Restaurant you'd choose if money were no object

[gaijingirl]

i've always found that - not eating meat - it's actually hard to spend that much on food

go to Morgan M or The Admiralty - you can blow quite a bit on veggie food in these two (especially recommend Morgan M!).. Their tasting menu is only £36 but they tempt you with aperitifs, pricey wine, cheese boards, digestifs, coffee etc etc etc.. it ends up pretty fucking pricey!!!

From the Garden £36.00
(recommended for the whole table)

Chilled Gazpacho, Aubergine Croûton,
Tomato and Olive Oil Sorbet

*

Steamed English Asparagus and Velouté,
Summer Truffle Shavings

*

Ragoût of Cherry Tomatoes, Gnocchi and Basil,
Cooking Liquor

*

Cannelloni of Ricotta Cheese and Spinach,
Poêlée of Young Vegetables

*

Light Vanilla Rice Pudding, Orange Tuile

*

Passion Fruit Soufflé and Sorbet,
Crème Anglaise
or
Millefeuille of Raspberries and Strawberries,
Light Crème Patissière,
Lemon Verbena Ice-Cream

French farm cheeses from the trolley,
supplement £7.50

 

[beeboo]

okay we've shortlisted...

Japanese option... Umu
Snail porridge option...Fat Duck
Posh michelin starred French option...Tom Aikens or Petrus

decisions, decisions!

 

[Xanadu]

Nobu/Ubon?

 

[gaijingirl]

OMG - just looked at the UMU menu - *faints*

Most Japanese people I knew had never eaten, or very rarely had kaiseki ryori - it's a big deal - if you can do it, definitely do! It will be the most amazing experience ever!

 

[Errol's son]

I would try Nobu.

If you don't want Japanese, Clarke's is pretty nice (on Kensington Church Street) too.

 

[jchanning]

Gordon Ramsey's Maze is excellent and comfortably within your budget

 

[Chairman Meow]

I would try Nobu.

If you don't want Japanese, Clarke's is pretty nice (on Kensington Church Street) too.

AA Gill wrote an article about Nobu the other day - he said it used to be brilliant, but its shit now.

 

[Kanda]

Dub.. Cafe Pacifico is awful!!! Nice place, shit food

Mine would be Christophers in Covent Garden. Not overly expensive, it's a treat I could afford monthly but don't, the food is IMO amazing.

 

[Dubversion]

Dub.. Cafe Pacifico is awful!!! Nice place, shit food

this was a few years back, dunno if it's declined. Food was fine - not fantastic, but perfectly nice. But it was the booze we were after

 

[Kameron]

I don't care where just as long as it is Matsuzaka beef.

 

[Kanda]

this was a few years back, dunno if it's declined. Food was fine - not fantastic, but perfectly nice. But it was the booze we were after

Yeah, good cocktails

 

[jugularvein]

fuck knows but hats off to skim! not often a post makes me laugh out loud

 

[beeboo]

OMG - just looked at the UMU menu - *faints*

Most Japanese people I knew had never eaten, or very rarely had kaiseki ryori - it's a big deal - if you can do it, definitely do! It will be the most amazing experience ever!

argh..we were veering away from Japanese but you're making me change my mind again now!

I'd definitely go for Umu over Nobu - I get the impression Nobu is a bit of a celeb/wannabe hang-out. Although I'm tempted to go just to spite AA Gill

It's not like we never splash out on posh meals but there is splashing out and there is Splashing Out, and this is definitely the latter so I'm really agonising over the decision!

 

[quimcunx]

Chez Bruce in Wandsworth. It's lovely and apparently london's favourite restaurant. yet not at all snobby. the somalier and cheese experts very friendly and full of advice. That was a good few years ago I went, though so I suppose they might have changed.

Baltic at Southwark. Lovely. I had stweetbreads for the first (and only :-() time there. yum. does a fab polish black pudding and borsche too.

The problem with places like the Ivy and Le Caprice is getting a booking.

Scotts. It's rather nice.

Petrus (Mark Waring) on St. James's is not worth the money. Quite dull I thought. L'Orangerie on the same street. Not bad at all if I remember, thougth frankly I don't particularly.

I hear good things about the Oxo Tower but I haven't been since it first opened and I thought it was shit. Nothing good to say about the food or the ambience.

 

[quimcunx]

OOHHO OOOH OOOH. Just seen the previous post. If you like Japanese go to Matsuri http://www.matsuri-restaurant.com/ It's a fab teppan-yaki restaurant, they cook the bits that do get cooked on a hotplate thing in front of you. Start with drinks in Quaglino's next door. Absolutely fabulous darling (but don't eat at Quags - it's nothin' much)

 

[gaijingirl]

2nd Matsuri - not really a money no object thing but they often have special offers where you can have a starter, teppanyaki and cocktail for £20. They do a lovely vegetarian teppanyaki too.

 

[sonik]

i've always found that - not eating meat - it's actually hard to spend that much on food - i was on an 'all expenses paid, no really - spend as much as you can!' night out with a partner once (employers' paid, long story) and all the really expensive places pretty much just sold elaborate meat dishes.

So instead we went to Cafe Pacifico in Covent Garden, ate pretty well but spunked as much money as we could on booze. Bough the staff drinks, necked a lot of champagne.

I think we hit £250 between the two of us.

This is what i've found as well, but isn't Cafe Pacifico like £15 for a burrito of something crazy? I know moneys supposed to be no object but really!!!

I would probably just go to Ronnie Scotts, £15 to get in, wine (lots of) and the *new menu* plus some good music (possibly) although i suspect like last time i'd be stuck with salad and French fries.

 

[shakespearegirl]

I really rate St Alban in Lower Regent Street. Really good food and the service is amazing

 

[Maggot]

Nobu/Ubon?

Wow, a palindromic post!

 

[Chairman Meow]

Wow, a palindromic post!

 

[beeboo]

Gosh there are a lot of people round here who've eaten at fancy restaurants, ain't there!

*fondly remembers the 2005 Fat Duck scandal*



We still haven't decided btw

 

[Spark]

Chez Bruce is very good, but quite pricey so worth going for a treat.

I've never been to St John, but have always wanted to and it's somewhere i'd think of going if I had someone else giving me lots of money for a nice meal out (though not good if you don't like hearty meat and offal)

Also i've been salivating at reviews of the revamped Scotts http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,2034526,00.html

Always wanted to go to Nahm for michelin starred thai - it's suppose to be amazing and i think they have some special evening on for Thai New Year coming up.

 

[catrina]

Ubon by Nobu, in Westferry/Canary Wharf, has the same menu as Nobu but is much more chilled out and has a great view over the river.

We went to Angela Hartnett's at the Connaught, owned by Gordon Ramsay. Was my favourite meal in London yet. I think the tasting menu was in the 70s rather than 100s, which would leave you plenty of spending room for bottle of wine and tip, etc.

Chez Bruce is supposed to be good and only in the 30s for tasting menu, that's next on our list.

Was thoroughly underwhelmed with Morgan M. The chef is ridiculously pretentious, too, he comes up to each table after the service and asks you how you found the food. It just didn't work, and I left still hungry.

The Admiralty used to be very good, though.

 

[EastEnder]

I went to a posh restaurant once - napkin rings, candle in a bottle, the whole works!

With a big pile of cash to spend, I'd be more concerned about them having decent booze and not hurrying you out to fill their next "slot", than the food itself.

But then I'm veggie and, according to boohoo, not much of a connoisseur. What does she know? You must certainly can put tomato ketchup on risotto.....

 

[corporate whore]

Ubon's ace and as mentioned has a top view. Hakkasan's good as well, on - or rather under - Hanway Place

 

[Cid]

Gosh there are a lot of people round here who've eaten at fancy restaurants, ain't there!

*fondly remembers the 2005 Fat Duck scandal*



We still haven't decided btw

Looking at the Umu menu I would choose that like a shot, even over The Fat Duck.

 

[Mr Retro]

Chez Bruce in Wandsworth. It's lovely and apparently london's favourite restaurant. yet not at all snobby. the somalier and cheese experts very friendly and full of advice. That was a good few years ago I went, though so I suppose they might have changed.

I was at Chez Bruce recently and it is still the same - very very good.

My favorite London restaurant is The Ivy. Beautiful restaurant, fantastic food and great service. Going again next weekend.

 

[hektik]

la gavroche: should be within your budget, and has amazing food.

pattersons: will be well within your budget, plus enough for a couple of bottles of wine.

 

[g force]

I thought Ubon and Nobu were painfully average - crappy service, okay food. Least I didn't pay

I like Benares, just for the mint leaf covered in chocolate and the tapas style curry.