kerriar

Would be interested also in comments on La Tamarissiere in Agde. We've just spent a holiday nearby in Marseillan (not to be confused with Marseillan Plage) which is still a sleepy little port village with few pleasant restaurants and some easy sailing on the Etang de Thau. In the past Chez Phillippe was the best restaurant in the area - I think they had a single Michelen star at one time - but has since changed hands. It's still ok but lacks much of the distinctive zing and absolute professionalism that made you look forward to holidays. Marseillan has a few other acceptable places to eat around the port - we found we kept going back to Cote Sud for well prepared fresh fish and intelligently chosen local wines. (Domaine Bourdic from nearby in Pezanas is an exceptional rosé and worth paying a bit extra for.) As mentioned already, this part of France is not over endowed with serious restaurants so any recommendations will be followed with interest.

From a recent visit to Ireland, Dublin restaurants can be expensive when compared to many continental cities, particularly in the mid range. Mermaid Café and Frère Jacques are dependable. The former has a contemporary Italian/Med approach which works particularly well with good fish and the menu, which changes from day to day, is based around well sourced local supplies. Jacques is about 25 metres away on Dame Street and the style is considerably more formal – it achieves what most would expect from a correctly run professional French restaurant anywhere in the world. Nearby in the Clarence Hotel is the Tea Room – food is good, professional and sometimes original although equally the overall result does not always deliver on high aspirations. For good Italian food and wine with athmosphere, try the Unicorn in Merrion Row (tel. 01.6624757) which is one of the few places in Dublin where you can eat outdoors on the odd days that the weather permits. For lunch only, Caviston's in Glasthule is about 8 km south of the centre. It is small and serves only fish but worth the trip (about €15 by taxi or else take the DART train). Tables are much sought after so booking is essential. For details see www.cavistons.com The Franco/Irish couple who run Terroirs are first class wine merchants whilst Sheridans (also in Galway) carry an amazing range of Irish and European cheeses. They also stock other food products and the vacuum packed confit de canard which is made in Cork (I've forgotten the producer's name) is beyond reproach. The best restaurant in Ireland (dangerous statement which should be taken as a totally personal choice) has to be John and Ellmary Desmond's place on Heir Island in West Cork. Details can be found at http://homepage.tinet.ie/~heir/. Reservations are at times very difficult and the place is almost impossible to reach – it's on an island with a primitive ferry system. John is a self effacing genius (he's even dropped the international press reviews from the minimalist website) whose style combines brilliant use of local fresh ingredients prepared with a flair which reflects his classical training. There is one sitting per night, a no choice menu and a limited wine list – but if you can get there, you will not be disappointed.

If Beauvais airport is anything like Ryanair's other facilities (e.g., Charleroi, Carcassonne etc.) then you should really expect a zoo. The only reason any sane person would use this airline is price. They can offer extraordinarily cheap flights at times but they are not always necessarily the cheapest option – so check first. Not only are the prices cheap - everything about Ryanair is cheap and nasty. Can anybody confirm the story that cabin and ground staff training has been outsourced to Aeroflot? There are plenty of horror stories around about how they treat passengers but then nobody else will give you an aller/retour fare to the Mediterranean for €50. The bus service in and out of Paris is regular (several times a day) and fairly reliable. I guess you get what you pay for.

Malahide is on the coast north of Dublin - so taking a taxi from the airport avoids city centre traffic. "Bon Appetit" had a good reputation some years ago - classic slightly old fashioned cooking in a Georgian terraced house with sea view. It may be worth checking if somebody can give a more recent reference but it's probably the kind of place that will never change. Swords is a boring town about 10 minutes from the airport - food in the Old Schoolhouse is much better than expected and the setting is really very pleasant. Check opening hours/reservation by phone. You should eat reasonably well in either place but nothing really memorable. For that you would need to go somewhere like John Desmond's superb little restaurant on Heir Island - on the other hand, it's off the coast of West Cork and nearly half way to Boston, so perhaps on another visit.

For Sunday evenings, a reliable mid-price option is Le Coupe Chou in the 5th, near Le Sorbonne. An intial recommendation came from a Parisian colleague and I've since been there several times. The food is classic and correct bistro cooking - confit de canard, boeuf bourguignon etc. A bit unadventurous for some but quality is dependable. The crowd is usually local middle class with a few tourists - athmosphere is what most would in a Paris restaurant of this style. You can look at their website http://www.lecoupechou.com/ which is only in French. With some decent wine, you should not need to spend more than €50 - €60 per head. For Sunday night, I'd advise booking. Enjoy