[QUOTE=cedricgerald;20697706][QUOTE=offerendum;20697398]How cheap;) Nearly Hostel-prices....

They have 2 in paris. I loved "la table" in the 16th before they closed it and move to a "counter"s concept" in the Champs Elysees. The one in the Champs Elyses do have a a nice DR with large tables and confy chairs but we need to request it at the time of booking (otherwise they send you to the counter)

Wonder if Joel robuchon has any shares in his restaurants in France and overseas, probably none or little as an incentive

Funny that Joel Robuchson when in Vegas is hosted at the mansion and David Coperfield was at Skyloft (don't know how many BR ), poor david


maybe 1.5 ? :p


Not a big fan of Ducasse, he destroyed the Eiffel tower restaurant (jule vernes), Used to love the restaurant with the bar, piano , it was very cosy. Ducasse came and put some tables instead. He took the chef and some staff from spoon and put them at the eiffel tower.
The food is as good as spoon but price is much higher. (and definitely not as good as before Ducasse came)
Also spoon is not as good as it used be as the chef is gone !!

Does Ducasse own some shares in his restaurants ?

[QUOTE=offerendum;20697759][QUOTE=cedricgerald;20697706]Yes I agree and I also had unlimited hot water included :D)

For the hotel credit, they told me 2 months ahead that per se has a limited number of small table (I was by myself). I know "limited" doesn't mean zero and the concierge could have "fight" a little more to secure me a table but as you know I was in a cheap room.... and for a single night stay....

Only know the one in London and I can´t understand the 3 star rating. Three Rosettes from the AA is OK. Would rate it as one star.

Joel Robuchon London is fine in my eyes, very good value.

Yes, over the years I have looked at the list and just cant see much in it that agrees with my experience. I have been to a number of the places and they just dont have a ranking that fits my experience. I havent been to all of the ones I have visited in the same year so I cant account for year to year variability but I laughed when I saw 11 Madison ranked ahead of Alinea for instance. I could probably pick multiple restaurants in NY that arent even on the list that I would put ahead of 11 Madison. I dont dislike 11 Madison, its just that I dont see it being that highly ranked. I just dont take this list seriously although I do look for the occasional new place on it.

AFAIK the publishers of the list admit that it is a bit of a popularity contest, and doesnt neccesarily represent the 'best' in the World, rather those that are extremely good, but also popular at the moment

If that is truly the case the list is useless and I would consider it along the same lines as People Magazine's "Most beautiful person in the world - Gwyneth Paltrow!" Yeah right. Guess they've never ventured out to the streets of Brazil or Turkey or Malta, etc.

Back on topic, it does seem like there is some consensus that Per Se is at the top end in NY. What about Chicago? I'll be there in the fall

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I don't think there is that consensus about Per Se. But in any case in Chicago I would say Alinea without doubt. I would put it ahead of anyplace in New York as well.

I don´t think this consent is possible. Perhaps in little towns with only one stared restaurant it´s easy to say wich one is the best. But in New York or even Chicago you will always have different opinions. It´s also a question of different tast. I for example don´t eat meat (any more). So in my eyes a restaurant with the "best steaks" or something like this is useless and perhaps I would go out hungry. On the other side some people won´t be very happy with a vegan restaurant, even if the food is perfect prepared and extraordinary creative.

My only concern about Alinea would be the same about the Fat Duck and molecular gastronomy in general - does it really provide an outstanding dining experience, or are you paying for the exoticness? Obviously I haven't been to either, so will probably have to resolve that question for myself.

As for Per Se, you are probably right in hindsight. I eat out a lot in London and there doesn't even seem to be consensus on what are the top 5 (let's say most highly regarded) restaurants in town when you consider sources like Timeout London/Michelin/ Pellegrino/TripAdvisor/FT'ers, and personal experience. Per Se just seems to be the one I hear a lot of buzz about with respect to NYC.

The one in Paris (champs elyssees)is also very good , had a lunch there and at 42 euros you have a 3 courses lunch + "mise en bouche" + coffee, a really good deal and the food was delicious. Honestly the same meal priced at 100 euros will still definitely worth it .

The lunch menu is available 7 days week and not only during week day

The only problem is that we may not always be able to have a table and they may ask to go to the counter where you have no space at all (about the same space that eating in a Y cabin )

I am somewhat jaded an about restaurants. I have eaten at a number of the 3 star Michelin restaurants in NY and France. Alinea was breathtakingly good food. Certainly the best restaurant I have been to in my opinion.

I will be heading there soon, as well! Excited to see some favorable reviews in this thread.

Having been to several of these restaurants, I cannot understand how Eleven Madison, Dinner by HB, and Alinea are ranked so highly. My meals at, say, Arpege and Pierre Gagnaire in Paris blow all of these out of the water. Blue Hill Stone Barns, on the other hand, always exceeds my expectations.

That's the thing with these lists - they're so subjective. The poster above me loved Alinea. In the molecular gastronomy space, WD40 and Atera are much better to me. I just use these lists as guidelines. If a restaurant made this list, odds are, at the very least, I will enjoy my meal :)

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Interesting, I preferred Alinea to either Gagnaire or Arpege. The subjectiveness among things in this range probably shouldn't be surprising. They are all very good.

One restaurant on the US west coast and a ton in New York? Is it just me or does that seem a little crazy? There are definitely some top restaurants in LA.

Maybe they have more "inspectors" on the east coast:p