Dear Alec,

Just bought your book and looking forward to putting your advice into practice in October. I can tell we'll be enjoying some otherwise hard-to-find gems.

A couple of questions, if I may.

1. Any thoughts on Laurent or Le Grand Colbert?
2. With 6 colleagues in tow, either chefs or foodies who like rustic food, is Le Vlaudevile the best bet for honest food with Old Paris charm and a good noisy background? Or is there a bistro you'd recommend with bustle enough to absorb a group of Brits?

Bon Ap,

Mark

Dear Mark,

For a bunch of gourmet Brits, I'd make sure not to miss Josephine Chez Dumonet, which isn't cheap but is worth every Euro cent.

Le Grand Colbert is off limits to me because of the "SOmething's Got to Give" factor. After Diane Keaton kvelled over the roast chicken there, it's been tourist central. It's very pretty but not an address for serious food-lovers.

Laurent is lovely at lunchtime.

Do surf around my site for the latest, including L'Epigramme, Frenchie, Jadis, La Bigarrade and KGB, all of which are favo(u)rites for different reasons, but which all sling great grub.

Bon Ap a vous aussi,

Alec

Great 2 days: We did lunch at Le Comptoir de St Peres (honest neighbourhood zinc), stupendous dinner at Chez Dumonet (thank you), breakfast charcuterie at La Cloche des Halles (old favourite) and lunch at the charming Les Fines Geules (thanks again). Restored my faith in French food.

Mark, thanks so much for sharing your gastro log, and I'm really glad you ate so well while in Paris. Brilliant choice in Chez Dumonnet, which just gets better and better, but what did you eat there?