Lapérouse

My wife and I were celebrating her birthday. We were first shown to a table facing the kitchen door, with caned seats tearing at the back. When we asked to be moved to another location in the then practically empty dining room, the waiter actually argued with us and refused. While the maitre d' interceded and came to the rescue, an unfortunate tone had been set. The waiter who served us was obviously inexperienced and not up to the job. His many clumsy mistakes appeared at one point to mock fine Parisian dining. The sommelier tried his best and demnstrated some knowledge of the overpriced wine list, but his efforts were disrupted by one incompetent waiter or another. The food was average to good but completely uninspired (we each had tasteless crab from Brittany wrapped heavily in sliced white radish for an entree and rack of lamb in a wine sauce for the main course) and definitely not worth the exorbitant prices. We have eaten at many fine restaurants in France and don't mind paying high prices when the food and service are of a level warranting the cost. Laperouse may have been a great restaurant in its day, but that day is long gone. Rather than spend the money to fix the tattered furniture, upholstery, and decor, the prorietaires should put this struggling Paris institution out of its misery and make its historic building a museum.

Reserved one of the private rooms for dinner and it was very romantic atmosphere. The waiter closes the door inbetween courses and you ring a buzzer when you need his service. Food was excellent - I had the monkfish cassoulet for main course and the mint souffle for dessert was like eating heavenly clouds. It definitely felt like old-school "Paris" like something out of the movie Gigi.