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Mrs LMTTM has mentioned that for her 30th birthday she would like to eat out at a michelin star restaurant.
Any suggestions? Location not too important as would look to role it in to a weekend.
They should all be good. List here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/oct/07/michelin-star-restaurants-list
Me, Purnells in Brum. It was brilliant, wonderful food, great wine, a real experience.
Not cheap mind.
Yes, though it's no longer starred. My entry from one of the threads Stoner linked to:
[i]Gordon Ramsay at Claridges (when it had a star - Mark Sergeant was head chef). 22 of us in one of the art deco private dining rooms. Bill came to £13,500.... [/i]
Done The Fat Duck quite a few times before HB got famous, nice plate of food..
We ate at the Dorchester last summer for my inlaws 50th anniversary and it was very nice indeeed. Perhaps worth a stayover.
Two, the Alain Duccase at the Dorchester in London, make a weekend of it and stay over. i've also been to the one in the Grosvenor hotel in Chester, think it was called the Arkle. Both were really nice experiences. Not cheap but a great night.
Big foodie here, done all the big ones, Noma, Arzak, Per Ce, Fat Duck etc.
In London for 1* look at Pollen St, Locando Locatelli, Arbutus, Galvin La Chapelle depending on what you're after.
If you're a curry fan, 1* Indians Benares and Tamarind both great.
Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham.
Beautiful food, bit devoid of atmosphere. It's like dining in someone else's house whilst they cook and watch you eat.
Actually should add Texture in London
Eaten at the Kitchin in Leith. Food was top drawer but restaurant itself was a pretty mediocre new-build in an unremarkable satellite town of Edinburgh.
I think if you're treating yourself it's good to have the ambience of a nice interior / location. If you rolled a visit to the Kitchin into a visit of Edinburgh for a weekend say then that would be a great trip.
i'd strongly recommend st john (although not been there since it gained it's star)
Is Locotellis' a MStar??
Ohh make that two places then..
Nice plate of pasta..
Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham
is it worth going to? I've been tempted a few times, but then invariably gone on to the daffodil instead, which is much less threatening and very delicious.
Genuinely interested
Dave
Used to be a chef in one. Ate there every night of the week 🙂 (and my lunch come to think of it)
phil - where?
alfabus - you round from these parts then?
I went to the Champignon Sauvage with the then MrsIHN because it was a special occasion and we'd never been to a Michelin restaurant. As I said, the food was beautiful, but it lacks atmosphere (it's quite small and REALLY quiet). So, it's worth going for the food, but maybe now for the whole 'experience' is you know what I mean.
Daffodil is excellent like you say, have you tried Lumiere on Royal Well Road? Food there is nearly up to CS standard, and it has more of a buzz.
I've not actually eaten in either, but how about a weekend in Ludlow, staying at [url= http://www.mr-underhills.co.uk/ ]Mr Underhill's[/url] and eating dinner there, with lunch the following day at [url= http://www.labecasse.co.uk/ ]Le Becasse[/url]
Martin Wishart's gaff in Edinburgh is pretty nice, with the added bonus of being in Edinburgh.
Pro-tip: don't turn up to the lunchtime taster menu wearing jeans and a jumper. You'll either look an intolerable oaf, or some newly-monied spoilt brat 😳 I am neither, but my protests fell on deaf ears.
P.S. the cheese trolley is magnificent.
Summer Isles Hotel, Achiltibuie, lunch is an incredible seafood platter for £60 (for 2)
However, you might want more than a weekend (although the location and road to it is one of the most spectacular areas of Britain). Summer Isles on the map
[img] 
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I went to the Kitchin in Leith as well. Went for lunch, as it was cheaper - really really good, but to this day I regret not ordering the Pigs Face...
I've been to Chez Bruce in Wandsworth. It was very nice. I wouldn't recommend Wandsworth for a romantic getaway though...
Two - The Lords of the Manor in Upper Slaughter and The Manor House in Castle Combe.
Both excellent, but the Lords of the Manor slightly better.
Both in beautiful locations in the Cotswolds - you could even take your bike! 🙂
We have the Pony and Trap round the corner, it's on the edge of Chew Magna just south of Bristol. A proper, relaxed pub, that happens to do exceptional food and service at normal prices.
No, I don't quite get it either, but it's fantastic! Off there on Sunday with some friends.
May not feel special enough for a birthday, but worth looking out at another time.
+1 for Purnells in Birmingham, fantastic food, good choice of beers and wines and a very good bloke as well.His Monkfish Masala is unbelievable
"They should all be good."
But not all are! I ate at Benares in London and it was a truly shocking experience, cold food, rubbish service, run out of food etc etc.
I would also avoid the Olive Tree in Ilkley.
Back on post... This place is in a lovely environment, the hotel is very relaxed with a country feel. You can quite often get very good deals on dinner bed and breakfast (in the michelin restaurant). As an overall package I would say it is excellent. The food is good, but fractionally down on quality of the best michelin restuarant I have eaten in which was Fischers in Derbyshire, but its only slightly less good and still leagues ahead of many restuarants.
http://www.thedevonshirearms.co.uk/ (Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire)
Another alternative is http://www.vennellsrestaurant.co.uk/index.html in Masham. Not michelin starred but in the michelin guide and very good. Stay at the Black Sheep brewery, great weekend!
@IHN, yeah I live in Lecky. Moved here in June and been riding mostly with the CCCC guys.
Dave
[i]riding mostly with the CCCC guys[/i]
Ah well, I suppose if you're new in town you have to find friends where you can 😉
Other places to try (if you haven't already): Curry Corner, Potting Shed in Crudwell, Charlie's Chippy :-), Vanilla and, for great pub food and lovely beer, the Longford Arms in, well, Longford.
"They should all be good."
All three of the 1* places I've eaten in have been not great/poor. I've eaten at Midsummer House (2*) in Cambridge quite a few times & that can be great, but can also be average. It should never be average...
Longford Arms in, well, Longford.
googling is failing me... where is that? I can find a Longford Inn, but that is a Beefeater, and seems unlikely!
Dave
Oh, c0ck, I meant the Queens Head in Longford. Dunno where I got Longford Arms from...
I've eaten at L'Atelier in London (not far from Covent Garden). Food was fantastic! Staff superb, we had a table/bar looking into the kitchen which was just mesmerising to watch.
Ferdinand the Foodie has.
But not all are! I ate at Benares in London and it was a truly shocking experience, cold food, rubbish service, run out of food etc etc.
I was there last Saturday and had quite the opposite experience - my only gripe was that I would have preferred the food to be a bit spicier.
La Becasse in Ludlow was also very nice although it has lost it's star now.
We took our parents to Tower 42 (Gary Rhodes - sp? - , in London) for their 40th wedding anniversary and the whole experience was amazing. The bill was not so good (around £350 for four), but the views were amazing and the food was great.
There is a good one on the llyn peninsula. Ate there in summer whilst on holiday. Good food and location for beach / bike / hike holiday!
MMM Potting Shed in Crudwell.
MMMMMM
"around £350 for four"
Thats cheap !
This place is quite local to me and very, very good...
[url= http://www.aubergedulac.co.uk/menus.html ]http://www.aubergedulac.co.uk/menus.html[/url]
Looking it up just now I found it has two stars, didn't know that.
I've eaten in two Michelin restaurants, can't say the food was that great. Mind you one of the factories has sinced closed 😥
We have the Pony and Trap round the corner, it's on the edge of Chew Magna just south of Bristol. A proper, relaxed pub, that happens to do exceptional food and service at normal prices.
I agree. But why on earth it has a Michelin star is beyond me. I've eaten at several other restaurants that have Michelin stars, all of which provided a significantly higher standard of cooking (at significantly higher prices).
In general, Michelin stars are a guarantee of nothing - use them as a guide only.
went to the gary rhodes one for the missus work xmas party one year
it was dissapointing, food was ok but dried out and they obviously couldnt handle that many people
even worse it was full of really awful city-boy types having their own xmas parties, i cant remember what bank it was but there was obviously a lot of obvious that the toilet cubicles were in use for something other than pooing
Stayed here a couple of times. The food was excellent and not [i]hugely[/i] expensive. It had a couple of michelin stars at one point, though not sure if that's still the case. Nice place too, if you like quiet.
http://www.barcelo-hotels.co.uk/hotels/central-england/barcelo-the-lygon-arms-hotel-cotswolds
L'enclume in Cartmel, Cumbria is incredible and has accommodation and they do breakfast and is in the Lakes.
What more could you want?
Yes The Nut Tree Inn, Murcot, Oxfordshire (near Oxford) we went there for my Dad's 60th birthday and it was fantastic. Very good value for money too.
www.nuttreeinn.co.uk
Tried the Curlew in East sussex & VERY dissapointed. Bad service but food was ok.
Really want to try Purnells in Brum. Maybe for my 40th 😕
having worked in one of the better out of london michelin starred restaurants.. i d offer a few tips.. they are a fine dining experience.. dont ask the price of any thing order without regard for price.. ask dont feign or pretend you know what food or wine is ask.. dont go during the xamas party season dont go saturday nights.. book in advance and telephone on day to confirm and ask for something special ie flowers or enquire about the evenings menu etc that way when you arrive the maitre 'd is waiting/ expecting / knows you and you ll almost cetainly have a specific table reserved.. discretly tip the first person you meet when they leave you.. ( word will soon spread that your a tipper..) your not there to feed the 5000 the food may/ will be rich and too much will lead to trips to the loo.. ask the soimmelier what wines suit each course and order still water as well
enjoy..
Star inn at harome good or was last time there. And is it still sort of a pub ish very relaxed too.
Great rooms too.
The Star is very good, and they have great rooms too. Sadly, however, I think they're currently star-less.
Yep, been to the Star at Harome a couple of times and it's always been good - although not been there since the Perns split up.
Also had a great time at the one on the Llynn peninsular - called something like 'Plas
Bedgroe'?
Kitchin, Martin Wishart and Plumed Horse. All within 5 minutes walk of my house.
Wisharts probably the best of those three but most pricey. All very good. As has been mentioned the CHEESE TROLLEY in Wishart's is a piece of art.
(Oh and the People's Republic of Leith is not a satellite town of Edinburgh)
Had best food of my life at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir.
Price was indecent though.