The 50 Best Restaurants in the World...

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Fascinating that Tokyo, which has the highest concentration of Michelin stars in the world, does not have a single restaurant in the Top 100...

That is an interesting observation gdl. I think the list is biased towards certain cities and countries, some for, some against. I wonder if you cross-referenced where the voting judges live, if you found the list biased towards their general area?

 

[imageWIS]

For ambiance nothing beats this:

It's so goddamn bizarre.

Jon.

 

[DJ_YOOKS]

I've went to French Laundry in 2006 and felt it was probably the best meal at a restaurant I've ever had in my life. I enjoyed La Bernardin last time I went to NYC, the skate and Turbot was awesome.

L'atelier is awesome too, I would love to try the Mansion some time though.

Chez Panisse was very nice as well. I was thinking about going to Alinea in Chicago anyone have thoughts?

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

For ambiance nothing beats this:

It's so goddamn bizarre.

Jon.
Kill me now. Reminds me of the design hotel that gave me migraines in Milan.

I like St John, but number 16? Ditto for Chez Panisse...

Taillevent didn't really impress me, but I was not at my best that day...

 

[ChicagoRon]

I think ****** is an overstatement... but like any "top 100" list, it is not really the "Top 100 restaurants"....

It is the "Top 100 restaurants in Major Cities primarily in Europe and The Americas with a mass market appeal, zagat and michelin ratings, etc."

Also, the list is sponsored by Pellegrino..... I wonder if water choices impact ratings?

I totally agree about the inclusion of all locations of L'atelier de Joel Robuchon. I have seen a number of lists, for example, that combine Per Se/ FL into one ranking.

 

[Gus]

I have been to Chez Pannise in Berkeley many times. Although it is almost always a good experience, I can't imagine why it continues to rank among the top 40 restaurants in the world.

 

[Big A]

I take issue with Daniel and Cafe Pushkin being so far down the list.

 

[unpainted huffheinz]

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

Also, the list is sponsored by Pellegrino..... I wonder if water choices impact ratings?

It's an advertising website. Looking deeper some of the voters are also chefs or owners of places on the list. For example, Grant Achatz is on the list for North America.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by RJman

Kill me now. Reminds me of the design hotel that gave me migraines in Milan.

I like St John, but number 16? Ditto for Chez Panisse...

Taillevent didn't really impress me, but I was not at my best that day...

It's in Bs. As. BTW, and it was designed by Philippe Starck.

Jon.

 

[gherrmann]

Originally Posted by Big A

I take issue with Daniel and Cafe Pushkin being so far down the list.

Daniel is crap.

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by gherrmann

Daniel is crap.
LOL. Here goes your credibility on this topic...

 

[gherrmann]

Originally Posted by gdl203

LOL. Here goes your credibility on this topic...

In terms of food, it is probably the single-most overrated upscale NYC restaurant currently in operation (leaving aside places like des Artistes, etc., that no one even claims to be about the food). Boulud's "second" restaurant has been putting out better, more interesting food than Daniel for years (although I haven't been since either shortly before or shortly after Chemel left and that guy from the next iron chef took over the kitchen, so I can't speak to the current regime). And there are plenty of places in town that top Cafe Boulud on food.

You are, of course, free to disagree -- as are the throngs of idiot New Yorkers who flock to that place day in and day out. That doesn't make you right, though.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by RJman

Kill me now. Reminds me of the design hotel that gave me migraines in Milan. I like St John, but number 16? Ditto for Chez Panisse... Taillevent didn't really impress me, but I was not at my best that day...
That restaurant looks like on of the hundreds Starck has done. Chez Panisse is a funny thing. The food is not creative, the room is not elegant and the service is not great. On the other hand, everything tastes amazing and the ingredients they use are second to none. I think it retains its place on these lists because it is the single most important restaurant, historically speaking, in the US. The entire organic farming industry and boom of good food in the US can be traced back to CP. I had the second best meal of my life at Taillevent. I started with their seafood sausage and then had the truffled pig's feet. Sensational stuff, and a couple rungs higher than Lucas Carton, when it was still LC. However, that was when the chef of Le 5 was still there, and when Vrinat was alive, so I couldn't possibly comment on the food now. Edit: What kind of fucked up restaurant list does not have Guy Savoy on it?

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by gherrmann

In terms of food, it is probably the single-most overrated upscale NYC restaurant currently in operation (leaving aside places like des Artistes, etc., that no one even claims to be about the food). Boulud's "second" restaurant has been putting out better, more interesting food than Daniel for years (although I haven't been since either shortly before or shortly after Chemel left and that guy from the next iron chef took over the kitchen, so I can't speak to the current regime). And there are plenty of places in town that top Cafe Boulud on food.

You are, of course, free to disagree -- as are the throngs of idiot New Yorkers who flock to that place day in and day out. That doesn't make you right, though.

Whether it's overrated or not is one thing (and I agree it is up for debate). Calling it crap is another and it shows that either you have no clue (sorry to be blunt), or you just don't know how to express your thoughts effectively. I suspect it may be a bit of both, considering the tone of your last paragraph

 

[Joseph K. Bank]

La Bec Fin in Philadelphia is a very good French restaurant. I was there once when I was 10 or 11 years old.