Your place or theirs?

Funny thing how we view restaurants and what we think makes a good one. Is it just the food or is the service and ambience just as important? The Michelin star rating for restaurants only covers the food served, they have a separate “fork and spoon” rating for décor and service. Did you know this? I must confess I didn’t!

I find this strange as personally I think service and atmosphere (over décor) are very important factors in enjoying a meal out. So does that make them a better dining experience just because they have a star over the door or is it just a food snob badge? Interestingly some of the best food, service and atmosphere coming from high level eateries are the ones who are chasing that first star. It seems that both the staff and the customers are excited and creating a buzz and the chef is pushing his style and innovation at maximum. It seems the ones that have the star can kick back and cruise as remaining the same ensures they keep their award year on year. I frequent quite a few local and non local restaurants where the food, service and atmosphere are fantastic but I doubt that they will never see a Michelin inspector let alone get close to the treasured star. So does that make them bad, or does this mean the star rating system is really giving a skewed view of the World’s restaurant landscape? I’m talking all cuisines here not just the UK Michelin stalwarts of French and modern British/European or whatever other name they are calling that style of cooking this week. For example I have a local Italian which is über traditional and has a time warp feeling when you enter, you think Jerry and Margo from the Good Life will walk in at any second. However the food is excellent the service so warm and friendly you feel like a long lost family member arriving back to mama’s house. Based on personal experience I would rather go there for a good time than La Gavroche, although La Gavroche has a cheese board so big it makes you think you have died and gone to cheesy heaven. Another recent experience at a Michelin starred restaurant Midsummer House in Cambridge gave the same impression. The food was great but the staff seemed to forget about us and that had a very negative impact on our dining experience. When you are paying for quality don’t you expect it in every detail? I mean if Michelin rated hotels would they just review the beds? Someone once said to me that you should be able to have as good a time in MacDonald’s as in the most expensive restaurant in the World, and if you can’t you’re not hanging out with the right people. I kind of agree but the food is a very important factor to me (note: I am not knocking MacDs here, I mean who doesn’t love a Big Mac?), but that is an extreme view of a non foodie versus the equally extreme view of the Michelin snob. Taster menus at Michelin restaurants have become extremely popular for the person who doesn’t eat at these restaurants regularly, it’s a kind of posh nosh package deal for the masses turning these revered places into mere tourist attractions. I am sure the true food snob and Michelin champion see the taster menu as a negative and will have them choking on their foie gras and is probably taking something away from restaurant snobbery…maybe that’s a good thing.

So are Michelin starred restaurants worth it, well yes and no. Again it depends on the individual restaurant, we all like to spoil ourselves and booking a top restaurant is an exciting experience, however just remember as far as Michelin are concerned you are only going for the food. So where do you sit? On the fence or at the extremes…is it going to be your place or theirs?