Expensive Restaurants Doesn’t Mean They Have the Best Food

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Born_To_Lose

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I have been invited to a celebration dinner of a friend of mine that still works for the CIA, but is retiring tomorrow. His team has set up a dinner celebration in New York City at a very expensive restaurant. The name is Eleven Madison Park.

My problem is I can’t eat their food. It’s all mostly gourmet and that usually means using spices that my body has never been acquainted with. I have eaten there twice and both times I have had bad experiences. They have a new master chef, so maybe they would make me a plain steak.

And after dinner, we will have a gourmet desert with drinks. Do any of you enjoy gourmet food? Is there anything I can take before dinner to help with digestion later? Just checking.
 

Restaurants are very aware now of potentially lethal allergies, so if you ask for specific times to be left out of the food...for example.. spices...or Balsamic vinegar, or you just want a plain dish with no dressing at all... then tell them you have an allergy..

My husband does this all the time because he's allergic to flavoured Vinegars , and no restaurant has ever refused
 

My husband, son and I had the sometimes annoying task of questioning every waitress at every restaurant about how and where the food is cooked and if there are any pork products in it or cooked on the same grill as what we wanted. It's surprising how many people didn't realize that bacon is pork! Anyway, sometimes I'd call ahead to get the scoop on what's safe to eat. They're so exclusive that their website doesn't show menu options. I assume that by the time you read this, you will have attended the party. Let us know how things worked out.

@Sciguy...ever noticed that the fancier and pricier the restaurant, the less food you get?
 
I had a peek at the site. Yikes! Tofu, fave beans, and rice are staples there. They dress them up with spices and herbs. Here are some of their recipes: Eleven Madison Home | Bring home a taste of Eleven Madison Park | Plant-based pantry staples and kitchen essentials, made in NYC and shipped around the US

I don't consider this gourmet. I think the high prices are because they know how to market their product through choice photos and words. If it were me, I would eat before going. I would eat what I like, so when I go there, I can nibble and not commit to any food. If anyone asks, I could say that I have allergies or am on a diet, etc.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
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My husband, son and I had the sometimes annoying task of questioning every waitress at every restaurant about how and where the food is cooked and if there are any pork products in it or cooked on the same grill as what we wanted. It's surprising how many people didn't realize that bacon is pork! Anyway, sometimes I'd call ahead to get the scoop on what's safe to eat. They're so exclusive that their website doesn't show menu options. I assume that by the time you read this, you will have attended the party. Let us know how things worked out.

@Sciguy...ever noticed that the fancier and pricier the restaurant, the less food you get?
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Like this?
 
We quit going out to eat at our normal restaurants. The Beef became Longhorn chewy tough, Not swallowable Top sirloins.
Just gobs of chewed gristle. Most likely old Dairy cows from Canada. Even the Sausage got chewy and the Roast Beef from Arbys. No price on the Menus. 30% of the Beef in the USA is from Canadas 10,000 dairy farms 1.5 million cows. The Restaurants can close for all we care.

We are both great cooks and love spoiling each other around the Kitchen and Patio. I do great Stews and Beef,
Polish Sausages that sort of stuff. She, awesome Ribs, chicken, Omelets, Shrimp Alfredo etc.
 
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I tried gourmet food years ago & found out it wasn't for me. Give me simple good ingredients cooked well. Old-fashioned scratch cooking & comfort foods are my favorite. Sometimes things sound fancy & hard to make, but they really aren't like hollandaise ... just simple ingredients made into something tasty.

Even after having my gall bladder removed, certain foods still gave me problems. I've either stopped eating them or do so in moderation. Fried foods at some restaurants who don't change their oils like they should or use cheaper oils to cook in really don't agree with me. Artificial sweeteners are a no-no.

About 3 years ago, my acupuncturist told to me take 2000 mg of Bromelain everyday because I was so bloated & wasn't digesting food well. I by 500 mg capsules & take it 4-times a day. It took about 3 weeks for me feel the difference, but it really worked for me.
 
I also went to the website to check out Eleven Madison Park. Be prepared to empty your wallet! 😲🤑

What type of menu does the restaurant offer?

"We offer three menus, all of which are 100% plant-based. Our main dining room tasting menu is nine to ten courses for $365 per guest, traditionally lasting two and a half to three hours, featuring both plated and communal dishes. The 6-course menu is $285 per guest. Featuring highlights from the Full Tasting menu along with tableside preparations, lasting roughly two hours. Served in our lounge, we offer a Bar Tasting menu for $195 per guest that consists of four to five courses, commonly lasting one and a half to two hours."

What if my dietary restrictions change after I complete my reservation?

"Not a problem! We will be verifying all food allergies, aversions, and dietary restrictions prior to you joining us, but also at the table when you arrive for your meal."

Here's the lowdown. > Eleven Madison Park Isn’t Ready to Be a World-Class Vegan Restaurant

I'm an unabashed carnivore. I wouldn't be remotely interested in dining here at any price, so this place is not for me.

Mr. Born To Lose, here's a list of digestive enzymes. Have a look. > https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/best-digestive-enzymes
 
Bella said:
I also went to the website to check out Eleven Madison Park. Be prepared to empty your wallet! 😲🤑

What type of menu does the restaurant offer?

"We offer three menus, all of which are 100% plant-based. Our main dining room tasting menu is nine to ten courses for $365 per guest, traditionally lasting two and a half to three hours, featuring both plated and communal dishes. The 6-course menu is $285 per guest. Featuring highlights from the Full Tasting menu along with tableside preparations, lasting roughly two hours. Served in our lounge, we offer a Bar Tasting menu for $195 per guest that consists of four to five courses, commonly lasting one and a half to two hours."

What if my dietary restrictions change after I complete my reservation?

"Not a problem! We will be verifying all food allergies, aversions, and dietary restrictions prior to you joining us, but also at the table when you arrive for your meal."

Here's the lowdown. > Eleven Madison Park Isn’t Ready to Be a World-Class Vegan Restaurant

I'm an unabashed carnivore. I wouldn't be remotely interested in dining here at any price, so this place is not for me.

Mr. Born To Lose, here's a list of digestive enzymes. Have a look. > https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/best-digestive-enzymes
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You did better than I did Bella. At least you found a site that described some of their meals and gave price ranges. Now that I think of it, I don't believe I've ever had what is considered a gourmet meal at a restaurant. How does one define a gourmet meal? I think the great cooks in my family made gourmet meals out of regular ingredients. :D
 
OneEyedDiva said:
You did better than I did Bella. At least you found a site that described some of their meals and gave price ranges. Now that I think of it, I don't believe I've ever had what is considered a gourmet meal at a restaurant. How does one define a gourmet meal? I think the great cooks in my family made gourmet meals out of regular ingredients. :D
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Gourmet food involves high-quality ingredients, skilled preparation, and elaborate presentation, offering distinctive, sophisticated flavors. Regular food, while still delicious, typically involves simpler ingredients, less complex cooking methods, and straightforward presentation, geared towards everyday meals.
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What Is Considered Gourmet Food? - Gourmet Gullet
 
Bella said:
Gourmet food involves high-quality ingredients, skilled preparation, and elaborate presentation, offering distinctive, sophisticated flavors. Regular food, while still delicious, typically involves simpler ingredients, less complex cooking methods, and straightforward presentation, geared towards everyday meals.
emoticon


What Is Considered Gourmet Food? - Gourmet Gullet
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Thank you for the link Bella. I think based on the definitions, I probably haven't eaten gourmet foods.
 

Expensive Restaurants Doesn’t Mean They Have the Best Food, obviously expensive restaurants have the best prices or people wouldn’t spend that much.​

 
My wife and I ate there, but only once. I didn’t know they were vegan. They couldn’t have always been vegan because if I remember correctly, I had grilled pork chops. They also made green beans on the grill with some type of oil. They were very good and so were the stuffed pork chops.

There website states that they serve plant based food. I guess I won’t be going back there again. I like a little of that type of food, but for what they charge, I would sooner eat at Sardi’s, which is right near the theater district. A lot of times we have been there, we have seen the people from our show that we attended or other shows have came in. Very reasonably priced for being in New York. You won’t leave still hungry.
 
Yes 11 Madison Park went plant based only a couple years ago. There are plenty of great places to eat in NYC, and I've eaten at many of them but 11MP is not for me. We had a theatre district favorite that we patronized for decades, Rene Pujol.
 
palides2021 said:
I had a peek at the site. Yikes! Tofu, fave beans, and rice are staples there. They dress them up with spices and herbs. Here are some of their recipes: Eleven Madison Home | Bring home a taste of Eleven Madison Park | Plant-based pantry staples and kitchen essentials, made in NYC and shipped around the US

I don't consider this gourmet. I think the high prices are because they know how to market their product through choice photos and words. If it were me, I would eat before going. I would eat what I like, so when I go there, I can nibble and not commit to any food. If anyone asks, I could say that I have allergies or am on a diet, etc.
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It wasn’t always like that. They had to have changed hands since I was there maybe around early 2000’s. We have put off going to NYC since they have been having problems in the streets. We could take the train up to NYC and then grab a taxi to Times Square and then to Little Italy, if we are going to eat there or Sardi’s. I always have to buy a few black and white cookies and a few cannolis to take home.

We have stayed overnight on several visits also. I think my wife wants to start going back up in the fall. She said there are a few plays she would like to see and of course, we may go up at Christmas to see the Orchestra play.
 
palides2021 said:
I had a peek at the site. Yikes! Tofu, fave beans, and rice are staples there. They dress them up with spices and herbs. Here are some of their recipes: Eleven Madison Home | Bring home a taste of Eleven Madison Park | Plant-based pantry staples and kitchen essentials, made in NYC and shipped around the US

I don't consider this gourmet. I think the high prices are because they know how to market their product through choice photos and words. If it were me, I would eat before going. I would eat what I like, so when I go there, I can nibble and not commit to any food. If anyone asks, I could say that I have allergies or am on a diet, etc.
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None of these recipes does a thing for me at all. I'll know never to dine there.
 
palides2021 said:
I had a peek at the site. Yikes! Tofu, fave beans, and rice are staples there. They dress them up with spices and herbs. Here are some of their recipes: Eleven Madison Home | Bring home a taste of Eleven Madison Park | Plant-based pantry staples and kitchen essentials, made in NYC and shipped around the US

I don't consider this gourmet. I think the high prices are because they know how to market their product through choice photos and words. If it were me, I would eat before going. I would eat what I like, so when I go there, I can nibble and not commit to any food. If anyone asks, I could say that I have allergies or am on a diet, etc.
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Their prices are high because they are a 3 star Michelin restaurant that people badly want to eat at.
 
againstthegrain said:
Yes 11 Madison Park went plant based only a couple years ago. There are plenty of great places to eat in NYC, and I've eaten at many of them but 11MP is not for me. We had a theatre district favorite that we patronized for decades, Rene Pujol.
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Do you like Sardi’s? That’s probably my favorite restaurant in the theater district. For Italian food, I prefer Da Nico’s, but not my wife. She prefers French food.
 
oldman said:
It wasn’t always like that. They had to have changed hands since I was there maybe around early 2000’s. We have put off going to NYC since they have been having problems in the streets. We could take the train up to NYC and then grab a taxi to Times Square and then to Little Italy, if we are going to eat there or Sardi’s. I always have to buy a few black and white cookies and a few cannolis to take home.

We have stayed overnight on several visits also. I think my wife wants to start going back up in the fall. She said there are a few plays she would like to see and of course, we may go up at Christmas to see the Orchestra play.
Click to expand...
If you went to 11MP years ago you seem adventurous enough to try some of the newer places instead of your old stand bys.
 


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