Memorable meals

[Lizard23]

I thought it might be fun to hear about some memorable meals people have had through the years and what made them memorable to you.

The meal can be memorable for whatever reason, be it the food, the people, the setting, combination of all 3, etc.

 

[PhilKenSebben]

I thought it might be fun to hear about some memorable meals people have had through the years and what made them memorable to you.

The meal can be memorable for whatever reason, be it the food, the people, the setting, combination of all 3, etc.

God what a loser thread posted by such a total loser

 

[PhilKenSebben]

Yeah but seriously, 2 meals really stick out in my mind

1) meeting up with my family for dinner afetlter my college graduation. We went to a steak house in okemos mi, it was tasty, a higher end chain, can't even think of the name of it. But remember floating on cloud 9. I could find my car keys after the meal, turns out I was so distracted I left my car running I the parking lot for the whole 3 hour meal

2) the first date dinner with my now wife. We weren't even planning on having dinner when we met for our date, but everything went so well we stayed out later than planned, went to one of the restaurants at one of the Detroit casinos on the 16th floor overlooking the river and the whole city. Bottle of wine, beautiful steaks, she ordered sea bass and here we are almost 9 years later!

 

[Piobaire]

We had a very memorable meal in 2011 in Las Vegas, Robuchon at The Mansion. One of the things that made it very memorable was the company, which included three former, highly notable StyFo members. Highlights were the somm was a fellow Canuck and the entire group getting a tour of the kitchen after our meal.

Fun fact: every reservation at The Mansion comes with complimentary limo service and you pull into this super high roller, hidden entrance courtyard. We were escorted through private, uber-whale salons where folks were in very small parties, sitting in wingback leather chairs, and chilling.

 

[PhilKenSebben]

We had a very memorable meal in 2011 in Las Vegas, Robuchon at The Mansion. One of the things that made it very memorable was the company, which included three former, highly notable StyFo members. Highlights were the somm was a fellow Canuck and the entire group getting a tour of the kitchen after our meal.

Fun fact: every reservation at The Mansion comes with complimentary limo service and you pull into this super high roller, hidden entrance courtyard. We were escorted through private, uber-whale salons where folks were in very small parties, sitting in wingback leather chairs, and chilling.

Nothing like name dropping without name dropping!

Was the. Food memorable and worth it? Or was it more experience over substance?

 

[Lizard23]

Yeah but seriously, 2 meals really stick out in my mind

1) meeting up with my family for dinner afetlter my college graduation. We went to a steak house in okemos mi, it was tasty, a higher end chain, can't even think of the name of it. But remember floating on cloud 9. I could find my car keys after the meal, turns out I was so distracted I left my car running I the parking lot for the whole 3 hour meal

2) the first date dinner with my now wife. We weren't even planning on having dinner when we met for our date, but everything went so well we stayed out later than planned, went to one of the restaurants at one of the Detroit casinos on the 16th floor overlooking the river and the whole city. Bottle of wine, beautiful steaks, she ordered sea bass and here we are almost 9 years later!

This reminds me of my college graduation dinner. Grew up in a very blue collar family and I was the first one to go to college. After I graduated we went out to what I, at the time, considered to be a pretty fancy meal (it wasnt but it was great nonetheless).

It was the first time my father ever used a credit card to pay for anything as he was and is an all cash type.

He paid the bill and we left only to later learn that he didnt realize he could tip on his credit card so he tipped in cash and then wrote that amount in on the gratuity line of the check.

He said he didnt care because it was worth it. Turns out the waiter realized the error, took the cash but crossed out the credit card tip.

 

[Piobaire]

Food was 100% worth it. We all ordered the 16 course, "grand degustation," tasting menu. The dishes went from incredibly OTT, like the confit onion tart with housemade bacon covered in black truffles to this dish that was just faro in a super savory broth...but that had gold leaf on it to eat. I remember the first course everyone had this huge caviar tin set in front of them, the servers pull the lid off, and it's caviar then seafood underneath that was incredible. Here's a pic:

 

[Texasmade]

2 memorable meals. First one is Pamplona, Spain I mentioned in the other thread and the other was a Michelin star restaurant in Paris.

Michelin star place was because it was so ******* expensive but free for me because I won a bet and my friends had to pay. France was playing Germany in the Euros and France ended up winning. The whole waitstaff went nuts. I'll need to post pictures if I can find them.

 

[jcman311]

I'm not very well traveled but have had some great meals locally. I have a few friends who have become chefs and also connections with my inlaws and their farm. Probably one experience that sticks out was about 12 years ago we were dining at a small restaurant way north of here. The chef there ended up becoming rather popular locally but this was before that. Someone at the table noticed something small was missing (like a few mushrooms as a garnish) and the waiter immediately took it back. My FIL had a seat facing the mostly open kitchen and sat in shock while the head chef berated his sous for like 5 mins. It was a great meal taste-wise.

 

[edinatlanta]

God what a loser thread posted by such a total loser

Why do you think I will never post in the thread?

 

[edinatlanta]

I remember one time I had been sick for days and hadn't eaten. I was a fat-ass kid then. My dad brought home some Burger King. I still had no appetite when I sat down at the table just to be with him and my mom for dinner (it was like 10PM). He pulled out two burgers and I **** you not I just grabbed one and ate it in two, maybe two-and-a-half bites. Probably the best burger I've ever had.

First time I went to Hong Kong it was the end of a month-long trip. I was really heartbroken and couldn't really enjoy the trip and I remember I got to my hotel room and just wanted to stay inside. Finally forced myself to go out and it was monsooning a little bit. Found this noodle shop and the woman next to me was eating and rather matter of factly realized I was out of my element and just pointed at things on the menu for me to order. Goose and pork noodles

Best ice cream I ever had was in Macau that trip. It was so ******* hot, end of July maybe August at that point. I was walking around and realized everyone was eating ice cream so I kind of reverse-followed them and they were all eating McDonald's. That AC and that ice cream were out of this world.

There was a place here that did szechuan dimsum that has closed. Unlike Cantonese dim sum you don't get carts. And the entire restaurant is served the same thing at the same time in that very warm and friendly Chinese style. I honestly don't know half of what I ate and it was incredibly overwhelming. 10 or 12 plates.

First michelin star I ate was a dim sum place in Hong Kong (I think on my second trip there). Like 20 bucks for a *. Would recommend.

Last time I was in Switzerland I made a point to visit the only hospitality school with a Michelin star. The school's restaurant does a (relatively) affordable Prix Fixe lunch. Beautiful Summer day. Landed, checked in to the hotel, boarded the bus to go all the way up the mountain. Ate like seven courses with the wine. Came back on the bus buzzed, slightly jetlagged and then had a cigar in downtown. That was a phenomenal and overloading day.

When I was in Scouts in Australia we were at a big camp for the entire state's Scout troops. Like, thousands of people. They have all kinds of ****, sailing, hiking whatever. Anyway, me and my buddy were in one of the sailing competitions and it was pouring all weekend. We finished we were so cold, so soaked so tired and it was the last day. We walked over to the the grill and got like three of their sausage sizzles. It was phenomenal.

 

[edinatlanta]

OK so this is just memorable meals.

I think it was New Year's Eve and I went out (I know, I know...). It was Eli from Top Chef's restaurant. I ordered some fish and it was so ******* salty. I have an incredibly salty palate and my mouth was burning from the salt. I was like yeah I can't eat this and sent it back. Got something else, it was fine.

Get the bill and the **** I couldn't eat was on there and the new dish. I told the server you know I had to send it back, right? And he goes OH OK and walked off. I was not a Karen but when he came back I said "I'm not paying for that I had to send it back." This was like 630. Place was half full. Very confused waiter goes to the manager and the manager throws his hands in the air walks over "So you have a complaint?" "Yeah I was charged for a dish I couldn't eat" WE CANT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. I was like man whatever. Don't remember if I stewed in inchoate rage and paid.

 

[Texasmade]

Thé steak from the Spain place. We also got lamb chops, black pudding, some seafood, and 2 bottles of wine. Total cost was like 100EUR

 

[Lizard23]

Spain is just a magical place…

 

[Fueco]

One of the highlights of my trek in Nepal in May 2003 was sitting in a trailside teahouse one afternoon drinking mint tea (made from mint grown just outside), eating and listening to the local Rinpoche chanting in the corner.

I took this picture as he was leaving the teahouse just ahead of us.