CappuccinoAddict

Nice! I did the same with Claude Bosi at Bibendum in London as it debuted this year at 2 stars. I wasn't disappointed!

Let us know how it is. I'm curious what the difference is between the $300 omakase and the $400 "premium" omakase.

PsiFighter37

Based on my recollection (and my Yelp review), it was more sushi and some more non-sushi dishes, most importantly the phenomenal caviar-drenched, uni-topped chawanmushi. If you're going to spend $300 on a meal, you might as well go whole hog and get the full show

CappuccinoAddict

I agree! If I go I'll spring for the $400 meal.

United747

I was just able to get a reservation at EMP for lunch in December. I’m really excited, I haven’t been back since they changed from the grid menu years ago.

jbeans

Me too!! Same as you I haven't been since the grid menu days. Very excited!

offerendum

We had dinner at „Les Fables de la Fontaine“. The restaurant is special in some ways. It has one Michelin star but the prices are by Paris standards very reasonable. Also the chef is a woman from Algeria.
The restaurant is relative relaxed.


We choosed the 5 course menu without meat. It was a surprise but contained of the signature dishes of the restaurant. Price was 75 €. You can eat 3 courses for under 50 €, but if you consider it contains the most expensive dishes at this restaurants it´s a good deal.



It started with hay smoked Oysters.

I liked this dish.

Next came some salad with an eggplant cream.

I don´t like onions so I didn´t like this dish. Not a fault of the chef, simply nothing I personally like.

Now a special version of the Provencial dish „Fish Aioli“.

Nice taste and texture.

Now they served a classical seafood soup:

Interesting presentation and great taste. My favourite.

Some sorbet


The dessert:

A fresh dessert.

I enjoyed my meal and would eat here again. Value is good and food tasty.

exerda

We almost went there our last night in ATH. Definitely will include it next time! That's definitely a good value.

A few reviews I'd read said their menu and sommelier didn't have a great grasp of the wines they offered, but sheesh, at 1 star, so long as they have good wines available, I'm not as worried.

PsiFighter37

My wife and I were contemplating going either there or Le Bernardin for a special dinner in December, but I ended up going with LB. I haven't been to either in ages, but getting a 7:45 PM reservation on a Friday at Le Bernardin after staying up late last night was worth it. Certainly beats the 10:30 PM reservation we had the last time we went 5-6 years back

Definitely will want to hit up EMP for a repeat visit, though. The pictures of the food after reopening look gorgeous (and delicious!).

bhrubin

Has anyone ever used TableAll for hard-to-get restaurant bookings in Tokyo/Japan?

LizGross144

Looking forward to a dining blitz to celebrate our wedding anniversary later this month:

We'll start at Next in Chicago for the World's 50 Best menu. I know this thread is split on the quality of Next, but we've been nothing but impressed since Jenner Tomaska took over the executive chef role. Look forward to his take on so many famous chef's dishes.

The next morning we'll try the newish brunch offering at 1-starred Roister, across the street.

That evening we're trying 1-starred Blackbird for the first time, planning to go for the tasting menu.

Then we hop a plane to Lima, Peru where we'll be able to dine at three restaurants on the World's 50 Best list - Maido, Central, and Astrid Y Gaston (the latter will be our Thanksgiving dinner).

Hopeful I'll be better at reporting back than I was on our 7 stars in 7 days in France earlier this year.

Bohemian1

I looked at it but ended up getting what I wanted through our hotel's concierge. But the booking fee doesn't look unreasonable.

EuropeanPete

I've used the Park Hyatt Tokyo Concierge when I've wanted to go to the more popular Tokyo venues, obviously when staying at the hotel. I don't know how they'd do with places which are skeptical of foreigners (some of the sushi restaurants come to mind), but the Concierge team have succeeded in every request I've made of them so far.

CappuccinoAddict

Recently had the tasting menu with premium wine pairings at Sketch (Lecture Room & Library) in London, which has 2 Michelin stars. Chef is Pierre Gagnaire, who runs an eponymous 3 star in Paris.

The decor, ambience, and service were all fantastic. As was the wine. But the food was very disappointing. The only truly delicious course for me was the first course, which was squid ink tagliolini with oscietra caviar and gambero rosso. Beautifully done. But all the rest was very creative but just didn't wow me in terms of taste. I also don't really see the logic in presenting 3 distinct plates at one time for one course--all that happens is that the food becomes lukewarm. I understand that's part of chef Pierre Gagnaire's style but I'd prefer each bit be served individually. I also got palate fatigue with 6 different desserts plus petit fours. Too much sweet for my tastes.

Two different wine pairings were offered: one for 110 GBP and a prestige pairing for 175. With the prestige pairing, just two of the six wines were different. However, these two different wines were both very hard to find, and mind-blowing. One of them was Chateau de Beaucastel "Vieilles Vignes" Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2008, made from the Roussanne grape. Wow. Beautiful browning gold color, and nose/palate of everything: almonds, apples, honey, minerals, mushrooms, truffles, and more. It kept evolving in the glass and the last sip was bittersweet. This might have been the most enjoyable glass of white wine I have ever drunk. This was paired with "sea urchin prepared three ways." The other prestige wine was Sauternes paired with the dessert, and was actually two wines in one: Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey 2009 "Lyrique" and Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey 2009 "Pasion." Sketch bought all the bottles of each of these special and limited wines, and serves glasses side by side of each with the dessert, each in custom-engraved Lalique glasses!

I should also mention that even the "basic" wine pairings were phenomenal! For instance the first wine was Benoit Ente's "Clos de la Truffieres" Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru 2014. The Champagne trolley for aperitifs is also one of the best I've encountered--both Cristal 2006 and Krug Rose NV are offered by the glass! I indulged in a glass of the Cristal.

I am torn as to whether to return to Sketch. If I did it would solely be because of the wine and setting, and with the hope that a future seasonal menu has flavors that pop and wow more.

Next week will try the Menu Prestige with wine pairings at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay (3 stars), also in London. I'm expecting a far better experience for my palate with the food, though I think Ramsay's food is far more classic and less inventive.

VivoPerLei

That's precisely why I've never been to Sketch. I normally won't eat dessert anyway, let alone six

CappuccinoAddict

I'm sure they'd be receptive if you asked to swap out the dessert. They also have an a la carte menu. The other issue is none of the desserts were that good! It was all very blah.