Help planning first three star experience-and other meals?
We will be in Paris for 5 days in July-two parents and 16 and 18 year old sons. We have traveled extensively, and the kids have eaten in some fabulous places , but never in a three star restaurant. The adults have, but we haven't been to France in 20 plus years. We would like to choose one three star to introduce the boys to this type of eating experience. Reading the boards and books its so hard to choose. The kids are adventurous with food, but probably wouldn't appreciate Pierre Gagnaire;s style. I'm thinking of Guy Savoy, Ledoyen or Grand Vefour. We would like to go for dinner- and wouldn't mind choosing one that has the most reasonable price: (yes, I know nothing is inexpensive at this level, but is there one or two that are less than the others for a tasting menu?). We would consider any of them- not just those three. For the rest of the trip we are considering:
Jules Verne for lunch (boys would love this!)
Frenchie
Chateubriand
Ze KitchenGalerie
Le Pamphlet
Chez L'Ami Jean
Any other suggestion?
Thank you so much for your thoughts and opinions.
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souphie
May 27, 2010 10:01 PM
For initiating the kids, Savoy and Le Cinq are clearly your first choices. Throw in your cost concern, and you'll end up at Le Cinq for lunch. It's a no brainer, quite frankly. If they have very educated palates and a limited sensitity to ambience, you can consider Ledoyen and l'Ambroisie, and l'Ambroisie is immediately out if you're looking for even non horrific value (230€ roast chicken and no prixfixe).
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re: souphie
Is Le Cinq expected to receive its 3rd star soon? Based on your advice, I went last week for dinner and had the best meal of my life. Most amazing service I've ever experienced and a lot of fun on top of it. It seems to be on the verge of 3 stars and it seems an ideal place to initiate some teens.
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re: Dan Wodarcyk
souphie
May 28, 2010 11:31 AM
I really can't speak for Michelin. Briffard was expected to receive his third star soon in 1999 when he ran the restaurant at the Plaza (then called Regence). But then Ducasse had him fired because he wanted to move in and only two years ago did Briffard find a similar job, at the Four Seasons.
There's no doubt to me that Briffard's talent is worth three stars. One caveat is the lack of consistency that exists in any business with with 100 cooks and strong unions. Then again that did not prevent Fréchon from getting the 3rd, or Legendre when he ran Le Cinq (but he lost it too).
Another caveat is that maybe Briffard doesn't do enough of the Michelin danse the way Fréchon did, with moderny gimmicks that give them the excuse they want to give you a third star -- like mousse and liquid nitrogen and other things that strike the imagination more than the palate.
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re: souphie
Thank you all for your replies! I think we will do dinner- so much more of an experience. Between Savoy and Le Cing- do you have a preference? Dan- did you order off the Carte, or Prix Fixe? And Souphie- I have so enjoyed reading all your other posts! A wealth of knowledge! Thank you for sharing it all.
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re: maddenmd
Use the chowhound France "Search this Board" for your question and without a doubt will unearth the largest slug of threads on the entire chowhound set. Why, my week isn't complete without someone bringing up the "should I spend a round trip trans- Atlantic airfare ticket's worth of Euros at one or the other of these places on lunch for two?"
We just got back from eight nights in Paris and ate <<extremely>> well for several people for several days and tipped beyond what is normal and still stayed way below what the actual "out the door" price might be otherwise by reading chowhound France about the Paris bargains and avoiding "found" spots.
Oh! OK!! I have battened down the hatches and set the deflection plates to max!!!... Flame away, shills...
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