Commentaires sur : Le Timbre, a small restaurant in Paris with great reviews that turned out to be a big disappointment http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/2009/10/28/timbre-restaurant-paris/ A Paris Newsblog with a sense of humour Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:51:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Par : jason http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/2009/10/28/timbre-restaurant-paris/comment-page-1/#comment-5559 jason Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:33:50 +0000 http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/?p=5241#comment-5559 Thanks for the comment. What a lot of questions! There's a lot you don't know about a restaurant before going there. I'd heard good things about it, that's why we went. I knew it was small, but they really have stuffed more tables in there than is comfortable (in my opinion) and we had hellish neighbours who talked very loudly (bad luck I suppose). If I'd known beforehand that there was only one fish dish and nothing vegetarian on the menu, we probably would have chosen somewhere else. We're not deliberately trying to trip restaurants up. I also assumed that an English chef would be more used to offering a vegetarian option than a French chef. Is it so hard to get together a plate using the vegetables that accompany the other dishes? And why didn't I enjoy my meal? Well, it's clearly stated in the review: we've had much better meals elsewhere in Paris, and for much less money. But once again, a lot of people love the place (also stated clearly in the review), so everyone should feel free do go down there and check it out for themselves. Thanks for the comment. What a lot of questions!

There’s a lot you don’t know about a restaurant before going there. I’d heard good things about it, that’s why we went. I knew it was small, but they really have stuffed more tables in there than is comfortable (in my opinion) and we had hellish neighbours who talked very loudly (bad luck I suppose).

If I’d known beforehand that there was only one fish dish and nothing vegetarian on the menu, we probably would have chosen somewhere else. We’re not deliberately trying to trip restaurants up.

I also assumed that an English chef would be more used to offering a vegetarian option than a French chef. Is it so hard to get together a plate using the vegetables that accompany the other dishes?

And why didn’t I enjoy my meal? Well, it’s clearly stated in the review: we’ve had much better meals elsewhere in Paris, and for much less money.

But once again, a lot of people love the place (also stated clearly in the review), so everyone should feel free do go down there and check it out for themselves.

]]> Par : Profdenis http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/2009/10/28/timbre-restaurant-paris/comment-page-1/#comment-5557 Profdenis Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:15:30 +0000 http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/?p=5241#comment-5557 Soooooory! I didn't mean "promiscuity"... I (of course) meant "lack of privacy"!!! Sorry again. Soooooory!
I didn’t mean « promiscuity »… I (of course) meant « lack of privacy »!!! Sorry again.

]]> Par : Profdenis http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/2009/10/28/timbre-restaurant-paris/comment-page-1/#comment-5556 Profdenis Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:54:11 +0000 http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/?p=5241#comment-5556 Hi Jason, I've been to Le Timbre a few times & really enjoyed it everytime. Your review amazes me. WHY, being a vegetarian, did you ever enter it? WHY, if you don't like promiscuity, did you go in? WHAT went is wrong with you? I'd like to know... WHY are you so different from the people I've seen there enjoying their meals? Hi Jason,
I’ve been to Le Timbre a few times & really enjoyed it everytime. Your review amazes me.
WHY, being a vegetarian, did you ever enter it?
WHY, if you don’t like promiscuity, did you go in?
WHAT went is wrong with you? I’d like to know…
WHY are you so different from the people I’ve seen there enjoying their meals?

]]> Par : jason http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/2009/10/28/timbre-restaurant-paris/comment-page-1/#comment-5547 jason Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:03:23 +0000 http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/?p=5241#comment-5547 Hi Rock, yes, I'm vegetarian. Well spotted. We try and take a meat eater with us when possible, but even if we don't try the meat dishes I think we get a pretty good feel for a place during a meal. As for my critique not addressing the restaurant (and at risk of repeating myself), we had an overpriced, underwhelming, uncomfortable dinner in an uneasy atmosphere that couldn't be explained by anything we saw. There's no excuse for greasy, tasteless food at that price. You should have been there! But as I also said, I'm hoping it was just a problem that night. I'd be interested to read your experience of the place. Please do comment again then! Hi Rock,
yes, I’m vegetarian. Well spotted. We try and take a meat eater with us when possible, but even if we don’t try the meat dishes I think we get a pretty good feel for a place during a meal.

As for my critique not addressing the restaurant (and at risk of repeating myself), we had an overpriced, underwhelming, uncomfortable dinner in an uneasy atmosphere that couldn’t be explained by anything we saw. There’s no excuse for greasy, tasteless food at that price. You should have been there! But as I also said, I’m hoping it was just a problem that night. I’d be interested to read your experience of the place. Please do comment again then!

]]> Par : Rock DeAugustine http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/2009/10/28/timbre-restaurant-paris/comment-page-1/#comment-5546 Rock DeAugustine Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:06:48 +0000 http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/?p=5241#comment-5546 And one other thing: while I encourage fresh produce and herb use in all restaurants- shouldn't yours be a vegetarian blog?? The three reviews i perused all ask the chef for a vegetarian dish instead of the regular menu items... And one other thing: while I encourage fresh produce and herb use in all restaurants- shouldn’t yours be a vegetarian blog?? The three reviews i perused all ask the chef for a vegetarian dish instead of the regular menu items…

]]> Par : Rock DeAugustine http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/2009/10/28/timbre-restaurant-paris/comment-page-1/#comment-5545 Rock DeAugustine Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:51:00 +0000 http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/?p=5241#comment-5545 jason- I'll be in Paris w/my daughter over New Year's week. Happy to try this establishment then. I just don't think your critique addressed the restaurant- it seemed full of pique. Nothing you referenced vindicated a complete lack of tip. jason- I’ll be in Paris w/my daughter over New Year’s week. Happy to try this establishment then. I just don’t think your critique addressed the restaurant- it seemed full of pique. Nothing you referenced vindicated a complete lack of tip.

]]> Par : Ian Mclean http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/2009/10/28/timbre-restaurant-paris/comment-page-1/#comment-5541 Ian Mclean Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:02:03 +0000 http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/?p=5241#comment-5541 Dear Jason - This is what a restaurant critique should be like. Although we have many outstanding restaurants in this city, we could do with some of this straight forward honesty and candour about some Cape Town restaurants and perhaps those that run second-rate rip-off establishments will take note and up the service levels or perish. Thank you. Refreshing read. I'm going to email it to some of the local restaurant reviewers who are completely dishonest in the hope of getting free meals in the future. Ian McLean, Cape Town, South Africa Dear Jason – This is what a restaurant critique should be like. Although we have many outstanding restaurants in this city, we could do with some of this straight forward honesty and candour about some Cape Town restaurants and perhaps those that run second-rate rip-off establishments will take note and up the service levels or perish. Thank you. Refreshing read. I’m going to email it to some of the local restaurant reviewers who are completely dishonest in the hope of getting free meals in the future.

Ian McLean, Cape Town, South Africa

]]> Par : Christina http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/2009/10/28/timbre-restaurant-paris/comment-page-1/#comment-5537 Christina Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:24:00 +0000 http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/?p=5241#comment-5537 Very thoughtful response, Rock. I want to go to dinner with you. Very thoughtful response, Rock. I want to go to dinner with you.

]]> Par : jason http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/2009/10/28/timbre-restaurant-paris/comment-page-1/#comment-5536 jason Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:16:52 +0000 http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/?p=5241#comment-5536 Thanks for the comment. As I said, there are many very favourable reviews of the Timbre to be read on the web, making us suspect that we were there on a bad night. Nevertheless we did have a bland, overpriced meal, which is extremely galling! By that way, there is no sommelier to 'push' the champagne, and - in my opinion - the request could have been better phrased. As for 'taxing' the staff by my request for a vegetarian option, I don't think even a 'gentleman' vegetarian (which I hope I am) would go so far as to eat meat just to try and please the chef. Also, when we arrived, there wasn't any rush! It was between the two services. We really couldn't find any excuse for them being in such a state... I hope to be able to read some comments from people who have eaten there and enjoyed it... Thanks for the comment. As I said, there are many very favourable reviews of the Timbre to be read on the web, making us suspect that we were there on a bad night. Nevertheless we did have a bland, overpriced meal, which is extremely galling!

By that way, there is no sommelier to ‘push’ the champagne, and – in my opinion – the request could have been better phrased.

As for ‘taxing’ the staff by my request for a vegetarian option, I don’t think even a ‘gentleman’ vegetarian (which I hope I am) would go so far as to eat meat just to try and please the chef. Also, when we arrived, there wasn’t any rush! It was between the two services. We really couldn’t find any excuse for them being in such a state…

I hope to be able to read some comments from people who have eaten there and enjoyed it…

]]> Par : Rock DeAugustine http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/2009/10/28/timbre-restaurant-paris/comment-page-1/#comment-5535 Rock DeAugustine Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:14:20 +0000 http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com/blog/?p=5241#comment-5535 perhaps, since there was notice at the start that the server and the chef were "rushed" and "stressed", another, different night should serve as a benchmark? A veteran of restaurants knows immedieately that the server is trying to buy time in that instance, or perhaps the sommelier asked to push the champagne. Nothing to take personally; a gentleman might try to ameliorate the situation, not further tax the staff by purposely looking for off menu offerings during a rush- and then when they are met (the mushrooms) complaining further. perhaps, since there was notice at the start that the server and the chef were « rushed » and « stressed », another, different night should serve as a benchmark?
A veteran of restaurants knows immedieately that the server is trying to buy time in that instance, or perhaps the sommelier asked to push the champagne. Nothing to take personally; a gentleman might try to ameliorate the situation, not further tax the staff by purposely looking for off menu offerings during a rush- and then when they are met (the mushrooms) complaining further.

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