If you’ve ever been to an extremely posh restaurant for a taster menu....

[ItchyScratch]

DH & I are soon going to be going on our first night away in MANY years (lost count)

We decided to push the boat out and book a very fancy restaurant (I mean these days you’re lucky if we can manage McDonalds)

The restaurants we are looking at are those type that do a 7 course taster menu, usually about £100+ per head.

My first question is- what was your experience like and do you recommend it?
We are thinking you only live once and to try it out. Just don’t want to be disappointed and think we wasted money.

My second question- the websites for the places I’m looking at don’t show a drinks menu but do say there is a choice of a paired wine tasting menu (£75 each! What!!) but neither of us drink wine (I would be drunk after one glass)
But the only other option is named as a ‘non alcoholic flight’ and that’s £48 each- god knows what you get for that!
So what did you do?

I’d be embarrassed to call or email and ask as I’m sure their usual customers would be well accustomed to their ways and would have no qualms in paying £48 each for some unspecified none alcoholic drinks.

Thanks in advance- from someone desperately trying to experience being rich/posh

I have done it a few times in Glasgow and to be honest thought it was overpriced and have had much better meals for a fraction of the price .

I now decline invites with friends to these as I feel I’m getting ripped off 😂
Always go to any regular meals I’m invited to though .

Tell them if there's something you don't eat or allergies. - I did this and the waiter looked at me as if I'd trodden dog shit into his carpet and said it couldn't be changed (it was a don't eat rather than an allergy).

Hello!

I'm very late to the party, but I used to live in Edinburgh and I also, (not in Edinburgh), used to be a hostess in a michelin star, fine dining restaurant, in the SE England.

As people have already said, you do not have to drink wine. I love wine and even I struggle with the full wine flight!

Probably already been recommended, but I would highly recommend, if it's still there, The Kitchin in Leith. I also heard good things about Martin Wishart.

These taster menus tend to be the best option in these sorts of restaurants imo. The smaller menus with fewer courses are lovely too, usually and assuming you're in a great restaurant, but they aren't a big event in the same way the taster menus are.

They all do amazing mocktails these days. You don't have to do a non alcoholic flight, (we didn't even offer that tbh and it sounds like a way of making money out of you tbh, as drinks are a big earner. It's why sommeliers have such a big role. Sorry if that sounds cynical)!

Good sommeliers will recommend wines by the glass as well. You do not need to buy a bottle or a glass per course. So if you do fancy A drink, not 5 - 7, you can do that too. These days I'm a bit more lightweight with booze, so I'd probably go with a glass with my main course and a cocktail, either at the beginning or the end.

Have fun! It's such a lovely experience, I think, for everyone. It was one of my favourite places to work as well btw. So organised, ordered and just lovely.

we have done it a few times, and with the paired wine flight, and it's always been mind-blowingly wonderful. The wine flight is only tiny amounts of extremely delicious and expensive wines - no more actual alcohol than you would drink if you were sharing a bottle of wine so you won't get unmanageably pissed. I remember one time we were given about 25ml of a wine with a dessert and it was so delicious I wanted to buy a bottle, but bottles of the stuff start at £300 for the basic entry-level version. the food is more like "edible art" than a meal, it has always been definitely worth the price tag.

@EasilyDeleted
Tell them if there's something you don't eat or allergies. - I did this and the waiter looked at me as if I'd trodden dog shit into his carpet

telling them at the point of there being a waiter in front of you is too late! you need to tell them at point of booking (which is usually a good few months for good places) - we have had no trouble getting vegetarian tasting menus and specifying DHs weird list of things he doesn't like. they will insist that they don't serve different things to different people so if one person is veggie then the other person doesn't get the meat option.

When we went to Le Manoir the couple next to us went through the tasting menu with the waiter and found at least thing in every dish they disliked and asked if it could be removed. As in most cases it was one small ingredient that couldn’t have been taken out of a sauce or seasoning etc he had to say no. They ended up eating a steak.

I can confirm that food allergies or preferences are discussed in advance and catered for. We ask at every point of booking and confirming the table if there are any special dietary requirements and will prepare accordingly. We have had huge lists of allergies and managed to feed people well.

Telling the waiter when you're about to order, while not ideal, still would have been handled with professionalism where I used to work. There is always an option available. If you have say, a severe nut allergy which means you could be badly affected by trace amounts in your meal though, that might be something a waiter might baulk at, as it would be the worry that today was the day chef was preparing peanut butter parfait or something and the worry would be even traces in the air would be a problem. But, someone saying they were gluten intolerant at the eleventh hour would be manageable, but please don't do it if you can help it!

Email or call them.

I went to a Michelin stared place for my 50th birthday but my friend / carer who came with me has a few food issues.

They agreed a different menu and actually printed it out fr him.

The people at the next table were doing the tasting menu and it looked fab.

Mine was supposedly a 3 course dinner but they kept bringing little sample dishes, I now know I don't like steak tartare, even a tiny one on a teaspoon.

The people having the taster menu had to ask which course they were on because they were getting the samples too.

We also would have had it written all over the kitchen, which table the allergy sufferer is at and it would have been discussed with all staff from the exec chef to the bartender. Everyone would be made aware there was a dietary requirement for that table.

We've done the paired drinks once - it wasn't great - we had to drink at the pace dictated by the waiter/food - which was either too fast or too slow and way to clunky - would rather be given my bottle of wine and after the first glass, be left to pour it myself - I really hate being interrupted by waiters filling up my glass - pet hate! I once was told by a waiter he'd get the sack if his boss saw us filling our own glasses - even worse when they take the bottle away and place it on a shelf to fill my glass when they feel like it - I no longer tolerate that and tell them to leave my bottle on the table. Would definitely call to discuss the menu, dress code or anything else that wasn't clear from their website and that concerned me. Dh has a nut allergy and I often have to call to make sure he will be catered for - less often now but in the past this was an issue.

I have had lots of tasting menus - they are fun. We often get matching wines but not always. I often think one star places are better than two star. I have eaten at a few two star and the only one I really rated was le manoir aux quat Saisons, which was amazing. Oh - and we never pay for water - always Tap. In fact, if a restaurant doesn’t give me the option of still, sparkling or tap/table water, I mark it down!

Actually I forgot le gavroche which was also two star and amazing

I have had lots of tasting menus - they are fun Sometimes they are really not though - sometimes the formality can be stifling and almost anti-fun. A few places have surprised us - La Gavroche despite its formality was warm and welcoming and our kids really enjoyed the fuss...which I am not normally into but they were lovely.

Le Gavroche soz!

We live in London and find that most restaurants are still relatively informal, despite stars etc. But we ate at gidleigh park when Michael caines was there and yes - the formality was stifling. Was one of our most disappointing meals actually.

@EasilyDeleted

Tell them if there's something you don't eat or allergies. - I did this and the waiter looked at me as if I'd trodden dog shit into his carpet and said it couldn't be changed (it was a don't eat rather than an allergy).

We have always been asked at the outset and any preferences taken on board with good grace. I don't eat foie gras for ethical reasons, I don't like oysters and bananas make my throat itch. Most of these are easily avoided, substituted or not served anyway. They have nodded graciously and I certainly haven't noticed any impact on the food quality or service

I agree that arriving to eat while vegan or sporting a voracious nut allergy and declaring it only once the menu has been presented is silly and should have been declared on booking. In any event, being the kind of person that requests that the Leek is removed from a leek and lemon risotto with mushroom foam is twattish behaviour.

I've done a few and they're lovely. Wine pairing might seem extravagant, but if you can stretch to it, do it - it makes more of a difference than you'd realise!

Just to echo others, Le Gavroche is amazing, by the way. If you like your cheese, the selection for the cheese course is impressive!

Haven't been for a posh meal for years but ghis thread is making me want to go! I hope you enjoy OP and have a lovely time kn Edinburgh.

In any event, being the kind of person that requests that the Leek is removed from a leek and lemon risotto with mushroom foam is twattish behaviour. I think if you're inclined towards the fussy end of the spectrum then maybe consider a la carte rather than a tasting menu, which to my mind is all about be a wee bit adventurous and trying something new.

I've had no problem getting vegetarian or even vegan tasting menus in UK and many international places, which aren't even mentioned on the website, but if you speak when you make the booking, they organise it, and our local amazing restaurant will cater for weird food dislikes too. As long as they have plenty of notice. Telling them on arrival or when food arrives isn't fair.

The head chef once came out and asked whether I only ate poultry eggs, but didn't want to tell me what other type of egg he had in mind, but it wasn't caviar. He said he had a back up if I didn't want unidentified eggs but he'd like me to have the opportunity to choose. I decided to be brave...

SEAGULL and SNAIL eggs!

We had mentioned it when booking @KihoBebiluPute but was checking with the waiter, who didn't know anything about it and as the booking been weeks earlier by phone there was no record. I just left the item in question. The whole experience was pretty uncomfortable if I'm honest, it's put me off trying again, that and having to dress up which always makes me feel very self conscious.

Our local fancy restaurant absolutely refused to do a vegan taster menu and were very vocal about it on their website for a while.

They might have changed now but it really put me off and it's a shame because I went before I was vegan and it was lovely.

I've not been for a tasting menu since I went vegan 5 years ago as I just assumed most places would say no, so it's good to hear that that's not always the case!

It is not currently streaming but there is one episode in "Odd Mom Out" a New York Comedy series about upper east side uber- neuveux-riche about a surprize tasting menu - it is hilarious -hardly any food and one course is "air" and one is the bill - the amount is a (very very nasty) surprize and comes to only one unlucky diner!

The whole series is about one-upmanship.

It is funny but reality is very different!

Have enjoyed reading this thread and now think it might be a fab Christmas present for DH. Sorry to hijack, but does anyone have any recommendations in the Midlands?