263047 Mon Aug 11 12:18:54 -0700 2003 1 26 International 0 1389785 Restaurant Magazine's newsletter provides the following summaries of reviews over the weekend of Fleur, a less formal version of Marcus Wareing's Petrus at the original site of Petrus (Petrus itself will later open at The Berkeley, where La Tante Claire used to be): Terry Durack found little different at Fleur, the 'new' Petrus. Aside from the addition of some "glamorous leather banquettes" and the presence of a "livelier, louder, younger and loungier" crowd, the food is still" classically, deliciously Petrus." After a spicy amuse guele of spicy aubergine dip "as smooth as shaving cream," the man from the Independent on Sunday was blown away by a chicken and veal boudin - "each bite is loaded with flavour flowed by a satisfying wave of soft creaminess...a gorgeous thing." A "simple, fresh and summery" dish of "fresh lemony" goats cheese topped with walnuts and "hedged" with rocket and beetroot made Norman want to kick his shoes off and run his toes through the carpet. Corn-fed chicken fricassee - a "superbly satisfying dish" - contained a chook "full of real barnyard flavour" mixed in with lardons, pearl onions, mushrooms and a touch of cream. Desserts seemed "overly fussy....." Perhaps unsurprisingly, fellow critic AA Gill wasn't quite as effusive about Fleur; the Sunday Times reviewer called it "an Eliza Doolittle restaurant. It doesn't know whether it's a common girl talking porsh , or a posh girl talkin' dahn." This was evident in some "intensely funghi-flavoured" mushroom soup ruined by "hideous" truffle oil and two "pointless" slivers of summer truffle - "a decent rustic soup...gussied up above its station." The Blonde's vegetable terrine "looked lovely, but tasted like a belly dancer's armpit," and her main of skate "was nice but salty." Gill's poached salmon was "fine but came with a briny nage." Tarte tatin was a "greasy fake". The service is still "French three-star stiff" but the food "is trying to be bistro." Gill really didn't like to see Marcus and Gordon "the two tenors of London restaurants...covering the Cheeky Girls." Mon Aug 11 12:18:54 -0700 2003 0 cabrales 1 1389849 I thoroughly enjoyed my evening meal at Fleur .. I had not dined at Petrus, but always presumed the prices were just 'over the top. Fleur prices were competitive, offering an excellent value for money quality meal. Wed Aug 13 13:34:30 -0700 2003 1389785 0 dynamo