Restaurant recommendations in Europe

[spagotti]

When I browse this forum I only see recommendations of restaurants in the United states while everybody knows the really fine cuisine comes from and is located in Europe.

Is it ok to recommend and share experiences from restaurants on this side of the ocean?

 

[petemccracken]

Why not?/img/vbsmilies/smilies/chef.gif

 

[spagotti]

Maybe you guys get jealous?

Just kidding, I'll share some experiences ;-)

 

[ishbel]

There has been a number of recommendations made  by those of us on 'this' side of the pond!

 

[bughut]

I recommend La Boite a Huitres in Bordeaux if you love oysters. In fact all seafood. But they specialise in oysters. Different grades/different prices. The ones from Arcachon are by far the best imo.

You can dine inside or out on the wide street. It was a sunny, warm day in October last year and we sat out for lunch. Ordered a rustic pate and bread to share to start. White wine and I thought  I'd ordered 12 of number 2 oysters from the menu. In fact my french let me down and we were served with 2 dozen  between us. Gorgeous, but I gave up after 9 and hubby finished them off.

It's lovely to sit in such a relaxed place and soak up everything going on around you. The oyster shucker stands at the doorway of the restaurant shucking away happily, while you sit, eat and watch the world go by.

My faux pas in ordering did cost us dear unfortunately. 68 euros for lunch stung a wee bit

 

[chefedb]

Restaurant  PIC in Valance France, Rest. Bocuse in Leon France. , Ritz Carlton Hotel in London I believe it was.. Jules Verne top of Eifel Tower was good.I went years ago .

 

[chrisbelgium]

You'll find some interesting places mentioned on this page. More like the best of the best in Europe. The website is Lo mejor de la gastronomía, the english version.

Snoop around for some mindblowing plates and recipes too!!

http://www.lomejordelagastronomia.com/en/restaurants

Spagotti, where are you from?

 

[margcata]

I have been living and working in Europe since 1996 ... thus, I focus mostly on Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece´s restaurant scene as I cannot fly over to NYC or San Fran unless I am on vacation. I have just returned from Brazil ... and am going to write it all up ...

Do write on European restaurants ...

Margcata

 

[chefedb]

When I started in this business in the late 50s.  European and mostly French restaurants were the echolon. Over the years the US has caught up and in many instances surpassed many of them. 

The European places seemed to have Americanized and we have strived to Europeanize(if such a word). Thanks goes out to Chefs like Keller ,Palmer,  Forgione in their search for perfection, and only serving the freshest and the best. . I used to enter culinary exhibits in NY and felt like an outsider because I was not French or from Europe. There were many European chefs associations, at least 1 or 2 from every country. We here in the US had maybe 1 for the whole country and it was run loosely. Today the opposite is true .. We have come a long way baby.!!

 

[margcata]

For Chris Belgium,

Nice website recommendation for European located restaurants. Gambero Rossi is a true epicurean escapada on the coast of Tuscany ... I have lunched or dined in many of the Iberian Peninsula's well known venues over the years and have interviewed some of the top chefs listed. I attend Madrid Fusion and Fruit Attraction yearly and have met many of these talented chefs over the years. I am the Food and Wine Editor or the oldest English language expat magazine in continental Europe, 1958 to present and write a column of 4 to 5 pages per edition 4 times a year additionally to having a collaboration on a website www.internationaltravel.ws in which u shall find some of my published work on Spain.