Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons ....

[mrs.chappie]

Raymond Blanc's hotel/restaurant in Oxfordshire .... has anyone ever eaten/stayed there?

Was it worth the high price?

[starone]

That amount of money would feed me for a fortnight. Anyway what does the name mean translated into English. I cannot remember much French and can only translate Le - the and aux - of the. Should quat be quatre? In which case it might possibly be the house of the four something or other - seasons? Please help as it might mean something really nasty.

[DTCwordfan]

yes and worth every penny - though I havent stayed - two lunches and tea....it is an exquisite location, the food is truly two star plus, the service solid two star, and location and decoration, three star plus, (and i have eaten several three star in France and elsewhere).

[DTCwordfan]

(I lived 30 miles away). Two friends went recently for one of them having her 50th and 8 women dropped £2000 for lunch - but still the same reaction - brilliant and if you need to think about what the bank manager will say, you shouldnt go.....otherwise, a real experience.

Back to the Masters now.....thanks bibblebub for the feed site.

[EcclesCake]

Go for it Mrs C.........

[mrs.chappie]

Will do Eccles. :o)

Starbo, I think it does translate as House of the Four Seasons. Quat is an abbreviation of quatre. And you're right, it's a hell of a lot of cash.

We've had a pay-out on an insurance policy we've paid into for the last 25 years - otherwise we wouldn't be considering it. There's no way we'd get into debt for this sort of thing. (I'm a fruitcake but I'm not THAT daft, thank goodness) ....

[askyourgran]

I fancy going there too, but it is a bit too expensive, MrAsk isn't a gourmand by anyones standards, I can't even get him to go to our local Restaurant but I'd like to go to different restaurants. I'd also like to go to Hestons Fat Duck at Bray

[mrs.chappie]

^^^That's another one my OH talks about going to one day, gran.

[mrs.chappie]

Anyone been to The George at Stamford?

Nowhere near as expensive as Le Manoir and very nice, IMO.

[DTCwordfan]

The Fat Duck outscore the MQS on food, the MQS on service and ambiance (both in the house and garden) IMO.

[starone]

Thanks Mrs.C. French cuisine is all right as long as it doesn't include snails and horse meat. There is a very nice Chinese restaurant near me called Water-sky - eat all you want for £16.00. Now that suits my pocket. The food and service is great.

[mrs.chappie]

That's interesting to know, DT.

[DTCwordfan]

have you seen their Aintree special though at the Watersky this weekend, the "hoss-in-watter chow mein".....side dish of "jockey bean-turds" (made from special brown sauce in having go at makin' jumps).

3 to 1 on you don't try it.

[EcclesCake]

I've also eaten at The Fat Duck, I would say the FD is about experiencing the food and the MQS is about eating the food.

Neither comment is intended to be derogatory, and both experiences have their merits. They are just very different beasts and not easily compared.

[DTCwordfan]

The cheaper option to have a wee sighter of the ambian at MQS is to go for afternoon tea, it is wonderful and 1/4 to 1/6th the cost of lunch....(allowing for a decent bouteille du vin - and who is going to skimp on wine there.....)

[DTCwordfan]

sorry ambiance

[DTCwordfan]

a very fair comment, eccles!

[starone]

Shut up DT. I know it is not true. and you will not put me off because their food is delicious. Suits my pocket too.

[DTCwordfan]

Only teasing starbuckone.....

[starone]

I know DT. and don't shut up or we won't have such fun.

[DTCwordfan]

and I love (good) Chinese - spent 8 years between mainland China and Hong Kong.....there was a thread earlier this week where I mentioned for me a really good restaurant in Leicester Sq that has stayed in the family but recently chaned names - was Poons in Leicester St...

Not going to dig it out for you, as I have one eye on the Masters at the moment!