I have recently had the most expensive meal I have ever eaten. I mean seriously expensive… and seriously good too.
I had of course heard about Michelin starred restaurants. I never quite understood what a car tyre and a chubby marshmallow man had to do with excellent food – but when friends suggested an outing to one such restaurant, I was very pleased to go.
The restaurant was the Paris House Restaurant in the grounds of Woburn Abbey. That should have told me a lot. And if not, one glance at the building was enough.
It was built in 1878 as part of The Paris International Exhibition. Apparently the then Duke of Bedford fell in love with it, had it dismantled and shipped to his estate where it was lovingly rebuilt to become… wait for it … accommodation for his staff.
It’s also been a private dwelling and a hospital and of course is now a fine restaurant, with a bomb shelter in the back garden (as all the very best restaurants have).
The dining experience is a tasting menu – eight or ten course – with an accompanying wine flight.
We chose the ten course and I have to say, I have never eaten food of this quality. It was amazing.
Of course, there is one in every crowd – or in our case two. The staff smoothly produced suitable substitutes for my diabetic friend. In fact, his desserts looked wonderful.
I was the other difficult one. I thought the sommelier was going to protest when I told him I didn’t drink white wine. But he put on a brave face and served me red wines, even with the fish. He did a wonderful job of selecting them. They were excellent.
Cuttlefish, Bulgar Wheat, Preserved Lemon & Tomato – tasted good with a light red wine.
We had a leisurely meal ending with not one or two but FOUR dessert courses. They know their patrons well.
So by now I guess you are wondering how much it cost. It’s no secret. The menu and prices are on their website. £99 per person for the ten course menu. Plus £50 per person for the six part wine flight. And then there is the cost of the bottled water, and the canapés. And the service charge…
Yes, it was far too much money to spend on a meal. But this wasn’t just a meal, It was an experience. The staff were brilliant. And the food exceptional. And if you were to ask me my favourite dish – the answer would be the cabbage. Cabbage???? Not just any cabbage but…
SPRING CABBAGE : Smoked Jersey Royal, Spring Cabbage & Gracilaria
If, like me, you have no idea what gracilaria is, according to Wikipedia it is a red algae. And it makes cabbage taste like nothing on earth.
Sorry there’s no photo of the cabbage. It was consumed far too fast.
Comments
15 responses to “The best and most expensive cabbage ever”
What a FABULOUS meal, Janet! Was it a special occasion or just a random suggestion to go there?
There were friends visiting from New Zealand so we decided to make it a special occasion. I recommend it. It was a evening to remember.
An experience your friends no doubt will remember, Janet. It sounds mouth-wateringly fabulous! 🙂 x
It was Sheryl. I didn’t think to take photos until half way through – I wish I had taken more (and better) shots of how fab the food really was.
I love tasting menus. As a light eater I usually only get to eat one dish, but a great tasting menu is a joy.
Me too Jo. In a really good restaurant, I hate having to decide on just one dish. It’s far more fun to sample many. And while each one looks very small – by the end, I felt I had eaten a substantial meal.
Looks amazing – thanks for sharing – it’s the closest most of us will come 🙂
Angela, I’m not going to make a habit of it – the credit card is still sobbing quietly in the corner. But it was great for a special one-off night.
Eating at Michelin starred restaurants is my favourite hobby, and it can cost a lot less if you try the set lunches. Here’s my favourite hotel: http://www.manorhouse.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE_HOTELS/eating%20and%20drinking/the%20bybrook%20restaurant/menus/lunch%20menus.aspx
There are a couple of amuse-bouches thrown in, in addition to the courses mentioned. We usually have one glass of wine each, and a jug of iced tap water, because it’s lunchtime and we’re driving. Obviously it’s not as much of an event as your evening one, Janet, but it’s so much cheaper that we can go a lot more often! xx
That looks great Jill. Especially the ice pudding mousse, watermelon salsa with mango sorbet. And lunch seems a much better idea price-wise. Off now to google Michelin restaurants in my part of the world. I live in West London – there’s bound to be one or two.
Thanks for that, Jill. Duly noted.
Oh, wow! That all looks spectacular and, I don’t doubt, tasted delicious.
We recently picked a hotel in France, from booking.com, because reports said how fab the restaurant was. We didn’t realise till we were there that it had earned a Michelin star. There was no ten course option, but the three we chose, and the accompanying amuse bouche, were heavenly. Not cheap, but definitely worth it for the service, the quality, the perfect flavours and – like you say – the experience. We weren’t just eating a meal, we were making memories!
Yep, those Michelin guys know what they’re about. I wonder how easy it is to get a job on the judging panel…?
That would be the best job ever, wouldn’t it.
That all looks so good, Janet. Your visitors must have been really impressed. Those desserts in particular look irresistible! OH took me to stay at Le Manoir for a significant wedding anniversary and it was incredible. Quite literally a “once in a lifetime” experience.
What a fabulous anniversary idea… must talk to mine about that 🙂