When dining out, many gourmet restaurants feature a degustation menu or a prix fixe dinner option. Should you try them or forgo and order a la carte and what is the difference?
Degustation Menus versus Prix Fixe
These are typically a large number of courses that feature tasting bites, or smaller portions. It is not uncommon for degustation menus to feature eight or nine courses, or even up to 16 as with Joel Robuchon’s restaurant inside the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. These showcase the chef’s skills and are typically considered works of culinary art. Degustation menus can take four to five hours to enjoy at times and always feature a set menu price, sometimes including wine pairing, other times not.
Prix Fixe dinners are menus that are a fixed price and consist of a specified number of courses. Sounds like the degustation menu, right? Yes and no. Prix Fixe dinners can be degustation menus as they are fixed in price and specify a number of courses; however, many times a prix fixe dinner is where you pick a standard appetizer, main, dessert, etc. and they are regular size portions.
Pros of Degustation and Prix Fixe Dining
Most times, especially with degustation menus, you are getting a sampling of the chef’s best skills and signature dishes. These may be items you would not have ordered on your own or given the portion size and price, you would have never ordered these eight dishes individually. This is a great way to learn more about a restaurant and its executive chef versus blindly ordering an entree a la carte.
With prix fixe dinners, there is often a small discount given when ordering multiple courses versus a la carte. These are quite common in Europe and sometimes they can work out to be nearly the same price as ordering an entree alone!
With degustation menus, there are often wine pairing suggestions or perhaps they are even included. If you enjoy food and wine, pay close attention to these. Pop for the wine pairing add-on or try some of these by the glass. Much like the courses, you will try wines you never heard of or thought of ordering and it opens your mind and palate to whole new experiences.
Both degustation and prix fixe dinners are often associated with special occasions. Spend a romantic night out with your significant other and enjoy a gourmet multi-course dinner — the environment is typically elegant, conducive to conversation, and it provides an excuse to get dressed up!
Cons to Degustation and Prix Fixe Menus
The most obvious downside to degustation menus can be price of course. These do not often run cheap and the 16 course dinner at Robuchon in Vegas will set you back nearly $400 a person before you order any wine. The prices are steep, but the food is typically high quality gourmet ingredients that are not inexpensive to source. You are paying for the culinary skills of the chef — only you can decide what that is worth to you.
Another downside is reservations. Many restaurants that offer degustation menus feature seating times and reservations are nearly almost mandatory. For some restaurants, you must plan far in advance and for others you might have a better chance of winning the lottery versus getting in. Thomas Keller’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry in Napa, is one of the hardest restaurants in the world to get in.
For those who eat like a bird, a prix fixe menu may be a waste of money if you are already full by the time the appetizer is done. Since most prix fixe menus are regular size portions, you may be asking for a lot of “doggy bags” if you are a light eater.
Overall, the decision to enjoy a degustation or prix fixe dinner is a personal choice and can vary based on circumstances, timing, and personal finances. If you have the opportunity to dine in a world-renowned restaurant, consider going for the multi-course dinner as it may be a “once-in-a-lifetime” chance to enjoy one of the best meals you will ever enjoy!
