Aah…the Michelin Man or Men should I say as I am sure that no one man could eat at so many places.
The Michelin Man is very popular, some people like the man and some don’t. After following the Michelin Man’s recommendations when I first arrived in London, I started to become wary of the stars accolades and its rankings. This continued to be the case until I read an article recently of an interview with one of these minions who work for the Michelin Man.
It dawned on me that for every place that Michelin recommends, there are 20 or 30 or more of other crappy places that the minions had to eat to find this one. *ping* went the lightbulb in my head, I should have known this all along as isn’t this what we all do to?
We eat at so many places only to find that few that we really like. So, I had to change my perception as in a way, the Michelin Man spared us spending our £££ and tummies on crappy places to a certain degree.
The wonderful thing about the foodies in us is that we all have our preferences. To not have that camaraderie would be a huge loss in helping us with a guide on places to eat, places to avoid, or even dishes that are a ‘must try’ and those are dismal!
Like annual job promotions, rankings and accolades are always controversial. The 2011 list had me applauding some who definitely deserved recognition and others left me scratching my head. Not to mention some who were strangely absent (Launceston Place – I am thinking of you).
I am loving the Bib Gourmand List, it might just be the more popular of the two lists to come. Good food at moderate prices? Oh Yes!
I look forward to reading and hearing of what you all out there think and of course, I have to do some tasting myself in 2011.
Three Stars
Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Mayfair
The Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire
The Waterside Inn, Bray, Berkshire
Two Stars
Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, Mayfair (2011 Addition)
Hibiscus, Mayfair
Le Gavroche, Mayfair
Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, Knightsbridge
Nathan Outlaw, Cornwall (2011 Addition)
Pied á Terre, Bloomsbury
The Square, Mayfair
One Star
Amaya, Belgravia
Apsleys, Belgravia
Arbutus, Soho
Benares, Mayfair
Bingham Restaurant
Chapter One, Kent
Chez Bruce, Wandsworth List
Club Gascon, City of London
Galvin at Windows, Mayfair
Galvin La Chapelle, Spitafields (2011 Addition)
Kitchen W8, Kensington (2011 Addition)
L’Autre Pied, Marylebone
La Trompette, Chiswick
Locanda Locatelli, Marylebone
Maze, Mayfair- post to come
Murano, Mayfair
Nobu, Mayfair
Nobu Berkeley, Mayfair
Petersham Nurseries Café, Richmond 2011 Addition
Pétrus, Belgravia (2011 Addition)
Quilion, Victoria
Rasoi, Chelsea
Rhodes 24, City of London
Rhodes W1, Marylebone
River Cafe, Hammersmith - post to come
Semplice, Mayfair
Seven Park Place, at St James’s Hotel and Club (2011 Addition)
Sketch The Lecture Room and Library, Oxford Circus
St John, Clerkenwell
Texture, Regents Park
The Glasshouse, Kew Village
The Greenhouse, Mayfair
Zafferano, Belgravia
