mdibiaso

Here is a warning about Gagnaire. I have eaten there 3 time the past two years. One meal was totally sublime. One of my best three meals. Totally memorable. One was very good, the other just good. The difference came first from the style of cooking. It is cutting edge and very experimental. You eat a tasting menu here, and the sublime night about 14 of the 15 dishes worked perfectly, for both the heart, the soul, the mind and the gullet (4 cylanders firing). The very good night had about 10 extremely good dishes but was not firing on all 4 cylanders for more than 5 plates. The good night had maybe 5 extremely good, 5 good and 5 misses. On two occasions the service was good but not perfect. On one occasion the service was extremely good. So Gagnaire is risky but has great rewards when it is on. Also a warning, Gagnaire is no place to drink wine, with so many different plates and so many flavors on each plate, just get some simple, young, bold wines. Nothing fancy, it is waste of money here. Ducasse and Taillevent are more traditional but also no risk in my opinion. They are always on, and have great wine. L'Ambrosie has great food that is extremely consistant and is very romantic. Wine list is expensive and limited. Food is not experimental and you there are no tasting menues available. Guy Savoy could be the place, but again it is not very experimental but the whole experience is great, if you want to be in a modern, some what unromantic atmosphere. Lucas Carton has some great wines and great services and some dishes that are always perfect (langoustine to eat with hands, lobster with vanilla, foie gras with cabbage or foie gras with exotic fruit.) but it is not experimental. The atmosphere can be very fun and romantic in a 1920's manner, ie happy not low lit candlelight. Hope this gives you some ideas (even Tour d Argent can be an option, get the duck and an very expensive bottle of burgandy and look at Notre Dame, experimental, NO. Memorable and romantic. YES

Scott Lucas Carton is my favorite place. I would love to hear more about what you ate and drank!

This was a very interesting topic. I recently asked a question on the French board about service fees and wines vs food. Would the price of the wine every change your opinion? Say you buy a bottle for 5000 dollars, do you suggest a 750-1000 dollar tip? What about if you are in France where tipping is not as expected but many American do still tip? Do you still give that 15-20% on the 5000 dollar bottle? Is it still true that a restaurant in France would not give any of that service fee on the bill to the wine staff even if they sold a 5000 dollar bottle. Any one out their want to buy me a 5000 dollar bottle

Wondering if anyone has in recent years worked in a restaurant in Paris (or elsewhere in France if things are the same everywhere) and can answer a question about tips. On a bill I have it says service 13.50% 41.31 Euro. (please note this is NOT the VAT which is also on the bill on a separate line at 19.60%) Where does that 41.31 Euro actually go? Does it go direct to the staff? If I had food and wine does 13.50% of the wine costs go directly to the wine staff and 13.50% of the food costs go to the food staff if they have separate wine waiters? Is there any limit? What if I order bottle of wine for 500 Euro, does the staff get 13.50% of that? Does each restaurant decide itself on the rules or is there some French law that everyone has to or should follow? Thanks in advance.