/pp. Maybe Christmas day lunch would be easier to find than Christmas day dinner.

Helene Darroze at the Connaught is open, and it's one of my favorite restaurants in London. I'll be back there for dinner with a friend next weekend. Wine there has very high markups though, but they have a fantastic selection.

Nice premium:rolleyes: Even compared to Christmas Eve....

Yep, just throwing it out there for his consideration

Of course! If someone like to eat at a high level resturant on Christmas it´s not going to be cheap..... Have this problem every year at New Year's Eve. I´m not really ready to pay the prices they claim, especially as I´m not a fan of New Year's Eve. Just a normal day with a lot of pollution and disturbance at night.

We had lunch at Dinner in the week it opened and thought it was superb (service, setting and food) but standards may have slipped since then!

It was recommended to me shortly after it opened but I decided to go with the starred restaurants. Was it in 2011?