I’m so completely done with Michelin Starred restaurants

[Anonymous]

OP, I get what you are saying. As I've gotten older, I've grown tired of the tricks that chefs try to pull on menus to make dishes seem inventive. It frequently seems like a ploy to justify the insane pricing. At this point in my life, what I care about is simple, well-prepared foods made with fresh and seasonal ingredients. This type of food is so hard to find in restaurants because it wouldn't garner a price high enough for the places to stay in business. Instead you find menus bloated with things like espuma, verjus, fermented whatever... I just cook at home for the most part because going out makes me ragey. The quality and preparation almost never justify the cost at cheffy places.

[Anonymous]

I genuinely love and enjoy just about any restaurant. Just the fact that they do the shipping and the dishes. Seriously I mean, I can nitpick and criticize if I want to, but unless the food is really inedible or insanely slow, I’m pretty much just happy to be there. It helps that I’m not a picky eater and don't have allergies. When a restaurant comes through and is wonderful on food and/or service, it’s like an amazing bonus.

The exception is when I’m traveling and I just have to eat out to get food, so maybe I’m more cranky, and even then I’m at worst indifferent to the restaurant. As long as I get fed, I’m good.

[Anonymous]

Yeah the Michelin star system is so overrated. And yet I still look to the guide but increasingly refuse to go to “hot new places” and wait to see if they stick around or friends recommend them first. I have had mediocre to actually bad meals/service at several Michelin-starred places. (Often for $600/meal, which is really insulting!) I’ve also had meals that were out of this world excellent.

As a side note: Going to Montreal was fun because it is a foodie city that refuses to play with Michelin, so there are NO stars. And yet I had one of the best meals in my life there, as well as a few of outstanding meals, just based on recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know. Sorry you haven't had a good experience but maybe don't overgeneralize?

The dinners I had at Daniel and Inn at Little Washington were two of the best nights of my life. I was almost tearful at a couple of the courses and remember them vividly. We had so much fun. They are very special memories for my DH and I and a huge splurge that we don't regret at all.

The dinner I had in the kitchen at Inn of Little Washington was just ok. One course was truly amazing but the rest was not memorable. No plans to go back and have had much better and cheaper meals.

I won’t go to the Inn again. It’s gone downhill. I had a fabulous meal there ten years ago and a mediocre meal and overnight there five years ago. Never, ever again.

[Anonymous]

Wow you’ve been to 5 whole Michelin restaurants in your life? I’ve been to dozens and at least 5 in a week.

The point of the guide isn’t to determine “the best food in the world”. Taste is subjective. They feature restaurants with good food, but the guide also values consistency, creativity, and service.

The point of the guide is to be a resource to travelers who want somewhere that’s reliably good - the 1-3 star system explains what each star means. Only 3 are destinations worthy of a special trip in and of themselves. And 3 star restaurants do offer the top overall experiences but their dishes are often a bit over the top and not my taste.

My sweet spot are locally loved, well-established (been around for a few years) 1-star doing simple preparations but maybe with harder to procure ingredients or more creative combinations or something.

And, Bib Gourmands are usually very solid too.

[Anonymous]

It may have 2 Michelin stars but it’s still in London. Next time go to Italy or France for amazing food in Europe.

[Anonymous]

Not a single Michelin star restaurant I have been to around the world has been worth the price. Its utter nonsense as a rating.

[Anonymous]

I went to two Michelin star place in Milan and just... eh. Throwing caviar on everything to justify the price doesn't make for a good meal.

I wasn't a fan of Minibar or Fiola either. Pineapple and Pearls was at least a good experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate your post, OP. We were going to try a 2 star Michelin next for the experience after watching The Bear. We'll save our $$$ and dine at the non-starred but well-reviewed restaurants in the places we are headed.

I can’t imagine watching The Bear and having your takeaway be that you want to try a Michelin starred restaurant. That show makes me want the Italian beef sandwiches they served in the first season, all of the frou frou cuisine with garnishes applied with tweezers just makes everyone miserable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate your post, OP. We were going to try a 2 star Michelin next for the experience after watching The Bear. We'll save our $$$ and dine at the non-starred but well-reviewed restaurants in the places we are headed.

I can’t imagine watching The Bear and having your takeaway be that you want to try a Michelin starred restaurant. That show makes me want the Italian beef sandwiches they served in the first season, all of the frou frou cuisine with garnishes applied with tweezers just makes everyone miserable.

Ugh yes I’m so tired of the “deconstructed” trend.

I eat out a lot, and enjoy eating out, but have found the Michelin guide less and less useful. It’s really a guide of pay-to-play restaurants. I’ve had completely terrible experiences with at least 3 one-star places, a meh experience at a two-star place, and a bad experience at a three-star place. All of the meals would’ve been “fine, not great” if they weren’t $600+ for being treated like I was privileged to even be there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to two Michelin star place in Milan and just... eh. Throwing caviar on everything to justify the price doesn't make for a good meal.

I wasn't a fan of Minibar or Fiola either. Pineapple and Pearls was at least a good experience.

Same— I’d categorize all three as “good but wildly expensive for what they offer.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was Gymkhana in London

It was good, don't get me wrong. 2 Michelin star good? Highly questionable. I just don't see how it was leagues above Rasika in DC. Service was fine except for the missed drink order. Food was tasty. But it wasn't mind warping. The portion was massive for the tasting menu. We had to take away the main course, because we were both gut bustingly full by the time it came out. I have a dirty secret - we had to literally throw the food away because there was no fridge in the hotel room, nor anyway to heat it up even if we did want it eat it. Imagine that - having to throw away a large portion of Michelin starred meal in the trash!

I honestly just have had better meals in Rockville and and Falls Church than most of the Michelin places we have gone to. Michelin starred restaurants like Tim Ho Wang back when they had a star....it was good but whatever. I don't really remember it 8 years later. We've tried various other Michelin starred places over the years. I honestly just cannot even remember the courses or any of the foods that have ever stuck in my brain from any Michelin meal ever. Meanwhile, I can still taste the chicken and rice dish with the most amazing broth ever that I had in Thailand for $1.75 per plate. If I am ever in death row, that $1.75 meal will be my.last request.

I dunno who ever crowned Michelin as the experts on food.

lol. I’ve been to Gymkhana numerous times - definitely an awesome restaurant. It’s not very typical for a Michelin 2 Star, but not because of the quality of the food. It was a very comfortable 1 Star and it is impressive they got another star (last year).

Rasika is fine, but is no where close. And no, you didn’t find a better meal in Rockville or Falls Church. You lost all credibility. You just think it makes you seem sophisticated to complain about the tourists and the portions and put down a 2 star restaurant as beneath your elevated tastes.

[Anonymous]

I haven't eaten at a ton of michelin restaurants, but based on my limited experience, I think OP is not wrong.

Dabney, for example, is not impressive and extremely low-value. I would never pay money to go there again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was Gymkhana in London

It was good, don't get me wrong. 2 Michelin star good? Highly questionable. I just don't see how it was leagues above Rasika in DC. Service was fine except for the missed drink order. Food was tasty. But it wasn't mind warping. The portion was massive for the tasting menu. We had to take away the main course, because we were both gut bustingly full by the time it came out. I have a dirty secret - we had to literally throw the food away because there was no fridge in the hotel room, nor anyway to heat it up even if we did want it eat it. Imagine that - having to throw away a large portion of Michelin starred meal in the trash!

I honestly just have had better meals in Rockville and and Falls Church than most of the Michelin places we have gone to. Michelin starred restaurants like Tim Ho Wang back when they had a star....it was good but whatever. I don't really remember it 8 years later. We've tried various other Michelin starred places over the years. I honestly just cannot even remember the courses or any of the foods that have ever stuck in my brain from any Michelin meal ever. Meanwhile, I can still taste the chicken and rice dish with the most amazing broth ever that I had in Thailand for $1.75 per plate. If I am ever in death row, that $1.75 meal will be my.last request.

I dunno who ever crowned Michelin as the experts on food.

lol. I’ve been to Gymkhana numerous times - definitely an awesome restaurant. It’s not very typical for a Michelin 2 Star, but not because of the quality of the food. It was a very comfortable 1 Star and it is impressive they got another star (last year).

Rasika is fine, but is no where close. And no, you didn’t find a better meal in Rockville or Falls Church. You lost all credibility. You just think it makes you seem sophisticated to complain about the tourists and the portions and put down a 2 star restaurant as beneath your elevated tastes.

You sound like an idiot with too much money to spend. Prob the same type who blows cash on a Porsche yet knows f**k all about driving. I bet Michelin starred chefs could splooge in your soup and you'd be convinced they're serving you gourmet crap because of the price you paid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was Gymkhana in London

It was good, don't get me wrong. 2 Michelin star good? Highly questionable. I just don't see how it was leagues above Rasika in DC. Service was fine except for the missed drink order. Food was tasty. But it wasn't mind warping. The portion was massive for the tasting menu. We had to take away the main course, because we were both gut bustingly full by the time it came out. I have a dirty secret - we had to literally throw the food away because there was no fridge in the hotel room, nor anyway to heat it up even if we did want it eat it. Imagine that - having to throw away a large portion of Michelin starred meal in the trash!

I honestly just have had better meals in Rockville and and Falls Church than most of the Michelin places we have gone to. Michelin starred restaurants like Tim Ho Wang back when they had a star....it was good but whatever. I don't really remember it 8 years later. We've tried various other Michelin starred places over the years. I honestly just cannot even remember the courses or any of the foods that have ever stuck in my brain from any Michelin meal ever. Meanwhile, I can still taste the chicken and rice dish with the most amazing broth ever that I had in Thailand for $1.75 per plate. If I am ever in death row, that $1.75 meal will be my.last request.

I dunno who ever crowned Michelin as the experts on food.

lol. I’ve been to Gymkhana numerous times - definitely an awesome restaurant. It’s not very typical for a Michelin 2 Star, but not because of the quality of the food. It was a very comfortable 1 Star and it is impressive they got another star (last year).

Rasika is fine, but is no where close. And no, you didn’t find a better meal in Rockville or Falls Church. You lost all credibility. You just think it makes you seem sophisticated to complain about the tourists and the portions and put down a 2 star restaurant as beneath your elevated tastes.

You sound like an idiot with too much money to spend. Prob the same type who blows cash on a Porsche yet knows f**k all about driving. I bet Michelin starred chefs could splooge in your soup and you'd be convinced they're serving you gourmet crap because of the price you paid.

You are a seriously unpleasant person.