Hotels/Restaurants and Tasting Menus

Tasting menus are the kind of thing you only do once in a restaurant because once you have tried it there is no surprise.
The only tasting menus I really enjoyed were in France, both in Avignon and were about 250 Euros a head and was so impressed I bought the chef's cookery book too.
An acclaimed restaurant in the Lakes tasting menu used to be served on Cumbrian slate, the starter anyway, and I wasn't impressed with that.

Restaurants that don’t serve food on plates is a pet hate of mine. I once had a meal served on a wooden board and all the sauce dripped into my lap. Also one course on a tasting menu was served on a wooden spoon - mind you a pudding serving in an egg shell was delicious.

Had one myself in Italy, where the men were served completely different food to the women , also in France when we had teenagers with us we were advised which menu to go on and the food was sublime both times.
We have a very famous one about 40miles away and DD and SIL went for a special birthday. No choice whatsoever and so much description from the waiters the tiny portions of food were cold before it was eaten. They were still very hungry at the end. Also, their wine was on a fancy pouring contraption and they were only allowed a top-up when deemed so by the wine waiter.
I thought they had exaggerated because of the astronomical price. But no a few months later a friend went and came back saying she enjoyed better food from the local Chippy, and she thought the complementary very small bottle of vinegar was an insult. DD's is still in one of my drawers.

Each to their own, but definitely not for me! Too poncey by far, and if you’re really hungry being served up one mouthful at a time is just irritating. And it takes ages! And all those plates and cutlery. However delicious the mouthfuls are I’ve always found the experience deeply unsatisfying.

Love tasting menus love trying new things nd having a little of everything

Not keen - I totally get the idea but prefer to choose what I want .

I once won a tasting menu at a Michelin * restaurant. We were a bit sceptical but it was actually very good.

I’ve never had a tasting menu as described but I’d like to try it. Could be a fun and interesting thing to do with a small group of friends/family. I do love the tasting board of desserts which I’ve had a few times. A couple of spoonfuls of any one pud is all I usually want.
The best tasting menu I’ve had was at a Scottish distillery where DH and I shared a tray of variously aged whiskies. An experience we followed up with a lunch of venison in whisky cream sauce and a powerful whisky ice cream. Then, I should be ashamed to say, we drove back to our campsite...

I love tasting menus! I have a small appetite and have always felt daunted by a lot of food. My idea of heaven is a plate of canapes, just like taster food without the spoons. For years whenever we go to restaurants I've had a starter, then another starter instead of a main. They're always far tastier than the rest of the menu. The first time I went to my inlaws to be for Sunday lunch my MIL put so much food on my plate, despite my DHtobe telling her I ate like a bird, I could only eat a quarter of it and she was mortally offended. So yes I love taster menus.

We’ve only ever tried one and a half. First one at a fish restaurant in France. It was very nice, and quite pricey.
The half was at country restaurant here where they had a taster menu of desserts. They were about 8, all served at once in shot glasses on a plate so not really taster as described on here. It was such a good idea. They also did half and half desserts so you could have small dishes of 2 of your favourites.
I’m not a great fan of food that’s been handled a lot for presentation and if it’s hot, I want to eat it hot, not listen to the spiel.

Love a tasting menu, I m not a fussy eater and enjoy good food and wine. Tasting menus are usually paired with a drink to enhance each course and in general are delicious and an education xx

I like them as I really always prefer very small portions anyway. They can be phenomenally expensive though!

This is the first time I have heard of tasting menus. I have not eaten out for very many years.
The mention of France and Beaune reminds me of when camping in France during the 1960s we used to eat at Les Relais Routiers. A chain of restaurants mainly for transport drivers. Real French food.

Back in the 80s we had the tasting menu at a Michelin 2 star in a village near where we were staying in France. It cost an arm and a leg but we only had to pay for electricity and water used at our friends' holiday home. It was superb and I wished we could afford to eat in places like that more often.

Near where we live there is a catering/hospitality and just before the exams the college would do themed dinners. One was based upon one of Heston Blumenthal's books. We had invited some French people to join us and when they saw the menu they were horrified. The fish course was scallops with a white chocolate foam. They each took a mouthful and then one of them asked where could they buy the book. Each course was delicious and the cost was 25 euros each, including wine, chosen to go with the courses by the sommelier students.

Bijou In the days before autoroutes when traveling through France on holiday, we always stopped for lunch at the Relais Routiers for the poulet frites - delicious. Nowadays it is autoroute most of the way but, should you be travelling west along the northern autoroute, there is a good services - Baie de la Somme. A lot of the dishes are prepared on site and there is always a local one. My favourite comprises leek, potatoes and a little ham mixed with cream in a pastry case. There are some similar English dishes.

We have tried several tasting menus over the years, both in the UK and abroad, and have invariably been disappointed. A lot of money for .. not a lot.

I love them but DH not so keen, in fact not remotely keen !
Only found this out when planning to go to a local restaurant tasting menu for his birthday next month. So twice I have paid before only to find now he did not enjoy it .
We have only been married for 37 years so what do I know ?

I like fairly simple food, so it’s not for me ( tried it once).
Tbh I would be happy to have an omelette and a good salad.

We had a tasting menus at a hotel in Prague when we were there a few years ago. We also had wines to go with each course so my memory of the meal is very hazy ???. Never again!

I've never been tempted by tasting menus. Both my DDs enjoy them but the more they tell me about it the more I think it sounds pretentious and overpriced. DH and I love our food but we don't want to spend an evening out endlessly discussing food and being interrupted by a stream of waiters bringing the different plates of food. Whether going out as a couple or with friends and family we like to dine with a minimum of interruption so that we can concentrate on each other's company and conversation.

Not for me. As a vegetarian I’d miss out on too many if the courses.

We have tried them on a few occasions; we have always been impressed, and as we will eat anything and are not fussy, have enjoyed each dish. But must admit, some venues have been quite pretentious; the one that is most memorable was a very posh restaurant in Split. The waiter took ages describing each course and the foods' provenance, I had to stifle my giggling when he went in to great detail of where the salt and pepper came from!

On second thoughts, think that should be food's not foods' !!!

Maybe I’m greedy but they are to small for me I’m still hungry after them

Our son and daughter have bought DH and I a tasting menu experience at the only Michelin starred restaurant in Northumberland. Having never experienced a tasting menu we are really looking forward to it.