While I was in Paris I ate at the world’s 40th Best Restaurant – located in the 11th Arrondisment.
It was intimate, there were no pictures on the wall, the tables were wooden and packed closely together. There was only one menu – 5 courses – and absolutely no choice!
The only way to maybe have something changed or removed from the dish was for allergy reasons (and even this wasn’t guaranteed). Simple dislike of a food type i.e. tomatoes did not warrant it being removed from the dish.
I didn’t think I’d enjoy the inflexible menu as much as I did. I loved the fact that I did not have to choose my meal! It was really easy – the food was all very enjoyable – and we had a great evening.
Diner-proof menus are something I’ve noticed are appearing in a number of the top restaurants worldwide. Are they a trend or are they here to stay?
My personal opinion is that they’ll be around for a while. The customers that visit the top restaurants in the world all lead exceptionally busy lives and, when you’re that busy, it’s nice to have a few hours where you’re not required to made decisions. Plus when the menu has been diner-proofed the emphasis is placed on enjoying spectacular dishes the way they were meant to be enjoyed.
Susan Huxter is the Owner at Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek, South Africa.
Le Quartier Francais was awarded the Best Restaurant in the Middle East and South Africa in the 2009 World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
Visit the Le Quartier Francais Blog
Tags: Le Chateaubriand, Le Quartier Francais, Paris
