JackanorySFC Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 I’m lucky enough to be going to Dinner by Heston tonight. Absolute nightmare getting a table but apparently worth the hype? Anyway, a few people here at work (working in the industry I do there’s a fair whack of “schmoozing” that has to be done so certain people here know their way around the West End…) it’s serving up the best food in London in years. So, co-habitants of Saintsweb, what’s the most amazing restaurant you’ve ever been lucky enough to eat in? Before tonight (and who knows, could be over priced crap) I’d say La Altier de Joel Rebuchon in Cov Gdn. Not really eaten abroad so can’t give any New York or Paris shouts. Most average when expecting great goes to both Scotts and the Ivy. Best atmosphere Hakkassan. Best for going nuts at the expense of a stockbroker mate goes to Coq d’ Argant (well overrated otherwise though)… Best in Southampton is White Star I’d say but I’d like to try Vatika. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durleyfos Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 I booked a meal at the Chewton Glen in the New Forest for our first wedding anniversary, last May. That was fantastic. Everything from the bar staff, maitre 'd and waiters were very professional. Food was outstanding. The maitre'd took his time to take our food order and recomend which wines would compliment our choice. Highly recomended (very pricey, though!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toomer Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 (edited) A number of years ago whilst on holiday in Tenerife we were recommened a restaurant in the foot hills of Mount Teide and they had Tournedos Rossini on the menu which was one of the best I have ever had. Both the food and service you could not fault there was four of us and we did go for three courses, wine, drinks and coffee and the bill came about £80.00 GBP mind you that was before the Euro. Edited 6 May, 2011 by Toomer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint lard Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 The Mirabelle. Langans. The Oak room at The 'Le Meridien Piccadilly',Where i worked for sometime as a chef in 'garde manger' and sauce sections. Sheekeys fish restaurant between Liecester sq and Covent garden. Manoir Quatre Saisons....some of the best produce i have ever eaten. My favourite local eatery is 'Banks' in Bishops Waltham,bloody terrific dining to be had there..... http://www.banksbarbistro.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Saint Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Fat Duck for the sheer theatre of the food. La Manoir for overall experience Terravina in ashurst for great wines Banana wharf for pre footie pizza Gidleigh Manor in Dartmoor - Unbelievable pistacchio souffle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 The Villa Pina in Masa Labrense Italy, fantastic. Local Italians travel up from Naples and Sorrento to eat here and every night is full of local wealthy Italians with views across the bay of Naples to Capri. Apparantly Pavarotti was a regular there. It's also a hotel with rooms across the road from the restaurant. In this country l'ortolan in Reading and in Southampton probably Ennios. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colinjb Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 It has to be the 'Blue Creek' restaurant in Ghar Lapsi, Malta. Beautiful location, stunning food, immaculate service and not dreadfully expensive. All things considered it is the best restaurant i've ever had the privilage to dine at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1976_Child Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 I went to this one restaurant in the New Forest a few years ago. Called something like 'Le Poison' - but obviously not! We had a set menu of about 9 different courses. All exquisitely prepared and presented - and very small! The wine bill was over £400. Not sure who the chef was but he knew his trade. Was in a big old country house. You could tell it was posh because the sommelier had a french accent and did actually know his chardonnay from his claret. I would recommend it if I could remember the darn name of the joint... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Saint Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Le pousson at whitley ridge - now moved to the Limewood House hotel in Lyndhurst Aitken in the name of the chef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambosa75 Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 TGI Fridays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1976_Child Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Le pousson at whitley ridge - now moved to the Limewood House hotel in Lyndhurst Aitken in the name of the chef That's the one! Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano6 Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Been to some great restaurants here in New York: Delmonico's - fantastic atmosphere with food to match - the Baked Alaska was a work of art Lucali - Best pizza in the world Spotted pig - the chargrilled burger with roqufort and shoestring fries still has me drooling at the mouth One If By Land Two If By Sea - for the Beef Wellington Two I've not done yet that I'd really like to are Bridge Cafe and Babbo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkeith Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Oxo Tower wa great, fantastic service, as it was obvious to the staff that we were the only people in there not on expenses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdearlove Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 2 best meals I have had: Bastide St Antoine in Grasse, France. Stunning food, location, wine, service. Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Rock (previously in Fowey) Cornwall. If you like fish, this is the place to go. Rated best seafood restaurant in the UK and won Restaurateurs restaurant of the year last year. Food is stunning. I am lucky that I travel a lot with my job so have eaten at some amazing places - but these two are the standouts. Closely behind is Tocqueville in NYC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamster Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 A little bar restaurant overlooking the sea in Stalis, Crete. Went back a few times and without exception the food was delicious, the wine sumptuous and the service impeccable. I can't recall it's name but you didn't have to dress up and pretend to be someone special to be treated as such, far too much emphasis placed on famous names and posh nosh. Names mean boat in my book, just a bigger price for their bigger egos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibden Purlieu Saint Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 TGI Fridays. This. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CityRanger Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Nicks in East St. Plenty grub for yer money there pal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Chalet Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Waterside Inn in Bray for the service Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea good and Claridges bad. One star too high each of them. Fat Duck, once in a life time experience - Mirabelle, if only for the 1990 Margaux we were drinking Cape Town Fish Market in CT for ironically best steak I have ever had. But the finest has to be Le Manoir Quartre Saisons - Food, service, garden and just the setting is out of this world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolsaint29 Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Hungry Horse in Eastville, mixed grill for just £7.99! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swannymere Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 For local i'd say Truffles in Fareham is hard to beat, excellent quality French-style food on the right side of expensive, a beach cafe at the top of a hill overlooking a bay near to Kefalos in Kos, family style with simple, delicious freshly made snacks and desserts. But my favourite in the world is The Jaaning Tree in Nambucca Heads (between Sydney and Brisbane!) just the best food and the best location IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dark Sotonic Mills Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 The Flame Tree in Muri in Rarotonga was superb. It helped that the fish (Mahi Mahi) was caught only a couple of hours before, but, with the setting as well, an unforgettable meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danish Saint Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 A few good ones: Restaurant Latin, Aarhus, Denmark. Yaya's, Oslo, Norway. AlphaOmega, Alta, Norway. Emma's, Tromsø, Norway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Ennios Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano6 Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 2 best meals I have had: Bastide St Antoine in Grasse, France. Stunning food, location, wine, service. Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Rock (previously in Fowey) Cornwall. If you like fish, this is the place to go. Rated best seafood restaurant in the UK and won Restaurateurs restaurant of the year last year. Food is stunning. I am lucky that I travel a lot with my job so have eaten at some amazing places - but these two are the standouts. Closely behind is Tocqueville in NYC Is that place good? I'm gonna be out round that way tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wadesmith Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Corporal Chickenwings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 I booked a meal at the Chewton Glen in the New Forest for our first wedding anniversary, last May. That was fantastic. Everything from the bar staff, maitre 'd and waiters were very professional. Food was outstanding. The maitre'd took his time to take our food order and recomend which wines would compliment our choice. Highly recomended (very pricey, though!) Oddly enough, we had a meal there and I thought they were very poor. The food was ok, nothing to write home about imo, but the service was pathetic, we had a table of eight and had to remind the waiters 4 or 5 times that we wanted another bottle of wine which never did arrive. Which meant that half of us had water with our meals, plus the food was arriving in separate batches so some of us were having our main courses while others were still waiting for their starters. I would have let it go myself, but one of the party kicked up a fuss afterwards and was given a bottle of red wine for his trouble, but that was hardly the point. Wouldnt go there again myself. At those eye-watering prices I would have expected a lot better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draino76 Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 My favourite is toast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Grandad Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 We ate at a 3-star one in the Auvergne near Laguiole - http://www.bras.fr - which was quite an experience, especially as somebody else was paying. 4000 feet up in the hills watching the sun go down was rather pleasant. I used to organise exchange football trips to brittany and some of the local restaurants that our hosts chose were unforgettable, especially when you consider that they were catering for over a hundred guests. Also: 'Le Coq Gadby' in Rennes was good. 'Jules Verne' up the Eiffel tower is also good, especially when someone else pays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LVSaint Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 I don't fine dine, but the best (Indian) meal I've had recently was in Whitechapel's Lahore Kebab House. We couldn't get into nearby Tayyab's (same owner) which is rated even better but was already packed. Strongly recommended to anyone in London post-match, looking for the best curry experience in town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dark Sotonic Mills Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 I don't fine dine, but the best (Indian) meal I've had recently was in Whitechapel's Lahore Kebab House. We couldn't get into nearby Tayyab's (same owner) which is rated even better but was already packed. Strongly recommended to anyone in London post-match, looking for the best curry experience in town. Fantastic place, but has had a total makeover since I first went there about 30 years ago when every table was different, basic and formica topped. The food is still some of the best Sub Continent food I have ever tasted and that includes eating in numerous restaurants in India. The grilled lamb chops as a starter are, to quote a female friend, "to die for". Oh, and bring your own booze as the owners don't have a licence (Muslim) but are enlightened (profit conscious) enough to allow you to drink alcohol on the premises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadgerBadger Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 A teriyaki restaurant in Melbourne, absolutley superb food and theatrics. It's been 14 years since that meal and it's never been bettered yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LVSaint Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Fantastic place, but has had a total makeover since I first went there about 30 years ago when every table was different, basic and formica topped. The food is still some of the best Sub Continent food I have ever tasted and that includes eating in numerous restaurants in India. The grilled lamb chops as a starter are, to quote a female friend, "to die for". Oh, and bring your own booze as the owners don't have a licence (Muslim) but are enlightened (profit conscious) enough to allow you to drink alcohol on the premises. Yes! Never thought I'd ever get so excited by lamb chops, but they were incredible. There are several bring your own alcohol eateries in the vicinity - even the corner shops had queues in to them to pre-buy the booze. Best informal eating experience around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedg Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Can I clarify if the question is "best restaurant you have been in?" or "best restaurant you have been in at least sober enough on arrival to remember more than almost falling down the stairs to the toilets" as this could drastically change my possible answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nexstar Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Hotel Utsiktin, Geiranger Fjord, Norway. And not a bad view to boot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelman Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Le pousson at whitley ridge - now moved to the Limewood House hotel in Lyndhurst Aitken in the name of the chef Hated Le Pousin. Hasn't Aitken moved to Mudeford replacing Gary Rhodes? I also hear from lots of people that Limewood is definitely a place to give a miss on the food front. Best might be Le Gavroche. L'Ormeau at Cancale (France) The Cliff in Barbados when I first went but don't like any more. Prefer The Tides as it is just as good if not better, has less chins in it and is cheaper, as well as having that idyllic beach location. Casa Marcelo in Santiago de Compostela. No menu - you get given what the chef decides. Most is OK but one or two dishes a little too strange. But generally all these flash restaurants leave me hungry. I splashed out £320 for me and the Mrs at Aubergine and I came out still hungry, as did The Vineyard at Stockcross. I like going to Chewton Glen for lunch as they have a £20/25 menu and it is just round the corner from me. To be honest I prefer good bistro food or my mother's cooking (which is damn good). Haven't been to the Fat Duck or the Manoir (yet!). But my favourite restaurant was (haven't been for years) was Le Bistro de Sommelier in Bordeaux. Food was mediocre but set menu at 96ff but it had a superb wine list that was cheap and more than made up for the quality of the food. It also had a fun crowd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesaint sfc Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 The Swan in Southampton has always given me an amazing meal. Been there many times. Otherwise there's a fair few in Brighton area which are fab. There's an Indian Restaurant in the middle of nowhere down here which is bizzare. The place looks like it costs an absolute bomb. It's got like a glitter marble floor and a mirror glass ceiling and is pretty spectacular. There are glass rooms you can't get into with fancy elephant statues in the middle of them with water features around them. The food is bloody fantastic too. Such an odd place for it to be - it's always absolutely packed too. We ordered some veggie samosas and they came with meat in which a veggie then consumed which was the only down side - they gave us about £30 off the meal and a bottle of wine for it though - and I had a damn good laugh because the veggie said it tasted delicious - then I pointed out it was full of meat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
so22saint Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Le pousson at whitley ridge - now moved to the Limewood House hotel in Lyndhurst Aitken in the name of the chef Through a massive stroke of luck they catered my wedding (basically they took over the Parkhill hotel a week before we got married - Parkhill became Limewood). Recently eaten at Paramount on top of Centre Point in London - great location, good food. Some of the best food I've had was at Chesil Rectory in Winchester in 2001 (before it lost it's Michelin Star). Pub grub: Yew Tree near Newbury. Amusing comment about The Vineyard at Stockcross - next time go to the Lord Lyon pub about 200 yds further on - always good bog standard pub grub . The Cliff in Barbados was superb last time I went. Best curry ever had at Bangles in Kuala Lumpur - so good we went 3 nights in a row Some of the best food I've ever had though are freshly caught fish cooked in a bucket on the beach - or over hot coals in a pit of sand. Freshness is everything (unless you're Icelandic :-)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelman Posted 5 May, 2011 Share Posted 5 May, 2011 Amusing comment about The Vineyard at Stockcross - next time go to the Lord Lyon pub about 200 yds further on - always good bog standard pub grub . and no doubt somewhat cheaper and better atmosphere???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Jim Posted 6 May, 2011 Share Posted 6 May, 2011 The Waterside Inn in Bray (the same village as The Fat Duck). Given that it one of 4 restaurants in the UK with 3 micheling stars we had high expectations and it delivered! The chef is Alain Roux (son of Michel Roux from the Roux Brothers). Not bad for a tiny village to be hosting half of the nation's 3 michelin star restaurants. The other exceptional one was the Connaught Hotel when Angela Hartnett was Chef there (although managed to swindle eating free there after my wife's work had her working over a weekend when she was meant to be joining me at a Saints match [i ended up going with the lads and had a much better time than I otherwise might have], so they paid for us for eat at a restaurant of our choice). Finally, recommend the Black Boys Inn in Hurley (near Henley). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefunkygibbons Posted 6 May, 2011 Share Posted 6 May, 2011 Drakes on the Pond (near Guildford) is nice, small family affair with 1 star but great food But my personal favourite is Al Dhafra, in the port area of Abu Dhabi, and that despite some very much more expensive meals in the posh hotels of the same city Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted 6 May, 2011 Share Posted 6 May, 2011 Restaurant Santa Caterina in Amalfi. Fabulous views from the terrace, superb service and exquisite food. Simply stunning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Bob Posted 6 May, 2011 Share Posted 6 May, 2011 (edited) Vatika is great - I would thoroughly recommend it. Overdue for a Michelin Star for sure! The food is top drawer, the wine list is fantastic (as should be expected for a restaurant situated in a vineyard!) and the atmosphere is very relaxed. It's not as expensive as you might think either. 3 courses, 1 bottle of very nice wine and 2 further glasses of wine for me and my wife was about £120 including tip. Atul Kocchar's menu is cracking as well - great modern British cooking with an Indian twist. Edited 6 May, 2011 by Son of Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelman Posted 6 May, 2011 Share Posted 6 May, 2011 One of the more "interesting" restaurants I went to was La Tour D'Argent in Paris. It's famous for its duck. Fortunately I was not paying as it was also by far the most expensive. I went there 10 years ago and the cheapest starter (not that you see the prices on the menu) was €50. I looked up their menu now, and the starters range from €48 for Pike Dumplings to €210 for some caviar. €69 for a an asparagus salad with truffle sauce seems a little steep as well. If you get the chance to go there, go as a guest rather than paying!! http://www.latourdargent.com/restaurant/la-carte/entrees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint_stevo Posted 6 May, 2011 Share Posted 6 May, 2011 Les Mirabelles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdearlove Posted 6 May, 2011 Share Posted 6 May, 2011 Bit late for you but - Tocqueville was excellent when we went a few years ago - not sure what the more recent reviews are like. Food was outstanding and it had a great Maitre d' and a good atmosphere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorpe-le-Saint Posted 6 May, 2011 Share Posted 6 May, 2011 Either has to 'Ribs n Rump' in Sydney or Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Channon's Sideburns Posted 6 May, 2011 Share Posted 6 May, 2011 Yep, Alex Aitken is now at the Jetty in Mudeford..he was at Limewood, which trivia fans, was backed by Jim Ratcliffe, he of INEOS fame. Anyway, aside of that nonsense, two local tips for you. Firstly, Egans in Lymington (Gosport Street) - family run, lots of locally caught fish, and their menu is fantastic. Secondly, take a trip to Lymington Yacht Haven to ironically 'The Haven' - the restaurant offers views directly across the Solent. Tucked away, its frickin brill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelman Posted 6 May, 2011 Share Posted 6 May, 2011 Sideb, thanks for the tips. Might check them out. Any others between there and X'church? I hear Terra Vina in Ashurst is quite good as is Verveine in Milford-on-Sea. I note that the Jetty have dropped the prices on their wine list. That stopped me from going as they were truly ridiculous - I think £65 for a Sancerre. Limewood still seem to be more expensive than London Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Give it to Ron Posted 6 May, 2011 Share Posted 6 May, 2011 Here http://theviewny.com/# The Head waiter realised I like beer so kept recommding some of the local Brooklyn stuff - lovely stuff. Great food - fantastic sweets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambosa75 Posted 6 May, 2011 Share Posted 6 May, 2011 On a serious note the Bombay Brasserie just off Gloucester Road takes some beating if you are a fan on Indian cuisine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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