Craigie-Chef's Whim or Tasting Menu?

[Marisa23]

I have had my birthday dinner restaurant picked out for months (and my birthday is in July). I will go to Craigie on Main.

I'm wondering-Should I go for the Chef's Whim dinner or Tasting Menu?

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Craigie on Main
853 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139

[cambridgedoctpr]

by the way, Chef Maws won best chef/N.E. from the Beard society as was expected.

[Marisa23]

I saw that! Very exciting.

Thanks for all the feedback. Don't they prefer that all members of the party get the tasting menu instead of just one person?

[kimfair1]

They do, though once at the bar my wife got the vegetarian tasting, and I got an assortment of apps and stuff.

[greenzebra]

This is true with the whim as well (that they strongly prefer, or perhaps require, everybody at the table to participate).

[cambridgedoctpr]

i would bet on require; they are not terribly accomodating.

[greenzebra]

I honestly don't really think they are that different in terms of the food, as far as I can tell the Whim is just a slightly abbreviated version of the regular tasting menu that is a bit cheaper and only available at off hours. You might get slightly more unusual ingredients in the Chef's Whim, and they take the 'no substitutions' quite seriously (excepting allergies, etc), so if there are particular items you want or don't want the regular tasting is probably better. The regular tasting will also probably include more extras, amuses and palate cleansers between courses and the like, at least in my experience, and is more courses overall, but of course is more expensive as well. The Whim is also only available on certain nights after 9 pm.

[kimfair1]

Exactly what greenzebra just said.

[devilham]

If I remember correctly, we were offered the chef's whim as a choice, and we had 7 o'clock rezzies.....I wonder if he was doing it especially for our anniversary? Or maybe my memory is just foggy, it was just shy of a year ago.

[devilham]

I went last July, so I just want to warn you that the dining room gets HOT in July!!! I think it's due to the open kitchen. That being said, we got the Chef's Whim dinner, and it was outstanding (I think I might of left a review, but can't remember....if I find it I will link it), but I would suppose both would be good.

[devilham]

Here's the link, the review part is a little bit down the thread, but it gives a (mostly accurate....until my drinks started kicking in!) play by play of the chef's choice tasting menu that my wife and I were served

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/718970