fresh_a

Being seriously interested in both food and 19th century French symbolist poetry, absinthe has long fascinated me... I've read pretty much everything I can get my hands on concerning this subject, and have even tasted the stuff...I know it's virtually illegal in many countries, but wonder what you all think.

Remember, the Cinq started out with no stars at all, then one,two, and three, with each year. The director is Eric Beaumard, World Vice-Champion Sommelier, and Enrico Bernardo, the chef sommelier is, at 25 years old, the youngest-ever European champion sommelier. Their cellar has grown to 45,000 bottles now. I reccomend it, even though I also love the Bristol...

Loiseau's wife was quoted as saying the suicide was due to fatigue and his excessive behaviour... His company was certainly having problems as well..

Balzar's great. love their steak au poivre et grosses frites!

Concerning the "non-French" owners of "French" establishments, I think that these "foreigners" were the only ones willing to spend the money necessary to rejuvenate these great establishments. I know that no French company was willing to take any risk on the Meurice and George V, and luckily these people stepped in... and were able to provide maximal funds to make them as new

Who knows? I was pretty surprised to hear that Helene Darroze got two stars, as most aren't really blown away by the cuisine

Here (in French) is the full list of promotions and demotions in the French Michelin Red Guide (not forgetting "Le Cinq" in the Hotel George V, which now has three-stars, and Ducasse, who got his three stars back in Monte Carlo) DEUX ETOILES (par ordre minéralogique des départements) Trois promus : - Haute-Garonne (31) : Michel Sarran à Toulouse - Paris (75) : Hélène Darroze, 6e - Yonne (89) : Madeleine à Sens Trois passent de deux étoiles à une - Paris (75) : Gérard Besson, 1er - Paris (75) : les Ambassadeurs, 8e - Paris (75) : Faugeron, 16e Deux étoiles à aucune - Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64) : Auberge de la Galupe à Urt - Paris (75) : l'Astor, 8e UNE ETOILE 24 promus : - Parentèle (Villemoyenne, 10), la Terrasse et l'Assiette (Honfleur, 14), le Pressoir (Caen), Chez Serge (La Rochelle, 17), l'hostellerie du Chapeau Rouge (Dijon, 21), la Vieille Tour (Sous-la-Tour, 22), le Manoir de Lan-Kerellec (Trebeurden, 22), Rive Gauche (Tain-l'Hermitage, 26), le Relais de Pigasse (Capestang, 34), les Agapes (La Mézière, 35), Villa Stings (Saubusse, 40), Château de Mercuès (Mercuès, 46), Mariottat (Agen, 47), le Foch (Reims, 51), Relais de la Poste (La Wantzenau, 67), hostellerie de l'Abbaye la Pommeraie (Sélestat, 67), les Loges (Lyon, 69), l'Essentiel (Chambéry, 73), Bouitte (Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, 73), le Chamarré (Paris 7e), Au Trou Gascon (Paris, 12e), la Table du Baltimore (Paris 16e), le Camélia (Bougival, 78), le Pré du Moulin (Sérignan-du-Comtat, 84). 38 perdent leur étoile: - Côte 108 (Berry-au-Bac, 02), Neat (Cannes, 06), Auberge de Sainte-Maure (Sainte-Maure, 10), Cantine (Troyes, 10), Parc de Villeneuve (Bar-sur-Seine, , l'Assiette Gourmande (Honfleur, 14), Jarrousset (Murat, 15), Château de Nieuil (Nieuil, 16), Montrachet (Puligny-Montrachet, 21), le Pré-aux-Clercs (Dijon, 21), les Millésimes (Gevrey-Chambertin, 21), Jean-Michel Tannières (Malbuisson, 25), l'Ambroisie (Quimper, 29), la Ferme du Letty (Bénodet, 29), Plaisirs d'Ausone (Bordeaux, 33), Clos du Chanoine (Saint-Malo, 35), l'Aubinière (Saint-Ouen-les-Vignes, 37), Balandre (Cahors, 46), Côté Garonne (Tonneins, 47), la Chaldette (La Chaldette, 48), les Agapes et Maison Forte (Revigny-sur-Ornain, 55), Cornet d'Or (Bergues, 59), Café de Biarritz (Biarritz, 64), Côté Théâtre (Perpignan, 66), Auberge du Roua-la Belle demeure (Argelès-sur-Mer, 66), Au Père Rota (Fougerolles, 70), Château d'Igé (Igé, , Manoir de Sornat (Bourbon-Lancy, 71), Saint-Georges (Chalons-sur-Saône, , Maxence (Paris 6e), Ghislaine Arabian (Paris 16e), Port-Alma (Paris 16e), Timgad (Paris 17e), Beffroy (Rouen, 76), le Tourville (Tourville-la-Rivière, , Hiély-Lucullus (Avignon, 84), le Mas des Herbes Blanches (Joucas, 84), le Sabot d'Annie (Belfort, 90)

I visted the Burj al Arab a couple of months ago, and thought it was going to be too extravagant and kitch, but ended up be VERY impressed with the architecture, an amazing project...

I saw Haeberlin and Veyrat together in Paris a several months ago. I also hear the new "project" is on the avenue des Champs Elysees...

Hate to say i told you so, but... Posted: Jan 6 2003, 11:57 AM Group: Members Posts: 115 Member No.: 7186 Joined: 3-January 03 Philippe Legendre at Le Cinq in the Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris will get three stars.

Cab-yes, Trou Gascon had one-star, which was taken away last year...

Ze Kitchen Galerie is a great, light French cuisine inspired by the chef's favorite dishes, soups,pastas,marinated fishes, meat and poultry a la plancha , and great desserts. William Ledeuil , the chef and owner , once was Guy Savoys No1 chef, and is his business partner, owning with him, the Cap Vernet, Les Boucqinistes, Butte Chaillot, although recently relations between the two aren't very good. Great cuisine, art gallery ambience. B ellecour is traditional Lyonnais cuisine, rated one Michelin star, the real thing, and the best value for a one star in Paris. Auberge Bressane is decorated a bit kitchy, but a good value for hearty French fare in the 7th district Le Soleil is a great lunch place if you're out scouting the Clignancourt Flea Markets. Great food, and a favorite with Ducasse...

Patricia Well's website She gives Taillevent, and their new chef a glowing review. FYI

Actually, a "soils" shop doesn't sound too appetizing, as it could mean something rather nasty! I think you must be translating directly from the French word "terroir", which sort of translates into English as a "hearty" meal, or "authentic" French products.

Sounds like a good business idea....

It used to be the place to go, people cared only about the cool atmosphere. Nowadays, it's full of tourists with backpacks taking pictures of the giant Buddha downstairs...

There must be some excellent Canadian food magazines out there... Can anyone help me out? French and English is OK.

Marc-any ideas where I might get Food Arts in Paris?

Favela Chic is fun, but it's not very central, and the food is not that great.... and it's REALLY crowded. But fun.

Sure! And many clients like to adventure as yourself! Also this is very handy to suggest when there are traffic problems, adverse weather conditions,etc

Terrible. Sounds like a pretty unreliable and badly-trained concierge desk. Sorry to hear about it. Did you complain to anyone in the hotel about this?

This is an interesting subject, covered in the "Concierge Services and Companies" post just below.... You're correct. I've had similar experiences. In fact, much of the time, they call the "real" hotel concierges, have them do the work, then confirm to client that the job has been done...even sometimes claiming the credit for themselves!!

Stringfellow's in the 17th has done a lot of hen nights. This is a similar establishment to that in London (ie high-class strip-club)

Anyone care to share any interesting experiences or stories regarding concierges in Paris or elsewhere?

Sadly, the word "concierge" has been borrowed by a lot of different people , and it's true function and meaning have been somewhat diluted. "Lawnmower Concierge",etc...