# Europe Forum > European Culture & History > European food and recipes >  Michelin stars

## Angela

I used to be one of those people who would read Michelin reviews of restaurants and save up to eat at three starred ones. No more. Increasingly over the years the food "scene" has moved beyond me. It's not that I don't like innovation, because I do, but much of it has gone too far for me.

Take, for example, Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana in Modena. Not only does he have three Michelin stars, but it received first prize at the World's 50 Best Restaurants Awards in June. 
http://www.thelocal.it/20160715/meet...est-restaurant

I ate there soon after he opened, and it was very good, but it has gotten more and more "intellectual", artistic, and whimsical since then. I'm sorry, but I'll save my 350 E per person (including wine) and go to two restaurants, or maybe even three with a lower star rating.

It's become all too cerebral, and, forgive me, "French" in its approach to food.

Menu:
http://www.osteriafrancescana.it/menu_it.pdf

Crab Cake:


Eel swimming up the Po:




This still looks like tagliatelle...



But this?
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...et=-1&filter=7

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## Maleth

....you would secretly need to go and grab a big mac after the delicious expensive taster. I never feel satisfied without a full belly, no matter how much I try and irrelevant of all the 'positive' reviews :). I had a similar experience. Never again.

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## Maciamo

The above pictures are very artful and pleasing to the eye. The question is whether you want to pay for an artistic plate or not. Apart from the quality of the food, the price of restaurants depends on the setting, decor, reputation, but also on the presentation of the food. It's a well known fact that most restaurants increase their prices after receiving Michelin stars. Some have called it the Michelin curse. 350€ per person is expensive, even for a 3 stars restaurant. I have been to Comme chez soi in Brussels, which was the only 3-star restaurant in the city until it lost a star because the head chef retired (it's a Michelin policy), but we paid about 100€ per person.

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