Bu Pun Su

Thanks John for always keeping us up to date with the culinary news in France What does it mean when Bocuse's and Pic's names are mentioned twice - in "deserve" as well as "does not deserve" (3-star)? Who is Yoshino - I mean what is his restaurant? I don't see the name of Pacaud anywhere ...

I (usually) go to HK almost once a year around December. And this time, I visited Caprice, the signature restaurant of Four Seasons HK. Some would say that Caprice is the “mini” Le Cinq since the chef de cuisine, pastry chef, maitre d’hotel as well as the sommelier used to work with Phillipe Legendre in Paris. Since I have never been to Le Cinq, I could not comment how “similar” Caprice is to Le Cinq Food/Wine (92/92) The bread is normal and good. I try the baguette, olives and wheat bread … but the butter is special – it’s the Bordier’s from Saint Malo, I never find Asian restaurants using this butter even though it’s slightly inferior to the one in L’Arpege (not as salty). For the main course, after the discussion with Monsieur Jeremy Evrard, we decide to change about 1/3 of the tasting menu (a taste of Caprice) to be more “French”. So, here what I have -lobster carpaccio is light and fresh combined with the acidity from yuzu mousse and a bit saltiness from Aquitane caviar … simple and good - black truffle ravioli served with caramelized artichoke is not too bad - the winter vegetables consist of some potatoes and onions, the best part is the Jabugo ham, the best cured jamon ham I’ve ever had - my fav. dish of the night is the langoustine a la plancha. The langoustine’s tastiness is intensified with the girolle fricassee and balanced by the local asparagus. Well done! - the red mullert fillet is OK, I find that the eggplant is a bit too dominant since the fish’s meat is quite bland - I ate the game dish for my main course: hare a la royale. The dish is prepared is it’s supposed to be (traditionally French), but it’s simply not for me. I find it too soft and too tense (a combination of red wine, foie gras and black truffle) – without the linguini pasta as a side dish, I might not even be able to finish half of it - the cheese is from Alsace’s Bernard Antony (if not mistaken only 2 places in HK has such cheese - Petrus would be the other one). I loved my 4-year old comte and mimolette (hard but not crumbly, mild and nutty – perfectly paired with a small glass of white Belgium beer), the mont d’or is also quite good - the 1st dessert is a mixture of baked meringue’s sweetness with chesnut puree and the bitter/sour of the “grapefruit” – very refreshing especially after the cheese and my wild rabbit - the 2nd dessert theme is (dark) chocolate - it’s melting and bitter, the nutty flavor is good Overally, I am satisfied with my tasting menu – I don’t regret my choice of hare since I need to try it soon or later. For me, the food here is about equal to Sant Pau Tokyo (92/100 – it’s a low 2 ½ star) This degustation menu is accompanied by a half-bottle of white Burgundy. The sommelier recommended 2004 Puligny Montrachet 1st cru, domaine JM Boillot. It has the aromas of fresh mango and nuts with lovely intensity. In addition, it's also quite crisp and well-balanced with fine acidity. It goes well especially with my crustacean dishes Service/Decoration (94/92) The staffs here are friendly and courteous, honestly the maitre d did make a difference. I was lucky since I was served by him at the beginning (during the menu decision) and he did it as smooth as any 3-star manager in Europe. Even for the local staffs – they’re above average, only Pierre HK may “beat” them, but definitely above the rather poor service I had at Robuchon Galera and Gaddi’s. Here, my napkin was always replaced with a new one whenever I left my table The restaurant, located at the 6th floor, is quite big (it should be able to sit in about 100 people at the same time). My dining table is very nice – at the “lower” lever overlooking the spectacular Kowloon Peninsula. The sofa chair with a pillow to support your back is really spacious and comfortable. Even though the dining room can be said luxurious with several giant chandeliers, but the atmosphere here is not stuffy at all. The kitchen is “open” – you can see them in action without having to worry about the smoke to “dirty” your clothes. Lastly, the price here I would say is quite reasonable. My tasting menu is almost USD 30 cheaper than Pierre or Atelier JR in HK. I would be happy to conclude that so far Caprice is the best French restaurant in Asia (exclude Japan of course). The score for the overall experience is 92.5/100 (2.5-star) Pictures, please visit - caprice hk

Based on many people's experiences I agreed with your explanation of Guy Savoy. This is why I never really believe that 3-star restaurant is truly equal to 3-star food only, instead 3-star establishment is more about creating a 3-star (overall) experience Just check the english version of Simon's website (by Adrian Moore) - apparently the issue with Arpege is more of the organization's wise - similar to management issue with Le Cinq last year. The different is that many people complain about Le Cinq's food while only a few that I know would be unhappy with Arpege's dishes I don't know much whether many of the staffs are paid below "3-star average" in Arpege. However, I know that Passard likes giving opportunities for his staffs either in the kitchen or front office to pursue higher in his career. For instance, when Pascal Barbot opened L'Astrance, Passard gave his Arpege regular customers contact to Barbot (Lapaire, the manager, told me that); Stephane Thivat moved to manage a wine cellar somewhere in France. I'm not sure if this is the management's "mistakes" since you would let your best people to leave. The positive part would be: it's quite clear where the problem is and to actually fix the front staffs should not be too "difficult" compared to find the right chef This also explains a bit why I "grade" restaurants based on a few categories and put different weight on the criteria as well as still believe even among Michelin's 3-star places, they're not all "equal". Just my 2 cents

Julot, Thanks for your response anyway I know that you're "harsh" to Ducasse Plaza and Piege - well, I understand since their dishes do not change much. But, how about Guy Savoy? Doesn't his menu also pretty much constant throughout the year in particular his tasting menu, yet I hardly see you treat Savoy the same way as Piege. Why is that? What's special dish at Savoy during the truffle season since you mentioned that this is one of the "must-go" place during the truffle season? Do you also dislike Le Louis XV the same way as Ducasse Plaza?

ajgnet, thanks for an excellent review of l'ambroisie - glad that you had a wonderful experience after being "turned down" in your first visit. I assume this is your best meal ever? How's it compared to Calandre, Savoy or French Laundry - either food only or overall experienced combined? I have this "stupid" question to everyone . For Pacaud's feuilleté de truffe fraîche “bel humeur.” or something similar to this dish, what would happen if instead white truffle (forget about the price for the time being) is used? Would it fit well with the foie gras? Or the alternative - like the creamy sea urchin plus white truffle would work better?

I will be really disappointed should Arpege lost one of its star. The last time I went there was June '07 and the food is still excellent. I felt very welcome and the service there is relatively personal compared to the other establishments. I heard that the maitre d' - Laurent Lapaire is leaving and going to start his own business, but it should not be an issue since Michelin, as it claims, only concerned about what is served on plates. I (finally) met chef Passard in person last month and he did a special lunch as well as cooking demonstration - I don't find anything lacks in the dishes - as a matter of fact - they were fabulous given the ingredients limitation in Asia and the fact that he did not have all that he wanted in the kitchen Well, I will just wait and see until the guide book is really out. Should the restaurant really lose its star ... I would still be the main supporter of Arpege until I really find that something is really wrong with the food. I will try to put my review perhaps next month about Passard's visit (probably in the Asia forum)

Hiroyuki, Your'e such a good cook, and soon to be chef Keep up the good work and posting the pictures I enjoyed them though hardly give a reply

As of today, I think Paris has 10 3-star restaurants whereas Tokyo has "only" 8 I was fortunate to go and eat a lot in Tokyo last month Tokyo is indeed a very interesting city for dining It's very diverse in terms of pretty much everything and quality is high. IMHO, Tokyo is as good as if not slightly better than New York for food (I know that many would disagree for this). From the point of view of strictly haute cuisine, I think Paris still has the edge, but the rests Tokyo surpasses Paris (i.e. one will definitely eat better French food in Tokyo vs eating Japanese food in Paris etc.) So, Michelin did not "randomly" give Tokyo the awards though I still think that 191 stars are a too "generous"; 120-150 stars would make more sense. It should not be a surprised that in 2-3 years time, we will see Michelin guide for another place in Asia, such as: Hong Kong (plus Shanghai or Macau), they should visit Osaka/Kyoto as well. I don't know much about the food in London, so cannot comment on why the Michelin stars awarded there are quite limited.

You're very welcome Hiroyuki Don't worry about it and please take your time Thanks

Jason, Thanks for your elaborate explanation Who do you think is Japan's top kaiseki chefs? Kikunoi's Yoshihiro Murata is probably the most popular one ...

This will be my first review of the Asian cuisine – part of my winter trip to Tokyo. It is … the traditional ryotei restaurant - Hamadaya at Nihonbashi (there is another Hamadaya in the midtown – a more modern version). I was very excited when the hotel’s concierge told me that she successfully secured a lunch reservation for us at Hamadaya since I heard that some restaurants in Tokyo do not really accept foreigners. Without further delay … Food/Wine (94/94) The food served here is kaiseki only (some called it tea ceremony). From the beginning until the end, the only food utensil I use is a pair of chopstick (hashi) – yes, you’re expected to eat your rice, cut the meat/fish, taking “things” from your soup etc. by using only that chopstick – very different than western haute cuisine where in one meal you may use more than 20 spoons/forks/knives. Kaiseki meal’s dishes have certain order that needs to be followed (though not very strict), I think my meal has about 75% of the complete “official” dishes (12-14 dishes for the extensive version) - the appetizers are roasted squid, crab meat (they’re fine) and deep fried prawn (good) as well as some mixture of vegetables with peanut sauce (refreshing) - next come the clear soup with tasty broth. The spiny lobster’s taste is too mild, the tofu and potato are ok - before our palate sated with cooked foods, the fresh sashimi is served – maguro, sayori and hirame (the winter version) - I love the grilled dish a lot. The red tilefish is dense and tasty, the oyster is good except that the dark sauce is a bit too strong, while the saba sushi is good and served in generous portion - simmered turnip, quail, spinach (nice) and tofu – wonderful combination of soft texture and light taste of the tofu - deep fried prawn and broccoli; they’re not oily at all. The prawn, in particular, is sweet and crunchy - the main course is kaiseki dish is (almost) always rice (gohan). The superior Japanese rice is accompanied by peas and crab omelet. On the side, we have red miso soup and combination of Japanese pickles - lastly, the dessert: simple, but surprisingly good. The red bean soup is sublime; I ate the best honey dew ever here – sweet and watery (Now I understand why a small Japanese Melon could cost USD 50-70 in the supermarket), the strawberry is also memorable. I learned that the “real” and “original” kaiseki meal are always using seasonal and best quality of local ingredients that mostly are not available outside Japan. Due to this, it’s virtually impossible to duplicate the kaiseki experience outside Japan (Could anybody confirm this?) Another distinct feature of kaiseki is that they consist of multiple small courses featuring many different cooking skills, yet it only has one seasonal theme and everything must be in harmony (like a symphony). I give this place 94/100 for food (a strong 2 ½*) Kaiseki meal traditionally is accompanied by sake and this time also without exception. Me and my father shared Kiku-Masamune from Kobe for the hot sake (mild and refined in aroma with delicate and smooth taste. It is the kind of sake that would intensify the foods’ flavor). For the cold sake, the restaurant recommended Aramasa from Akita (A flavorful rice sake with gentle grain-like aroma and smooth round taste with a slight bitter finish). I don’t know whether the restaurant also serves French wines/champagnes Service/Decoration (98/92) Eating kaiseki meal in its traditional sense also means that you would enjoy your meal in a private tatami room. Our room can be considered very big (more than 400 square-feet) that could easily accommodate 10 or more people. The long table has a “hole” below for the guest to put their feet and the “chair” also has back support. It was very tranquil and peaceful as if you’re not in Tokyo which is identical to fast and “chaos” activities everyday. Nearby, we could also see a small garden – a nice and comfortable “dining room” It takes two to Tango – in tea ceremony, the collaboration between the host (the restaurant’s manager plays a very important role during kaiseki’s meal) and the guest is very essential. The Okami-san (Proprietress), Ms. Keiko Mita often came to keep us accompany during the meal. Another staff who happens to be the owner’s daughter (we’re lucky since the daughter, speaking fluent English, does not have any class that day so she could help her mother) became our translator. Ms. Keiko Mita’s friendliness and warmth instantly turned the cold ambiance into a more intimate one. No detail was overlooked; essentially the service here is indeed impeccable and both the host along with her staffs are very courteous and cordial. They bring the meaning of service to the next level, in addition to the fact that Japanese people are generally very polite (When I return home, somehow I often bow when I speak to people  ). Oh … if you wish, you get geisha(s) to entertain you during the meal here While it is true that this is not the best meal I’ve ever had (I ate better at L’Arpege or ADPA), the overall experience here is truly exceptional. I don’t know if Japanese food can be this good, perhaps I should try dinner next time where the food should be more elaborate (or is it simply depending on the budget mentioned at the beginning?). For the general experience, I would bestow 95/100 (2 ¾*) – the 3 star Michelin they received is really justified. Does anybody know how much different the tea ceremony here compared to the “famous” Kyoto-style kaiseki? A more details of my adventure can be found here, Hamadaya Winter 07 The pictures would be at the following link: hamadaya pictures 07

Yeah, I agreed about Pierre Gagnaire's desserts - I ate at his establishments in HK and Paris before, that's why I decided to skip it this time Thanks for the suggestion mjmchef, I was in Tokyo only for several days. Actually, I did try Robuchon's food. Is L'Osier the best French resto in Tokyo (if not in the whole Japan) - perhaps only Chateau Robuchon and Michel Bras Toya would give a real challenge

I was there for lunch by myself and I felt they welcomed me despite eating along and the fact that I'm not Japanese. Things went more smoothly as I could find the common ground to discuss with the maitre d. In addition, they did not rush me even though I was the last person to finish my meal - about 3:30 PM I think (in Tokyo, people normally do not stay long for lunch) I did not ask about the solar system's flavor concept as in why they characterize certain flavor with certain planets - you just brought up a good question. Regarding the cover page, you actually could roll down and click the enter gallery directly without having to download the entire cover. Thanks

Long before the Michelin guide for Tokyo is out, me and my family already planned to go to Tokyo for several days in winter 2007. This would be my first trip to Japan in more than 20 years. I love eating very much, but Tokyo? Well, I'm relatively "blind" about the restaurants there. When the Michelin Tokyo is released about a month before we went there, it became a help guide to me to decide where to go in addition to some advice from people in the forums. And Sant Pau Tokyo will be the 1st restaurant I would like to share ... Food/Wine (92/90) This place is actually not my first choice. I planned to try to L'Osier, but the restaurant is full even until the middle of Jan '08 - Michelin guide could really make or break a restaurant ... so I decide to try this place. As usual, I choose the restaurant's full degustation menu. Here are what I had: - typical Spanish restaurant should start with "Tapas". I like the "satay" consisting of brioche, smoked snapper and tomato; the zucchini with cheese & almond is also good. - the first main course would be monkfish. This dish combines the acidity and subtle sweetness of various ingredients such as mushrooms and paprika. The turnip and olive oil inside does not really help to make the fish spectacular. It's just OK, but beautifully presented - then green cod soup (made of spinach and herbs). The fish is too little whereas the marzipan portion is simply too thick - norway lobster (I think it's more suitable as langoustine or scampi since they size is rather small). The best dish for this lunch - the prawn is soft in texture and rich in flavor reminded me of Pacaud's langoustine. The side dishes are also "extreme" in taste - egg yolk and bananas, but they were tamed by the cream of rice - the original version is turbot, my fav. fish but I decided to switch it to parrotfish since I never had it before, the fish is cooked with its tasty and crunchy scales but the meat itself is tasteless. The overall taste is help with the romesquet sauce, Spanish traditional soup - pork is never my favorite choice for the main course, but compare to beef's cheek ... this pluma (the meat taken between its neck and shoulder) of Iberian pork was surprisingly quite good and tender, not cloying at all - each cheese here is paired with side dishes like jelly and tomato. the home made one is ok, both Italian robiola and French bleu de gex are quite strong - then come the desserts. Honestly, this is probably the most creative presentation among 2-3 star restaurants I've ever been (you should see the pictures yourself). I ordered the "Solar System" consists of 2 parts: 1) the planet, like its name suggests, the chef represents the planets with all different kinds of desserts - some of them that I could recall are the jelly (Neptune), the Indian spices rice crispy (Mars), milky (Sun), apple with dark chocolate (Jupiter), icy beets (moon) etc. - the other part 2) heavenly bodies and the eplipse. This one is not only pretty, but also very good. It's pretty much about almond from the mousse to cream powder. The foam is made of rum, there's some caramel as well - nice combination. On the top - it's supposed to be an "eclipse" consists of the grapefruit pudding at the bottom plus the hot coffee at the top that solidifies in less than one minute. Overally, I am happy with the food even though not as good as Can Fabes. I think the chef put too much emphasized to the presentation (I believe he's very creative), but in doing so sometimes it blurs the real taste of the dish - some of them are not very clear which ingredient(s) should be the "king". I think it would take a few more years before this place could get the 3rd michelin star. The wines here are dominantly from Spain, especially from the Catalan area (the home of the chef Carme Ruscalleda). I had a glass of white - Marques de Alella (clean and fresh with aromatic notes of vanilla. The palate is dry, with some white grapefruit flavor. It accompanies the fish and prawn dishes ) and a glass of red - Telmo Rodriquez Gago Toro (medium with suave aromas of red berries. It's wonderfully poised with gentle acids and some mineral at the finishing. A nice choice by the sommelier). I am still learning to appreciate more of Spanish wine ... somehow I always like the French onebetter. Service/Ambiance (94/92) Sant Pau Tokyo's building can be considered big and quite luxurious. As you entered the main entrance, there is a lobby then somebody will escort you to the dining room (it's relatively huge, the distance between tables are quite far) located in the 2nd floor (before that you would pass a bar and lounge). The restaurant was quite full (almost 80%) and dominated woody materials. There are many paintings on the wall - all imported from Spain. The staffs here are very accomodating and cordial, especially the manager - she used to live and work for Sant Pau Spain for several years before going back to Japan. There are not that many good Spanish restaurant in Asia, so I think Sant Pau Tokyo is best one outside Spain itself. The overall grade for me: 92/100 - truly deserved the 2-star they currently carry, slightly below 2-star in Paris like Bristol but better than my lunch at Carre des Feuillants. Here are the link for the pictures: sant pau tokyo

Thanks for the feedback May I know what the link is? Or to make it short ... Currently, Michelin bestows 8 establishments with its highest accolade. What restaurants did receive the best ratings according to Tokyo Ii Mise Umai Mise? Outside Tokyo, what other places are the main destinations for foodies in Japan? Is it Kyoto or ... I'm looking for the capital of gastronomy in Japan outside the capital city (similar to Lyon in France or Tuscany in Italy).

What would be Japan's (or Tokyo's in particular) most "reliable" dining guide that would be equivalent to let's say: Mobil 5* or NYT 4* in the US and NY respectively? Any website/info about it as well ... I was lucky enough to dine in some restaurants in Tokyo this winter. I tried a few mentioned by the new Michelin-guide, personally I think that their ratings compared my experiences ate there are about "right" or good-enough. I would post some of my reviews starting sometimes next week hopefully

This is a "black" week for the world of haute cuisine I was very sad to know this and hope Mr. Vrinat's family will be streghthened and would be able to get through this tough times In 2005 - during my first visit to Paris to try the 3-star Michelin in Europe, Taillevent was one of my choices. Despite many not-so-good reviews, it's very difficult for me to resist its legendary and historical richness within the world of French gastronomy. And the graciousness of Mr. Vrinat that I heard from almost all diners was the main reason why I still would give it a shot. Alas, the restaurant was full. Now, with Mr. Vrinat forever leaving this world, I'm not sure if I would ever dine at Taillevent. I'm afraid this establishment could follow the path of La Tour d'Argent - going down the hill and soon be forgotten. I hope I'm wrong ... Au revoir Monsieur Vrinat - the French "perfect" gentleman

What other dishes in ADPA that Piege created during his tenure if you don't mind sharing? I learned from Gastroville that "a tiny cup containing shellfish broth with some subtle agrumes and ginger flavors" for the langoustine only created after Piege left Perhaps beyond the food, other similarities would be: Butter presentation - salted and unsalted ADPA: put on 2 different "cup", LA: in similar fashion, put on one "stone", also with 2 containers The cart for the tea or a gift of brioche at the end ... could not help but remind me this place is somehow "Ducasse" Again, nothing is wrong, but I expect more "creativity" from somebody as talented as Piege and his team

Actually yes I wrote in my small note book (not laptop) some comments about the food in particular or the restaurant in general. Because of this, many staffs often thought that I'm a chef and somehow assumed I'm from Japan - it happened several times

Would you mind elaborating further? What are those commonalities? Thanks

Thanks for your nice comments Actually, I've never been to Le Cinq. I planned to go there before, but there have been many not-so-good reviews about the restaurant. Moreover, they just lost the 3rd star earlier this year plus there's rumour that chef Legendre would leave the establishment. I think it's still a decent place to try - the tasting menu is priced about the same as Les Ambassadeurs, but there are more dishes - perhaps similar to Le Meurice's

Some comparisons ADPA vs Les Ambassadeurs (LA) Since Jean-Francois Piege is the former chef of Plaza Athenee restaurant, I simply could not help but to compare between the two. The way I see this place (some of you may not agree), Les Ambassadeurs is like “mini” Alain Ducasse Paris. In what sense? Pretty much in almost every aspect. The décor – well, the basic idea is they want to make it as luxurious as possible to give the impression that it’s very expensive. The painting along the ceiling and the top part of the wall are beautiful, but ADPA has much better chandeliers and bigger tables. Even the way the menu is presented, LA also uses a holder, but simpler – the Ducasse version is more convenient (also I like the sliding “bar stool” to put my camera or bag for the ladies). Service wise – monsieur Courtiade’s brigade (ADPA) is more professional; they walk around effortlessly without overwhelming the guests. At any time during your meal, you will hardly find any difficulties to approach any of them and they’re all very knowledgeable as well as helpful. Food wise – being the apprentice of Alain Ducasse, it should come as no surprise that we can still find the influence of his master in chef Piege’s cooking. The langoustine caviar is probably the most obvious one – the bouillon’s taste is similar, then the idea of using prawn and caviar (as the “only” ingredients) to create the dish. If not mistaken, LA also has “homard au coco/curry”, so does ADPA even though the presentation and the way they’re cooked could be slightly different, but the idea is that they’re quite similar and so far I find that ADPA execute them better while the plating are about equal. Wine – both places serve extensive selection, but again ADPA has more selections. With this, even I see that LA is a “copy cat” of ADPA. I believe chef Piege is very talented. I hope that he would push himself as far as possible from Ducasse like when he created his egg dish. Nothing really wrong with being similar to ADPA, it’s just that … perhaps Michelin might think LA is not unique enough to be the restaurant that stands on its own – too many aspects are still overshadowed by ADPA where unfortunately they perform better than Les Ambassadeurs, hence LA does not deserve to receive the 3rd star yet. Well, it’s just my random thoughts. Here are pictures for my meal at Alain Ducasse Paris if you’re interested ADPA Spring 06

When I’m going to Paris, I usually put more emphasize to dine at the 3-star restaurants. But, I find that it’s also fun to visit 1-2 star restaurants and observe when the chef is still improving him/herself. The results so far have been mixtures: I like Le Bristol, but not really inspired by Carre des Feuillants or Senderens. This time, I give the chance to Les Ambassadeurs, the establishment which many claim should have been 3-star. Is it? Food/Wine (94/92) - the amuse here is quite good. I enjoyed the “black truffle” butter for the bread - I chose their standard degustation menu and began with its classic dish – langoustine and oscetra caviar. The tempura style, while tasty, it’s a bit oily. I prefer the sashimi version – fresh and firm. My favorite is actually the cream (mixture of ginger parfum, shellfish, and lemongrass) of caviar served in a small bowl - the fish – line of bar was actually a rather disappointing. The presentation was not too bad, but the seabass itself – cooked in fillet style is rather tasteless and soulless. Moreover, the morels were already out of season (the 2nd week of June), I think it’s the left over ones – the flavor was simply not there. This dish is inferior compared to the fish prepared by Gagnaire (bar) and Passard (turbot) - the chicken was unfortunately not part of the tasting menu, so I choose another seafood dish for my main course – blue lobster served with its jus and cream of spinach. The lobster has good texture; the spinach’s cream enhanced the flavor. The mushrooms served as side dish was not too bad either. Overally, very good - the cheese selection is good as expected (supplied by Bernard Antony) except the comte with slightly not matured – served 6 months later will be better. For the rests, I had: Abbaye de Citeaux (very good - mild and soft to the palate), Brie de Mieux (creamy with distinct smell) and Saint Nectaire (also good). - pre-desserts and petit fours. Similar to Alain Ducasse’s, there are many sweets served before and after the desserts such as: a box of chocolate truffles, marmalade macarons, almond coated sorbet etc. - I had 3 small desserts served together in one plate: custard tart, cherry black forest and verbena ice cream – they are fine, but not outstanding I admitted that almost all the dishes here is beautifully presented, very artistic plating; but I don’t find the result in my mouth to very good. Consistency was one of the issue I suppose – not sure since chef Piege is not in the kitchen that day; nevertheless the langoustine and lobster are good enough for me to give the food here: 94/100 (a high 2 1/2* star, 1 pt above my meal in Le Bristol) The wine selection here is good, the presentation of the list is not intimidating (not “bible” wine list). The head sommelier, David Biraud, only oversaw his junior staff – most of the time, the young sommelier served the guests. This time I drank a glass of 2004 Dagueneau Blanc Fume de Pouilly - This sauvignon blanc from Loire Valley is rich with some lemon zest and white flowers. It has a long and riveting finish. Another one would be a glass of Chateau de Chamirey Mercurey Blanc - medium acidity with long and elegant finishes as well as well-balanced with fruity aromatic, especially citrus. A lovely wine to enjoy with my lobster dish Service/Decoration (91/93) Like any other establishments located in the hotel, most of the staffs speak good English – so communication was not an issue here. The waiters often are not around the guests, so sometimes a little bit difficult when you would like to ask something, but the service is still friendly and attentive. It’s just the flow is not as smooth as the one I found in other places. The décor, as most people already knew, is palace-like aka luxurious. It’s dominated by colored marble and gilt chandeliers. The table is quite big and comfortable, the distance between tables is also quite far – a very nice place to enjoy and pamper yourself. The overall experience for my lunch here is 92.5/100 (a low 2 ½ star). There are still many aspects where the restaurants could grow, so I think Michelin get it right by giving this place 2-star so far. With this, I conclude my reports from my Euro trip at the end of Spring this year. Here is the link for the pictures: les ambassadeurs summer 07

Thanks for the reply May I know why? Any background relate to the culture? I'm particularly surprised when you mentioned even not to tip the cleaning service or taxi driver.

Just a general question When one eats in Japan, particularly Tokyo, does he/she need to tips? If yes, how many %? Is it more like in America where the tip is never included, the guest needs to add himself or more like in Europe (the price tag of the meal already include both tax and tips) or HK/Sin (the restaurant will add 10% service tag)? Thanks