Pretentious Menu

I hear his tasting menu at £125 a head is exceptionally good."£125 a head isn't a lot ,I've paid more in non michelin starred places over the years .Food like everything else is a personal taste thing .His restaurant is busy and that usually means its good ,people dont recommend bad food

tasting menu
DD and SIL ordered that one evening and SIL had to go for a hamburger about 2 hours later!

As for deconstructed risotto, I would never have imagined a risotto could be deconstructed.
Although my friend looked in horror at her risotto when we were out and it just seemed to be rice, a couple of 'herbes' and some Welsh cheese.

paddyann I think that is what "the men" are favouring at the moment.

A couple of years ago a friend of DD went to The Fat Duck at Bray, Heston Blumenthal's gaff.

The party he was in had the tasting menu. It cost a small fortune. Their next stop was the local fish and chip shop because they were still so hungry

We live within reach of Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons. Most people we know have been there for lunch to celebrate special events. We have yet to go. From everything we have heard, the food is as pretentious as the rest of the offering there.

We prefer to go to the really good gastro pub in our next village that serves beautifully prepared food in reasonable portions in comfortable surroundings.

It's not so much the food as the daft little touches that got me. A furry stool for my handbag. Extra little things like an amuse bouche served in a hollowed out onion etc. It's coming back to me - I nearly burst out laughing at the 'main' course: 6 dots of Venison with a smear of turnip and something else. I couldn't believe I'd held back on the bread in case it filled me up!
I suppose like anything else it's an extreme rather than everyday food. Perhaps you'll enjoy it GG. I assume the men will be paying? Hope so!

Reminds me of The Emperor's New Clothes'!

Everyone worrying about saying 'well this is an absolute rip-off' for fear of being thought of as a pleb

I think its catered to people who dont want plates heaped with food ,that way they can savour each course .I can honestly say I have never headed for a chip shop after a nice meal ..especially a 5 or 7 course tasting menu .
If you've time while you're here try Roman Camp in Callender and Knockderry House in Cove ,both do lovely tasting menus .Roman Camp is my favourite Hotel in Scotland though Knockderry comes close .

I have once been to a really top restaurant where it was worth every penny. A couple of years ago DD took us and a good friend out to Marcus Wareing's restaurant, The Glibert Scott, in the St Pancras Hotel in London and everything about it was outstanding, the menu was simple the food was delicious and plentiful, the service superb without being oppressive. It was very expensive, but there was a reason why we were being taken there.

What is more on her way home on the bus DD examined the bill and realised that she hadn't been charged for the drinks in the bar before hand or the coffee after. After such an exceptional meal she felt she should ring them up to make sure she paid for everything. They refused to charge her, saying the mistake was theirs not hers.

I just wish we could afford to go there again.

We havent been to the Roman Camp for years. It was lovely while the Denzlers had it but I expect they're long gone. If it's still as good we'll need to go back sometime. It's a beautiful building in lovely grounds. I expect it still is.

We used to have a 'very famous chef' restaurant here which charged more for one meal than I (and probably you too) pay for a month's groceries.

Still, gullible people came from far and wide to eat there, just to say they had.

My friend brought here very pretentious son (won't drink any wine less than $40 a bottle type of person) all the way from Gisborne (6-8 hour drive), for a birthday treat.

It cost her, literally, the price of a small, 2nd hand car and they came home to my house and filled up on peanut butter sandwiches (albeit that the bread had to be artisan and the PB organic hand-pressed bought on the way).

Give me a good fresh vegetable stir-fry any day.

Although I admit I am partial to a portion of peppered smoked salmon, it tends to be a once-a-year Christmas gift to myself.

Only 5 months to go

Monica we have been to the Le Manoir in all seasons of the year, we have never found it pretentious.

The food, service, rooms and gardens are exceptional. I have allergies as does one of my friends and they are always accommodating.

I agree about the Fat Duck, but his gastro pub The Hind just down the road is very good.

paddyann most people I know would be put off with a plate piled high with food but there is a happy medium.
This was pretentious.
I think DD enjoyed the experience anyway but may not rush repeat it.

I think it depends why you are going to the restaurant. If its just for a good meal or socialising then you probably want a reasonable amount. My husband however really enjoys a tasting menu as a treat. He was a chef and likes to try new dishes and cooking methods. I dislike a plate piled up with food, immediately puts me off.

I dislike a plate piled high with food, too, but I prefer to have a reasonable amount on it. And we were going to the races, not to some high-faluting celebrity chef restaurant.

We go racing quite often and the food is usually very good, but this was awful. I had red snapper for my main course (I won't bother you with the pretentious accompaniments except suffice it to say the asparagus was the only recognisable veg) and the fish was totally tasteless ... like chewing damp cardboard. I also think it was too late for fresh asparagus, which no doubt explains why it was tough and stringy.

As I said, we are never going back there!

I like my plate piled high!
The more the merrier.

We often go to a small local restaurant run by a couple. They specialise in fish. The menu changes at least twice a day depending on what fish has been delivered.
It's just perfect. Beautifully simple fish or shellfish cooked to perfection at very reasonable prices indeed. I couldn't believe the gorgeous halibut in dill sauce for the set price last week. Still drooling at the memory.
It's always a treat to go there and nice to support a small independent restaurant. ?

paddyann I watched the first in that series, at Venice.
I liked the fact that the chef went to the fish market himself and chose the freshest, best quality. His cooking style was simple, don't know about the prices.
Today we had fresh mackerel fillets, 'pan' fried. Can you fry without a pan? Avec le tagliatelli, et sauce de piments rouges et echalotes. Cost £2.00 per portion.
We've never eaten at one of those places so can't comment further.

Can you fry without a pan yes, but with difficulty!

Tomorrow DH will cook pan fried fresh mackerel en herbes avec les pommes frites deux fois cuis, tomatoes rôties et petit pois - avec une verre de Sauvignon Banc.
Haven't decided what I'll have yet, depends on what's on Waitrose's fish counter tomorrow!

Blanc !
From New Zealand.

I totally agree. Sometimes the plate is wrist-breakingly heavy and you need opera glasses to see, let alone determine the origins of, the food.

You'd have to be a dunce to mess up cooking a simple plate of fish.

I like the Hand and Flowers in Marlow and Kerridge's Bar and Grill in the Corinthia Hotel London.
Both highly recommended.

I'm another racing fan but rarely eat at the courses.
Jump racing used to be mainly in Winter, hence heartier meals esp for men but I don't go to eat.
The boxing day meeting at Kempton is a must for afficianados.
I met a guy there one year who handed me his business card, took me to dinner that evening and gave me 2 x £500 to play the tables in a members only casino in London where a white-gloved waiter followed us from room with our drinks on a tray.
I lost the lot. ???

from room from room to room

Paddyanne I have been watching that show too, and particularly loved the idea of the steak place in San Sebastian.