261418 Wed May 29 09:05:58 -0700 2002 4 26 International 0 1381372 I just returned from Paris, dinner at Guy Savoy was just the most delicous meal of my life, like the finest glass of champagne. Lunch at Taillevent was equally fantastic, they were very accomodating, matched glasses of wine with each course, for a very reasonable price. I liken Taillevent to the greatest bottle of Bordeau. But our dinner at Astrance (there is no L' on the sign or menu) was a big dissapointment. We chose the surprise menu with the surprise wines, the big surprise in the wine area was that there were only 2 one of which was a Vignoier (might have misspelled that)which is not a terrific variety or very versitile with all the courses especially with the oyster. The red which came very late in the meal was another less than memorable. No cheese course. The dinner surprise was a single white asparagus as a course, the flavor was lovely but one, give me a break. I will write in more detail about the meals in a day or two. Wed May 29 09:05:58 -0700 2002 0 Linda 1 1381375 Salivating patiently..... Wed May 29 11:36:17 -0700 2002 1381372 0 mc michael 1 1381393 How much do these dinners cost on average? Wed May 29 17:14:36 -0700 2002 1381372 0 SG 1 1381401 Linda I also visited Astrance at the beginning of the month and was also slightly dissapointed. Perhaps with all the hype my expectations were too high. Some of the dishes were very good, others only average and my wife detested a couple of others. I also found the food very small and if it wasn't for all the bread I inhaled I would've left still hungry. Thu May 30 05:37:03 -0700 2002 1381372 0 Scottf 2 1381411 Frankly, if we hadn't had a late lunch at Angelina, where the hot chocolate is to die for as well as the Mont Blanc, we would have been hungry too. I guess it is more in the nouvelle cuisine mode. The chef was a second to the famed Alain Passard who is in love with vegetables and has backed away from meat because of mad cow and the hoof and mouth of last year. I think there are two camps on this type of food. I'm in the I don't quite get it camp. Thu May 30 14:03:41 -0700 2002 1381401 0 Linda