Ah OK I see your point and that is valid. But I still question the rationale of a restaurateur asking Michelin to take away a star from 3 to 2 so he can decrease staffing. Was he so paranoid of losing the star that he would rather ask for it to be removed so he knew it would come?

I've heard of restaurants not wanting to be rated at all to stay low key, especially those membership restaurants in Tokyo. But to give back just 1 of the 3 stars doesn't seem to make sense to me.

I think it was more like they cut staffing knowing they would lose a star next time but didn't care. Perhaps I expressed it unclearly.

I think I recall reading that Chez Panisse refused to be rated.

Ah OK that makes sense. We all have unconscious biases but through experience and familiarity we can be trained to notice and minimize them. I would be surprised if the food remained the same caliber and just service changes would cause a restaurant to be demoted from 3 to 2 stars. Surely Michelin inspectors at that level would know better?

I think the logic of many Japanese restaurants asking not to be included in the guides is the desire to not be inundated with tourists. They are already filled every night with regulars and would rather not deal with the influx is what I have read and surmised.

We had a chat with one of the 'invite only' restaurateurs in Tokyo and his rationale was somewhat similar. Low number of possible covers per night, wanted to support a regular clientele and weren't really equipped to deal with non-Japanese speakers. And they are still booked months in advance.

Agree that's the general consensus. Although it seems these days they are changing, slowly but surely. The most recent membership restaurant I went to (opened by an apprentice from Kyoaji), although the main chef still spoke Japanese only, had specifically trained a younger chef to speak enough English in order to give simple explanations of the dishes, which I really appreciated. ^

Our dinner, October 2016

When planning our holiday in the Algarve, Portugal in October 2016 my fiancé and I decided to try Sao Gabriel, a one Michelin stared restaurant.

Sao Gabriel is on a busy road just outside Quinta do Lago. The chef patron Leonel Pereira is from the Algarve and went to Brazil to hone his skills. The cuisine is modern Portuguese and acidic based.

The logo of Sao Gabriel are angel’s wings.

We took a taxi from the Conrad Algarve, where we stayed for 3 nights/4 days. The flat rate was 12 Euro (ca. 14.30 USD). It took ca. 5 minutes.

Please see our Conrad Algarve review on FT includes Gusto by Heinz Beck:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28872801-post106.html [Conrad Algarve]

and

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28874760-post107.html [Gusto by Heinz Beck]

Sao Gabriel and the Thai Garden Restaurant share the premises and belong to Leonel Pereira.

Foliage hid the traditional farm house from view and we nearly forgot immediately that there was the motorway just outside.

There was a terrace and a cow sculpture. We guessed it had been part of a charity event, like the “Cow Parade” in Bilbao and bought by Sao Gabriel.

We arrived a bit early. The maître d’ didn’t mind and welcomed us. We were offered to start with an aperitif at the bar or go straight to our table. We wanted to be brought to our table, this was no problem.

The finca was divided into different sections, which reminded us of the classic and smaller concept of the Steirereck in Vienna in terms of how diners are located throughout this beautiful restaurant. Our table was in the winter garden with a fire place, yellow walls and modern artwork. The winter garden could hold around 15 persons.

Every seat was taken and our fellow diners were two couples (Portuguese and Scandinavian) and a family with a teenage daughter. Later a large group of Scandinavian [?] business men joined us, livening up the more peaceful atmosphere.

We started with a large bottle of still Luso water and two non-alcoholic fruit cocktails.

Next arrived the amuse-bouche. It was made with cheese, citrus and radish and presented in an artistic glass bowl.

A bread selection with extra virgin olive oil from the region and salt from Portugal and abroad was brought to our table next.

Our appetizers were Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna; cured, smoked and dried, sweet and sour pickles, sprout and mild pine sauce and sautéed mackerel and smoked eel, calcified fennel, beetroot in different textures and green leaves.

The textures and bursting flavors of the dishes were amazing.

Our main courses were wild sea bass served with Topinambur (Jerusalem artichoke) cream, black ravioli of green olives and smoked Granny Smith apple sauce and fillet of hake on barley risotto, plankton seaweed tempura, potato soufflé and fennel sauce.

Both were excellent. The standout was for me personally the hake. It tasted and smelled like the sea – very unusual, but I loved it.

Our desserts were caramel, curd cheese mousse, litchi and roses, chocolate and red berries fragrances, moistened cake, mousse, ice cream and crispy meringue.

To finish our meal we ordered two hot chocolates.

Before the bill arrived we received jellies with different flavors including one which was prepared with 11 different types of mint. Memorable and beautiful at the same time.

The bill was 171 Euro (ca. 203.40 USD).

The staff was attentive, aware of our allergies and knowledgeable. One reminded me about a work colleague, who is very charming and outgoing.

We would return in a heartbeat. We liked the setting, the excellent experimental cuisine and the kind staff, plus the location which added to the beautiful evening we had here in October 2016.

Here's a selection of images we took during our memorable dinner in October 2016 including:




























Would we recommend this restaurant to a friend? YES! ^
Would we want to enjoy dinner again at this restaurant in our future? YES! ^

Thank you and safe travels. ^

Thanks to the person who recommended 'le Sputnik' here in Tokyo. I read it on Thursday night and was able to book a table for lunch on Friday. It was sensational, and at 6000 yen the very best value meal I think I've ever had.
This is 2* cooking and the meal was infintely more exciting than the 3* and 5 times more expensive meal I had at l'Osier on Wednesday (although TBF that was for dinner).
Can't recommend it highly enough.

Le Georges, Chartres: hotel lovely (they have upgraded it), dinner a bit disappointing. Only a 7- or 5-course set menu offered. No ŕ la carte. If there's anything you don't want, you lose a course — no substitutes. Service was not up to scratch. Lunch at the Monarque on the cathedral square the next day was fabulous.

Claude Darroze, Langon: We paid more for our room this time but got an inferior room compared with our previous visit. Dinner was great, well up to standard (we ordered ŕ la carte), and service was excellent. Breakfast the next day: if you want a cooked eggs option, you need to ask for it. Nowhere is this indicated. We discovered it by watching others!

Christian Etienne, Avignon: I had been worried about a possible drop in standards since the departure of the eponymous founder. I need not have worried. If anything, the former sous-chef has improved on his master. The 7-course Menu de Tomates was sublime. I would recommend this magical spot to anyone. Possibly my favorite 1* restaurant in the whole of France

Les Chęnes Verts, Tourtour: Bajade is still there, and both cuisine and service are as impeccable as ever. All that is lacking is a cheese option instead of dessert, and a slightly larger wine list (but the wines we drank were excellent).

In the end, we did not get to L'Aspérule in Auxerre. That will have to keep for another trip.

That was me I agree about the value and beauty of the lunch - I had dinner there first, then had to return b/c it was soooo good and was able to get a lunch reservation - where I discovered that the dishes were the same just a few fewer courses (which actually fits my appetite better). I'm just afraid by the time I get back to Tokyo the stars and cost will have escalated (altho they deserve it).

Welp, London has a new 3-star restaurant: The Araki, a 300 GBP omakase sushi experience that has only 9 seats, bumped up from 2 stars. Claude Bosi at Bibendum, which opened this year, debuts at 2 stars. I've made a booking at Bibendum for Friday since the prices are eminently reasonable; I'll report back.

Good news for The Araki and Claude Bosi at Bibendum. Enjoy Bibendum. ^

Here Are 2018’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants in the UK and Ireland

Please see:

https://www.eater.com/2017/10/2/1639...britain-london

Cheers & Safe Travels. ^

Ate at the formerly Michelin starred Kusakabe tonight. If I'm honest with myself it was good but not worth the price tag (~$275 before tax & tip for the Grand Omakase, Sake Tasting, and 5 additional pieces). My comparison is Yoshitake and Iwa in Tokyo (and to a lesser extent, Sushi Dai) and it just wasn't on the same playing field as any of those three though the service was impeccable. Yoshitake in particular was a life changing sushi experience while Kusakabe wasn't something that will be memorable over the long-term. I think the rice was the weakest element and they also used the torch more than I would've liked.

Always sceptical wit 3-star suhi. Very hard to judge in my eyes.

I've actually never been to a starred sushi restaurant. The main reason is that I feel I wouldn't be able to appreciate the value as much as I do at other restaurants. But I am actually quite keen to try The Araki, if I manage to get a seating. I've just booked Restaurant Gordon Ramsay for November, and will be at The Fat Duck early next year.

Has anyone here done Masa (3*) in NYC? At $595 the price tag just seems silly. I could go to Eleven Madison Park twice for that amount of money.