Paul Reynard

As always I recommend Combe House - great food , perfect setting and a great wine cellar, however not the most family friendly (on a pure pocket point of view anyway). Avoid Abode in Exeter - nice hotel but average food. If you want to stay in Exeter stay at the very funky Hotel Barcelona (has best cocktail bar I found when in the South West) and eat out - the Conservatory was always my favourite in Exeter. Another good place near exeter is in Topsham a small town just outside Exeter along the estuary - there's a restaurant with rooms there called The Galley which is one of the best fish restaurants I've been to. Topsham's a lovely small town/village as well which originated in the early 1800's with lots of Dutch inspired architecture. I really need to repay the area a visit sometime soon...

I assume that people have already seen this but if not here you go: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fo...ats-784408.html I agree totalyy with everyone else here and I really wish that when I was in Cambridge on saturday that I had gone to MH and killed off a few of the pesky protesters. I just hope this doesn't affect this and other restaurants for too long and that the police pull their finger out and arrest some of theese loonies.

Unfortunately you are applying your own criteria which is giving you a skewed version of a michelin star. Michelin do not rate service under the stars, this comes under the fork and spoons awarded. you'll find plenty of luxurious country homes with superb service carrying for or five f&s's and no Michelin star, just as you'll find plenty of michelin starred restaurants with lower ratings for service. One does not necessarily correlate with the other ← Hmmmm, so we're saying that if AD in Monaco or L'Arpege had aweful/no service with an hour long wait for food per course then as long as the food was sublime when it turned up then they would still have 3 stars? Me thinks not...

I don't mind that Michelin has different catagories of cuisine and ambience (it's great that Arbutus has a buzz) but all of its starred restaurants should have over riding features. IMO these should be very good food (no matter what style it is), a good drinks list and accomplished PROFESSIONAL service. Unfortunately as mentioned in my review of Arbutus today it is on this last feature that it fails, badly! Also I would argue that Michelin starred establishments should not be focussed on table turnaround which again I had the feeling of yesterday at Arbutus. And be consistent - Arbutus gets a star, then why not Galvin Bistro!!!

Went to Arbutus for lunch yesterday for only the second time and sadly I have to say I have mixed feelings. The food first - very good to outstanding. To begin with bread was good but nothing special but the butter unfortunately fridge cold. For starters my friend had the cod brandade with Chorizo. All the flavours came through and were very comforting and correct. With this he had partnered a caraffe of very nice Sauvignon blanc at £10 a caraffe which wasn't too badly priced in my opinion. For my starter I chose a blinder in the braised pigs head. Lovely, unctuous, tender meat which just melted in the mouth. Nice and fatty but not overly so. A proper wintry warmer which given the downpour we had to go through to get there was greatly appreciated. Also the pomme puree with it really was quite good but not quite up to Joel Robuchon standard. Overall this starter was one of the best bistro style of starters I have had. The only negatives with the starters were that they both came out a mere luke warm just five minutes after ordering. Now I know that both of these starters could come out on a production line but I don't think it would have been too hard for them to make it them a bit hotter. For mains my friend had the meatballs which came with the pomme puree again. The balls themselves were well held together with not much filling and were well seasoned full of offally richness and flavour. Luckily for me I chose another blinder in the rabbit. On the website at the moment it advertises rabbit leg and saddle with a macaroni (??) gratin which made me think I'd go for a beef dish. However I was in luck and it was the infamous roast loin/saddle with a shepards pie made from the shoulder. The saddle was well cooked with very tender meat although a tad underseasoned. However the shepards pie really was a knockout again. The meat lovely and tender with a lovely potatoe topping (to be expected by this stage). Again this was a lovely wineter warmer. Both main courses unlike the starters were piping hot and all the better for it. To accompany the pigs head starter and both main courses we had a bottle of Pinot Noir which was a good match but slightly overpriced at £35. No puddings for us as nothing really appealed and we fancied getting a coffee and a cake elsewhere (wish we hadn't as ended up at House of Fraser cafe which served up teh worst cake ever!!!). Now the problem - service. There are just not enough staff. There must have been only 6 waitors on the floor and while our food came out in good time it was just not professional enough. After the first offering of bread we had to ask for it the second time, coats took an age to put away and retrieve, the waitor had to count down the number of tables (in French) to try and work out which table we were sitting on when we first had the order taken, no topping up of wine took place at all in the one and a half hours we were there, no visible sommelier or knowledge from the waitors about the wine whatsoever, although they didn't bat an eyelid when we asked for tap water. Now the Michelin star. Hmmmm. Why is it there? While the food was good it is only very accomplished Bistro food - this may not be aparticularly big issue as I agree that Michelin should not just focus on high end French. The main problem is the room and the service. Tables are squashed in to get the turnover of the (smaller than normal I'd guess) margins which really isn't the norm for any other michelin restaurant I've been in. Also the whole layout of the restaurant - having to walk/squeeze past waitors carrying food on the narrow stairs as you go to the loos is just not on in a starred place. Again the service as mentioned was substantially substandard and they are clearly not professionals and nor does it appear they are being trained into them! Finally if Arbutus has a star why not Galvin Bistro or Racine which have the same (if not better) style and standard food, a better room layout and infinitely better service. Anyhow a good meal was head and fair value at £50 a head a piece.

May I be the first to say hurrah that Ducasse did not get any stars! Lets hope the restaurant goes tits up by 2009 so that he can waddle back to France with his tail between his legs! It is sad though to see Racine lose it's Gourmand (even though it has lost HH). It is still solid and one of the few genuine upmarket French bistro experiences to be had in London. For us in the provinces it's great to see Auberge du lac popping its head up again in a rising star and also Combe House in Devon. If none have you have ever been to Combe I implore you all to go there whenever you are next down in the west country. It is the best country house hotel I've ever been to and the food is well deserving of at least one star. Bit of a surprise not to see Texture on the list given it's obvious ambition and efforts to get a star. But I am also very glad that Skylon failed to hit its target as it is far, far over rated. Tips for 2009 anyone?

In case you're struggling Mint and Bon Appetit (both in Dublin) have bagged a star each.

Has anyone got a link to the page where the results will come up? Have been looking over the website but can't seem to find where it will be...

Ravelda. Am about to book a table at Pattersons for the coming weeks but wondered if you could suggest whether to get a table in the main restaurant or in the back of the restaurant. The occasion is anniversary meal with the lady.

Was thinking of going to either the square or the capital in a couple of week - I take it you think the capital is the better of the two? My only concern with that was that I heard in an article once that the atmosphere on an evening can be a bit quiet even by Michelin standards.

Doh, doh, doh!!! Completely forgot to watch that. Is it being repeated?

The sorbet was amazing in my view. Completely unique and it tasted really quite good. Now if a course should go it should be the Salmon in liquirice which I fortunately changed to the scallop when I went. Another course to go should be the sherbert foundtain and the parsnip cereal which really did taste as bad as it sounds. My friend had the salmon and it was not good at all (although it did look very impressive). Think I might start a campaign to bring back the sorbet.....

The wine selections at the Fat Duck are also highly inspired. When I last went there (two years ago this week as it happens) I had the wine pairings witht he tasting menus and had wine from all over Europe (except England) and even a sake from Japan to go with the Sardine sorbet. This Sake was the most inspired pairing I have heard of. They also now have 3 wine pairing options ranging from £95 to £295 per person. This could be seen as catering for all levels but I think it's just a wallet pinching exercise in all likelihood.

Interesting to note that you recommend Rousillon Worzel. I was thinking of going there for a long lunch in late Jan and wondered what it was like nowadays as I have never had the pleasure of going there as yet. Any further details...

Thank you one and all for all your helpful advice. Ended up getting bordeaux/merlot, shiraz, cuvee and Sauvignon blanc glasses. Interesting note to add though is that when we went to log out our scanner we were informed that the Sauvignon glasses look to be being discontinued in the new year although this may well be a John Lewis admin error. Thank you all once again.

Not quite sure where to put this topic so apologies if it is in the wrong place. Being more of a foodie than a wino I never really take much notice of what I drink from in a restaurant as long as it looks nice and holds enough wine. However I'm preparing the dreaded wedding list in a few days for my wedding early next year and am trying to decide which glasses to put on. We're using John Lewis and the main choices I'm deciding between are Riedel Vinum, Dartington Crystal Wine Masters and the John Lewis Corto Glassware range. Any advice will be welcomed!

You also can't compare UK and French prices that easily because of labour costs. As far as I understand in most French retaurants (even at the top end) they have to have two sets of staff due to their obsessive adherence to European working restriction garbage. This is further strengthened by the might of the French unions. Lets face it Ducasse at the Dorchester appears to be a fair old British rip off. And those of us who have not been having cancelled our bookings can make relatively informed judgements based on the views of others. Nobody ever seems to be vitriolic at paying sky high prices at Gavroche where I've never had a bad meal at over £100 per head for food. All the other top end restaurants in town at the moment must be breathing a big sigh of relief and laughing all the way to the bank on the flop Ducasse is being at the present time.

Don't be - Charles Campion is so easily pleased I can't remember the last time he gave anywhere a bad review! ← True. But at least he has more experience and knowledge than most out there (Palmer et al).

I've done it! I've actually found a good review: http://campion.thisislondon.co.uk/ I am almost surprised Charles finds it so good. He does emphasise the success of classical cooking technique shown but then says Ducasse is tempering the full-on 3 star experience. Also he must have much deeper pockets than most of us if he reckons the restaurant is not wildly expensive for what it is. He also says that 'The message boards have been all a twitter with often ill-informed discussions' so I think we can discount the review on account of Campion suffering from a mild case of dementure.

Have just cancelled two tables there for the coming weeks. Think I will go to Hibiscus instead (assuming I can get a table) as that should be firing on all cylinders soon after opening glitches have been sorted. Am very sad not to be going to AD though for these reasons, very sad indeed.

Not too great according to Andy Hayler either: http://www.andyhayler.com/

Also forgot to mention Cellar Gason which is right on your door step on Smithfield market. Although this is obviously by the name a little more french food and wine oientated but still very good.

J Sheekeys in Covent Garden or Bentleys Oyster Bar just off Piccadily Circus (both very good fish restaurants again) or Arbutus in Soho (very popular at the moment and has good chatty bar staff).

And the latest review: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/restaurants/...viewId=23418921

It would be interesting to know how Canuti was ever planning to be executive chef in London and yet never leave Monaco? If that was indeed going to be the case then I would've been highly surprised if good enough standards would have been achieved for what is expected. The Dorchester web site at the moment (under the chefs profiles) still has Canuti's picture and yet talks about Herland in the text. All a bit weird... As far as Herland goes Christophe Moret is executive chef at Athenee so not sure what position he used to hold. The usual sources (i.e. google and Wikipedia) are also drawing a blank.