4/27    Special psb motd emergency post, top 50 restuarants in the world rated.
        http://tinyurl.com/25ckhk
        French Laundry in Yountville scores the number 4 spot
        \_ "Alice Waters, the founder of Chez Panisse, in Berkeley,
           California, received the Lifetime Achievement award."
           Chez Panisse was rated #40, which goes to show that the list
           is suspect. Chez Panisse is very good, but no longer #40
           good. Maybe if it was still in the 1970s...
           \_ Is this you:
              http://eastbay.citysearch.com/saved/userprofile/gastronome1
              \_ No. I think Chez Panisse is a very good restaurant, but
                 what was groundbreaking in 1971 is not groundbreaking
                 in 2007. Same might go for Spago or whatever. I find
                 it interesting that 'Nobu' in London is so highly rated,
                 too. I've been to his restaurants in Aspen and LA and...
                 I dunno. My opinion is that making this list is an
                 indicator of PAST success, not current success. I found
                 that true in New Orleans as well when I went recently.
                 Once people are successful, they rest on their laurels.
                 What 30 years go was incredible (Chez Panisse's insistence
                 on organic produce) is more mundane now. The bar keeps
                 being raised.
                 \_ Is food really that much better than it was 30 years ago?
                    Is the future really always brighter than the past?
                    \_ You are missing the point, which is that expectations
                       keep getting higher.
                       \_ Expectations of what?  How much altitude the food
                          should have?
                          \_ Expectations of what constitutes fine
                             cuisine/dining. Lots of restaurants that were
                             considered gourmet in their day would now
                             seem to be putrid in comparison to competition.
                             Not only have menus and tastes changed, but
                             access to top quality ingredients has improved
                             and consumers' for demand them has increased.
                             \_ What are other restaurants providing that
                                Chez Panisse is not?  Having food stacked
                                six inches off your plate is not innovation,
                                it's pretension.
                                \_ You are asking the wrong question,
                                   which should be: "What is Chez Panisse
                                   providing that other restaurants are
                                   not?" There's not much to distinguish
                                   it anymore.
                       \_ Expectations of how good the food tastes or
                          something else?
                          \_ Both. Expectations of what constitutes a "top
                             restaurant" includes ingredients, menu,
                             ambience, decor, service, and so on. While in
                             some areas expectations are little changed
                             (e.g. service, which has probably actually
                             gotten a bit worse over time) in other areas
                             (e.g. quality of ingredients) consumers are a
                             lot more sophisticated. Some of the things
                             Chez Panisse did were groundbreaking or
                             trendsetting at the time, but are now status
                             quo. Give Chez Panisse the credit for
                             innovating, but at the same time recognize
                             that without continued innovation (of which I
                             believe there has not been much of at Chez
                             Panisse in years) other restaurants have
                             matched or beaten it at its own game while
                             also contributing more in a culinary sense
                             and as a dining experience as a whole.
                             \- i think this is a stupid list, but i'm not
                                especially outraged about it. here is the
                                "spatial distribution"
                                  http://tinyurl.com/33tlwk
                                i really doubt the place in new delhi
                                is that great. although supposedly the chef
                                used to cook kabobs on the street, which is
                                a pretty good story. also it may be the
                                cheepest place on the list.