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Fat Guy, Roellinger is a three-star chef since last year.

Well, it will be no longer a three-star restaurant when you get there. Very sad story, this.

As the Decanter reports, Alain Ducasse is set to launch a 70-person capacity restaurant later this year, inside the Dorchester Hotel. Do Ramsay, Wareing, Roux, Charvot and the likes have to seriously worry now? Is some serious competition coming their way? Does Ducasse plan some kind of Louis XV in London? Will Mayfair turn into Monaco? Could the Dorchester return to the culinary fame it had under Mosimann? And will London get a second three-star restaurant? Or will it be just a classy brasserie, some sort of Spoon on a bigger scale? Should any member have a deeper insight into what Ducasse's plans are, I would be really interested.

I have been to Bocuse and Leon de Lyon about a month ago, to Troisgros last year and to Georges Blanc about fifteen years ago! I was very impressed with Bocuse. If you like the traditional style, this is such a fabulous restaurant. The food is consistently on a very high level. Don't listen to what the others say, go there and have the soupe de moules, the filets de sole aux nouilles Fernand Point or a Bresse chicken, cheese and desserts. You will love it. The service makes everybody feel really special and most times the master himself is there greeting the guests. If you expect this kind of traditionalism at Troisgros, you will be disappointed. This is no longer the cuisine of the famous brothers, Michel has taken over now and cooks a fairly inventive style. However, there is still a few of the old classics on the menu, such as lobster with herb butter or Charolais beef. I was not too impressed with Leon de Lyon. For what it is, you pay premium prices without getting a truly memorable dining experience. I would definitely recommend that you try one of the traditional bouchons in Lyon, perhaps La Meuniere or Le Garet. These are the best places to try out what tripes taste lake, best in the form of a Tablier de Sapeur. I also enjoyed the wonderful Brasserie Georges last time, although this is much more Parisian or Alsatian with oysters, beer and choucroute. Have fun and report back!

Well, if the rumours are correct, they will both loose their third Michelin star this year. I would consider this an extremely unfair rating in both cases, should recent reports turn out to be true. Both restaurants are still excellent and have not gone down in quality or service, their only "mistake" could perhaps be that others have become even better.

There might be more female *** chefs than one would think. As well as Eugénie Brazier and Elena Arzak one should also remember Annie Féolde, the French chef of the Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence.

As the German food magazine "Der Feinschmecker" reports, Antoine Westermann has handed back his three Michelin stars in a similar way as Alain Senderens did at Lucas Carton. The restaurant Buerehiesel in Strasbourg will be taken over by Westermann's son, allowing him to make a "fresh start".

I agree that Petrus will get its second star. Went there earlier this week and one could almost "smell" the second star around the corner. It would be unfair if they wouldn't get it. On the contrary, it would only be fair for GR at Claridge's to loose its star.

Orangewasabi, When I had my first meal at Taillevent about twenty years ago I was only 17 years old and ate by myself! The treatment I got was exactly the same as any other diner received. Jean Claude Vrinat in fact seemed very pleased that a teenager was interested in grande cuisine. (At that time, one ate a la carte at lunch times as there was no difference to the dinner menu.) Taillevent has always been famous for great classically inspired food, knowledgeable wine selection and reasonable prices. And most of all - faultless service. No need to say that I went back many times during the past 20 years. And I have never been disappointed.

Hello Matthew, Indeed, Bocuse is amoung my very favourite places and I feel that the three stars are still fully justified. As much as I enjoy Fat Duck et al., why should everything be dictated by avantgarde cooking? Sometimes I have a nostalgic moment and want to bring back the tastes of French three-star restaurants in the sixties, seventies and eighties. I went to Collonges once every year for the last five years or so, my next reservation is in a few weeks time. The master himself was always there to greet the guests and my feeling is that his simple presence keeps the quality on a consistent three star level. Yes, it is a theme park, and yes, there are lots of American and Japanese Foodie tourists, and yes the monkey with the barrel-organ is ridiculous. But the food can be superb! You have to love classical or bourgeoise cuisine though (I personally am a great fan of Fernand Point and as long as Bocuse is alive, this is as close as I can get to what has been cooking in the Pyramide about 60 years ago!) I remember the most fabulous asparagus as a starter, a huge portion and thick as bananas, served with a delicious sauce beaujolaise. Then the Crayfish gratin Fernand Point, wonderful Bresse chicken, not to mention the wonderful desserts. Service has always been outstanding, too.

For me, in no particular order Fat Duck *** Waterside Inn *** Le Gavroche ** and, on the continent Paul Bocuse *** Troisgros *** Auberge de l'Ill *** Schwarzwaldstube *** Waldhotel Sonnora *** Biggest disappointment GR at Claridge's *

I went to Simpson's a few days ago and found it a hundred times better than GR at Claridge's (which I visited about three weeks ago). I had an excellent risotto with sweetbread, lentils and old parmesan, followed by a turbot main and a delicious apple and blackberry soufflé with cinnamon ice cream. Although wine prices are unashamedly high, we found the setting very joyful, the conservatory is lovely, the garden and the lounge have got elegant Christmas decorations. It was interesting to watch what was going on in the kitchen where at least ten people were working quite hard. For me Simpson's is at the upper end of what is called 1M* in this country.

Here is an idea how to freshen up the Fat duck theme show in Bray with the ever-lasting menu - why does Heston not propose an alternative three or four course menu, composed out of the dishes of his new TV series? By watching the programme even ambitious home cooks will have realised that the show has written "DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME" all over it. But I am sure they would come to Bray to eat perfect bangers and mash or the best black forest gateau in the world.

Did I miss McGee on the TV (I didn't think I was being that inattentive, but it had been a long day... ), or was he on the Sunday Times DVD? ← He is on the Sunday Times DVD where Heston worships him like a God.

Do you know Francis Bown? He is not a food writer really and his website is not really a blog. But I tremendously enjoy reading the snobberies of this arch-British gentleman who also writes about bespoke clothing on another website. His restaurant reviews often involve a luxury hotel where he arrives in his Royce, he will hardly ever say something negative about food, wine or service. Instead. his reports read like the diary of somebody who is permanently splashing out and is not to shy to let the world know about it. Check this one out --- http://www.bownsbest.com/

If you would like to stay in town, there is not a great choice, I'm afraid. The "Grain Barge" ist still a good Chinese though.

After a recent visit I agree that the cuisine at Le Champignon sauvage is fantastic. Whatever comes out of the kitchen is fine cuisine at its best. It is also true that their pricing is more than reasonable. However, one can easily understand why they are able to offer such good value on their plates. This place seems to make huge savings in service and decoration! The service was extremely slow, understaffed (only the chef's wife and one other waitress) and left a lot to be desired. The dining room, the bar and the toilets upstairs are anything but glamourous. This restaurant is a prime example that Michelin stars are awarded for food only and not for all other aspects influencing a meal. But if all you care about is the food on the plate and you don't mind sitting next to a busy road with lorries passing by and wait ages for your glasses to be refilled or your plates to be cleared, this is the place to go.

In May we had a wonderful meal at the Lorenz Adlon, the Gourmet restaurant at the Hotel Adlon. Silver service and some great classically inspired cuisine. The chef has worked at the Auberge de l'Ill in Alsace and it shows in faboulous dishes such as Esturgeon with sauerkraut and caviar. Depending on where you sit, you also have a view at the Brandenburg gate. The wine list offers lots of good choices in German wine. We noticed that due to the hotel this restaurant has got a high celebrity factor and recognised Walter Scheel at the table next to us, Germany's President during the seventies. I can only recommend a visit to the Lorenz Adlon, this is as good as it gets in Berlin.

I suggest you go to the Fat Duck and drop off your steak and chips friend at Heston's pub just across the road, called the Hinds Head.

I can't find the exact size of Ch Grillet, but I think that Romanée-Conti may be smaller at 1.8 hectares - don't know if that's the smallest though! ← Château Grillet has got 4 ha and is the second smallest appellation after La Romanée. It is however the only property in France to have its own AC. As a fan of Fernand Point (Grillet was his favourite wine apart from Champagne), I am particularly interested in the history of this property. One has to be aware that, throughout the vintages, Grillet has not consistently come from one vineyard. The property has been in the hands of the Neyret-Gachet family since 1840 and was granted the appellation in 1936, then covering 3 ha. When André Baratin-Canet took over in 1961, it was a mere 1.7 ha! He bought an extra hectare of vines and even replanted elsewhere. Therefore, today's Grillet might be slightly different to what the guests of "La Pyramide" drank up to Fernand Point's death in 1955. (Although the wine making methods will probably not have changed that much.)

I could not agree more with you, Tarte Tatin. Claude Terrail was probably one of the greatest restaurateurs who ever lived. (In Paris, one can only really compare him with Jean-Claude Vrinat from Taillevent.) He made everybody feel special and his luxury establishment high above the Seine was a haven of luxury. Pricey, yes, but so worth it. I can still taste the quenelles de brochet André Terrail, the classic Challans duck and the wonderful soufflés. Not to mention the magnificent wine cellar with one of the most comprehensive selections of French wine in the world. All this was not invented but maintained and perfected by Claude Terrail. A flamboyant gentleman who wanted to become an actor and turned the restaurant into his stage instead. Of course with a lot of glamour, with Romy Schneider, Catherine Deneuve, Charlie Chaplin, Ava Gardner, Marilyn Monroe etc. Shame about the loss of the star(s). I will pursue the remembrance of things past with Terrail's marvellous books, a shiny silver menu I kept from a visit and a dusty bottle of Tour d'Argent Armagnac "Hors d'Age" that I bought as a souvenir once in the eighties. Rest in peace, Monsieur Terrail.