Post by mominatrix on Aug 21, 2014 18:37:56 GMT -5
didn't we have an issue here around a child at Alinea in Chicago?
these people have little kids "review" fancypants restaurants...
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It's incredibly picture heavy, so I'm only including the first two courses...
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD REVIEWS THE FRENCH LAUNDRY
by JESSICA SAIA & ISLA BELL MURRAY
Aug 20 at 6am
Reviewing notable restaurants via the simple yet extremely judgmental palate of a four-year-old has kind of become a “thing” here at the Bold Italic. Back since our second restaurant, whenever anyone has asked how I plan to end the series, I’ve always said that if we were ever able to get a four-year-old to review the French Laundry, that would be it. Looks like I’m going to have to eat my words (or have Isla take photos while a four-year-old eats them), because here we are, already, and these things are WAY TOO CUTE to stop now.
For our fifth installment, extreme fanciness edition, we took Lyla Hogan (favorite food: “good ice cream in a hard cone”) to what Anthony Bourdain has called “the best restaurant in the world, period.” (It won that title officially in 2003 and 2004 and is still the #1 restaurant in California and #3 in the country). Lyla is the youngest person to eat a full tasting menu at the French Laundry. With all the widespread and well-earned prestige of the restaurant, it’s not difficult to find countless multiple-syllable reviews from professional critics. Here we prove that there is no purer critique than the facial expressions of a teeny tiny child.
AVOCADO CORNET
Avocado and lime crème fraîche wrapped in a sesame-seed tuile
The meal began with a salmon cornet amuse-bouche. Lyla’s bouche is staunchly unamused by salmon (rather, she’s allergic), so the kitchen made her a special avocado version. She was pretty skeptical after discovering that it was NOT a tiny ice cream cone but forgave the staff eventually and gave it a try.
SUMMER MELON SOUP
Fresno Chili, Toasted Cashews, and Wild Arugula
The soup, or the bowl of art that TFL is calling soup, came out as the first official dish. After all five and a half hours of eating, Lyla said it was her favorite part of the whole meal.
I will full well drop that kind of money on myself. And hey, I'm all for exposing your kids to new experiences. And foods, too! (My best friend came home from school when she was 7 years old and told her mom, "Can you BELIEVE there are kids in my class who have never had lobster?!") But it is SO INCREDIBLY pretentious to give you kid an almost $300 tasting menu at a restaurant with extremely hard to get reservations and THEN WRITE A BLOG POST. What fucking assholes.
I may be a tad bit jealous, too.
My mom wouldn't even take us to Disneyworld at that age because she knew we wouldn't remember it that well!
I will full well drop that kind of money on myself. And hey, I'm all for exposing your kids to new experiences. And foods, too! (My best friend came home from school when she was 7 years old and told her mom, "Can you BELIEVE there are kids in my class who have never had lobster?!") But it is SO INCREDIBLY pretentious to give you kid an almost $300 tasting menu at a restaurant with extremely hard to get reservations and THEN WRITE A BLOG POST. What fucking assholes.
I may be a tad bit jealous, too.
My mom wouldn't even take us to Disneyworld at that age because she knew we wouldn't remember it that well!
but that's not what it is.
It's not the parents who are writing/photoging the blog post. They've done this type of review at sever other foo restaurants, though nothing on the level of FL. There's actually a bit at the bottom of the post where they're seeking parents who are willing to have their kids do the dinners.
My guess: they contacted FL and got their OK before doing it, and made arrangements. I wouldn't be surprised if they did it on a date/time when there weren't others there.
I will full well drop that kind of money on myself. And hey, I'm all for exposing your kids to new experiences. And foods, too! (My best friend came home from school when she was 7 years old and told her mom, "Can you BELIEVE there are kids in my class who have never had lobster?!") But it is SO INCREDIBLY pretentious to give you kid an almost $300 tasting menu at a restaurant with extremely hard to get reservations and THEN WRITE A BLOG POST. What fucking assholes.
I may be a tad bit jealous, too.
My mom wouldn't even take us to Disneyworld at that age because she knew we wouldn't remember it that well!
meh. Your money isn't better than theirs. And I'm sure they had consent before doing it.
And COME ON. tinkerbell popsicles? How is that not totally adoreable?
Does it really take more than 5 hrs to eat there? I wouldn't be able to take that.
Look, I think paying the equivalent of my week's grocery bill for one meal is fucking ridiculous. So if you want to blow that on a kid, then you do you, boo.
Hey, I suppose if you think your 4 your old can sit still for a 5 hour meal and not bother the other diners and you are doing it because you think they would actually appreciate the meal/occasion and not because you need a publicity stunt to fund your blog, then have at it.
But for the most part, I'm over in the curmudgeon corner. This reminds me of the Alinea couple who brought their baby to dinner - I can't honestly decide who is worse. Shoot, I wouldn't invite most adults I know to join me at FL as I don't think they would appreciate it. Most people don't have hundreds of dollars laying around to blow on a meal for themselves, let alone their kids. I think we can we all agree that this kind of a restaurant is a really special occasion for most of the world's population and should be treated as such.
Post by phunluvin82 on Aug 21, 2014 22:41:48 GMT -5
I actually think this is really entertaining/adorable. "To me, the chicken inside was a fluffy marshmallow" (it was neither)...I mean, come on, that is freaking funny and cute.
My opinion hinges on this not being their kid (not sure why that matters to me, but there you have it)...and on the fact that I'm sure this was approved/arranged with the restaurant ahead of time.
FTR, I was NOT on team parents WRT the Alinea baby...although I did sympathize with their plight. I don't see this as being at all the same as that situation though.
Post by sugarglider on Aug 22, 2014 0:33:27 GMT -5
Ha--just last night a friend was telling me about how they couldn't get reservations for a closing dinner there (she works for one of the big 3 banks).
Maybe it's because I'm not a foodie, but I really don't see why anyone is that enraged over this. The end result is adorable. I mean, I personally wouldn't care to spend more than $100 on a meal (or, on most days, $10...), but I don't really care how others spend their money provided they're not hurting anyone else.
Ok, that looks AMAZING and can I say... my 4.5 year old would have eaten everything. Seriously, I don't know how I lucked out with this kid but he loves pickled salmon roe, all shell (and swimming) fish - raw or cooked, every meat I've ever given him, sweet, sour, and even stinky flavors. I shit you not the only thing he would NOT eat is ginger ale (too bubbly). Now I want to go to there, but DH and I have tried, twice, and not been able to get in. BUCKET LIST!
Oh, but seconding the 5 hour thing. No WAY my kid could sit still that long.
Hey, I suppose if you think your 4 your old can sit still for a 5 hour meal and not bother the other diners and you are doing it because you think they would actually appreciate the meal/occasion and not because you need a publicity stunt to fund your blog, then have at it.
But for the most part, I'm over in the curmudgeon corner. This reminds me of the Alinea couple who brought their baby to dinner - I can't honestly decide who is worse. Shoot, I wouldn't invite most adults I know to join me at FL as I don't think they would appreciate it. Most people don't have hundreds of dollars laying around to blow on a meal for themselves, let alone their kids. I think we can we all agree that this kind of a restaurant is a really special occasion for most of the world's population and should be treated as such.
Last year DH and I spent a week in Sonoma for our honeymoon (we got married there 11 years ago). We spoke to a guy who had recently gone to TFL - he said that the tourists who are traveling on their company dimes are far more obnoxious than anything you could imagine. Loud, boisterous, drunk, demanding and just annoying. And I've heard that same comment from others. So, if a kid can sit through it? In the grand scheme of things, no biggie.
I will full well drop that kind of money on myself. And hey, I'm all for exposing your kids to new experiences. And foods, too! (My best friend came home from school when she was 7 years old and told her mom, "Can you BELIEVE there are kids in my class who have never had lobster?!") But it is SO INCREDIBLY pretentious to give you kid an almost $300 tasting menu at a restaurant with extremely hard to get reservations and THEN WRITE A BLOG POST. What fucking assholes.
I may be a tad bit jealous, too.
My mom wouldn't even take us to Disneyworld at that age because she knew we wouldn't remember it that well!
meh. Your money isn't better than theirs. And I'm sure they had consent before doing it.
And COME ON. tinkerbell popsicles? How is that not totally adoreable?
Does it really take more than 5 hrs to eat there? I wouldn't be able to take that.
H & I had lunch there last year. IIRC, between the meal, visiting the kitchen, and walking through the vegetable gardens afterwards, we probably did spend around 4 to 5 hours there.
meh. Your money isn't better than theirs. And I'm sure they had consent before doing it.
And COME ON. tinkerbell popsicles? How is that not totally adoreable?
Does it really take more than 5 hrs to eat there? I wouldn't be able to take that.
H & I had lunch there last year. IIRC, between the meal, visiting the kitchen, and walking through the vegetable gardens afterwards, we probably did spend around 4 to 5 hours there.
Generally speaking I dislike taking small children/babies to fancy dinners. But like others have mentioned, it was probably pre-arranged and didn't infringe on anyone. So good for them.
I've had some really nice and expensive dinners and I still love the Cheesecake Factory though, soo.....
H & I had lunch there last year. IIRC, between the meal, visiting the kitchen, and walking through the vegetable gardens afterwards, we probably did spend around 4 to 5 hours there.
I was so jealous of you and my other friend who went there for lunch! Can you hook me up with a reservation??? lol
My lawyer air force friend took time off for culinary school. Part of that was dining at French laundry. I think it can be an astonishing event at any age.
I remember the first time I had lobster. It was locally caught, and I ate 3 tails. I told my dad he was teaching me bad, expensive habits, and he was OK with that because he was expanding my palate. Although that meal was free, my dad did pay for it later. Ha!
I will full well drop that kind of money on myself. And hey, I'm all for exposing your kids to new experiences. And foods, too! (My best friend came home from school when she was 7 years old and told her mom, "Can you BELIEVE there are kids in my class who have never had lobster?!") But it is SO INCREDIBLY pretentious to give you kid an almost $300 tasting menu at a restaurant with extremely hard to get reservations and THEN WRITE A BLOG POST. What fucking assholes.
I may be a tad bit jealous, too.
My mom wouldn't even take us to Disneyworld at that age because she knew we wouldn't remember it that well!
but that's not what it is.
It's not the parents who are writing/photoging the blog post. They've done this type of review at sever other foo restaurants, though nothing on the level of FL. There's actually a bit at the bottom of the post where they're seeking parents who are willing to have their kids do the dinners.
My guess: they contacted FL and got their OK before doing it, and made arrangements. I wouldn't be surprised if they did it on a date/time when there weren't others there.
Given all the exquisite photography, I am *certain* that must have been what happened. I don't think these writers would have trampled in there on a regular old reservation, because they wouldn't have known (1) if they were going to be seated in a very dark room with no natural light or (2) if the restaurant would have asked them to cut it with the photos. That could have ruined the entire point of the article.
Ha--just last night a friend was telling me about how they couldn't get reservations for a closing dinner there (she works for one of the big 3 banks).
Maybe it's because I'm not a foodie, but I really don't see why anyone is that enraged over this. The end result is adorable. I mean, I personally wouldn't care to spend more than $100 on a meal (or, on most days, $10...), but I don't really care how others spend their money provided they're not hurting anyone else.
Apparently because there are starving people in the world...according to some of the blog comments.
I'm no kid expert but it didn't look like she was enjoying it that much and there were a lot of dishes she didn't even try. But hey - if you've got money to burn go for it I guess.