Paul Reynard

Hi all. Thought I'd reactivate this post instead of starting a new one. Slightly different slant on it this time though... Having travelled to Paris with work every other week for the last 2 years my role is changing meaning I'll be stuck in the UK... However I have a couple of trips remaining and one where the better half is joining me. Can anyone please recommend the best 3* deal for lunch for us to go to (or even dinner if I don't need to take out a mortgage...)? Up until now I've stuck to touring the nouvou bistro's (Le Regalade, Spring, La Chemise, Le Chateaubriand etc...) but I think we need to experience a true Paris 3* as one last hurrah!! I've tried to do some research and have heard Ledoyen is a pretty good deal but not sure what it includes (and struggling to find decent websites for any Paris 3*'s). Anyway, hope you get the idea of my query and thanks in advance. Paul

Hello. After accumulating quite a lot of decent wine recently I thought I would purchase a wine fridge to save on all those cellar fees. Whilst I know that a decent wine fridge does not come cheap I thought I would ask the wise people of egullet if there were any decent options around £1,000 mark. I'm looking for a fridge which will hold c. 150 bottles with two seperate temperature areas, one for red and one for white. After doing a bit of searching myself I have found an option from Tefcold (TFW365-2) but not sure what they are like... Basically any advise would be welcome. Also if there are any decent websites out there which provide such info that would be great. I've been avoiding the second hand route although if anyone knows of any unfortunate restaurants getting rid of such an item I guess that might be a good option depending on location. Cheers in advance!! Paul.

Off to the Beaulieu Sur Mer again for the annual holiday at the beginning of September and wondered if there were any significant updates on the above? Any advise much appreciated. Paul.

I've just started a new role meaning that I'm going to be in Paris every other week for 2 - 3 nights at a time. Don't know Paris too well at the bistro price end so would welcome some advice of where to go on a corporate travellers budget (no more than €50 if poss - altho willing to go higher when worth it). Normally based in Montparnasse so can get to most areas easily enough but obviously closer the better... Like most here I eat any food so advice on Paris's limited non French style food would be welcome as well as the best French bistro/mod european places. If it's got good food and good atmosphere for the solo diner it would be great to know about it! :-) Cheers.

We're going out with a few friends in May for a cocktail evening in Notting Hill and I'm wanting to organise a bite to eat somewhere after. I would normally just plump for Galvin. However one of the party has a severe nut allergy and has not eaten in a restaurant for 10 years (I really don't know how she has survived...). Therefore the question is, are there any restaurants which are nut free, or as nut free as can be? Now I know no restaurant could ever guarantee being completely nut free but if any one knows of any which try and be as nut free as possible (eg. no nuts ever used in the kitchen etc...) it would be fantasic. Thanks, Paul.

A bit more of an interesting list this year I think. As others have said I'm very pleased for the Harwood Arms, Texture, Ledbury and Windows. However where Is Galvin BDL which IMO is much better to Windows and is way above Arby et al. Bit surprised at the Lanesbrough (but pleased) although will be interesting to see if business picks up there. Also surprised Hix nor Corrigan didn't get one. Ducasse was always going to get 3 no matter what really although having been to Louis XV earlier this year they are not on the same planet (although not many are). But if he gets 3 what about the square and Waring especially? Shame for Gordon though... :biggrin:

Twas a very capable martini with peach bitters (I think). Had already had a couple of after work pints and a vesper at The Claridges bar so memory was already a bit hazy by then...

I've just moved positions at work which means I'm going to be travelling quite a lot to Paris and Bristol. Now being a townie I'm not sure what restaurants are like in the provinces (or if you even have them... ). Therefore if anyone has any suggestions of where is best to dine in the city centre (will be staying at the Marriott Royal normally) then it would be much appreciated. All cuisines welcome the only criteria being that it is good... The only places I have heard of are Casamia (a bit out of town I understand) and some chap who got through to the finals of one of those 'local food heroes' tv programmes (can't remember name). Anyway, any advice welcome and thank you in advance!!

Went last night. Firstly, what an experience. The room itself is quite surreal and as someone said like a posh wedding reception. The views are great even at night and for the experience alone it is worth going for (sort of). Cocktails were good in the small funky bar area. The amuse was ok although a bit boring IMO. Starters were foie for me and langoustine and pressed leeks for her. The foie was good (although not of the quality of Gavroche) in particular the potatoe foam element which kept its form throughout and the langoustines seemed to go down a treat. For mains I had the trotter which was fantastically luxurious while my wife had the Koffman duck (kept on trying to get her to go for the Chavot version but failed unfortunately). Puddings were the mango tart which was good and the pistachio souffle. This was the only low point of the meal, and when I say low I mean low. It was just far too eggy to the point that near the bottom it was nigh on scrambled egg. Not good at all and I really should have said something. Wine throughout was excellent with good advice from the sommeliers and a very good selection (and pricing) considering the set up. The wait service was good throughout and Mrs Koffman seemed very nice although a bit frazzled. The other Maitre D also did a sterling job and was very on the ball. Overall the meal was good but not 3* quality, nearer the 1/2* border. Now to the gossip. When talking to our girl sommelier she said the list was created by the former Marcus Wareing sommelier who's a great young English chap. I said I'd met him a couple of times at Wareing's and so she sent him over for a chat (his name escapes me). When talking to him I asked if he was just here on 'secondment' and he said that he wasn't and that he had quit and left MW. He didn't say why but the way he said it seems to indicate that he quit because of issues. I know no more but has anyone else had any news from The Berkeley indicating that not all is well? The second bit of gossip more related to this post is that the staff were noitified yesterday morning that the run is being extended until the end of November. Despite my lukewarm views above I phoned up today and grabbed a table for my birthday in the middle of the November. So a great experience and definately one to take advantage of while you can although don't go in with your expectations too high. Oh nearly forgot, Heston was at the table next door all night...

Thanks all for your replies. I have so far booked Louis XV for Saturday lunch (when I think they do their bargain lunch menu - is this correct??), Mirazur for lunch (sensational value form what I can see) and La Reserve for our final night. Has anyone got any advice on the following which I've also come across on my readings... (mainily on the great 'Wandering epicures' blog): La Table du Cap Le Mayssa (Villefranche) Voile d'Or Cheers again. Paul.

Hello. Off to Beaulieu Sur Mer (in between Nice and Monaco) in early September for a week. Food is one of the main reasons for me visiting (not so for the wife...) so want to make sure I spend wisely. Firstly Louis XV is a must for me. First of all I don't know whether to go for 2 lunches so that we can eat off the lunch menu on both occassions (if this is still going) or whether to just go for one evening on a blow out. Main stumbling block on this decision is how comparable the lunch menu is to the a la carte and whether a lunch there in September is bearable with the heat. Other places I'm thinking of are: The Chevre in Eze - is this worth it and if so for lunch or dinner? La Reserve de Beaulieu - not mentioned on gullet much but has ** and the website has quite a tempting limited menu in the evening for a very reasonable €95 for 4 courses with most items coming off the carte (although not sure if this is available to non residents?). Again any recent reports welcome. I understand there's another couple of places in Menton - what are these like and again worth it or not? The plan is for 2 nice lunches and 2 nice evening meals made from the above with the rest of the eating taking place at Les Agaves in Beaulieu which I believe to be as good as ever (visited the area once 5 years ago when I was a bot less food obsessed!!). However while that is the plan I'm more than interested in finding more casual places to eat especially as the ingredients are so good so any stunning 'bistro' options are most welcome. Any advice welcome especially re Louis XV. BTW do the hautey places turn their noses up too much at very rusty French speakers? Cheers. Paul.

Genuinely gutted and surprised by this one. Going to have to find a new place for lunch now (as well as finding somewhere new for the wife's birthday lunch in a couple of weeks. Worst news in quite simetime for me...

Just seen this in caterer: http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2009...restaurant.html Not quite sure: a) If it's believable? My hunch says yes. b) If it's a good move? For some reason my hunch this time says no... Any news/thoughts are welcome.

Anyone been here recently as am going next Friday and wondered if there was anything that is a must have on the menu at the moment? (Am going to try and have something other than soufles suisse and the lobster for a change...). Cheers.

Just wondered if anyone had any recent reports? I'm thinking about booking a table for around 4 weeks time and hoping that it's picked up and relaxed a bit. Cheers.

Following food1's post please find the below: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...e-in-Paris.html This is worrying IMO. While the US sale was bad PR wise over there the sale of his Paris flagship which he pinned so much on (Mark Askew was there full time I understand) must mean he is in quite a bit of trouble. Also GR giving up 2 stars, would he really do that if all was ok?

And let's remember that he's only been making a profit for the last couple of years and not a (comparatively) huge one at that. If it goes on much longer he might well be in a certain amount of financial problems which in my view will result in higher prices shortly to help compensate. Very sad for such a genuinely nice chap (for those lucky enough to have been and to have met him!!) Let's just hope he'll have the financial backing from one source or another to keep going.

Not good news: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/fo...restaurant.html

As you've crossed foliage off I've actually got to think now!! Min Jiang is a lovely place for lunch if refined chinese is ok. Otherwise Sketch does a fantastic lunch although can be a bit dead at lunch and is quite a lot of food. Could always do the square who do 2 courses for £30 if you don't want the 3 for £35. Pied a Terre is also a good bet as normally able to get a table at late notice and they also offer two and three course options. Le cafe anglais and angelus North of hyde park are also good lunch options. Stuff it - ignore the above and head to foliage!!

DH: http://www.doshermanos.co.uk/2008_11_01_archive.html Main extract: 'We found ourselves just down the road for a glass or two in Terroirs, a new Wine Bar near Trafalgar Square. Like Steak Houses there’s not nearly enough Wine Bars in Town: somewhere you can go and get a glass or two of decent wine and a bite of something. Initially, things looked promising. On a Friday evening in a part of London’s West End where most hostelries were mobbed and somewhat rowdy, Terroirs stood out as an oasis of middle-class calm, selling wine and small plates to an older impeccably-behaved crowd. However, the execution, like (it pains me to say) a lot of things in this city, was a bit half-arsed. After spending an age (you really don’t want to know why) getting to a point where we had a carafe of warm white wine, £7.50 plus service seemed a lot of money to pay for some Duck Scratchings that were really Duck crumbs, a few Olives and some anchovies. Getting the bill was pretty tortuous too. Still, it may just have been an off-night and it’s probably the best of a bad bunch in tourist central.'

Dos Hermanos went about 6 weeks ago (I think). General idea is good ish wine with good ish wine bar food. Although I keep in meaning to pop in while walking by I haven't been myself yet but from what I've heard it is a bit middle of the road in all areas. It does however play heavily on biodynamice wines which alledgedly don't give hangovers so may well try and pop down soon especially as there is a severe sparcity of any wine bars in London.

Nothing there worth going to. Take a 10 minute stroll down the road and give the Princess Victoria a try out: http://www.princessvictoria.co.uk/ Well worth it!

in all honesty it is unlikely, by the time you got out of passport control it would be 9:15pm would be too late to get into London and back, Croydon the nearest town has one good restaurant but is is a warzone in the evening and Brighton would be 10pm before you arrived so just that bit too far to get there and back. ← whats the one good one in Croydon? ← Avoid gravetye if i was you! ← Why avoid Gravetye? I hope it's not that bad. Am booked in there for a couple of nights next week...

Went on Saturday for lunch. Had six small dishes between us and 1 side. To start was a good prawn rissoto which had obviously been made with good stock and was well executed. This was the best dish of the meal for me and is a must have on any return visit. With this we also had the 'fried bread' with cottage cheese and meats. This by contrast was the worst (and only dud) dish of the meal and just underwhelmed on every level. After this the chef comped us a very nice octopus salad while we were waiting we had a decent chunk of swordfish (well cooked avoiding the dryness which can so often occur) with a well dressed salad and the now infamous porcini and polenta with lardo. This dish was good but no more. To me it just tasted a bit too much like a fried breakfast and was a touch too greasy (although maybe I should have expected this). The porcini's however were the best I've had in quite some time and were firm yet golden and with great flavour - and they weren't stingy on them either. For the last set of courses we had the foie gras and pork sausage with farro and porcini and a whole poissin. The sausage was again very good indeed and for me this was probably the second major highlight of the meal with the faro (a new one on me) a lovely match. The whole poisin was quartered and well dressed with fine fresh salad leaves and a good dressing but at the end of the day was just poussin. The food was very good although if anything they had a tendency to slighlty over season. Overall a very good time was had and sitting at the bar in front of the kitchin was fantastic fun and definately the best way to experience the place (and choose what dishes you fancy). Service was also good and competent but no more. Overall with a carafe of wine and two apertifs the total bill with tip came to just over £80 which was very good value indeed.

If it's in time then Corrigan's a possibility for a * (if they're going to play fair on the Arbutus/Wild Honey stakes) and on the same note Galvin Bistrot and L'autre Pied should also get one (but they won't). Darroze to get ** if my experience is consistent and Foliage could bump up to **. Launceston place should also get * as should one-0-one. Outsiders/unknowns? Clos Maggiore with it's new (and **) chef a posibility for *.