pirate

My choice would be between L'Ambroisie and Le Bristol, which now has 3 Michelin stars. L'Ambroisie is excellent but cool and austere if you're not known. Wine list is weak compared to Le Bristol. Service and welcome at Le Bristol are first class and the oval winter dining room is beautiful.

I've had excellent grilled beef dishes in France as well as poor ones. But the most unusual and spectacular one occurred at L'Arpege. It was in 1986. Three of us, all Americans, were dining for the third time that week at L'Arpege. Instead of handing out menus we were told that Alain Passard would serve us a special dinner. Perhaps because we were Americans, the main was STEAK, served quite rare and unembellished. Not at all fatty, delicious and memorable. Started with Passard's lobster entree and finished with his chocolate feuillete.

Felix: Your remark induced me to post. Then the genetic relation of the Comt\'e cheese cows induced the next post. Comt\'e is considered to be related to Swiss gruyere (I had Rolf Beeler's version of the latter for lunch today). Let me note that at the International Cheese Awards 2009 in Nantwich (Cheshire, England) last July Von Muhlenen's Le Gruyere Premier Cru produced and matured for 14 months in Fribourg won Best Single Specialty Cheese (LTS Litmann Trophy), Best imported cheese "Supreme Champion Overseas", Reserve Supreme Champion. Nantwich is regarded as the top international cheese event

More from Wikipedia the Simmental breed has contributed to the creation of several other famous European breeds including the Montbeliarde (France) and (checking Comt\'e cheese) The AOC regulations state that: * Only milk from Montbéliarde cows are permitted, and each must have at least a hectare of grazing.

Simmental Cattle From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Simmental are a versatile breed of cattle originating in the valleys of the Simme river, in the Bernese Oberland of western Switzerland.

Lievre a la Royale is as the name implies a royal dish. The was no recipe in Escoffier's Guide Culinaire but going back to the 19th century, there is a recipe in Ali Bab. It utilizes a rather large hare, foie gras truffles etc. and is a kind of cross between a civet and daube. The recipe is for 10 to 12 diners and clearly meant for royal affairs. As time wore on the recipe has been debauched. In the last century Madame Saint-Ange states: (a rough translation) Professionals affirm that they do not have a definitive recipe for lievre a la royale;so there are numerous and very disimilar recipes, some marked by a bit of extreme fantasy. She offers a reasonable recipe. Perhaps Hirsch should gather 9 to 11 friends and order well in advance the royal dish as in Ali-Bab. Served, since the recipe in Ali Bab uses a high grade burgundy. with a double magnum of a Cote de Nuits grand cru red.

I recalled M.F.K. Fisher's stay in Dijon and checked her connection with Le Pre aux clercs on Google and found this item: M.F.K.—web site sponsored by Les Dames d'Escoffier International. Fisher learned much about food and cooking from the chef at the famous Dijon restaurant Trois Faisons (Three Pheasants). The original restaurant did not survive World War II, but combined with another old establishment, Le Pre aux Clercs. Le Pre aux Clercs-Trois Faisons (13 place de la Liberation, Dijon, 03-80-38-05-05) remains one of the finest purveyors of Burgundy cuisine.

Le Pre aux Clercs, I believe, has a long gastronomic history. Unfortunately I don't have references.

I only shop there to purchase high end teas. I am definitely not a client of tea salons

I like Le Palais des Th\'es.

I had the lowest priced lunch menu. I can only report my isolated experiences which one cannot claim are representative.

I had lunch at Le Cinq in its early years under Legendre as the chef. Very poor food but at that time they had a matching wine option; that was magnificent. The sommelier at that time is now the manager of the restaurant. Lunch improved under Briffard ( I dined there in December) but it wasn't as good as his previous stint at L'Elysees or before that at the Relais Plaza. Wine list is still exceptional and it would be the only attraction for me to return. A lunch a few days later at Le Bristol was excellent and superior to Le Cinq. I'm not surprised by their promotion to 3 rosettes. Le Cinq was more than half empty; Le Bristol was full. Natural light on one side facing a courtyard.

Trust Robert Brown. Sage advice.

Thank you for the information. You've explained why the NYC Atelier was so good.

Food Snob, I immensely enjoy your posts on this forum. On Saturday I depart the USA for my required annual visit to the Oxford University Press and will stop for a few days in London before returning, so I've been recently devouring your posts on London restaurants, too. If I remember correctly, the Atelier in Tokyo opened before the one in Paris. I dined at Jamin with a wine and food loving friend in 1986. I was much more impressed with Passard's cuisine at L'Arpege at that time.. I've never wanted to dine at the Tokyo and Paris Ateliers. The one in New York received very reliable reviews and in the last two years I've enjoyed the food there twice.