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Originally Posted by jbeans
(Post 30429583)
We're heading to Napa/SFO next spring for a food & wine tour. Benu, Saison, and Meadowood are definitely on the list. Also considering Auberge du Soleil. Not going to bother with French Laundry. [MENTION=680784]bhrubin[/MENTION] would love to hear any other recommendations (both restaurants and vineyards) in the Napa area from you!
You already have my biggest Napa faves. I don’t think you miss much by avoiding FL. Lunch at Auberge is what I recommend, since the view really is lovely and the ambience is better to me during the day; we have a tradition of lunch there on all of our Napa stays. We also always hit Bistro Jeanty in Yountville, even though it’s no longer with a *; I love their steak tartare. We also really like Ad Hoc and Press, and we often have a lunch at Bouchon Bistro. We aren’t big fans of La Toque in the Westin. I’m also a fan of Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen. Dying to try Acacia House at the Las Alcobas hotel. Wineries? So many. Private message me and I can give some recs based on your prefs! Have a fab time! I’ll be back yet again in May. |
Originally Posted by jbeans
(Post 30429216)
My favorite restaurant in Rome is Pierluigi. Personally I'd rank it higher than La Pergola, although if you're able to snag a table on the balcony there the view is fantastic.
For Venice, I remember having a great seafood dinner at Alle Testiere. |
Originally Posted by bhrubin
(Post 30429317)
If in SF (where I am for work even now), my faves are Benu and Atelier Crenn (as well as Meadowood up in Napa and Manresa down in the San Jose area). We also loved Acquerello. I love Mourad, too. My husband’s favorite overall is Saison. But SF has so many amazing options. I’m working on going to 2* SingleThread up in Sonoma perhaps in a few weeks. If in LA, my faves are Somni and The Bazaar by Jose Andres, both at the SLS Beverly Hills. Somni is easily worthy of 2-3* IMO, and the Bazaar is easily worthy of 1* at least. Somni is my favorite meal of all time in SoCal...and its previous incarnation as Saam was my fave before that. We also really like Providence and n/naka, both of which easily are worthy of 2*. If you get down to OC, Taco Maria is a great 1* worthy option, and maybe Basilic and Marche Moderne. There are so many incredible places in LA right now, maybe because Michelin doesn’t rank here, that it’s a pretty exciting time. Been to Benu, Atelier Crenn, Manresa, Acquerello and Mourad in SFO. But Saison is on the 'gotta go' list. n/naka and Providence were both great in LAX. Somni looks interesting for sure. |
Originally Posted by Bohemian1
(Post 30430099)
Nice list - thanks!
Been to Benu, Atelier Crenn, Manresa, Acquerello and Mourad in SFO. But Saison is on the 'gotta go' list. n/naka and Providence were both great in LAX. Somni looks interesting for sure. |
Thanks! Will check into all these places. We'll actually be staying at Las Alcobas, so probably will be eating Acadia at some point during the trip.
Originally Posted by bhrubin
(Post 30429895)
Just booked 2* SingleThread for Nov 28. I’ll be sure to report back. Very excited to try it. You already have my biggest Napa faves. I don’t think you miss much by avoiding FL. Lunch at Auberge is what I recommend, since the view really is lovely and the ambience is better to me during the day; we have a tradition of lunch there on all of our Napa stays. We also always hit Bistro Jeanty in Yountville, even though it’s no longer with a *; I love their steak tartare. We also really like Ad Hoc and Press, and we often have a lunch at Bouchon Bistro. We aren’t big fans of La Toque in the Westin. I’m also a fan of Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen. Dying to try Acacia House at the Las Alcobas hotel. Wineries? So many. Private message me and I can give some recs based on your prefs! Have a fab time! I’ll be back yet again in May. |
Originally Posted by bhrubin
(Post 30427623)
Good luck! FWIW, you can book Benu from OpenTable if necessary. I was just back there in Sept and loved it. It’s still my favorite in the city, right along with Atelier Crenn (we get back there in Dec). |
Originally Posted by estnet
(Post 30214829)
Don't know if they're open those dates but highly recommend Le Sputnik Tokyo!
I would also comment that the concierge at the Prince Gallery hotel in Tokyo is incredibly slow at responding - the level of service compared to the Peninsula or the Four Seasons is quite a step down... |
Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
(Post 30443224)
I would also comment that the concierge at the Prince Gallery hotel in Tokyo is incredibly slow at responding - the level of service compared to the Peninsula or the Four Seasons is quite a step down...
theluxurycollectionhotels.com whereas before the integration it was luxurycollection.com and that may be part of the challenge. FWIW, the Prince Gallery concierge team was incredibly responsive with me for our May 2018 stay, and also managed to get us bookings at Yoshitake, Narisawa, and Sawada. They got game. They just may not be receiving your emails. |
Originally Posted by Bohemian1
(Post 30429272)
Still trying to flip a coin between LAX and SFO for our annual Spring mini-break restaurant tour of new places (to us) and maybe some old faves. But you got me thinking about Benu again ...
Between FT and Opinionated About Dining, we are now digging through the recommendations. Saison is most certainly high on 'haven't been yet' list. |
I was just at Kojyu in September, and it was one of my favorite meals in Tokyo. I was curious about the Okuda outpost, which is actually just downstairs from the main restaurant I think. Hope you enjoy it, and let us know how it is!
Okuda's NYC shop just received a star. After my experience in Tokyo, definitely looking to try it out at some point here. Funny side note, our meals on ANA flight back to NYC were curated by Chef Okuda as well, and we actually received these free drink vouchers at Okuda NYC during the flight. I totally want to use the vouchers when we visit Okuda, but my husband thinks it's *weird* to bring coupons to a nice meal. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Haha. What do you guys think?
Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
(Post 30443224)
Sadly, Le Sputnik is not open at the end of the year :( So far, I have booked Ginza Okuda (1*, the second outpost run by the folks running 2* Kojyu) for dinner on 1/1, and Ryo (1*, unagi) on 12/30. Trying to see what I can do for 12/31...lots of choices seem to be closed.
I would also comment that the concierge at the Prince Gallery hotel in Tokyo is incredibly slow at responding - the level of service compared to the Peninsula or the Four Seasons is quite a step down... |
Originally Posted by bhrubin
(Post 30443567)
I think you may discover that new email addresses and server issues due to the Marriott IT integration fiasco may be at play with communication. I’ve also had issues getting responses from my contacts at hotels which normally respond ASAP—because they aren’t always receiving the emails I’d sent. You may want try calling or otherwise reaching out to customer suppprt to confirm the email domain. It’s now theluxurycollectionhotels.com whereas before the integration it was luxurycollection.com and that may be part of the challenge. FWIW, the Prince Gallery concierge team was incredibly responsive with me for our May 2018 stay, and also managed to get us bookings at Yoshitake, Narisawa, and Sawada. They got game. They just may not be receiving your emails. That said, I did go on OpenTable this morning and snagged a 7PM reservation at Benu in a couple months, so I have that going for me :) |
Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
(Post 30450562)
That said, I did go on OpenTable this morning and snagged a 7PM reservation at Benu in a couple months, so I have that going for me :)
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
(Post 30450667)
Told everyone! It’s the only 3 star I know that can be so easily booked. It’s my fave in SF, so I hope you love it as much as I do. If you like wine, don’t miss the pairing. |
Ate Thanksgiving Dinner at Bouley at Home (1*) in NYC...not impressed. Service was well below par for what I would expect, and while the turkey was exceptionally done, everything else was quite mediocre. Disappointed since Bouley's main restaurant does French cuisine quite well.
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Booking for my trip to Basque country in February...unfortunately, some of the high-profile spots are closed during this time of year. So far, I have Arzak (3 stars), eMe Be Garrote (1 star), and Azurmendi (3 stars, for lunch) in the books. Looking forward to them ^
Next Michelin bites will be at Carbone and Ai Fiori (1 star, NYC). Carbone is phenomenal; I have not been to Ai Fiori recently - had a great experience when I first went, but my wife tells me that the quality has gone down since. |
Dani Garcia Marbella **/***
We decided sponteneous the day before to eat dinner at Dani Garcia and got a table without problems.It´s was the only 2 Michelin star restaurant at Costa del Sol and on the paper its best restaurant. I just saw today that it now got 3 stars in the new guide so I´m especially happy I tried it (3 star restaurants are normally must visit places).
The restaurant is not easy to find. When we arrived it wasn´t clear were to find it, it´s in the courtyard of the Hotel Puente Romano. The restaurant is "cool" with a green wall. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...65f35acc93.jpg We decided to eat a la carte as we didn´t like the fixed menu. First Amuse Buche: https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...cfc75244c3.jpg Our non-alcoholic cocktails: https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...61a1646809.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7a02936c65.jpg Second Amuse Bouche: https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5631b50b81.jpg Bread weagon and 3 kinds of butter: https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...f45ae3ffcd.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a829af3e6c.jpg First regular course was for me "Red prawn carpaccio with truffle honey" https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...92858eb439.jpg I absolutely liked the carpaccio. Very Fresh. Starters were "Seasonal vegetable garden, butternut aquash & orange puree" https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5eb4cdbf7b.jpg and "Lobster salad, leaves, vegetables, herbs, nitro-popcorn & RAF tomato" https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...05073fd5b7.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...48624e8450.jpg While the vegetable garden was a very good dish the lobster salad was spectacular. Main courses were "Roasted sea bass, gourd seed Juice, White prawns, paramentier potatoes and papayo cheese" https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...acbbcdf58c.jpg and this dish which is no longer on the menu and I can´t properly remember: https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3fc5429088.jpg I can remember that both dishes were of high quality and really enjoyable. One dessert were "textures of almond". They did a big deal of it as they "produced" the plates on the dish at the table. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0a7f1a0513.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...f31987ccfa.jpg It wasn´t my taste as they used some alcohol for it. I had "Al-Andalus dew, orange blossom and pistachio" https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8852acd226.jpg An absolutely great dessert, one of the best I can remember. Petit fours https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...296765b0c3.jpg A very enjoyable meal! It´s always hard to see the difference between a good 2 star and a 3 star but some dishes were definitively "world class", the rest very good. I can imagine in the future it will be hard to get a table the day before. By the way they raised ther prices after they got the 3rd star. |
I wonder if we can take advantage of the Expert Review formats to write reviews/summaries of our Michelin restaurants for this thread. It would make searching for the summaries a LOT easier. :) |
Originally Posted by bhrubin
(Post 30477822)
I wonder if we can take advantage of the Expert Review formats to write reviews/summaries of our Michelin restaurants for this thread. It would make searching for the summaries a LOT easier. :) |
Nothing like a great dinner at SingleThread last night...with the inimitable Dominique Crenn dining at the next table! For me, it was like a celebrity sighting, no less than the night before today’s Michelin announcement for the SF Bay Area. We even had a chance to chat and hang a bit afterward with both Ms. Crenn and Mr. Connaughton while waiting for our Uber. Both class acts and so approachable and welcoming people. |
A hearty congratulations to both Chef Crenn (Atelier Crenn) and Chef Connaughton and his wife (SingleThread) for earning their 3rd stars today. And again to Chef Crenn for earning a 4th star for Bar Crenn. Having the chance to chat with both of them last night at SingleThread will go down as one of my luckiest moments. Now looking forward even more to our dinner at Atelier Crenn in December. Now that we’re old friends. :D |
How hard is it really to get a reservation at Sushi Saito? I've asked the Aman Tokyo to try to get me a table to Sukiyabashi Jiro but I'm wondering if I should try Sushi Saito instead.
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Originally Posted by phant0m
(Post 30535739)
How hard is it really to get a reservation at Sushi Saito? I've asked the Aman Tokyo to try to get me a table to Sukiyabashi Jiro but I'm wondering if I should try Sushi Saito instead.
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May I highly recommend Sushi Yoshitake, the other 3* sushi option that isn’t as celebrated by the media and yet is often considered as good or even better by many? We had a truly fabulous dining experience there, and Yoshitake san and his team even make attempts to speak in English (or use Google translate!). |
Revisited both Carbone and Ai Fiori (both 1* in NYC) recently. Carbone was still fantastic as always, with that spicy rigatoni alla vodka amazing as ever. It was also cheaper than I remember it being ($32 for a course). Excellent whiskey sours as well. Ai Fiori, despite the negative things I had heard from many others, was still very good. The risotto was a bit oversauced, but the ravioli was phenomenal, as was the braised pork belly appetizer, and my dry aged strip loin was absolutely delicious. Good cocktails here as well.
Last Michelin-starred experience in NYC for the year will be Sushi Inoue this weekend - bit of a trek uptown, but looking forward to seeing how it stacks up versus the other delicious spots in the city. |
Just returned to Mozaic in Ubud for the 7th time in 15 years. It's not Michelin listed (Indonesia) but would definitely have a star if it was. This place has got better and better over the years and I can still - even more so now - recommend it to all foodies visiting Bali. (That and Ibu Oka ;-)
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Originally Posted by Fliar
(Post 30537899)
Just returned to Mozaic in Ubud for the 7th time in 15 years. It's not Michelin listed (Indonesia) but would definitely have a star if it was. This place has got better and better over the years and I can still - even more so now - recommend it to all foodies visiting Bali. (That and Ibu Oka ;-)
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Ate at Sushi Inoue (1*) this past weekend. Sushi was pretty good, but also realized after the fact that the sushi chef wasn't the head chef. A bit disappointed as a result, given that sushi can very much turn on an individual's predilections. I enjoyed it but it was quite expensive, and relative to Inoue's previous gig at Sushi Azabu - I'd definitely still head downtown for their sushi. Really a borderline 1* IMO.
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Please forgive me if this is the wrong place to ask or a stupid question, but.... Where do you guys get a physical Michelin Guide? I want to give the one for Kyoto/Osaka away as a present but the only editions I can find for purchase anywhere online are from like 2012.... I understand it's all on the website and all, but I like hardcopy books. Either in Europe or in North America, anywhere really as long as it's in English.
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Originally Posted by Smiley90
(Post 30557493)
Please forgive me if this is the wrong place to ask or a stupid question, but.... Where do you guys get a physical Michelin Guide? I want to give the one for Kyoto/Osaka away as a present but the only editions I can find for purchase anywhere online are from like 2012.... I understand it's all on the website and all, but I like hardcopy books. Either in Europe or in North America, anywhere really as long as it's in English.
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Originally Posted by United747
(Post 30557603)
I bought one a while back on Amazon |
Originally Posted by Smiley90
(Post 30557616)
I looked but the newest one I can find available is the 2013 version. I even checked different amazon country websites... which one did you find?
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In the midst of my year-end trip...ate at Publiek (1*) in Ghent a few days back. I have to remind myself that Europeans view fine dining as something mirroring leisure based on the time it takes to finish a meal, but the food here was absolutely phenomenal. Fresh ingredients (even for winter), great presentation, and some really quality land meats (the beef tartare and the guinea fowl were divine). It’s a little bit of a walk (10-15 minutes) from city center but definitely worth the short trek. Unfortunately, my other 1* reservation (OAK, for lunch) somehow showed up only as a waitlist for them - so was IDB, so to speak :( |
Last weekend, had our annual culinary extravaganza in SF with dinner at 1* Mourad, dinner at 2* Californios, lunch at 1* In Situ, and dinner at newly minted 3* Atelier Crenn (preceded by a round of drinks at 1* Bar Crenn). Mourad—a staple favorite of ours in the city, but this night suffered from poor service. In Situ—another staple favorite of ours, though we miss Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart from Osteria Fransescana. Californios—wow, a truly wonderful addition and new favorite. Truly impressive Mexican offering, right up with our best meals at Taco Maria in Costa Mesa and Pujol, Biko, and Quintonil in Mexico City. Very fun and enthusiastic team, to boot. And a steal at $341 total for 2 tasting menus with wine pairings! Atelier Crenn—wow, wow, wow. First time back since renovation and it’s even better. More drama. More chic. But the creativity and deliciousness on the plate is as impressive as it ever was. Service still flawless, yet with an informal ease that belies its impressiveness. Some of the best avant garde food we’ve had since our last time here or at Alinea or Noma. Easily worthy of its 3rd star. Not a month ago, I also had the chance to dine at 3* SingleThread (well, it was the night before it received its 3rd star). Extremely impressive kaiseki inspired dinner, definitely worthy of its 3rd star and reminiscent of the finest kaiseki we enjoyed in Japan only in May. |
Californios is definitely on my hit list for our next culinary trip to SFO in the Spring.
Thanks for the mini-review! |
Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
(Post 30574245)
I have to remind myself that Europeans view fine dining as something mirroring leisure based on the time it takes to finish a meal
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Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
(Post 30574245)
I have to remind myself that Europeans view fine dining as something mirroring leisure based on the time it takes to finish a meal...
Originally Posted by offerendum
(Post 30581264)
Europeans in the US normally get a cultural shock;) I even know some who refuse to do fine dining in the US due to the fast experience.
At the Michelin level, I must say we’ve not noticed much difference in timing for any set menus or a la carte meals between Europe and America. |
Originally Posted by bhrubin
(Post 30575403)
Last weekend, had our annual culinary extravaganza in SF with dinner at 1* Mourad, dinner at 2* Californios, lunch at 1* In Situ, and dinner at newly minted 3* Atelier Crenn (preceded by a round of drinks at 1* Bar Crenn). Mourad—a staple favorite of ours in the city, but this night suffered from poor service. In Situ—another staple favorite of ours, though we miss Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart from Osteria Fransescana. Californios—wow, a truly wonderful addition and new favorite. Truly impressive Mexican offering, right up with our best meals at Taco Maria in Costa Mesa and Pujol, Biko, and Quintonil in Mexico City. Very fun and enthusiastic team, to boot. And a steal at $341 total for 2 tasting menus with wine pairings! Atelier Crenn—wow, wow, wow. First time back since renovation and it’s even better. More drama. More chic. But the creativity and deliciousness on the plate is as impressive as it ever was. Service still flawless, yet with an informal ease that belies its impressiveness. Some of the best avant garde food we’ve had since our last time here or at Alinea or Noma. Easily worthy of its 3rd star. Not a month ago, I also had the chance to dine at 3* SingleThread (well, it was the night before it received its 3rd star). Extremely impressive kaiseki inspired dinner, definitely worthy of its 3rd star and reminiscent of the finest kaiseki we enjoyed in Japan only in May. I'm also a huge fan of In Situ! Last time I was there, I had Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart and it was just as amazing as it is straight from Bottura's kitchen in Modena. |
Originally Posted by bhrubin
(Post 30581803)
At the Michelin level, I must say we’ve not noticed much difference in timing for any set menus or a la carte meals between Europe and America.
I wouldn´t wonder if there is a trend for longer meals. If someone pays 500 $ or so per person I would fully understand if 90 minutes are not what you expect. |
I started a summary thread to list the highs and lows of our Michelin/San Pellegrino level fine dining year for anyone interested. I’d love to see what people see as their best and worst fine dining experiences for the year. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/dini...ighs-lows.html |
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