Has anyone ever dined in a Celebrity Chef owned restaurant?

[Lucy]

I'm just curious as to whether or not anyone has ever dined in a restaurant owned by a celebrity chef. I've been to two - The Lady & Sons and Wolfgang Puck's Grand Cafe.

A few years ago, back when my husband and I were still dating he made reservations to take me to dinner at Emeril's here in Orlando, but the day before we were supposed to go he ended up having to put his car in the shop for repairs and didn't have the extra money. I still haven't made it to Emeril's. I was thinking about making reservations and taking my mom for Mother's Day next month.

[Food Network Fan]

I have been to both Nola and the Emeril's in Orlando.

[ibcheft]

Yes, Nola's and Emeril's New Orleans got to sit a the chef's counter at Emeril's was fantastic, got talk with the steak and chop chef will he was cooking.

[MayQueen]

Lucy, would you say that the Lady and Sons is authentic Southern cooking or is it really just for tourists? I've always been curious about this.

[BerryBaby]

I know someone that went to the Lady and Sons and did not like it all. Said the food was noting special and they had to wait in line a long time. Said it was very touristy.

That's just hearsay, as I have never been to give my opinion.

I like some of Paula's recipes on FN and have made some of them. Very good!

[Clove]

I've been to, in the US:

• Emeril's in New Orleans
• Lupa and Esca in NYC
• Spago in LA and New Orleans
• Olives in Boston and Las Vegas
• Felidia's in NYC
• Blue Ginger in Wellesley MA
• Morimoto's in Philly
• Commander's Palace in New Orleans

[Clove]

I know someone that went to the Lady and Sons and did not like it all. Said the food was nothing special and they had to wait in line a long time. Said it was very touristy...

That's been the knock on that restaurant from many sources for many years.
I have no hands-on experience with her restaurant and don't expect I ever will.

[Chefnot]

Dang Clove, that's cool. Which was your favorite?

[PicBuddy]

When visiting NYC last November I stopped by Bobby Flays Mesa Grill for a late lunch. Had an appetizer of the salmon quesadilla, topped with mint and caviar, 21 spice quicken and a blue corn tamale. The quesadilla was my favorite. Service was top notch and when I told the waiter that I was a fan of Hot Off The Grill and came all the way from Texas, she got Bobby's lead chef to come out and talk to me. It was a fun experience and the food was nice. I only wish I had known that Bolo only a few blocks away was going to close in only a month, or I would have gone there for dinner. (It closed in December)

Next time in Vegas will go to the one there, and next time in NYC will go back to Mesa Grill, and hit the new burger joint on long island, and consume anything he comes up with that uses avacodos.

One of the longer lasting impressions is that now whenever I watch throwdown, I always have to laugh as I can see my table in Mesa almost every episode. Makes my wife furious because she had to miss that trip and we have both since become much more avid fans of FN in general. So every time Bobby is describing his recipe in Mesa during the beginning, my wife glares at me and says "I know, THAT is the table you sat at!" Heheh. So that will be the 1st place we eat next time in NYC when she can go as well. And we will sit at my same table by the front window looking out at 5th avenue. (There are only two tables in the entire place that have a window view ... )

Another interesting detail is that Mesa Grill (NYC) has a large glass window so you can walk all the way back and watch the food being made. I watched a young lady making my quesadilla. Even though it was 45 minutes before closing time (they close for a while before dinner), and the kitchen was probably at it's 'most used' state of any point in the day, it was still remarkably clean. The staff looked as if they had been working for a while and might have been ready to wind down after the Saturday lunch rush, yet everyone looked happy as if they genuinely were enjoying what they were doing.

And the question that anyone always asks when I mention having ate there, "Was it expensive?". And the answer to that is a resounding and pleasant 'nope', not at all. I don't think i even spent $30 and I tried some variety. Appetizer may have been $8, plate maybe $11. Import beer maybe $3. I considered it to be extremely reasonable for the quality and if there were one like it at least within a few hundred miles drive of where we are, I could see going out of our way to eat there at least once a month, to eventually try everything on the menu.

[Food Network Fan]

I would love to go to one of Bobby's restaurants. The Texmex style is one of my favorites.

Now he has a burger place. I think it's nice that some of the Chefs will have more affordable places too. Not all of their fans would be able to splurge on a high dollar meal, but it's fun try where they are the inspiration if you like the chef. That gives more people the chance.