[cabrales]

I wrote to EB earlier this month re: a 2005 reservation on two days. Here s the response I got back:

"Apreciada [_____________]

We regret not to be able to attend your reservation request. The extraordinary demand again surpasses our limited capacity for one season and and we find ourselves without any option for the great majority of the requests even received so far in advance.

If you travel to our area can contact us at a date nearer your intentioned visit to revise if cancellations were produced at the moment to confirm all the reserves.

Please accept our apologies and our sincere thanks for your interest."

This suggests that reservations have been taken for 2005, just like last year. Not a disappointment, given the very poor nature of my first meal. However, I had wanted to confirm that assessment.

[cabrales]

Reservations were started to be accepted (for consideration, not granted) in mid-November. Diners started receiving positive responses at least several weeks ago.

[Wilfrid1]

You know you'll hate it.

[cabrales]

Well, that's true. I knew I would hate it before I went the first time. Now that I have actually dined there, I know more clearly that I will hate it. But I persevere. I might even hate two meals, seeing as I have two reservations, but my family members are eager to take one of my tables (as none of them have yet dined there).

[mitchells]

cabrales, on Dec 12 2005, 01:35 PM, said:

Well, that's true. I knew I would hate it before I went the first time. Now that I have actually dined there, I know more clearly that I will hate it. But I persevere. I might even hate two meals, seeing as I have two reservations, but my family members are eager to take one of my tables (as none of them have yet dined there).

That is exactly what I would want to do. Go places I know I'll hate.

Why not save the plane fare and just go for elective hemmorhoid surgey?

[cabrales]

I like Can Fabes, and a visit to El Bulli would allow me to also visit Can Fabes. Also, I believe that a diner should explore different restaurants. It often takes only one meal to know I hate a restaurant, but I could be wrong with that and sometimes will revisit just to verify that conclusion. The conclusion that a restaurant is not right for me is a much easier conclusion than the determination that I like a restaurant, although that too is becoming more clear to me as I start to become a slightly more experienced diner.

[Wilfrid1]

[Silly Disciple]

cabrales, on Dec 12 2005, 06:35 PM, said:

Well, that's true. I knew I would hate it before I went the first time. Now that I have actually dined there, I know more clearly that I will hate it. But I persevere. I might even hate two meals, seeing as I have two reservations, but my family members are eager to take one of my tables (as none of them have yet dined there).

They'll probably like it, something that might go against your a-priori hateness values. Let me take the second table instead, and I promise to hate it as much as you do. I didn't like it that much last year, and I can make an effort to dislike it even more.

[cabrales]

The restaurant is so disingenuous and fake even in the responses that it sends out to people who do get reservations. Here is a standard form, which they seem to be sending out regularly:

"Apreciada [__________],

[They tell you when your reservation is and how many people and restate your name]

Ferran Adrià will prepare a personalized tasting menu. You will try many different elaborations and it means many different products. It is very important for his confection to know in advance if some problem exists, like allergies or any other product that we could not include for anyone of you...."

They are talking about providing "personalized tasting menus" to all their diners. This is ridiculous. It is obviously not personalized.

[Maurice Naughton]

What Wilfrid said. Both times. Over and over again. In spades.

[Silly Disciple]

cabrales, on Dec 12 2005, 11:02 PM, said:

The restaurant is so disingenuous and fake even in the responses that it sends out to people who do get reservations. Here is a standard form, which they seem to be sending out regularly:

"Apreciada [__________],

[They tell you when your reservation is and how many people and restate your name]

Ferran Adrià will prepare a personalized tasting menu. You will try many different elaborations and it means many different products. It is very important for his confection to know in advance if some problem exists, like allergies or any other product that we could not include for anyone of you...."

They are talking about providing "personalized tasting menus" to all their diners. This is ridiculous. It is obviously not personalized.

If I'm not mistaken, not all tables get the same dishes.
Also, if you've been before and they know it (ie reservation under your name in previous years), they'll try to avoid repeating dishes. So it is, in a way, somewhat personalized.

[cabrales]

When I visited the kitchen, I did notice that there were printouts of the dishes for each table and they seemed different. So I am not disputing that each table gets somewhat different dishes (although many are the same dishes) even when they visit for the same meal. But they are not personalized, in the sense that even first time diners (the person who made the reservation for one of my tables) get the same hokey message.

[Jaymes]

I agree with Wilfrid and Maurice. In spades.

[Maurice Naughton]

Jaymes, on Dec 11 2005, 01:32 PM, said:

I agree with Wilfrid and Maurice. In spades.

You're very astute.

And Arthur Bryant's isn't what it was in 1947, when my dad first brought home a butcher-paper-wrapped pile of brisket sandwiches.

[Behemoth]

Mmm. Brisket.