We were in Paris last week and had a dreadful dinner at Citrus Etoile. We should have known instantly because on a Friday, it was 2/3 empty. The service was awkward but the food was so oversalted as to be inedible. Instead of other entrees, we asked just to have cheese. We were given enormous portions of 3 cheeses that were of mediocre quality. It was a complete bust.

Although I did also try to get into Le Cinq, I would prefer to skip the Bristol, Meurice etc for a more intimate but lovely dinner. The sky is not the limit but as I noted, this was meant to be the biggest splurge.

I also tried to get into L'Ambroisie but no luck. I've been to Pierre Gagnaire before and found it interesting but not necessarily compelling. Do you have any thoughts about Citrus Etoile? L'Astor - I haven't been back for years but when Robuchon was consulting, it was nice.

No, it was for dinner. Prior to posting, I tried to get reservations at Le Cinq and L'Arpege without luck.

I had hoped to go back to Les Elysees before chef Briffard went to Le Cinq. I had a reservation for 2 Mai that has just been cancelled. This was to be the one splurge - my other choices are worthy bistros but not the same level. So now with fewer than 2 weeks to go, I need a worthy substitute. I don't know where I can get in - suggestions please!!!! Also, any suggestions for Sunday night would be most appreciated too.

Where in Mayfair is The Only Running Footman?

both fairway and food emporium carry it. what is more difficult to find is swans' down, one of the few cake flours without self-rising additives. i've found it at gourmet garage, which i think also has wondra.

tarte flambe, liverwurst, any of the soups, sausage, chicken, lamb shank/loin

This is my maiden visit - any suggestions?

david burke & donatella; hearth; babbo; otto; una pizza napoletano; tao

Yes, Roger is fantastic. Sadly, the food is not what it once was.

No. You should wear a sport jacket.

Insieme is quite near the theatre district whereas Balthazar in SoHo is not. Hence, you would need to eat very early at either to make the performance. Amalia, on the other hand, is also near the theatre district, so swapping lunch and dinner might make your visit devoid of traffic-induced anxiety. And if you are coming after Thanksgiving, plan to walk or take the subway anywhere in midtown (or almost anywhere else) because the tree in Rockefeller Center and holiday visitors brings traffic to a standstill.

First, clarification is necessary. A Bull Shot is made with beef broth and vodka; a Bloody Bull is a combination of a Bull Shot and a Bloody Mary. And the best place to get them, is at the bar at the Carlyle.

burger heaven - multiple locations in the area - serves breakfast all day

I stopped by with a friend for drinks and a snack. I agree about the bar's being understaffed. We had cheese (tiny dessert serving) and various salumi (more normal portion) and wine, so no cooking was involved. So, either the kitchen was slow or the service was. The wines by the glass were priced primarily in the $9-14 range and there were some interesting selections. It is a good addition to the neighborhood but by no means a must.

i think we're all breaking out in violent agreement. i don't think that good to very good merits the lines or the prices. il laboratorio is so vastly superior, and can offer an extraordinary experience, but it has inconvenient opening hours.

i trulli

la palapa

avoid - pretentious and completely overrated.

the bar at veritas is also lovely with many wines by the glass. ditto picholine, jean georges in the nougatine part, gramercy tavern in the bar part. you might also consider tocqueville.

i think blue ribbon sushi has gone downhill. you will in walking distance to pearl oyster bar - sitting at the bar is comfortable there. also close is salt on macdougal, which generally has fish on the menu and has communal seating.

has anyone been to it? its name starts with ishi.

i agree that roussillon is wonderful. i travel to london regularly and it is a favorite. similar story re cocktails - i ordered a scotch at royal china and was brought a half jigger for 7 pounds. so, i ordered another one. when the bill came, they mistakenly charged me 9 pounds each for 3, when i only had 2 (the equivalent of one in the states) and also charged me for a dish that they had incorrectly brought to me and overcharged me for another dish. but the point really was, 14 pounds for a macallan 12 year?

The Oklahoma beef ribs, chili and dry rub ribs are fantastic as are the baked beans, mashed potatoes, dirty rice and corn. The creamed spinach is different but good. I am not a fan of the sweet potatoes or the corn bread.

although nothing fancy, burger heaven is reliable and reasonable for the basics.

the only truly reliable place to take your knives is Henry Westphal in the west 30s.

as big o mentioned, the servers are happy to let you taste. i agree about the excellent mango but prefer the ginger which is very subtle but good.

azuri is very good but i prefer alfanoose on maiden lane near 1 cmp.

I had gone once before when Per Se first opened and returned last night for a lovely dinner there last night. I thought the oysters and pearls were delectable. I substituted the potato and cippolini onions from the vegetable menu as my next course which was wonderful. The dourade and the lobster courses were excellent as was the lamb. But the sweetbreads were sublime. The cheese, St. Nectaire, with marvelous poached apricots and pistachios was delicious as was the berry sorbet. But I found the dessert and minardaises to be really disappointing.

The real reason that I am writing though is to note how scandalously overpriced the wine list is. Of the 489 reds, the average price was $811; excluding the 41 priced over $2000, the average dropped to $556; excluding also the 75 above $1000, it dropped to $408. The bottom 25 averaged about $85. And those priced in the $200-$275 (which is the level at which I ordered) typically retailed for $60-85. The wine selection is excellent but makes the Veritas and Cru look like extraordinary bargains, which they are not. Perhaps the wines should be priced 20-25% higher to incorporate service into the price as is done for the food, but these wines were priced more than that on a relative basis. In short, the wines I ordered were lovely but I felt gouged by the prices.

payard