New York			Chicago
	Paris			Washington
	Lyon			Brisbane and Gold Coast
	New Orleans			London
	Sydney			Melbourne

Rocco's was founded in 1922, and has a loyal clientele; people who have moved out of town welcome the chance to drop in again for a chat over a drink or meal. The current Rocco is the third generation. Toilets on the level.

The menu is mainly southern Italian with red tomato sauce and lots of herbs, however, there is a changeable daily list of 'specials' among which are 'gnocchi alla gorgonzola', the sauce is incredibly delicious, and grilled calamari with a spinach salad. I'm sure the deserts are just as good. there is tiramisu, caramel roasted pears and cold zabaglione with fresh strawberries.

La Bonne Soupe - 55th St/6th Av
Good food at reasonable prices, nice and friendly, and with that unmistake-able relaxed atmosphere and interest in food and the dishes that makes it so French. Toilets on same level. It is tremendously popular at lunch times, with a queue of people waiting to be seated up until 3,30

Jules Bistro - 55, St Marks Place
Very friendly. Does a jazz brunch on Sundays, with some good gypsy jazz, and I have also heard Anat Cohen play on Sound evenings.

Restaurants in Paris

Pré Vert - Cnr.rue Théard/rue Poissonnière - 75005.
Marie-Thérèse wanted me to try this one, and I can see why.   Not only is it very cheap – 12.50 for their lunch menu, including a glass of  not-bad-at-all wine (vin de pays des coteaux de l’Ardeche) but one of the owners, the chef, travels the world in search of exotic spices, which he brings back to create wonderfully differently-flavoured dishes.  You have to book, and the toilets are downstairs.

Le Gourmand - 22 rue Vaugirard - 75006 - 01 43 2626 45
This has arisen in the wake of the former restaurant, the food is not nearly such fine cuisine, but it is more practical - more salads; and it is cheaper.   And it is conveniently situated, definitely one that I would go to.

Chez Françoise - Aerogare des Invalides, Paris 75007. Tel :014705 4903
Practically on the banks of the Seine, I certainly would not have stumbled across this by chance, as it is underground! They do ‘soirees musicales’, though rather infrequently, about once or twice a week. But the food! A real gastronomic delight, and at very reasonable prices! It is open every day, from 12 –3 and 7-12. There is access by car (and wheelchairs!) opposite 2 rue Fabert, via the underground car park which is used by the neighbouring government departments.

Au Bouillon Racine - 5 rue Racine, 6th
Wonderful art nouveau deco, swirling coloured glass and curving bar stools, disabled toilet on the level,good food - and all at an affordable price.

Le Parc aux Cerfs - 50 rue Vavin75006 PARIS - Tel: 014354 8783
An ultra-friendly restaurant with EXCELLENT food - and the proprietor is an oenologist so the wines are good too. It is child-friendly, with paper tablecloths and crayons provided. Level toilets. About 30E.

Clementine - 5 Rue St. Marc - 75002 Paris - Tel: 01 40 41 05 65
Friendly, very good value and very French. About 25E.

Le Croissant - 146 rue Montmartre - Paris 75002 - 01 42 33 35 04
An historical site, Jean Jaures, a prominent socialist, was assassinated here. In spite of that, it is a nice, friendly place with very agreeable food - and level toilets.

Ristorante Pietro Alati - Rue montagne ste Genevieve - Paris - 75005.
A delightful, ebullient waitress who sings quite well. Very good food, and it is only about 20E including wine. There are 2 small steps to get in. Charming location, very near the beautiful Sainte Genevieve church(with its lovely chimes), and the Pantheon.

Le Carre aux feuillants - Rue Castiglione - Paris - 75001
This has 1 or 2 Michelin stars, and it is expensive, but better value to take the lunch menu - that is a good rule in general if you go to expensive restaurant. And it is worth it, unusual food, or with unusual combinations but beautifully cooked and presented. BUT - the toilets are downstairs.

Les Trois Bourriques - 5 rue des Grands Degres - 75005 Paris - 01 43 54 61 72
I ‘discovered’ a nice restaurant, larger inside than you would imagine It is called Les Trois Bourriques, and the presentation and general ambience is very good. I had 3 courses, two very good, and delicious sauce but the meat was rather tough. Not expensive and it is in such a picturesque setting; you can hear the chimes of Notre-Dame and the streets are narrow, twisting and cobbled. It has now changed management but seemed o.k when I went.

Jardin d’Asie - 78 rue Baudricourt - 75°13 Paris.
Cheap, good, basic. Self service, and full of Chinese which is a good sign. (But it’s down stairs, which makes it awkward.)

La Canaille - 4 rue Crillon , 75004 - 01 42 78 09 71. Good food, no frills, nice atmosphere.

Bistrot de la Sorbonne - 4 rue Toullier, 75005, 0 43 54 41 49 - (Booking is advised). A friend told me about this, I don’t think I’d have found it, because it is tucked away. It is cheap, with prices ranging from 12 Euros for a 3-course meal. It is now one of my favourites, well-run and friendly, nice clientele.- and delicious "tajines' (a kind of Moroccan stew, with meat or vegetables, and prunes.

Restaurants in Lyon

Brasserie Georges, 22 Place Verdun, Peyrraches Lyon - 69002, Tel: 04 72 56 54 54
Large, (up to 2000 places!) good value, excellent cooking (try their quenelles!)..
Founded in 1836 by an Alsatian. It is famous for its beer (the water in Lyon is very good. It used to be brewed on the premises but has now moved.) It has 'art nouveau' decor, but not nearly as good as the Bouillon Racine in Paris. The ceiling frescoes were painted in 1924 by Guillermin. Among the famous guests are Verlaine, Jules Verne, Zola, Edouard Herriot (who was mayor of Lyon), Rodin and others. A nice touch is an authentic hurdy-gurdy, which is played occasionally for children, or to play 'happy birthday'.

Leon de Lyon, 8 rue Pleney, 69001 Lyon, France 04 72 10 11 12
This is owned by Jean-Paul Lacombe, who is not only the son of the famous Paul Lacombe but also the godson of Paul Bocuse, another famous chef. It is expensive to eat there (at least 100 Euros, probably more), but oh, well worth it. There are (5 rooms with 70 places, so the guest does not feel 'one of the masses'. And Jean-Paul Lacombe goes round to have a few words with each guest, in his chef's white apron, another nice touch.

Restaurants in New Orleans

Irene's Cuisine - Chartres/Barracks
Excellent, try the paneed oysters with shrimps, followed by the duck St. Phillip. And to finish, halved strawberries covered with Grand Marnier sauce, or dark bitter sweet chocolate mousse coated with hazelnuts.

Brennans - 417 Bourbon(?)
Delicious- but too rich for my liking, it may well have been responsible for some of those extra pounds. Lovely seafood, but everything cooked in butter roux.

Quarter Scene Dauphne/Dumaine
Wonderful! Much cheaper than the other two, the best gumbo I have ever tasted, and it sells fresh fruit, which does not seem to readily obtainable in New Orleans. When I go back I can have my breakfast theree - and quite possibly lunch and dinner too!

Restaurants in Chicago

I only went to 3, and they were all very reasonable, with good food.

Heaven on Seven, which has four restaurants in Chicago (111 N. Wabash.) It
got its name because the original one was on the top floor of no. 7. It specializes in Cajun/Creole cooking, and when you go upstairs (there is a lift) there is a whole wall of bottles of various 'hot' sauces. I had the second-best gumbo I'd ever tasted. The best being at Quarter Scene in New Orleans.

Cambridge House, (Ohio& 1 block n. of Michigan) It advertises 'home cooking' and it is really good. It seems to be caring of the local community as well.

White Hen (Ohio and across the street from Cambridge House) A grocery store, it serves coffee all day and you can add dulce de leche., which is delicious.

Giordanos (E. Lake Drive, off Michigan avenue.) This is one of a chain. I had 'egg plant parmeggiano with noodles' and it was absolutely wonderful - big plate, too.

Restaurants in Washington

DC Coast, 1401 K Street, Washington DC 20005 202 216 5988 (can't reserve, so be prepared to wait, it is worth it! I have never tasted such delicious seafood! I suspect it is expensive, I was a guest so don't know.)

McKormick & Schmidt (M St?) Good. A chain, so there is one in many US cities.


Restaurants in Brisbane and Gold Coast

Omeros Bros. - Marina Mirage. This is a legendary sea food restaurant, absolutely superb. The only other place I've eaten sea food which tasted so good was D.C. in Washington, and I think I prefer Omeros, partly because of the setting (right by the water) and partly because of the friendly, relaxed ambience.
Legendary because it first opened as the second sea food restaurant in Australia on the shore of Botany Bay in the 1950's. One autumn night in the 1950's there was the most fearsome storm, which battered the wooden building so much that half of it literally slipped into Botany Bay! One of the people I was with had been a customer on that night, she and her husband left beforehand, but she remembers vividly clinging on to the rope-railings as they fought their way out of the building.
Anyway, that was the Gold Coast's gain, because John Omeros started up here, and the food is so good that the restaurant is now world-famous. It does tend to be rather expensive (lobster mornay!) but they also do an extremely reasonable three course lunch menu for A$30.

La Porte Verte - 44 Commerce Drive,Robina Tel. 07 5593 2566.
The food, particularly the sauces, are just as delicious, the restaurant is MUCH bigger, and in a delightful semi-open position, yet well-screened from the road, it is now licensed, with reasonably priced wines, and the staff are just as delightful as ever. As a special treat the chef came over and cooked and flambeed crepes suzettes at our table, sprinkling them liberally with Grand Marnier (my birthday present!)

Villa Marina - In the Marina Mirage, diagonally opposite Omeros. Good Italian cooking. Friendly.

Il Centro - Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane. Large, very well-filled, rather smart, ("trendy"?) Italian, mainly seafood. Very good food, but no 'atmosphere'. One of their signature dishes is the sand-crab lasagne, which is pure ambrosia.

Augellos - Good innovative food. I had linguini with clams and peppi with asparagus and boccino (bread with a kind of cheese and asparagus. Reasonable. 695 Brunswick Street,
Tel 07 3254 0275.

Montrachet - 224 Given Terrace, Padddington, Qld 4064. Tel: 07 3367 0030. A French restaurant, the best restaurant I have been to in Brisbane.

I also went to an interesting-looking centre called the Emporium, where there were lots of restaurants, we ate at a good one called Capri (apparently the pizzas are very good there).

Also one at James St called Cru’s, quite good but a bit ‘less informal than Capri, and the seats/stools more uncomfortable. The wine was good, though.

Restaurant 2 - (Edward St.?) Very good but a bit pricey.

Venice - The Broadwalk. Quite nice, but it is more of a light-bite-for-lovers place, though (owing to its excellent location) popular with groups.

Coro - Coronation Drive. This has been taken over and done up recently. I do not like the décor at all, pokie machines in the next room, swirly carpets (and curtains?) and an uncomfortable-looking white leather bar space BUT good food. It was voted the best seafood restaurant in Australia (I can’t believe it is better than Omeros!) I had a green curry, and it was excellent.

Oxleys (on the river), Brisbane. Absolutely perfect location, right on the edge of the river and the tide was unusually high the day I was there, BUT the food was not very good, the cook’s hand must have slipped with the cornflour in the crab chowder. But they did refund the price.

Wang Dynasty - Another good location on the south bank of the river, but unfortunately the food was not good.

Park Road East - I found this good, I ate in their cheaper ‘canteen’, beside it. Closed down.

16th on the Park - This is extremely convenient for me, the food is usually ok.

There are several cafes in the ‘savoir faire’ complex in Park Road, they seen pretty much the same, and in all of them I find the service too slow.

Park Road East - 14 Park Road - Milton - Brisbane - Tel: 07 3369 1111
This is a bit pricey, but well worth it. Décor had nothing I really objected to, Eastern wallpaper, photos and statues of Buddha; service was good, and the cooking was Excellent I had black cardamom spiced ‘Jacob’s Creek’ Wagyu rump, sticky rice cake, kai lan leaf, baby glazed vegetables with anise and mandarin reduction. Really tender meat, with a wonderful sauce, so rich! A good wine by the glass. A Monte Avocado merlot
To follow I had cardamom, vanilla and saffron brulee, halva ice-cream, almond and pistachio bread. That was simply delicious. The chef is Kim Machin, pronounced Menchin. And the toilet is on the level.

Two Small Rooms - 517 Milton Road (corner of Eldrdge Street), Toowong (a suburb of Brisbane), Tel.07 3371 5251. Owned by a Dane, and it was really excellent. I had curried lentil and minted yogurt cucumber with roasted garlic oil soup, followed by veal and mushroom roulad washed down with a delicious glass of pinot noir. A reduction of duck stock was served first, in true European style, ad an amuse-bouche.
Restaurants in Sydney, Australia

Marque, 355 Crown Street, Surrey Hills, Sydney, NSW 2010, Tel. 02 9332 2225. One of the best French restaurants I have been to. It was pretty hard to find, the taxi driver didn't know it (useless man!). Meals cost about A$100 a head, but it's really worth it, the tastes are unusual, it is beauifully presented, the meat if cooked to perfection, so tender! and there is a really good and knowledgeable sommelier.

Melbourne Restaurants, Australia

Cicciolina’s, 240 Acland Street, South Melbourne. A wonderful, unpretentious Italian restaurant. I read about it in the Virgin Blue magazine- apparently Madonna was turned away and I can see why, it gets very full and you can’t reserve a table in advance.

The food really is excellent, and I thoroughly recommend it. I had a soufflé of blue swimmer crab meat, shallot and lemon thyme, (which gave it a wonderful flavour) served with a champagne and chive veloute. Then a slow braised veal shank and catechino sausage, served on potato puree with braised lentils and mustard fruit. The only drawback is the loo – right outside the restaurant, round the back and along a courtyard.

Zanzibar, 350 Latrobe Street. The food here looks as though it is all home-cooked. I had a really tasty lasagne – made with fresh pasta. The lady who owned it came from Babylon.

London Restaurants

The Chop-house - Montague Street, near (alm!most under!) Tower Bridge. Vegan, vegetarian and ‘normal’ home cooking.

Neal’s Yard salad bar, 8-10 Neal’s yard, Covent Garden, WC2H. 020 7836 3233. Cheap, good service and delicious. I had sweet potato and ginger soup – really tasty and a wonderful consistency. And they bake all their own bread without using wheat!!!