We know the list does not include Daniel and Le Bernardin, but these are our four favorite Michelin-three-star restaurants in the Big Apple. We also had two memorable lunches at Sigiri (Sri Lankan spicy noodle, rice and curry dishes) and Momofuko Ssäm Bar (duck dumpling soup and rotisserie duck in chive pancakes).

Masa
So many memorable bites including blowfish (liver, skin, intestines and roasted on the bone), Kobe beef with white truffles, shabu shabu with Japanese grouper and monkfish liver, 20 sushis including Toro belly and cooked sinew from the belly and the rare golden eye snapper plus an amazing Santa Barbara sea urchin roll. The Zen atmosphere of sitting at the beautiful wooden sushi bar (sanded nightly), our wonderful sushi chef, and the perfect, unobtrusive service is difficult to replicate any where in the States. masanyc.com, 10 Columbus Circle, Time Warner Center, 4/F, 212.823.9800

11 Madison Park
Chef Daniel Humm’s new tasting menus offer many interesting choices. We enjoyed heirloom beets with goat cheese nage, crab salad wrapped in avocado slices, sherry and butter poached lobster with matsutaki mushroom foam, and a special fontina cheese stuffed tortellini with white truffle shavings and chestnut puree and foam. The venison and guinea fowl main courses were delicious, and the chocolate and hazelnut desserts were excellent. This newest three star is well deserving of its recent recognition, and the high ceilings and understated elegance make every diner feel this is a special experience.  www.elevenmadisonpark.com, 11 Madison Avenue, 212.889.0905

Jean Georges
Long one of our favorites we ordered a la carte while dining with our friends Robert and Susan. Among the many highlights were the scallop sashimi with crispy rice and chipotle mayonnaise, the Comte cheese risotto with white truffles, the classic garlic and parsley soup with frog legs, a wonderful complimentary offering of arctic char, turbot, sea bass and cod, a crunchy rabbit with citrus chili paste, and Colorado lamb chops with a Thai red pepper sauce. Jean George is using more Asian spices to accent his French cooking, which he understands better than many other chefs because of his early experience with Vong. jean-georges.com, 1 Central Park West, 212.299.3900

Per Se
Sharing another meal with our chef son Todd, we enjoyed both the regular chef’s tasting menu and the tasting menu of vegetables. The many highlights included a Hudson Valley foie gras torchon with a coffee-chocolate financier, Spanish mackerel, Snake River Farms wagu beef, a salsify veloute with black walnut puree, a Yukon gold potato mille-feuille with tarragon custard, and chestnut agnolotti with chestnut crumbles. A special course offered to us to sample,risotto with Castlemagno cheese and black truffles, gnudi with duck gizzards and hazelnuts and polenta with smoked ricotta cheese and black truffles were an accent point for the meal. The desserts were numerous and delicious as usual, and the view of Central Park on a bright Sunday afternoon is always special. This is one of the greatest kitchens in the United States. perseny.com, Ten Columbus Circle 4/F, 212.823.9335

Chicago

Graham Elliott
Over Thanksgiving in Chicago we dined at Chef Graham Elliott Bowles’ restaurant where his recently revamped 19-course tasting menu revisits his successful run at Avenues. Among the special offerings were a delicious lobster risotto with sea urchin, pig jowl with date and Iranian pistachios, a perfectly cooked guinea hen with matsutake mushrooms and maple and pine accents, wagu beef with bone marrow and quail egg, and several flavorful desserts.The atmosphere is comfortably casual, but the food is to be taken seriously. www.grahamelliot.com, 217 West Huron St., 312.624.9975

Thanksgiving Dinner
Our family dinner was awesome with the best fresh turkey ever which was brined and then stuffed by Todd with none other than White Castle hamburgers, no pickles, ketchup or mustard, which he dried out on the counter, coarsely chopped, and tossed it with butter and sage. Yes, yum!

The second part of our fall trip featured these two great cities – the food capital and the art museum capital of Spain. In San Sebastian, we enjoyed some of the greatest tapas in the world in addition to meals with legendary local chefs.  On our way to Madrid, we visited the amazing grill man Victor Arguinzonis at Etxebarri in the tiny Basque village of Axpe.  We sampled his incredible shrimp, oysters, tuna, and bone in rib eye steak cooked on his special grill.

Akelarre (San Sebastian, Michelin 3 stars)
While enjoying one of the most spectacular coastline panoramas of any restaurant in the world, we sampled two different eight-course tasting menus created by Chef Pedro Subijana.  Among the many highlights were white prawns blanched table side and served with pea puree, crab cooked in its own juices with pasta resembling rice grains, an unusual flavor and texture combination of razor clams, veal shank and cauliflower mushrooms, and suckling pig with crispy skin in an Iberian ham reduction sauce. Desserts were equally creative including an apple tart with edible apple paper. The day was bright and sunny, the food and service amazing, the view stupendous – what a memorable lunch! akelarre.net, Paseo Padre Orcolaga, 56 - 20008 San Sebastián, +34 943 311209

Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Michelin 2 stars, San Pellegrino 2011 Top 50, ranked #3)
The brilliant Adoni Aduriz keeps pushing the envelope with 19 courses of small plates including a deconstructed bloody Mary featuring a slow cooked tomato with vodka, olive oil and spices added, mozzarella in whey emulsion infused with smoked black tea, a faux cheese made from fresh milk, linen seeds and edible clay for the rind, beef tongue straws with garlic flowers and onion gel drops, pork belly skin noodles in antiki fish broth with crispy rice, and white tuna belly with green chili pepper paste.  A serene country setting contributes to the Zen like experience, friendly, attentive service, and a cuisine full of wonderful surprises. mugaritz.com, Otzazulueta baserria Aldura-aldea, 20, 20100 Errenteria, Spain, +34 943 522 455

Arzak (San Sebastian, Michelin 3 stars, San Pellegrino 2011 Top 50 ranked #8)
The father/daughter team of Juan Mari and Elena Arzak are revered for their many contributions to Spanish gastronomy.  The special menu Elena cooked for us included a yucca crisp tower stuffed with foie gras, green tea and coffee flavors, lobster with a parsley puree and chorizo oil, crab with an anise sheet and a cone filled with crab coral and vegetables, tuna with a peach curd and seaweed sauce, and an aromatic lamb with verbena and sheep’s milk crisps.  A sponge cake with beet sauce and candied pistachios and a lemon custard tart with banana and passion fruit ice creams closed out a memorable meal.  This is a special place for us and we were lucky enough to have a post dinner visit with the Arzaks sharing food stories and Champagne together. www.arzak.info, Avda. Alcalde Elosegui, 273-20015 Donostia, San Sebastian, +34 943 278 465

La Terraza del Casino (Madrid, Michelin 2 stars)
Chef Paco Roncero who studied under Ferran Adria at El Bulli does his magic at the spectacular rooftop restaurant with great views of the city.  A creative tasting menu had many highlights including a carrot meringue with tarragon, a brioche with crab and coriander, faux broad beans with clams in green sauce, tuna with seaweed and an olive oil noodle ejected from a test tube, oxtail stuffed with rice, noodles and foie gras, and a fruit ravioli wrap stuffed with yuzu cream and a frozen green tea powder on top.  This was a fun dining experience full of very interesting flavor combinations.  We also visited Roncero’s cutting edge tapas bars, Estado Puro, for two lunches in Madrid. www.casinodemadrid.es, C/ ALCALÁ, 15 28014 Madrid, Spain, +34 915 321 275

The first part of our fall Europe trip was in southwest France visiting Sue’s favorite restaurant in the world, Bras, and experiencing France’s newest Michelin three-star restaurant, L’Auberge de Vieux Puits in the remote, small village of Fontjoncouse, north of Barcelona.  We also enjoyed two lunches in St. Jean de Luz on the Atlantic coast.

Bras (Michelin 3 stars in Laguoile)
We had two dinners in this remote and picturesque country setting with many wonderful courses including his signature gargouillou of young vegetables, grains and herbs, a hot duck foie gras with quince paste, the local Allaiton d’Aveyron lamb with a purple tomato paste, a slow baked onion with truffled bread crumbs on top, a grilled lobster with citrus vinaigrette, and the local Aubrac beef cooked perfectly rare with an amazing truffle sauce.  Desserts are always special and included a biscuit filled with warm berry fruit served with elderflower ice cream, and roasted fresh figs with almond cream and orange flower dust.  Michel’s son Sebastian is taking on increasing responsibilities in the kitchen, and Sebastian’s wife, Veronique, is a welcoming ambassador in the dining room for the appreciative guests.  The world’s finest knives and corkscrews are manufactured in the adjacent village of Laguoile. www.bras.fr, route de l’aubrac - 12210 laguiole, +33 05 65 51 18 20

L’Auberge de Vieux Puits (Michelin 3 stars in Fontjoncouse)
Gilles Goujon’s cooking is creative and highly satisfying.  We enjoyed his signature reconstructed white egg stuffed with a truffle sabayon and sliced truffles on top, accompanied by a mushroom cappuccino. The shrimp in shrimp bisque was served with shrimp ice inside a shrimp shell, a shrimp ravioli and a fried phyllo packet stuffed with cod.  A rare duck breast sliced was paired with a violet sauce and wild mushrooms served in a porcelain duck foot dish.  Service was a bit uneven, but the staff and chef were warm and friendly.  A visit to the beautiful beaches of Gruissan near Narbonne was also a highlight. www.aubergeduvieuxpuits.fr, 5, Av St Victor 11360 Fontjoncouse, +33 04 68 44 07 37

Lunches in St. Jean de Luz
This prosperous old fishing port and vibrant tourist resort town offers many good, cozy, and casual French Basque seafood restaurants including Le Kaïku and Ibaia, which both feature grilled gambas (local shrimp), fish soup, as well as other regional specialties.  The boardwalk stretches for miles along a beautiful sand beach where the sunbathers always attract an appreciative crowd. Le Kaïku, 17, rue de la République 64500 St. Jean de Luz, +33 05 59 26 13 20. Ibaia, 39 Rue Tourasse, 64500 Saint-Jean-de-Luz, +33 05 59 51 12 21

 

While visiting our friends Sam and Marsha, we enjoyed many good wines and several delicious meals.  Our lunch at Sierra Mar in The Post Ranch Inn at Big Sur included fabulous broiled salmon and a tasty Wagu beef burger.  Lunch at The Rio Grill in Carmel featured its signature grilled artichoke with balsamic vinegar and a tomato aioli sauce and a spicy soft beef taco with guacamole and black beans.  Two special dinners were:

Manresa (Michelin 2 stars in Los Gatos)
Chef David Kinch is consistently ranked in the top three chefs in the state of California.  He cooked a special tasting menu for us with abalone two ways:  sliced on an abalone gelee and raw milk panacotta and also roasted with an avocado moustade.  His “into the vegetable garden…” highlighted lettuce, sliced vegetables and toasted dark breadcrumbs representing the earth.  Spot prawns and gooey duck clams in a miso broth (his “summer tidal pool”), followed the foie gras caramel with cumin.  The rack of lamb chop with wild morels was exceptional, and dessert featured chocolate caramel cream with both popcorn custard and fleur de sel ice cream and a Kouign aman, a sweet Breton pastry was a great finale.  The special attention from the chef, and the flawless, knowledgeable service made this a memorable experience. www.manresarestaurant.com, 320 Village Lane, Los Gatos, CA 95030, 408.354.4330

Aubergine (L’Auberge de Carmel)
In this main street Carmel inn, Chef Justin Cogley applies his training from Charlie Trotter to provide several dining highlights:  a kushi oyster with Japanese cucumber jelly and uzu foam, a terrine of foie gras with braised rhubarb gelee, Monterey Bay abalone with braised romaine and a lobster lettuce sauce, turbot accompanied by bone marrow, and wagu beef with morels and black garlic.  The ambience was warm and friendly, service was attentive and welcoming, and we had our best wines of the trip. www.laubergecarmel.com, Monte Verde St., Carmel By The Sea, CA 93921, 831.624.8578

We had two food and wine oriented trips in May and June, including a wonderful weekend with our friends, Ken and Grace in the Oregon wine country.  Boston seafood lunches included B & G Oysters and Neptune Oyster House where the lobster rolls (one cold with mayonnaise and one hot with butter) and the Ipswich clams were tasty.  Our lunches in McMinnville, Oregon, included old favorites Bistro Maison (fish soup) and La Rambla (delicious tapas such as sautéed garlic chili shrimp).

Our memorable dinners were:

Clio
Ken Oringer has for years been one of Boston’s finest chefs (2001 James Beard winner) offering creative specialties such as cold foie gras with candied rhubarb, soft shell crab tempura with avocado emulsion, warm nettle soup with pea powder and cod cheeks, sea urchin and lobster in parsnip emulsion, and braised sassafras short rib with a bone marrow dumpling and black garlic gel.  Located in the Elliot Suites Hotel, Clio is always a special visit. www.cliorestaurant.com, 370 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, 617.536.7200

Menton
Barbara Lynch’s new cutting edge Boston restaurant wowed us with kataifi wrapped langoustines with pickled rhubarb, asparagus veloute with ricotta ravioli and fiddleheads, Nova Scotia lobster with green curry, hot foie gras served with a cold terrine of foie gras, sweet breads and rabbit, and rib eye and goulash of beef with braised shin and bone marrow.  This new restaurant has become the toughest reservation in town. www.mentonboston.com, 354 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210, 617.737.0099

Le Pigeon
Portland’s Gabriel Rucker (James Beard Rising Star Chef for 2011) pushes the envelope with pigeon crudo, artichoke and Parmesan soup with lardo, beef cheek Bourgogne, and a deep-fried braised lamb shoulder with green garlic risotto.  Comfort food at its best in a funky setting so typical of little Portland neighborhoods. lepigeon.com, 738 E Burnside St., Portland, OR 97214, 503.546.8796

Painted Lady
This is a small, quaint restaurant serving traditional dishes prepared with real flair in a cute old Newberg house in the heart of Oregon wine country. Baby Oregon shrimp Napoleon with avocado, pine nuts and citrus aioli, Copper River salmon Carpaccio, hazelnut crusted halibut in red wine sauce, dry aged steak and short ribs, and a hot chocolate soufflé with white chocolate ice cream were all pleasers.  This was our first trip here and we look forward to returning. thepaintedladyrestaurant.com, 201 S. College St., Newberg, OR 97132, 503.538.3850

There was sunny weather every day on our spring trip with special friends, Mary and Tom, to our favorite places in the Riviera and Provence.  The highlights included al fresco lunches at both La Columbe d’Or in St. Paul de Vence and Le Mas des Herbes Blanches in Joucas as well as George Blanc’s classic frog legs and Bresse chicken.  Our most memorable dinners included:

Chateau St. Martin in Vence, Michelin 2 stars
Yannick Franque has revitalized this gorgeous resort high in the mountains above Nice, with dishes such as morels with white asparagus in peanut cream, langoustines with black sesames and yuzu sauce, a slow cooked egg yolk domed with whipped egg whites, brioche crumbles on the top and Parmesan sauce, herb crusted lamb with zucchini ravioli stuffed with goat cheese and black garlic sauce.  This was our first night, and from the moment we entered this beautiful restaurant with spectacular views, welcoming servers, and gorgeous Champagne, our travellers’ woes disappeared, no more thoughts of jet lag and missing luggage for all of us.  We had arrived and were totally soothed and happy. www.chateau-st-martin.com/uk, 2490 Avenue des Templiers - BP 102 - 06142 Vence Cedex, + 33 (0)4 93 58 02 02

La Bastide de Capelongue in Bonnieux, Michelin 2 stars
Chef Eduard Loubet is our favorite chef in Provence, dazzling us with a cold and hot (cedar smoked) foie gras, sea bass in a sage soup, rack of lamb with burned thyme smoke served with au gratin potatoes with garlic, leeks and rosemary, and a cedar soufflé with clove ice cream and candied pistachios.  The food was innovative, creative and beautiful, and the inn was full of the country charm of the Luberon.  Eduard and Isabella Loubet made us feel like special guests in their adorable inn and restaurant. www.capelongue.com/uk, Les Claparèdes - Chemin des Cabanes -84480 Bonnieux En Provence, +33 (0)4 90 75 89 78

Chez Bru in Egalyries, Michelin 1 star
Wout and Suzy Bru’s new resort, Maison Bru, is a great setting for their creative Provencal food: poached shrimp with asparagus mousse, egg with catfish and sweet onions, crispy skinned suckling pig with port sauce and pork belly – all served with olive oil mashed potatoes!  Located in the heart of the Alpillles Mountains, Maison Bru is an oasis of peace on 2.5 acres surrounded by vineyards and olive trees.  The ambience and food are a perfect combination of contemporary and traditional Provence. www.chezbru.com, Route d'Orgon-13810 Eygalieres, + 33 (0)4 90 90 60 34

Maison Troisgros in Roanne (outside Lyon), Michelin 3 stars
Chef Michel Troisgros continues to impress with his perfect white asparagus inside mustard, basil and truffle wraps, a grilled blue lobster with a classic lobster bisque sauce, and herb crusted rack of Pyrenees lamb with vegetables in a bright checkerboard pattern.   We had the table next to a window into the kitchen and enjoyed watching the 9 or 10 chefs in flurries of activity, especially Chef Michel, who has been in control of this family restaurant since the late 1980’s.  The food is grounded in traditional French cooking yet with Japanese and Italian influences, making it an exciting modern cuisine. www.troisgros.fr, Place Jean Troisgros-42 300 Roanne, +33 (0)4 77 71 66 97

A special weekend with our two sons, daughter-in-law and girlfriend included an airboat ride in the nearby National Park swamp finding alligators, brunches at Mr. B’s Bistro and Brennan’s eating Cajun specialties, and snacks at the Acme Oyster House, Coop's (best jambalaya in town), Central Grocery (mufeletta sandwiches), and Café du Monde (beignets and chicory coffee).  Our favorite meals emphasizing local specialties were:

Jacques – Imo’s
An outrageously off the wall atmosphere prevails in this restaurant of wonderful craziness offering delicious specialties such as shrimp and alligator cheesecake, fried green tomatoes with spicy shrimp, crab cakes, snails with garlic and pasta shells, crayfish etouffee and dark meat fried chicken.  Several diners eat in the bed of a pickup truck in front of the restaurant, which proudly announces it has “not been respected” since opening in 1996. www.jacquesimoscafe.com, 8324 Oak St., 504.861.0886.

Emeril’s
Emeril Lagasse continues to turn out tasty New Orleans specialties such as seafood gumbo, barbecued shrimp in a spicy sauce, and a lemon icebox cake.  Attentive service and the spectacular open kitchen set the mood for delicious food and wonderful wines. www.emerils.com, 800 Tchoupitoulas St., 504.528.9393

Upperline
Joanne Clevenger’s neighborhood Uptown restaurant features tastes of several traditional specialties:  turtle soup, duck Andouille gumbo, duck etouffee, crispy roasted duck with peach or garlic sauce, fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade (her invention), and a drum fish special with “hot and hot” shrimp sauce.  With local art filling the walls, this comfortable atmosphere makes the food seem even more enjoyable. www.upperline.com, 1413 Upperline St., 504.891.9822

Cochon
Chef Donald Link has several successful restaurants and an adjacent sandwich shop (Butcher) and features Cajun specialties at this modern, high ceiling restaurant.  We shared most of the extensive appetizer menu including deviled crab, fried alligator with chili garlic aioli, boudin sausage with pickled peppers, smoked pork ribs with watermelon pickle, grilled jalapeno sausage, a thoughtful boucherie plate, and a main course of Louisiana pulled pork with turnips, cabbage, and cracklings.  Our unique dessert was the midnight moonshine flavors of strawberry, apple pie, and catdaddy (nutmeg and vanilla).  It was a fun lunch full of amazing new flavors for us. www.cochonrestaurant.com, 930 Tchoupitoulas St., 504.588.2123

Our Chicago trip provided a chance to share several great meals with our son Scott and his wife Alice who recently moved there from London.  In addition to delicious lunches at Fronterra Grill with the incredible guacamole, Takashi with his wonderful noodle dishes, and Shaw’s Crab House featuring fresh Stone Crab and Dungeness Crab, we had 3 wonderful dinners.

Schwa, Michelin one star
Chef Michael Carlson and his team double as the waiters in this super casual, music centric tribute to creative combinations of tastes and textures.  We enjoyed a baked potato soup with cheddar cheese stretched across the bowl and crispy potato skins and scallion puree, diver scallop with pumpernickel pudding served with a caraway aquavit shot, a single malt scotch and butterscotch glazed pork belly with persimmon, and a braised beef “smore” with green cardamom marshmallow and mole with camp fire smoke in the bowl underneath the top bowl.  This BYOB establishment is pure fun with friendly people and even the chef helping with every thing including hailing us a taxi with his chef’s apron on.  We had a blast on top of the fabulous food. www.schwarestaurant.com, 1466 N. Ashland Ave., 773.252.1466

Alinea, Michelin three star
Chef Grant Achatz continues to push the envelope with surprises served seamlessly by the best wait staff in the city.  Among our highlights of the 21 courses following the five “edible cocktails” were a deconstructed shrimp gumbo in the legs, head and tail, an all white course of halibut, pepper, lemon, and vanilla, an amazing rabbit parfait, rillettes and consommé served in three layers of different dishes, and a delicious sweet potato custard with flavors of cedar, bourbon and pecan.  Dessert of a freeze-dried chocolate mousse with assorted fruit and chocolate caramel syrups is served artistically on a silicon tablecloth.  This is definitely the most cutting edge food in American with a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, an experience not to be missed. www.alinea-restaurant.com, 1723 North Halsted, 312.867.0110

L2O, Michelin three star
Following Laurent Gras’ departure for New York, the rest of the original team still offers delicious, beautifully prepared classic dishes with an emphasis on seafood and fish.  The Seasonal tasting menu had many highlights, but the tuna tartare with Kampachi and yuzu soy, the foie gras a la plancha with blood orange and roasted fennel and the Scottish salmon with North African spices and creamy grits were the most memorable.  The décor is striking with a minimalist feeling and a staff that is quite formal.  It was a nice finale to a wonderful weekend. www.l2orestaurant.com, 2300 N. Lincoln Park West, 773.868.0002

Our annual California trip was especially appreciated this year with many great meals and lots of fun experiences at Mustards, Cindy’s Backstreet and Bistro Jeanty in Napa and Slanted Door, One Market and Hog Island Oyster Bar in San Francisco.  Our favorites included:
 
Benu, San Francisco – Chef Corey Lee
This French Laundry alum has recently burst on the scene with an exciting 14-course tasting menu, featuring creatively interpreted courses of sea urchin, eel, abalone, monkfish liver and lobster.  The low key, minimalist décor creates an atmosphere that is calming and serene.  This is a “must go” destination for the most serious foodies. 22 Hawthorne Street, Tel: 415.685.4860 www.benusf.com

Coi, San Francisco – Chef Daniel Paterson – Michelin 2 stars
One of California’s most innovative chefs, Patterson dazzled us with a special 14-course menu on our wedding anniversary evening, which included amazing courses of clams with kelp, tofu mousseline with mushroom dashi, crab melt with melted lardo and a puree of wheatgrass and sea sprouts, and brioche ice cream with chocolate mousse and pistachio crumbles.  The name Coi (pronounced “kwa”) is an old French word meaning tranquil which perfectly describes the 28-seat Japanese inspired dining room. 373 Broadway, Tel: 415.393.9000, coirestaurant.com

Cyrus, Healdsburg – Chef Doug Keene – Michelin 2 stars

A nine day trip to these special destinations resulted in many great art, wine, and food experiences.  Our meals ranged from very traditional to cutting edge and featured six Michelin 3 star experiences.  Fond Burgundy memories included a lunch at Maison Lameloise with Jacques and Roz Seysses of Domaine Dujac, and a private tasting with Aubert de Villaume at Romanee Conti.  A special Monet exhibit at Paris' Grand Palais was breathtaking in its scope.  The whole trip was memorable, and five of our favorite meals were:

La Maison Troisgros, Roanne, Michelin 3 stars
Our first night was at Chef Michel Troisgros’ welcoming hotel and restaurant which featured lobster in a lobster bisque cream sauce from a 1970’s recipe, wild hare, and a blackened rack of lamb, accompanied by a wonderful 2002 Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres and a 1996 Domaine Dujac Clos St. Denis.  What a fabulous start to our trip. Place de la Gare, 42300 Roanne, 04 77 71 66 97, www.troisgros.fr

Ma Cuisine, Beaune
A long time favorite of the local wine makers with a deep wine list to match, this restaurant delivers traditional Burgundian cuisine by Fabienne Escoffier.  Celebrating Bob’s birthday, we had dinner with winemaker Alex Gambal and his wife Diana which included tasty jambon perseille, rabbit compote, mushroom soup, cote de veau in a cream sauce, coq au vin, and plenty of good wine.  This is hearty country fare at its best. Passage St Helene, 21200 Beaune, 0033 380 22 30 22

Pierre Gagnaire, Paris, Michelin 3 stars