Review in Zagat's says this institution closed in March 2008. Is that review correct?

Well, it was all closed up last weekend, but I took that to mean it was closed for August. I didn't walk over to the door to see whether there was a sign indicating what kind of closure it was.

If that's true, all I can say is good! The meal we had there was the only bad one in all our years of eating in France.

Underhill: Thank you, but I was hoping for news rather than a review. With all due respect, I suspect Le Vieux Bistro was serving meals long before you were taking them in France. They must have done something right on occasion.

My daughter and I had a lovely meal there in June 2005.

Forgive me for offending. However, a meal that begins with slimy leeks and moves on to boeuf bourguignon with more gristle than meat does not get my vote. I've been cooking French food for a good 30 years and quite able to evaluate quality in a restaurant.

Underhill. As you doubtless know, boeuf bourguignon was a house specialty for decades.

I just read on tripadvisor that the restaurant was closed around March 2008, by its new owner, for renovations.

I agree that any restaurant that disappointed you on your one visit ought to close.

What a good thought!

The rest of my post disappeared. Here it is.

After such a terrible meal as we had, why on earth would we have wanted to back to that restaurant? Mediocre meal, yes... places can have an off night. But really inedible food does not make one wish to give a place another try.

sitting out at room temper

It was indeed a very mediocre place, and if it's closed for good, or even just for August, no great loss.

Underhill:

It would have been irrational for you to revisit if you expected your only meal was an accurate tool for predicting the quality of future meals there.

Having said that, it's an insignificant sample on which to base a conclusion concerning overall quality. There were perhaps 100,000 meals served at the bistro over the years. If a significant fraction were as bad as yours, the establishment would have closed long ago. Many guidebooks (including Fodor's) and food columnists recommended the fare.

I even know (ok, read about) people who do not understand that cooking and eating animal innards is the zenith of fine dining.

Again, all I was seeking was news, not reviews. Sorry I did not make that clear and squandered your time.

Are you related to Robespierre or something...? >