I will have to check if I resent it...I think it was on my todo list before our vacation, but...
Re Arpege prices, the full prix fixe meal with all the bells and whistles would be about 300 euro per person; going a la carte would be 170 to 230 euro. Wine extra. I guess Arpege falls into the "if you have to ask..." category

It's scary....

I did enjoy this person's description of a meal at L'Arpege (bill ended up being 379 euros for lunch for one).

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...631625072.html

Looks like a skip for me for now.

I do find this thing of menus not having prices interesting. I've never seen this happen before I ate at Le Cinq. And the funny thing there was that my companion had the menu with prices (mine had no prices), but I was actually the one who would be paying. An interesting experience.

Dear 1110p: I now understand why your lunch for two cost E300 as you had the menu without prices. We ate off the fixed price menu and with a glass of Champagne, Salon Rose I believe, and a bottle of white burgundy plus coffee and the three courses for less than E200/2. Some of the entrees off the menu were rather pricey as I recall.

> the funny thing there was that my companion had the menu with prices (mine had no prices),

1110P, are you a lady and was your companion a gentleman?

Hi mjs, I think that we ordered the menu as well -- but I think that it was 90 Euros (?). Perhaps some of the dishes we ordered had a supplement. I don't know for sure. They added a service charge to the bill, I think, if I recall. It was in January of this year. Anyway, at one point I think that I kept the bill as a souvenir, as it's probably the most expensive meal I've eaten and paid (apart from a meal at Daniel in NYC, which was close, but at least in that case I paid for just myself). If I still have the bill somewhere I'll take a look.

Kappa, we're both guys. I was staying with my friend in Paris and I took him out to eat. Perhaps he looked more distinguished or something -- but obviously he spoke French. Maybe that's why they gave him the menu with the prices. It was a rather quaint touch, I suppose -- but they must do this at the starred restaurants. I found it amusing. They also had menus in several languages, I think. (Anyway, my memory of this whole experience is understandably vague. I'm probably still recovering from the price tag. )

By the way, we picked Le Cinq because the schedule dictated it -- I could only do this on a Sunday, and a lot of the starred restaurants are not open. Also I figured that it was a good deal. I took a look at the 2004 guide at Barnes and Noble last night and I think that their prices have gone up -- now the menu is 120 for lunch, I think.

Hi 111op, usually that happens to couples. They give the gentleman la carte with prices and the lady without (because the men are supposed to pay always or something, you know the old fashioned way.)In your case i don't know, maybe they just made a mistake.

Well, obviously they had no idea that I was going to pay -- so I don't fault them for it or anything. I just found it very amusing. I did tell my friend that he had to order as cheaply as possible.

The flower arrangements were pretty nice though, I remember. Nothing fancy -- it was all pretty simple.

After several experiences where my husband received a menu with prices and I received one without (even though I was probably paying), I was amused by Restaurant Gordon Ramsay's version. There, we were asked who would be "hosting" the evening - and later worked out that this was code for who would be paying, and should therefore receive the priced menu. We were initially nonplussed, though, so the waiter then decided to do it the traditional way.

That's a nice (if a bit quaint as well touch -- thanks for the story, caroline!

Was Gordon Ramsay good?

Thanks 111op ! Yes, it was quite an experience - you can read my write-up on it, if you'd like to, at http://www.discoverthetaste.com/reviews/index.html

Just took a quick look, thanks for sharing!

Thought the thing about not detecting much difference between * and *** amusing.