For Davec who asked about our restaurant experiences in Beaune. Sorry I didn't post sooner as you imply that you may now be in France eating (I'm jealous). We ate dinner at: L'Écusson , place Malmédy , 21200 Beaune Phone: 03.80.24.03.82 Fax: 03.80.24.74.02 . Casual place. We started with raw salmon on a cucumber base and escargot in marrow bones with garlic confit, then sandre in a heavy cream sauce and a steak, cheese, finished with strawberries in a cassis sauce and rhubarb packets with ice cream. Our notes say that the salmon was one dimensional and the snails were too salty, nice selection of local cheeses, and good deserts. We drank a Santenay that was very smelly/sulphured but didn't feel that the restaurant would replace the wine if we commented. Bill was about 750 FFR for two. Felt the food was not exciting at all, very one dimensional throughout. Not a place we'll return to. Next day we had lunch at Le Jardin des Remparts 10, rue Hotel Dieu 21200 Beaune Phone: 03.80.24.79.41 Our notes start off with "there is hope!" We had a delightful time, good food. Started with a terrine of chicken breast and liver and a wonderful tartare of beef and oysters. Then we both had dorade with olives and prunes (the combination worked). Followed with veal kidneys and tongue and a rabbit filet over chopped rabbit and olives (my wife noted it was too salty). A very good, a great, a reason we in the US fly to France, cheese course. Desert of a baba and rose ice cream and a raspberry fluff with beet sorbet. No notes on the wines, I don't think we selected anything special. If I remember correctly the menu is the same at dinner. About 1000 FFR for two. I'd love to eat there again. We also had lunch at Ma Cuisine allée Ste.-Helene 21200 Beaune Phone: 03.80.22.30.22 Much like the review above describes it. Casual restaurant with the specials on the black board. Started with beef capriccio and croquet monsieur (my wife described it as grilled cheese on toast), followed with kidneys and blanchette of veal, finished with a strawberry gratin and a creme caramel. Food was rustic, good, simple, but not complex flavors on the plate. The wine was very good, but the prices seemed high over all. About 570 FFR for two. The kind of place I'd go back to, for the wines and the rustic cooking but I'd have to drag my wife back to because it's a little too one dimensional. Dinner at Bernard Morillon 27, rue Maufoux 21200 Beaune Phone: 03.80.22.35.48 (Yes we had more meals in Beaune than I originally anticipated) A fancy restaurant that just didn't go the whole way. Started with foie gras and smoked salmon, then a lobster gratin for both of us, pigeon for both of us, a strawberry souffle and a chocolate sorbet. Our notes say "not outstanding but very good". I remember our reaction as we left the restaurant was that it had gotten tired (our second time there). The staff often looked bored when presenting the plates, the food was good but nothing was great. We went to some length with Madame (who looked as if her feet hurt) over how the pigeon should be cooked (saignant, medium rare) and when she present it rare she apologized that the kitchen sent it out that way. I still can't understand why she didn't send it back in to be finished before it came to the table. It's not on my list for a repeat visit. About 1725 FFR for two. We looked at the menu for Le Gourmandin 8, place Carnot 21200 Beaune Phone: 03.80.24.07.88 and didn't see anything out of the ordinary or very interesting. Very much the standard dishes of the region. May be good but the menu didn't entice us to give it a try. Al Sharff
