Tasting Menus.
Tasting menus are a recent concoction of resturants who seem to have gotten a little too big for their boots. I really resent restaurants who only do tasting menus, as they seem to be forgetting which way the relationship works. In a restaurant I find a lot of the fun is ordering what you want, then looking at whate everyone else has and sharing stuff round, everyone having the same this is dull. It's also a little patronising to the customer, it says "I know what you want to eat, I will cook as I see fit, and you will like it or lump it for the next seven/eight courses".
In addition, these tasting menus are also stunningly overpriced most of the time. Of course, there are usually some complete cookery revelations somewhere down the lines, but there's usually at least something which is disappointing, if not woefully inadequate. The portions are also tiny, so if you find something you really like, its probably gone in two mouthfuls. Pretentious, overbearing and generally poor value; tasting menus are usually accompanied by a smug sommelier who wants to tell you what to drink as well, offering wine matches for each course. They're not just telling you what they want you to eat, but what you should drink as well, and how much of it.
People praise tasting menus as a chef can show off their repertoire over the course of the menu, but chefs have done without tasting menus and have fared equally well (if not better). Personally, I would rather be cooked for by a chef who has the conviction to stick to the traditional 3/4 courses and show off a focused, wel thought out menu which caters to a variety of tastes, rather than be splattered by a misfire from a tasting menu, which by its nature has to 'crowd please' as it is all that is on offer. Everyone has different tastes, so why limit them?
So why do I bother with them at all? I try not to, especially after recieving some dreadful service in some of these places (including being asked for a deposit on a table for two on a weekday lunchtime. I mean really, who is serving who?) I have had some fantastic food on tasting menus, but its never been a surprise, I've never thought 'Oh, I'd have never ordered that from the menu'.
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3 comments:
I quite like tasting menus: they allow one to try a lot of different dishes that one might not otherwise come across - and so experiment with tastes.
I agree entirely!
The only exception I have come across is the chef's table with tasting menu at The Mall Tavern in Notting Hill.
Technically only a three course meal, starters and desert are laid out for communal eating. But for main every dish on the menu is cooked and distributed between diners. One will be equipped with a bell and once that diner has had their fill, they ring the bell and the plates are rotated around the table - everyone gets everything and the portions are certainly not inadequate!
In addition the chef gets everyone involved in the production in the kitchen, and everything in made in house from the roof-top smoking machine to the saffron ice-cream.
I agree entirely!
The only exception I have come across is the chef's table with tasting menu at The Mall Tavern in Notting Hill.
Technically only a three course meal, starters and desert are laid out for communal eating. But for main every dish on the menu is cooked and distributed between diners. One will be equipped with a bell and once that diner has had their fill, they ring the bell and the plates are rotated around the table - everyone gets everything and the portions are certainly not inadequate!
In addition the chef gets everyone involved in the production in the kitchen, and everything in made in house from the roof-top smoking machine to the saffron ice-cream.
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