ILuvParis

Charlie Trotter's (30) and Alinea (36, highest new entry). Only 8 U.S. restaurants are on the list at all.

http://www.theworlds50best.com/2007_list.html

Gargoyle

While it confirms what we all know, that Chicago is a great restaurant town, the list itself is suspect. They include 12 in France and only 6 in Italy, confirming a bias for complexity and glitz over bringing out the best from magnificent preparation of simple natural ingredients.

Heck, they pick 8 in the UK and only 6 in Italy. What are they thinking??????



<flame shields up>

anonplz

Can you get a hamburger there?

ILuvParis

As we have learned in another forum, In 'N Out has the best food on the planet, so there is no need to go to the expense of one of these others.

anonplz

Ah, yes, of course.

thegeneral

"They include 12 in France and only 6 in Italy, confirming a bias for complexity and glitz over bringing out the best from magnificent preparation of simple natural ingredients."

In other words, they prefer real restaurants as opposed to those that cater to the bland American palette of charred piece of meat, no sauce, no preparation, no imagination, but garnished with a twig of parsley. Perhaps if you ate internationally a little more, you'd appreciate something beyond that.

You're surprised at 8 in the UK? Ever gone to the nice restaurants in London? The city is the capital of the world and has chefs from all over the world. Why would anyone be surprised that there are good restaurants there. Go there and look around. Not everything is bangers and mash.

ILuvParis

Glad to see that you don't generalize either.

biggestbopper

And, London is the only place I've seen a restaurant called "School Dinners" where the customers can be caned by the waitresses who dress in Public School outfits. Haven't tried the bangers and mash there yet, but I await a report from any who have.

Gargoyle

Huh? Have you ever eaten in a restaurant in Italy, not one with a tourist special menu, but one of those up in the mountains on back roads, which you can't find unless you're driving there with someone who grew up in those mountains, one that hardly ever gets a foreign tourist?

Real local ingredients, fresh that day, prepared simply with fantastic results. Not drowned in fancy sauces with all sorts of overprepared exotic stuff.

Sounds like your idea of an "Italian restaurant" is Olive Garden.

Big Mo

Why would anybody think that restaurants "in Italy" are designed to "cater to the bland American palette"? You seriously think that chefs "in Italy" serve charred meat + no sauce + parsley?!?

I agree that somebody needs to eat internationally a little more.

tommy777

I find this list a little surprising...

I took a look in the Michelin guide, I don't think they agree in these picks. I have eaten at Charlie Ts a couple of times. It's a great place, but I can name a lot of restaurants not on the list that beats Charlie hands down..

When it comes to restaurants in Italy, I have to agree with ILuvParis. You don't have to look hard to find the kind of places he's talking about..

In London, I ate at L'Escargot again last fall. A favorite with remarkable low prices for quality. A must in London!