Le Telegraphe

[Simon Majumdar]

Got back from Paris in the middle of last week and have to share the tale of one of the more bizzare experiences of my travels abroad

Some friends had booked a place called Le Telegraph which they had visited a few months before and enjoyed. When we arrived two burly bouncers were at the door and looked us over very carefully before letting us in.

When we sat down I noticed that everyone in the place ( men that is ) was wearing a Yamake (sp?) skull caps and, when I ordered a drink I was told I could not have it as it was not Kosher!! The place had gone Kosher THAT DAY and all new staff had come in.

That in itself was unusual, but not unheard of and would have been fine if..

The waiters were the worst in history and all very burly swarthy Israeli's. The service was a cross between The Keystone Cops and Ghengis Khan and so surly that my friends ( both jewish,) were convinced that this place had become a cover for mossad.

The food was OK but we were served and out of there in 40 mins ( including soup stains on clothes, dropped bottles wine )

The highlight ( ?) of the evening was when one of the bigger waiters ( think Obelix from the Asterix books ) took great offence at my friend using her funky new mobile phone camera to take a picture of the other two of us and ran over shouting at the top of his voice " NO PICTURES"s and gesticulating like a mad windmill.

One of the more weird experiences of eating out in Paris. No wonder I love it so

S