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

All really high quality establishments, whether restaurants or shops will never make a customer feel uncomfortable....being gracious and customer focused is a key part of staff training.

A customer could very odd looking or behave oddly and no-one would bat an eyelid. They could ask for tap water in a very specific kind of glass with a slice of lemon and 2 slices of lime and no-one would bar an eyelid but deliver it with a smile.

It tends to be restaurants or shops which think they are fancy but are only a little above the basic or norm who have the snooty staff and can be a bit sneery about questions or requests.

But I agree that announcing an unusual allergy on arrival is poor form and awful. The staff shouldn’t show irritation but they will certainly feel it.

Certainly feel you can ring to discuss anything in advance. It’s also fine to say it’s a big treat and something you’re not familiar with - again staff in such establishments are trained to put you at your ease and help you have a smooth abs enjoyable experience. That’s why with tasting menus they often chat more and tell you more - to enhance your understanding of what you’re eating and the whole experience. But if you clearly want to be left alone they will know to pick up that vibe and back-off. Perhaps some people feel a bit anxious and out of place and so don’t engage for fear of showing ignorance and this sometimes leads to waiters backing off or the experience being not quite so good.

It is a treat for you and will be for lots of people in such a restaurant rather than a weekly event. You can go into it wanting to know all about it in advance and feel part of what you pay for us being able to ring a couple of times in advance to ask little things and receive a welcoming response. You can expect to be put at ease on arrival and during the evening and to get great service not just in terms of food and environment and right speed of service, but in how the staff interact with you. Lots of the fab experiences people describe on here relate to an expensive but overall great night out with fab food, possibly drink and wonderful service. That’s why you go for such a meal and pay the prices required.

And I agree that tasting menus are about being a bit adventurous and being guided to try new things that you staff will direct you towards based on chatting about what you enjoy.

We had one on honeymoon. My DH is super picky but he liked all but one item.

Went to Le Manoir 20 years ago and can still remember and describe several of the courses. Just stunning. L'Enclume is fab. Not massively impressed by House of Tides in Newcastle but Raby Hunt was a very special retirement treat.
A couple of not yet starred but fabulous restaurants are Hare at Scawton and Restaurant Hjem. Can you tell I live in the north east??

@doistayordoigo depending on where you are in the Midlands, Paris House just outside MK is amazing. Unbelievably not Michelin star!

About twice a year as my favourite treat (boo to 2020) generally love it. Is it Kitchin? If so it is brilliant, they are lovely even if it looks a bit random when you turn up.

In these places it’s the drinks that Rach up, but if you don’t drink wine it’s easy to keep control- they will have water, mocktails etc.

Have a lovely time, don’t be self conscious & just enjoy!

All really high quality establishments, whether restaurants or shops will never make a customer feel uncomfortable....being gracious and customer focused is a key part of staff training That is really not true! They shouldn't but they do - well some do!

we've done it a couple of times.
beware that the portions are tiny but add up.
I was absolutely stuffed.
I don't drink alkohol, so only had sparkly water (about 15€ a bottle)

StopMaking Looks good, it's about an hour away from us, so a conversation would have to be had about who's driving back....

stopmaking we liked Salt in Stratford upon Avon. Casual ambiance, great food, not too ££.

I was curious so looked up the term 'non alcohol flight' to see what it was about. There's one review for such an experience in London which absolutely raves about the drinks. here.

I think I'd be tempted to order it and share the drinks just for the experience. My thought is if it's a posh place they will have our a lot of thought and work into what they're pairing the courses with so the drinks should enhance the food.

@choirmumoftwo I agree about House of Tides. I've been four times over the last six years and the last two visits were a disappointment. We went to Raby Hunt a few times when it first opened, when you could go for a set lunch menu. The prices have more than doubled since then 🙈

We are trying to get a booking at Hjem and friends have raved about it. I haven't heard of The Hare but have just looked at their website and reviews and it looks great. Definitely one to try.

I love tasting menus (and the wine flight 😍). OP, I hope you have a fabulous time in Edinburgh.

@catwithflowers we were lucky in getting a booking at Hjem within their first month of opening. Almost impossible now! Raby Hunt was probably a one off to celebrate my early retirement - we stayed overnight as well so a proper treat. Going to Hipping Hall next week which has also been recommended.

Chewbacca Salt looks good and is within half an hour of us so that could definitely be an option. Has anyone been to Purnells in Birmingham? That's the other one I've come across.

@choirmumoftwo I'm waiting to book for my birthday next year but the bookings don't open up til February. The lovely lady, Ally, who manages the restaurant said to keep a close eye on their webpage as the actual date and time will be published but that the bookings for the next three months sell out within an hour and you can only book by phone. Our friends were lucky and got a lunchtime cancellation recently. 🙈

Will have a look at the other place you recommend 😊

@choirmumoftwo that was regarding booking at Hjem, sorry!

@doistayordoigo I've been to purnells, it was undoubtedly good but there was a little something I couldn't put my finger on that didn't gel with me.
The Wilderness in Birmingham was fabulous though

For anyone who doesn't feel comfortable going out to restaurants, or struggle to get babysitters, an option is to hire a private chef to come to your home or holiday rental and cook for you. I am a freelance chef for a couple of companies as well as my own, and we do tasting menus from about £75 a head for a ten course taster.

We went to Sat Bains and it was fabulous.

Thanks StopMaking I think I'll probably go with Salt, it's the nearest and easiest to get to, they do vouches and I like the look of the menu

We've done this once and it was amazing.

However, we are the sort of people who will usually have a small glass of wine sometimes.

So we had the wine flight, because, well, why not

By the end of the meal I was absolutely desperate for us to get the bill and get out of there as I was so pissed I was about to start singing a song right in the middle of the Michelin starred restaurant. Whole sections of the meal are only known to us as we took pictures of the meal on our phones.

On the walk home, we passed a fish and chip shop with a comedy name and I collapsed in laughter like it was the best joke ever told and DH could barely get me to keep walking

So, if you aren't drinkers, I would consider the wine flight option with care. Ooops.

I won’t name the restaurant, but it has been mentioned more than once on here. We had the wine flight, which we’d done before. But for some reason it just went to my head. I ended up in the loo half passed out and vomiting before the ‘main course’ had been served. We left having only eaten half the menu and the cost was enormous. The staff remained lovely to our face but I cringe to this day. It was my 40th.

I have avoided wine flights since.

You could probably ask to share the wine flight, I can't see why not.
My friend and I always share the cheese which is extra.
I'm a total cheese fiend but would never manage it all to myself, she gives me first pick of the choices though