Fine dining in Europe

In the May ’04 issue (page 52) a reader raved about La Tour d’Argent in Paris. Thirty-plus years ago we dined there and also had their famous pressed duck.

The owner, a tall, thin gentleman, came to each table asking how the meal was. I told him it was the third-best I had had on that trip. Very politely he asked what the other two restaurants were, and when I replied, “The Jockey Club in Madrid and the Hostel de Orso in Rome,” he grinned and stated that they were also two of his favorites.

He inquired if I was familiar with Trader Vic’s in Los Angeles, and when I said I had been to the one in New York he asked if he could sit down. I explained what kind of place it was and he said he was going to visit the one in L.A. He thanked us for our help and asked if we would like to visit his wine cellar after dinner. The maître d’ led us there, seated us at a small table and served us cognac.

I believe the Claude Terrail that the above-mentioned reader referred to is the same elegant man we met (he was a polo player and dating Lana Turner) or his son.

One favorite place I visit often is the revolving restaurant atop the Schilthorn near Interlaken, Switzerland. The view from 10,000 feet is superb and, sitting there, every hour you can see all 360 degrees of spectacular mountain peaks and Lake Thun. The menu is good, with a decent selection, and the main courses are less than 20 Swiss francs (near $15).

One favorite restaurant that I don’t visit often enough is Casa Botin, located near the Plaza Mayor in Madrid. In March ’03 I went there with my youngest son and found that my old friend Don Antonio was in very poor health. His son was as gracious as his father, and we were seated on both visits in the basement right by the wine cellar (where Ava Gardner and a matador were filmed dining in “A Farewell to Arms”). The menu included their famous suckling pig, soup, dessert and a half bottle of wine for under €30 (near $36).

JACK HUTTER
Knoxville, TN