understanding 'posh' menu's. Help please.
understanding 'posh' menu's. Help please.
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Discussion

simple101

Original Poster:

1,212 posts

205 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Im used to the likes of Nandos where a 1/4 chicken with chips is exactly that. However I am soon to go somewhere with a menu thus:

CAGOUILLES ET COCHON EN BARIGOULE, OLIVADE & VERVEINE FRAICHE
Gammon & snails barigoule, olivade and fresh verbena
FOIE GRAS AUX CERISES AROMATIQUES ET AMANDES CROUSTILLANTES
Aromatic cherries’ duck foie gras, crispy green almonds
HOMARD BRETON EN BISQUE, POMMES, FREGOLA ET FENOUIL SAUVAGE
Native lobster bisque, apple, fregola and wild fennel
ONGLET DE VEAU GRILLE, VARIATION SUR TOMATE, AUBERGINE FUMEE
Grilled veal onglet, tomatoes’ variation & smoked aubergine.
CREMEUX AUX BAIES D’ETE ET BETTERAVE SUCREE
Summer berries surprise, silky yogurt and sweet beetroot



Its not so much the french i worry about, its the random cuts such as the veal onglet that confuse me.

How much food am i likely to get on my plate and will it taste nice because frankly, to me, it all sounds a bit eww.

Forgive my lower class ignorence but ive never eaten somewhere 'posh'.


Plotloss

67,280 posts

294 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
You're right, onglet is an odd cut of meat.

I'd have the duck.

Dont worry about portion size, view the meal as a whole from the moment you cross the threshold.

Breathe in the decor, the service and the food, you'll be right.

jimothy

5,151 posts

261 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Usually a 'posh' meal will be perfectly sized for the average person, so that you end up content but not overfull or hungry.

Unless you're a fat bcensoredstard.

Taste wise, I find usually 90% of the food is divine, the remaining 10% is ewww (depends on your tastes or course). the 90% more than makes up for the 10%.

I'm with Plotloss on the duck. lick

Bullett

11,132 posts

208 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Don't worry about it.

Just go with whichever main ingrediant takes your fancy (duck, beef, lamb etc) and let the chef worry about how it's served.

If they offer it, go for a tasting menu. There are normally minimal choices and they can often swap out items you are not keen on. There will be no salt/pepper on the table and meat will be cooked to chef's preference (normally bloody for red meat). Tasting menus are normally for the whole table.

Unless you have very specifc wine requirements I'd ask the Sommelier for recommendations for you meal (set a budget)

hman

7,497 posts

218 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Go for the duck, I mean lobster soup is no alternative really.

as for onglet it seems to be the subject of some discussion, why not try it it seems like the majority seem to think its good.

http://www.mouthfulsfood.com/forums//lofiversion/i...

SJobson

13,628 posts

288 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Are the translations on the menu? They seem to have been mangled by Babelfish or similar.

simple101

Original Poster:

1,212 posts

205 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
SJobson said:
Are the translations on the menu? They seem to have been mangled by Babelfish or similar.
Its copy and pasted from the restuarants website so i dont think so.

Thanks alot for your help people. I will go open minded and leave the snails to one side...

I think the key was- chose the main ingriedient and let the chef do the rest. I guess if it costs what it does, the chef must be worth it.

Thanks again.

Mobile Chicane

21,827 posts

236 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
I've had veal onglet and it was delicious. It's a meltingly tender steak.

OnTheOverrun

3,965 posts

201 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Club Gascon is over-rated and a touch pretentious IMHO.

If you're used to Nandos you'll find the portions small and will be hungry on the way home. They also serve many of their dishes with a 'foam' on it. I find this particularly hard to eat as it looks like a tramp has gobbed on it. Might be worth avoiding those dishes until you are sure you like them! smile

shirt

25,078 posts

225 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
never be embarrassed to ask the waiter to explain a particular dish. unless you're in somewhere completely lost in its own arse, they won't sneer. its what you leave a tip for.

sherman

14,926 posts

239 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
simple101 said:
How much food am i likely to get on my plate and will it taste nice because frankly, to me, it all sounds a bit eww.
One thing I ve always found about a "posh" restaurant is that there is always a chip shop nearby if you come out still feeling hungry.

grumbledoak

32,398 posts

257 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Any link to the web site? I could try to translate.

It does look a bit like the afore-mentioned Club Gascon, but it isn't exactly the same as the menu I found. From what I can see...

These aren't all the same course
They do sound quite nice
The English translation is more than a bit 'iffy'

But, in my experience, you largely get what you pay for (except at the very extremes).

Scraggles

7,619 posts

248 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
went to a "posh" restaurant once - office had booked me there, the food was fancy, tiny portions made to look bigger by dribbling goo all over it, ended up leaving telling them that needed food after a long day and the snacks they served up as a main meal did not do much

Shaolin

2,955 posts

213 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Onglet is French for knob

OnTheOverrun

3,965 posts

201 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
grumbledoak said:
Any link to the web site? I could try to translate.

It does look a bit like the afore-mentioned Club Gascon, but it isn't exactly the same as the menu I found. From what I can see...

These aren't all the same course
They do sound quite nice
The English translation is more than a bit 'iffy'

But, in my experience, you largely get what you pay for (except at the very extremes).
http://www.clubgascon.com/library/cc_clubmenu.pdf

kiteless

12,396 posts

228 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
shirt said:
never be embarrassed to ask the waiter to explain a particular dish. unless you're in somewhere completely lost in its own arse, they won't sneer. its what you leave a tip for.
No.

That level of service is what you would expect from quality restaurants, not to pay extra for.