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DeadFyre t1_ixdw15t wrote

Reply to comment by InsuranceToTheRescue in [OC] Countries with Three Start Michelin Restaurants Since 2007 (Reviews expanded outside of Europe in 2006 but data was not available) by Metalytiq

Speaking as someone who's been to a few Michelin star places, as well as more that aspire to be, while they're definitely an extravagant exerise, you on no account need to visit one of these venues for great food. The places which get michelin stars are as much about presentation and service as it is about the food. Make no mistake, the food is good, even great, but you can get great food for less.

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AndyVale t1_ixf4n6w wrote

Their official criteria are:

  • Quality of ingredients
  • Mastery of flavours & techniques
  • The personality of the chef in their cuisine
  • Value for money**
  • Consistency between visits

But yeah, the service and 'experience' are generally at a high level even if they don't directly impact those criteria.

**How can you have value for money when it's so expensive?

A few months back Clare Smyth (Head Chef at Core, a 3* restaurant in London) was on Desert Island Discs, where the topic of fine dining prices was raised.

She is asked about the price of fine dining (£195+ tasting menu at Core). Does she have any qualms about the cost during a cost of living crisis?

Here answer, paraphrased, was "No. We have seats for 54 paying customers, who will be served by 57 members of staff. And those staff are the absolute top of their game. Also, the ingredients we use are the finest too and we pay a fair price for them. It's actually quite good value for money, you would pay double that for a similar experience in Paris."

Now, someone may still sit there and think "not value for me", and that's fine. But when you start exploring all the little things that make a place like that tick you do see how a lot more is needed to keep it going.

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LucasPisaCielo t1_ixeqclu wrote

How would you recommend to find such places?

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AndyVale t1_ixf41cn wrote

Okay, if we're talking sit-down restaurants more than fast food joints I usually do a mix of the following:

  • Travel books (I get one of those little guide books for most major cities I plan to visit)
  • Food blogs, just Google some local ones
  • Searching Instagram hashtags
  • TripAdvisor

If I'm seeing a place getting good reviews on all the above, and it sounds up my street, then I'd give it a go.

I'd also say that the Michelin Guide does have cheaper options than 3*

A 1* meal may still be the best meal you've had in your life, made by some outstanding chefs. Unlikely to be CHEAP, but in my experience they're cheaper than 3* ones. For example, the tasting menu at the 1* I went to this evening was about £140, while the one at the 2* place I nearly went to comes to about £320.

They also have non-starred restaurants in the Michelin guide too. Again, these are usually still very good. They tend to be a tad less extravagant, the experience might not be as polished, but I've rarely been let down. For clarity, I've been to a couple over the last few days and the price has come to about £50-90 a head, easily could have done them for less too.

They also have the 'Bib Gourmand' rating, which specifically means you can get a meal for a cheaper price (the threshold varies by area, and it may still be more expensive than a casual chain).

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LucasPisaCielo t1_ixfmef4 wrote

Thank you for all this information. I've found out the travel books sometimes are outdated, but it's a great place to start. I'm going to use your other tips.

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AndyVale t1_ixgkw6a wrote

They can definitely get dated quickly in the restaurant scene. The same as Tripadvisor needs a bit of understanding to really get what you're looking for, the Michelin Guide can be late to the game, and a blog may be one person's individual taste.

But if something's hitting the right notes across a mix of them, you're likely going to be in the right ballpark.

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klaasvaak1214 t1_ixffi2q wrote

I went to a 1 star Michelin restaurant and ordered "Codfish filet au gratin in a soft cream sauce". What I got was a piece of cod in a bowl of milk and cornflakes. Similar to movies that are highly rated by the most discerning critics; they can be great for all people, but are sometimes mostly loved by critics seeking whatever criteria are popular in the communities of critics.

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