SimonP

Jon, I'm not sure about lead times for reservations, but what I can tell you is that I was able to book a table this morning for dinner on December 17th. Probably best not to hang about if you want to go - now word is out my guess is an awful lot of foodies will want one last visit before December 21st, and reservations will fill up very quickly. Simon

La Tante Claire officially closes on Saturday 21st December, and say they don't know whether the restaurant will be re-opening. Which probably means it won't be? I presume Petrus is not relocating to The Berkeley that soon, or we would have heard something by now? But don't know ... Simon

Thanks for your comments, guys. Macrosan, Le Champignon Sauvage has been mentioned a few times by eGulleters. Two theads in particular spring to mind: this by Jay Rayner and this by Tony and Adam. I agree with everything Jay says about the food. If anything, I am perhaps even a little bias towards the cooking of David Everitt-Mathias: in his younger (London) days he honed his craft under a good friend of mine, so I have long known just what a great talent he is. But Tony is so right when he says that 'a great restaurant is more than just the sum of its parts', and I hope Jay won't question my sanity (?!) when I say that the front-of-house contribution of Helen Everitt-Mathias does this fine restaurant a great disservice. Andy, I'd be very interested to read Nico's quote should you find it. Do you know the manner in which he would turn customers away? I can quite happily accept Le Champignon Sauvage not serving customers without a reservation (though I cannot for the life of me see why they would operate such a policy, given that the place is almost always near empty with the exception of Friday and Saturday evenings). What I have difficulty accepting is the way in which I was spoken to before being asked to leave, and the fact that I was offered no explanation as to why I would not be served (when I always have been in the past, and when clearly they had the means to do so again). I have no idea whether or not they are trying to create the illusion of always being full, but if so they must be mad. All that separates Le Champignon Sauvage from the A40 is a pavement: quite literally thousands of people can drive past each day, look into the window and see for themselves just how empty the restaurant normally is! The Gordon Ramsays of this world can flourish without passing trade, but I would be amazed if the same were true of Le Champignon Sauvage. All Mrs. Everitt-Mathias will get for her troubles is one less customer to inconvenience her, and a heap of bad publicity (yes, there is such a thing, at least in the restaurant business!) Simon

This is my first eGullet post, so before I begin a big hello to you all This site has become almost daily reading since I signed up in the summer, a veritable mine of information for gourmets everywhere, so thank you! Unfortunately, my first post is not a happy one. I was passing Le Champignon Sauvage today and, on the spur of the moment, decided to take my mother for lunch. She hadn't been before, but has often heard me sing its praises and eagerly anticipated what I promised would be an excellent meal. I've been on numerous occasions and always had the highest regard the cooking of David Everitt-Matthias. Like so many top-end regional restaurants, Le Champignon Sauvage has perhaps never had the support and breadth of audience that it deserves. On Friday & Saturday nights all 28 covers are booked up weeks in advance. Tuesday to Thursday evenings, and lunchtimes, it is not unusual to drive past and see the restaurant deserted. Today was no exception, one table of four and an otherwise empty dining room. So you can imagine my surprise when Helen Everitt-Matthias curtly informed me that we would not be served as we had made no reservation, before turning her back and walking away. I (very politely) asked why - with every table but one empty - my custom was not welcome, when it has always been so in the past. Her response? I should have had the 'courtesy' to call beforehand! Whereupon we were asked to leave the premises immediately. Have any of you had a similar experience, at Le Champignon Sauvage or elsewhere? Was I really so niave in thinking that a near-empty restaurant might possibly be pleased to welcome me inside and relieve me of yet more money? Was it really so discourteous of me to request a table in a near-empty restaurant without calling first? Would I have been welcome had I stood on the pavement outside, in the pouring rain, and called to ask Mrs. Everitt-Matthias's permission to pass through her hallowed front door before entering?! Like you, I am absolutely passionate in my pursuit of good food, travelling huge distances each and every year to do so. It has been my pleasure to eat in some of the world's finest restaurants along the way - and some pretty awful ones too! - and to form lasting friendships with some of the greatest culinary talents along the way. But I can honestly say that I have NEVER been treated so badly before in all my restaurant-going years, and am saddened that I will never again enjoy the consistently fine food produced at Le Champignon Sauvage. I realise, of course, that this restaurant - like all restaurants - is perfectly within its rights to refuse my patronage. But on these grounds? I'm sure you will understand that I intend to make my experience as widely known as possible, for what good it will do, and will be interested to hear your thoughts and experiences. Simon