tracyinfrance

I have just emailed a booking enquiry and it was deleted without it being read! Do they restrict the number of places you can reserve. There is a group of 10 of us wanting to go - will they consider a group that large?

I have tried calling Poncio restaurant for dinner reservations and a friend, whose spanish is far better than mine, was told they only open for big parties in the evening. Is this something new or has something been lost in translation whereby they only accept reservations for big groups in the evening? We are trying to go in October on a Wednesday night. Or have we got it completely wrong? Any help to get a reservation would be really appreciated!

Anyone got any favourite places for sunday night dinner in Barcelona - high end is fine, but I think they all tend to be closed?!

Thanks for the two suggestions - even though Le Comptoir seems to have fallen out of favour or should that be flavour with fellow EGers, we are staying in St Germain so it seems a logical place for us. Hopefully we can at least have a glass of champagne on the terrace between showers if not our entire late lunch!

Am meeting a friend from the States in Paris for lunch tomorrow and had made a reservation at Mini Palais for lunch and just called to confirm my reservation to discover they have decided to close until the 21st - even though they took my reservation last month! Any suggestions?? I gather the weather is not going to be brilliant as I had thought Les Ombres on the terrace or Cafe de l'homme on the terrace as all the reviews seem to indicate the main reason to go to either of these is the terrace rather than the food. I am so mad that MP took my reservation when they must have known they were going to be closed!! We do have reservations at Market for Monday lunch. Is the Comptoir any good sunday lunch or are we likely to have to wait ages for a table? My friend is likely to be jetlagged so standing in the rain will not go down well!! We don't meet up until 1.15 due to my flight and her train time so needs to be somewhere serving late ie at least until 2pm

Sorry to hear your wife got sick! It has been really hot recently and I don't know if it was Oysters that did it, but the Bassan de Thau does heat up and locals have told me not to eat Oysters when it has been hot for long period of time! If Pezenas only gets you for one night it has to be L'Entrepots without hesitation 04 67 90 00 00 - use my name in vain (mention Tracy from Hotel de Vigniamont) if you want! Glad to hear Montpeyroux was an overall good experience! BTW L'Entrepots is closed on Mondays!

I would be interested on your take on the Mimosa Terrace restaurant. Have heard very mixed reviews and we were underwhelmed when we went for Sunday lunch during the winter. Gallery 5 is the place for Foie Gras - Bit tricky to find until you get used to the narrow streets of the old town of Pez. Try to go to L'Entrepots - you need to call at least 1 day in advance and for the weekend at least 2 or3! Have you got a table at O BonTemps? Nigh on impossible to get a table less than 3 weeks in advance - easier for lunch! Bon Continuation!!

Thanks for the kind words re our hotel and posting the link! Forgot to mention that Wednesdays & Fridays in August all the shops in the old part of Pezenas are open until midnight, including the restaurants! For a more rustic meal, Le Vieux Coq in Place Gambetta has reopened with Margerette at the stove and cooking simple tasty dishes. The great thing is you sit in the Place and the kids can get up and play in the square whilst you are waiting for the meal! Enjoy!

Hi Gavin, don't know if you are checking your posting whilst you are down here but thought I would post a reply in case you are! Bar a Vin is very relaxed about kids so no worries there. There is also another very cool new place in Pezenas Gallery 5, tapas/salads: foie gras to die for! and intellegent wine list. It is just north of Place Gambetta heading towards the 'butte de chateau' Tucked away a bit but lovely! Have a great holiday!

Gavin, A couple of dining suggestions for you. Pezenas is where I live and although it is very touristy at this time of year a few recommendatons for you L'Entrepots - very cosmopolitan brasserie/bistro with a fantastic team, you must book though as they get really busy 04 67 90 00 00 A great wine bar has opened and offers 'tapas' and great wine selections by glass or bottle - Bar à Vin de Pezenas on Cours Jean Jaures. Vieux Coq in Place Gambetta is very simple but very good, Margerette is in the kitchen and there are generally three or four things on the blackboard and once she has sold out she just rubs it off the board! In Marseillian there is Chateau du Port - owned by Porcell bros. Bouzigues is great for plateau de fruit de mer! A couple of wineries around our area Domaine Paul Mas (route de Villeyverac, leaving Montagnac) Mas de Fonti, a bit further towards Villeyverac on the same road. Domaine Saint Hilaire and St Martin de la Garrigue on the road to Meze from Montagnac. All of these welcome visitors but not at the weekend. Normally they are closed over lunchtime, until about 2.30pm Hope the above is of help!

Does anyone have any suggestions for great restaurants in Wiesbaden??

I am meeting a girlfriend in Paris for a belated 50th birthday lunch. We are arriving on the Sunday night and plan to eat at Mon Viel Ami, but want something special for Monday lunch! It is the middle of August (18th) and thought the Guy Savoy €100 internet lunch would be perfect but not on a Monday! Any suggestions?? Thanks!

Hi Saborosa Are you by any chance still doing your fantastic tapas tours, we experienced it once with Tara (think it was Tara!) and still rave about it and want a repeat performance! Thanks

I think I am officially addicted to this site!! Everytime I should be doing some kind of paperwork for our hotel I am caught by my hubby reading up on places to eat in Paris - that's why we work so damn hard isn't?? So after too many late nights at the computer screen I have changed direction totally for our Friday night and am going to plump for Le Violon d'Ingres!! I have been reading some negative reviews about Sanderens, mostly on this site is this just people not liking the ringing of the changes or are we more likely to get a better meal at Taillevent (if we can get a reservation at that point??).

Thanks JlP, as we are dining at L'Ambroisie on Thursday night & Senderens on Saturday do you think Hiramatsu might be just too 'goulu' (hope I have got the right word there!!). Does L'Ami Jean get really smokey due to how crowded it gets??

I think I might be being a little dim here, but when I clicked 'here' it took me to the french forum front page, was that what was supposed to happen John?

I think I am going to drive you egullets crazy, but I think I have narrowed it down to three possibilities for the friday night dinner. Chez l'Ami de Jean Hiramatsu (judging by the reviews from this forum it should not be missed) ATELIER MAITRE ALBERT Could I pick three more different address' if I tried??!! You probably all think I am absolutely crazy having such different suggestions and I know it is not possible to compare them as apples for apples but given the choice which would you go to? I don't think I have sussed out the search mode on the site as I tried entering Atelier Maitre Albert and a whole host of topics came up but couldn't find a reference to the restaurant in the topics listed!

Hi John Thanks for taking the time to put all those links together for me! You are right in thinking I live in France, down in the Languedoc. After having read through all the stuff and with further discussion with my Dad perhaps we are looking down a different avenue! Also after having read Juliot-les-pinceaux's review of Sanderens, I realise that in fact we are not going to experience the full blow out 3 star michelin experience I had suspected ! So maybe Sensing might fit the bill? What about Darroze's bistro you mentioned in one of your postings in the 5th? Another question, obviously the best way to really experience the true skill of the chef at the piano is the tasting menu, however my husband does not eat fish. is it possible (or are we likely to be shown the door with our tails between our legs) to ask for the tasting menu but with substitutions where fish plays a part??? My head is spinning and tummy rumbling!! Thanks

Heading to Paris early November and eating at L'Ambroisie & Senderens on two of the three nights, but would like something a little less formal and 'local' for the middle night. Which bistro/brasserie would you recommend. I previously posted asking about Sensing but as we are with my Dad and partner, (lively but quite traditional 70year olds) I think the atmosphere with the projected images etc at Sensing might be all too much! Pudlo raves about Chez Géraud, any thoughts? Am I right in thinking that Benoit is just too touristy?? As it is my choice I want to really wow my Dad (his choices were L'Ambroisie & Senderens) with a great little local haunt that serves great fresh ingredients well cooked but not too complicated. I look forward to your suggestions, thanks!

Five Points is obviously a popular place - no brunch reservations to be had! Fully booked already! I am used to the South of France where people book the day before, not the week before, shucks!

Any suggestions for a great Brunch that ticks the following boxes, great food (naturally), fairly fast service (we do have to do other things in NYC except eat ) and central location!! We are eating at EMP, Union Square Cafe & River Cafe for dinners, just to guide you!! Thanks

I would recommend you email or phone and speak with one of the managers. Explain you're coming from France and are seeking some special dinners that reflect classic American food, and GT was resoundly recommended on eG. They may open up a table for you. ← Okay so now this has become like a Willy Wonka golden ticket! I have tried calling the reservations number and have been told I can be put on the wait list and they get people from all over the world to go and eat there, so my case is nothing special!! (this was with just the reservation dept), does anyone have a name of a manger I should try to speak with - or do I just need to be more aggressive with trying to get past the reservation dept???

Oh well - looks like the decision has been made for me - GT full until 11.15 on the Friday night!

That's what I LOVE about this site, conflicting views!! Thanks for all the advise. Interesting point made by 'Docsconz' about me concentrating on Daniel Meyer restaurants, either it is I subconciously like his style or he has the most hype! We lived in Northern California for 10 years before transplanting to France (originally both from UK) so we have pretty eclectic tastes (me, more than my hubby! - he is not into the small plate idea of food sampling - much to my disappointment, and is not keen on Japanese food!) Our problem is we are meeting friends, one who has very simple tastes, hence the safe bets of Union Square & River Cafe (although that is mainly about the view I know!). Will definitely try to change the Union square reservation over to Gramercy Tavern after the feed back! Wonder if lunch at Tabla followed by dinner at GT might be too much???!! Sorry not to put in the quotes from previous egullets in connection with my responses but am fairly new to this great site and haven't sussed out how to do that yet!!!

Okay, getting very excited about our upcoming trip to NYC We have friday night reservations at Union Sq Cafe & Saturday at River cafe for 40th birthday. For our first night, Thursday, we currently have a table at Eleven Maddison Ave, but have been reading about its more spicy neighbour Tabla. As we live in the Languedoc in France where indian style cooking(I know Tabla is not a full out curry house!!), and any spice except Rosemary, Lavendar and Thyme are hard to come by, we are wondering if Tabla might be a better choice as something so very different to what we enjoy in France. I appreciate they are two very different places to ask which we should choice but if anyone has any point of view I would appreciate some imput!! Thanks very much!!