tasting menus

I'm wondering how others feel about tasting menus. I went to Bouley for a work lunch the other day, and while the service was mostly impeccable and the bread out of this world, the experience reaffirmed for me how little I enjoy tasting menus, especially ones based in French technique. I felt compelled to eat past my point of satiety and really would have been happier choosing one dish or sharing a bunch of dishes amongst the table. Not to mention the time commitment. Am I alone?

ATG117
  • Posted by: ATG117
  • June 15, 2014
  • 1805 views
  • 3 Comments

3 Comments

ChefJune
ChefJune June 16, 2014
I think tasting menus can be sublime, but they must be planned for, and only when you have the time to enjoy them in a relaxed manner.
 
Greenstuff
Greenstuff June 15, 2014
In theory, I love tasting menus. In practice, not as much, because of what you said--too much food. That said, I'm just back from a month in rural France, and I'm feeling they have totally embraced too much food. It used to be that you could have a standard meal--entree, plat, fromage, dessert (first course, main course, cheese, dessert)--and feel happy at the end. This past month, I would have been perfectly happy to quit after many a first course. It's not the time involved (well, maybe sometimes), it's the amount of food.
 
Susan W.
Susan W. June 15, 2014
I actually enjoy them under the right circumstances. A working lunch would not be what I would consider ideal. I like to go with a good friend and plan on a long meandering meal and conversation. I have a good friend that I don't get to see very often. We are kmnown to have 3 hour lunches. We joke that we have to get together on a Saturday or use a day of PTO. :) A tasting menu would be perfect for us.
 
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