The greatest disappointment of them all
Where did all the à la carte menus go?
The most prominent disappointments I get in my gastronomic explorations are of two kinds:
When someone comes to Portugal or Italy and falls from utter banalities and trite tropes and writes about them, especially if it’s a gastronomist/someone who works or exists in this area,
When I expect a restaurant to go above and beyond my expectations because of the incredible tales I am told, it ultimately falls short of my dreams.
There is a third kind of disappointment I recently found out:
The almost mandatory dictatorship of the sommelier’s ego matches the chef’s ego, and all comes alive through an imposed wine pairing and chef’s menu.
Going for the chef’s menu the first time one visits a place is okay. It gives a nice ride into the chef’s mind and gastronomic philosophy.
But having to withstand that every time makes me think twice about visiting an establishment more than once yearly.
Or ever again.
Which is all right for a place like DiverXo. You go there for the wow factor and then forget about it till the following year or forever. And be honest, most of you don’t REALLY go there for the food. You go there because it’s the starriest place in the country, its chef is idolised like a Ronaldo of the kitchen, and you can show off your conspicuous consumption to your peers.
You go there for lashing out notes at the wines because the complexity of those dishes is way above and beyond 98% of the palates, and not always complexity is good, but most of you are simple souls with a palate tuned by your daily sweet + salty Oreos. When someone you gastronomically respect tells you that this food you tasted is marvellous, you believe it. No question asked; your tastebuds don’t know the difference in all that confusion.
But there are places where one would love to go more than once per year: enter the À la carte, the blessed invention that rescues us from the frequently abominable menu.
If we are regulars, the menu needs to be something to be enjoyed - regularly.
Comfort food is frequently hidden in the à la carte menu, even the kind that can be found in a three-star restaurant.
Because:
There is comfort in the avant-garde.
Not all three stars have to be avant-garde—eating classical dishes cooked and prepared impeccably is refreshing.
The Chef’s menu, on the other hand, has only issues.
Like the elephant on the table, a complex, long menu can only be truly enjoyed when we have time and the right setting.
So why do many Chefs get locked in this impossible formula of the tasting menu, other than to cut their costs and simplify their service?
loved this. I might be *that* person saying this, but cutting costs and simplifying service are the two main problems of every kitchen - ultimately all kitchens have the same problems, but starred ones need even more prep, staff, and organization. I run a small kitchen alone and I manage to serve a choice of 7-8 very simple tapas and 2 desserts. A high level restaurant needs a staff of 5-6 just to cover the basics and sometimes the fixed menu is literally the only thing you have the time, space and means to serve.
Sure there's ego, but I am willing to bet the problem is still a practical one: when the line is all busy preparing the menu at the same time, and then you get the random à-la-carte order, you can be sure that in the kitchen volano le madonne.
Infomative