Thank you for the info. Eating inside the hotel is definitely an advantage.

Balsan was such a salt bomb we were having trouble enjoying our food about halfway through, although we found this to be the case for much of our Chicago eats (but Balsan being at the extreme end).

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I ate at Alinea last year. I have eaten at a number of 3 star restaurants in NY and Paris. Up until then I thought the best combination of food and service i had experienced was probably Pierre Gagnaire in Paris or Taillevant before the owner passed away but I think Alinea was better. It was stunning . We raved about one course so much they brought us extra servings, on the house. Which stunned us even more. It was just superb.

I just ate at Tru over the weekend. Once again, it was great. Definitely worth the ~$160 for the full tasting menu.

I think it is better that Per Se and Daniel by a long shot and about even with Jean Georges. Probably not as good overall as Guy Savoy Paris, but a lot better price! But then again, as always, YMMV.

I was able to score Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare and 11 Madison dinner rez on the same night. I have never been to either, and I'm thinking about canceling Chef's Table because it's in Brooklyn. :D

Has anyone been to both and which would you prefer?

Of the few 3 stars restaurants I've been to, I love Le Bernardin the most and the restaurant at Meadowood the least.

I have to admit that I really love those long, lingering meals, although when I was younger I was bored to tears. I'm also finding that by having so many tasting meals I'm constantly being exposed to foods and wines I never would have had otherwise, which we then try to find so we can have better meals at home.

Just love Gagnaire, love his food. He has a mini place on Rue bad in the 7th. What I can'y understand is Taillevant. Last time I ate there was for a special birthday. The host spent so many months reserving the place, creating a few special menus... and the food was so so so bad.. The ones who ordered the fish, a hockey puck would have been softer to eat. Never set foot again. we all felt bad for the host. He spent thousands of dollars for nothing.



Love Le Berardin... I would go to 11.

I do enjoy long lingering meals, but when it is a casual affair. When I can put my elbows on the table (not much but for a second or two) to be able to move around...Not the stiffness. Had way too many of such meals that now am a bit jaded. Maybe this is why I love L'Atalier in the 7th. I can be very relaxed, have a good meal in a short time.

First and most important : it's l'atelier not l'atalier.:p
Do you find a difference foodwise with the one at "Etoile" ?
Do they have tables in the 7th ?

I understand your point, however I don't like eating at a counter , especially when the food is great.

At the other side, a 3 hours "meal experience" with jacket one is not something that I love neither

Finding the balance is never easy. (Yes I did find the balance is Eric Frechon, you can have lunch in only 2 hours:D

The other restaurant "114" at the Bristol is also very good and deserves his michelin star. It's also more relaxed. I'm sure you'll enjoy it

Bristol is probably the only hotel in Paris (in France ?) with 4 michelin stars

1- Stand corrected, multi tasking.
2-I don't like the food at L'Etoile.. no matter how much Patrick tells me that it is the same, it isn't to my taste.
3-Yes they do now. They took over the bar area from the hotel and made some seatings. I myself always prefer the bar... anywhere. Strange this way.
4-Have not tried 114, even though I go often to the Bristol. Somehow I get used to my habits.
5-As for the 4 stars, can you please explain. Have to ask my friends there.


On a different note, have you eaten at Garance on Rue St Dominique by the Invalides? Am going there tomorrow, I wonder how it is.

Thank you for the info on the seating

Sorry my post was not clear, by 4 stars I meant
- 3 stars for Epicure
- plus 1 star for 114

When was that dinner at Taillevant? I haven't been back since the owner of many years, a very gracious man, passed away. That was some time ago. They lost at least some of their stars after that. Actually, back in the 90s while eating at Taiilevant the maître d had just visited NY and had eaten at Le Bernadin. He said he thought the food was as good as anywhere in Paris but the service in NY in general was a cut below. I think that was true then but perhaps not now. It probably wasn't a coincidence that the maître d at the old Alain Ducasse NY had come from Pierre Gagnaire in Paris. Le Bernardin has always been my favorite high end restaurant in NY although I loved the old Ducasse as well. I have been to Le Bernardin a number of times and never been disappointed. Another real favorite if mine in NY is Picholine. Really good value there in my opinion. Close to the quality of Le Bernardin of Jean George but a lot cheaper. They also have a nice vegetarian tasting menu at Picholine.

True, but Gordon seems to be really the only chef that is going all out with the TV thing anymore. Some might have a show here or there, but not like Gordon's schedule.

L2O, Everest, Tru - have their own rewards program with 7%+ cash back
i wonder if they ever do bonus rewards at those restaurants like they do at company's other restaurants, probably not

To expand on that, all are part of the Lettuce Entertain You group. At the holidays, they frequently do some kind of "buy $100 in gift cards, get $25 in bonus gift cards" so you could bring down the cost of these places somewhat significantly.

That's a shame. I'm now realizing it's been about a year since I was last year...I don't have that recollection, but it's certainly possible. (As an aside: I always find that there's one dish on the menu at Next that seems to be a horrible salt bomb. You can never guess which one it might be...)

For those who are visiting Chicago and want a delicious and memorable restaurant meal without having to go the multicourse, 4-hour route, I'd suggest any of Paul Kahan or Brandan Sodikoff's restaurants.

Kahan owns, among others, Blackbird, avec, The Publican, Publican Quality Meats and Big Star. This year he tied, with David Chang, as the winner of the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Chef winner. Way back when, he was also recognized by Food & Wine as one of the best new chefs. I'd be hard pressed to pick which is my favorite of his because they're all fantastic, but it's probably a three-way tie between avec, Publican and Big Star.

Brendan Sodikoff was named restaurateur of the year by Chicago Tribune last year. He has the uncanny ability to create places with a very hip, sexy vibe that also serve fantastic food. His "diner" Au Cheval has the lights turned down to about 1 (I joke that he's never met a light bulb that he likes...all of his places are dark) with chandeliers, but a diner menu that includes a fried bologna sandwich (with homemade bologna) that's about 8" tall (it squashes down), one of the best (and simplest) hamburgers in town, matzoh ball soup, and foie gras scrambled eggs. My two favorites of his are Maude's Liquor Bar (which is a restaurant) and Bavette's Bar and Boeuf.