Le Bernardin in New York: the Luxeat Perspective
"I thought I should give a second chance to this 3 Michelin stars
seafood restaurant, even if my first time there was very disappointing.
I told to myself I would choose other dishes which would prove my
initial judgments were wrong. Unfortunately, after my dinner in Le
Bernardin last Friday, I stand for every word I said about this
restaurant before. Le Bernardin would never get even 2 Michelin stars if
it were located in France."
Les Nomades in Chicago: reviewed by Karla L. Yeh
"I
stepped out of the cab, in Downtown Chicago, but felt as though I’d traveled
to France. An outstretched hand and the words, “Bon soir madame,” guided me
up brownstone stairs, with the fragrance of les plats Français hovering over
the threshold. I immediately succumbed to a magnetic gastronomic sojourn at
Les Nomades."
The French Laundry: the 2006 review by Francis Bown
"The meaning of the superlative has been
undermined by the mass media. On television, in newspapers, even
nowadays on the wireless (which in Britain, at least, has a couple of
channels which have managed to maintain some semblance of decency and
order), it seems that every story must scream at us in the language of
extremity. Many, clearly, believe that this is the only way to attract
and hold our attention. Such debasement of our public discourse is
vulgar. And it creates a real difficulty. What words are left when one
encounters something which truly needs to be described with
superlatives? This is my current problem. For I have just been back to
what might well be the best restaurant in the world – The French
Laundry."
THE FRENCH LAUNDRY: SOLID BUT IMPERFECT
Gastroville rates The French Laundry
a solid 16/20
"The cuisine of Keller in
lesser hands now displays an automatic, slightly assembly line quality,
sacrificing greatness in flavor for consistency and predictability. This
is now a cuisine geared for the 'once in a lifetime in a three star'
type diner who should be awed by the luxury ingredients, such as white
truffles, lobster, caviar and Wagyu beef, plus an unrelenting pace set
by numerous desserts. The problem is that the quality of the luxury
ingredients is either poor (caviar, truffles) or merely adequate, and
the preparations are hardly compelling. All this said, this is still one
of the best restaurants in California..."
André Gayot reviews Restaurant Guy Savoy in Las Vegas
"Savoy’s
successful arrival puts him at the top echelon of the Las Vegas restaurant
scene. Not only because he is a world celebrity, but also because he is the
simplest and most open-minded man you can meet in this industry. He is a
real person, not just a name."
Maurice Graham Henry at Joël Robuchon at
The Mansion
"...there
is no question that the opening of this restaurant is nothing short of an
absolute triumph. Here, in far away Las Vegas, Joël Robuchon again
establishes himself as the formidable 'Horowitz of the stoves', a true
emperor in the realm of French gastronomy. I also must congratulate the
Executive Chef, Claude Le-Tohic who, as a holder of the Meilleur Ouvrier de
France, is a highly distinguished Chef in his own right. I am also
grateful that someone as gracious and skilled as Mr. Loïc Launay oversees
the front of the house, for this restaurant provides one of the world's
truly extraordinary dining experiences."
Maurice Graham Henry reviews Jean Georges in New York
"I am pleased to confirm
that yes, the ultimate '12' rating of this restaurant (the combined
total of 3 Michelin stars, 4 stars from The New York Times, and 5 stars
from the Mobil Travel Guide) is indeed well deserved. A total shared only with
Thomas Keller's per se across the street, it should only be
attained by those consistently producing excellent to extraordinary
cooking in New York, French or otherwise. Jean Georges meets that
standard."
Per
Se: the review by Francis Bown
"There is no question that Thomas Keller is one of the most talented
Chefs in the world, nor that his restaurant in the Napa Valley, The French
Laundry, is one of the world’s best. But star Chefs have been known to
spread their talents too thinly. As I clambered out of the yellow cab on
Columbus Circle, I feared that his new venture – Per Se, in far away New
York – might not maintain the standards of the Californian original.
Friends, I need not have worried. Per Se is, without doubt, one of the
finest restaurants in the world."
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