Andy Lynes

Thanks to all who have replied with some really excellent suggestions. My only problem now is that they all sound so good that I'm going to have trouble choosing. The idea of just falling out of the hotel into a bistro is a very tempting one, especially as Gary Marshall had such a good time at L'Ardoise recently, although I'm almost certain that my wife's appetite won't extend to it. The wine shops sound intriguing and John's comments on Pinxo are also encouraging, albeit countered by Bux's criticisms. All this and still the wine bar thread to review. I should add that my trip is not until the end of January so any further suggestions are welcome.

Come on then, share it with the rest of the class please.

...wouldn't be entirely out of place on the menu either. ← "Cock with a tongue too big for his mouth, no more adverts" perhaps?

Would members have any suggestions for a venue for a light-ish dinner on a Saturday night in Paris after a blow out lunch at Le Meurice? I'm thinking along the lines of some food at a wine bar or somewhere like Pinxo where we can have just a few small plates (if I have the right idea that Pinxo is a kind of French take on Tapas). L'Atelier might be a possibility, although I was there in March and I'm keen to try somewhere I haven't been before. A simple bistro might also do the trick. We'll be staying at Le Meurice, so somewhere central would be good and cost isn't really that much of an issue (it will be my 40 birthday and I think that's a good enough excuse to splash some cash around).

Looks like you've already found the "hot bed" then.

All the website says is "Fresh, never-frozen, A-grade chickens" so I've e mailed them and asked if they would be willing to share with us a bit more about where they source their chicken from. Given the time of year, I don't suppose we'll hear anything soon, but I'll pass on anything when I get it.

I wonder if we can strike up some sort of sponsorship deal with them: "The eGullet Society UK forum brought to you by Nandos: After all that nit pickin', you'll be dying for some chicken!"

No 1 Sallyport is a round up entry in this year's GFG. BYO "rustic suppers" around a communual table for 27 quid a head. If its open to non-residents then it could be worth a look.

Its all over as Pulze bags the prize.

Didn't do very well! Got to Chez Bruce, but then I always go at least twice a year so that doesn't really count. I visited Sketch and met Pierre Gagnaire when he held his book launch in the Parlour and got to try some amazing canapes. Didn't get within spitting distance of Rhodes 24 but had The Capital booked then had to cancel due to illness and I visited Petrus in late 2003. Of the places I did get to in the UK, possibly Rasoi Vineet Bhatia was the most memorable, but it hs been a very good eating year for me.

"Lads" night out at Racine Chapter Two - whilst in Blackheath visting my brother and sister-in-law (BTW: there is a decent farmers market in the station car park on a Sunday) Mohsen (Warwick Road) - after a family outing to Good Food Show at Earls Court.

There's years of experience and painstaking research behind every one of my carefully composed posts - which are made up as I go along.

You'd certainly hope so wouldn't you?

You have mentioned Nando's before and I went to the Brighton branch based on your recommendation. Although the dining room wasn't as clean as it should have been (tables needed clearing and the floor sweeping) and the service was a bit hapless, the food was delicious and I would happily go back. In fact, we might well have a family outing sometime during the holidays.

I think you are referring to this. Heavy use of irony should be noted.

There's something of the Jamie Olivers about his wording; "lip smacking pizza" and "blobs here and there" and "five contrasts to get you going" wouldn't be totally out of place on a Fifteen menu with its "oozy wet Bianco Perla polenta" "best black olive sauce in the world" and a vegeterian menu that begins with the phrase "To get you started..."

I'm basing that opinion on the week I spent in his kitchens a while ago and his appearance on "The Games" a year or so ago. I think that fundamentaly he wants to be liked whereas Ramsay couldn't care less if he is or not. For a chef, JC strikes me as a little unfocused and not terribly good at confrontation. Unless they change the format of Hell's Kitchen, he's going to have to try and force the contestants to do a lot of back breaking, tedious work which they will baulk at and I don't think he will have a strategy for dealing with that. From what I have seen of him, he just isn't the hard bastard chef, he hasn't got a big personality and he will only get so far on his charm.

This is a disaster waiting to happen. JC won't be able to control the celebs in the way that Ramsay did, I think he is going to get walked all over. This could make for very uncomfortable viewing.

Square Meal has just announced The Greenhouse as its restaurant of the year. Also on the shortlist were Chez Bruce, Tom Aikens and Le Gavroche.

The idea is to find owners that are maximising revenue by putting the same premises to different uses.

Great stuff, keep it coming! (If you can find out the name of the tea rooms that would be great.

An alternative, and arguably more expedient course of action, would be to raze the place to the ground and build somewhere nice instead.

London is unquestionably still the place to go for the highest standards of food preperation, service and innovative design. It's also the best place for "ethnic" cusine. That said, there are restaurants that are as least as good as the best of London (Hibiscus and Le Campignon Sauvage immeadiately spring to mind) and that is definately a growing trend. I'm sure this is partly because some chefs simply don't want to live and operate a business in London anymore because its an over crowded market and expensive to live in so they are moving elsewhere, Simon Rogan being a case in point. This is nothing new however has been happening for years, with the likes of ex-Le Gavroche head chef Steven Docherty installed at The Punch Bowl in Cumbria since the early nineties, and Stephen Bull moving to The Lough Pool Inn in Ross-on-Wye a few years ago. There still aren't enough really decent places outside of London, but it's possible that we might see some sort of critical mass reached in the provinces over the next 5 - 10 years that pushes up standards right across the board. But I'm not holding my breath!

That is very useful information, thanks for that!

So if I read you right Steven, what you're saying is that Cafe Gray is in fact not Lespinasse?