You guys are evil. I went off to Marlow today and had planned to eat just a salad for lunch. But there on the menu at Hand & Flowers was "fillet of Wiltshire grass fed beef" with homemade bearnaise sauce. After all this steak talk, who could resist. It was an *excellent* piece of steak done exactly as they said it would be. Well, at least I had a side salad.

I had a filet de boeuf Limousin at a little restaurant in Dordogne (L'Etoile) that was probably the best I've ever had in my life. So tender it sort of cut itself and floated up into your mouth when you waved your fork at it. I think it was served with little truffle filled ravioli thingees...

It was on the 35Euro menu that night. Truly, that was even better than the wonderful meal we had in Lyon a couple days later.

at lafayette gourmet, the delicatessen besides galeries lafayette, they also have a butcher´s department, where you ca order your steak to be prepared under your eyes and you get served it on the premises. they even have a plat du jour or daily special.

A second recommendation for Le Relais d'Entrecote in St. Germain. My husband is a large eater and they give you seconds (and thirds, which was embarassing to the rest of our family!) They serve the steak with unlimited salad and french fries (frites) which must have been fried in lard because they were delicious. We ate there Christmas Day 2004 because they were one of the few places open that day and the desserts are yummy too. They do not accept reservations, but we didn't have to wait.

Let me add that place to my list!