Travel
My First Time in a Michelin Star Restaurant (With Photos!)
An unforgettable dining experience: exploring a Michelin Star for the first time
It was always my dream to go to a Michelin Star restaurant.
Before planning our trip to Brazil in 2022, my boyfriend and I researched Michelin Start restaurants in Panama (I shared our experience in this article) and in Brazil. Boston doesn’t have any Michelin restaurants, hence our desire to explore one while we were traveling (besides the fact that the currency arbitrage was in our favor 😉).
We didn't find any Michelin Star restaurants in Panama, but we found one in Rio.
We tried to book Lasai, but it was sold out for the days we stayed in Rio, so it was a no-go for us. I put our names on the waitlist, but still no success.
I had already accepted that we wouldn't be able to go to a Michelin Star restaurant, and I was ok with that (ok, not SO ok, but ok).
But then the fun begins.
We checked in at Copacabana Palace. After checking in and receiving the instructions from the front desk lady, she says: “We also have 2 Michelin Star restaurants on the premises. One is Japanese, and we have reservations available for 7:30 pm or 9:45 pm!”. I was astonished. “Wow! We struggled to find one in the city, and now we have one right here!”.
It sounded too good to be true. But it wasn't!
We booked the reservation for 7:30 pm.
The restaurant is Mee.
“Mee” is a high-end Japanese restaurant located at the Belmond Copacabana Palace hotel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The restaurant offers contemporary Japanese cuisine with a fusion of Brazilian and Asian flavors.
Mee is known for its elegant, sophisticated atmosphere and modern, minimalist decor. The menu features a wide range of sushi, sashimi, and other Japanese dishes, such as tempura, robata-grilled meats and seafood, and various creative small plates.
Mee has received many positive reviews and awards for its cuisine and atmosphere, and it is considered one of the best Japanese restaurants in Rio de Janeiro.
You can make your reservation over the phone, and if you are a guest at the Belmond, you take priority. The dinner lasts around 2 hours, and it is the pace the waitress brings the food. So, no rush and just enjoy!
We chose the “Tasting Menu” or “Menu Degustação” in Portuguese. It was around $90 per person without the wine pairing option. You can find the whole menu here.
I think the duck and the dessert were my favorite dishes.
The whole experience was amazing, and the booking process was very smooth, which added to the experience.
Have you been to a Michelin Star restaurant? How was your experience? Let me know in the comments.
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