Random Daily Banter

[First Aspect]

Not particularly great results for me, but then I wouldn't use google maps to start with.

Tangentially related to this is the London Reddit Angus Steakhouse story. A bunch of people complained that all their favourite places to eat would be put on instagram, and then be ruined as a result. They concluded that the only solution was to try to promote Angus Steakhouse and hope that this would be picked up by visitors leaving their favourite places untarnished. They then went on a relentless campaign of always posting how great Angus Steakhouse is. Comically, Angus Steakhouse picked up on it and started using it in their marketing "Best steak sandwich as voted by Londoners".

For those unfamiliar with Angus Steakhouse - it is not somewhere you would choose to eat.

Totally agree. Michelin guide is the only reliable option.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Totally agree. Michelin guide is the only reliable option.

I don’t think they have any Greggs in that guide so no good for me.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

I don’t think they have any Greggs in that guide so no good for me.

Not so fast, Rusters,
Introducing Bistro Greggs: The ultimate fine dining experience https://share.google/Gw01MlrxzfxmCHE9Y

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

Totally agree. Michelin guide is the only reliable option.

To be fair, younger generations and often food critics love to dismiss it as irrelevant, but it still is largely the best indicator of skill and quality level in the kitchen.

 

[PurplePenguin]

To be fair, younger generations and often food critics love to dismiss it as irrelevant, but it still is largely the best indicator of skill and quality level in the kitchen.

It's just instagram for the older generation.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

It's just instagram for the older generation.

Well, Michelin Inspectors generally have 10 years experience in the food and hospitality industry, go through a 200 question interview exam, multiple interviews and are expected to serve at least 5 years as an inspector. The guide has been going for 120 years and starred restaurants are visited multiple times each year. Whereas Instagram reviewing is open to any tit with a camera. Apart from that though, they are almost identical.

 

[PurplePenguin]

Well, Michelin Inspectors generally have 10 years experience in the food and hospitality industry, go through a 200 question interview exam, multiple interviews and are expected to serve at least 5 years as an inspector. The guide has been going for 120 years and starred restaurants are visited multiple times each year. Whereas Instagram reviewing is open to any tit with a camera. Apart from that though, they are almost identical.

If somewhere is Michelin starred it will be excessively popular in exactly the same way as when somewhere becomes popular on some form of social media.

Neither appeals to me, but it's fine as they're playing the Angus Steakhouse role. I just hope none of my favourite places get Michelin starred or instragrammed, but ultimately nowhere stays good forever.

 

[First Aspect]

If somewhere is Michelin starred it will be excessively popular in exactly the same way as when somewhere becomes popular on some form of social media.

Neither appeals to me, but it's fine as they're playing the Angus Steakhouse role. I just hope none of my favourite places get Michelin starred or instragrammed, but ultimately nowhere stays good forever.

Yes but in Michelin it is somewhat less about the decor.

I was only joking, by the way.

The best places to eat are a combination of the weather, the view, if the chairs are comfortable, how hungry you are, whether you've had a nice day, if you are driving or can drink, the service, the food, the company, if you are on holiday, whether it's the last day or the first, how close you are to having been paid.

It is all objective and scientific.

 

[PurplePenguin]

Yes but in Michelin it is somewhat less about the decor.

I was only joking, by the way.

The best places to eat are a combination of the weather, the view, if the chairs are comfortable, how hungry you are, whether you've had a nice day, if you are driving or can drink, the service, the food, the company, if you are on holiday, whether it's the last day or the first, how close you are to having been paid.

It is all objective and scientific.

I know you were joking, but midlandsgrimpeur was not.

Both attract sheep in my view, but that probably seems harsh.

Number 1 deciding factor for me is type of cuisine although some of your factors affect what type of cuisine I choose.

 

[AndyRM]

Not so fast, Rusters,
Introducing Bistro Greggs: The ultimate fine dining experience https://share.google/Gw01MlrxzfxmCHE9Y

I actually went to that. It was gloriously surreal.

Greggs have a wonderful relationship with Fenwicks, a few years ago they reversed their sign so that it would show properly in pictures of their Christmas window display:

https://www.reddit.com/r/DesignPorn/s/e97riYrPdP

 

[briantrumpet]

I know you were joking, but midlandsgrimpeur was not.

Both attract sheep in my view, but that probably seems harsh.

Number 1 deciding factor for me is type of cuisine although some of your factors affect what type of cuisine I choose.

I assume you saw that in that Google-scraped model you can filter for cuisine type.

As much as anything, it amused me how someone so minded & skilled could create a useful tool from data already out there, and then incidentally, use it to draw conclusions about the demographics of (in this case) restaurants.

It reminds me a bit of the irony of Alfred Wainwright writing such brilliant guides to an area that he loved because it allowed him to get away from people, and the guides themselves ended up making Lakeland such a popular tourist destination that it was hard for Wainwright to avoid tourists.

 

[PurplePenguin]

I assume you saw that in that Google-scraped model you can filter for cuisine type.

As much as anything, it amused me how someone so minded & skilled could create a useful tool from data already out there, and then incidentally, use it to draw conclusions about the demographics of (in this case) restaurants.

It reminds me a bit of the irony of Alfred Wainwright writing such brilliant guides to an area that he loved because it allowed him to get away from people, and the guides themselves ended up making Lakeland such a popular tourist destination that it was hard for Wainwright to avoid tourists.

I did, but it's a bit narrow. I'd be looking in the other category most of the time. Apparently Pizza Express is an underrated gem.

 

[BoldonLad]

Not so fast, Rusters,
Introducing Bistro Greggs: The ultimate fine dining experience https://share.google/Gw01MlrxzfxmCHE9Y

Posh Nosh 😂

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

If somewhere is Michelin starred it will be excessively popular in exactly the same way as when somewhere becomes popular on some form of social media.

Neither appeals to me, but it's fine as they're playing the Angus Steakhouse role. I just hope none of my favourite places get Michelin starred or instragrammed, but ultimately nowhere stays good forever.

You'd be surprised, stars are not a guarantee of success. Social media hyped places will likely be far more popular, but the hype will be short lived. Michelin starred places will generally have a secure and regular customer base which keeps them going. Even then, if you check the shelf life of many starred restaurants, if they get to 10 years they have done exceedingly well.

 

[First Aspect]

You'd be surprised, stars are not a guarantee of success. Social media hyped places will likely be far more popular, but the hype will be short lived. Michelin starred places will generally have a secure and regular customer base which keeps them going. Even then, if you check the shelf life of many starred restauarants, if they get to 10 years they have done exceedingly well.

Our local one lasted 4 years before he shut it down. We tried it just in time. Wrong place, not quite enough customers willing to regularly from £500 on a night out for two, I would guess. Seems to me that many of these places suffer from costs going up just as fast as reputation.

The sweet spot for me is the 2 or 3 rosette level. You are less likely to come away starving hungry and penniless, and the food in some cases to be pretty much indistinguishable to my unsophisticated pallette. Less so in others mind you...

That said, I've yet to break open the piggy bank required to fund a two star night out.