THE $10 TOMATO

To all the Calendar consumers who’ve blasted the Restaurants section for its questionable praise of nouvelle cuisine: Please know I’ve joined your ranks.

This is what I ordered yesterday at Pastel: “tomato with mozarella cheese and basil.” This is what I got: a tomato, five slices of cheese and a gratuitous basil leaf.

This is what I paid: $10.

Maybe the old palette could stand some improving, but the only tomato I’d happily pay that much for would weigh around 47 pounds.

CHRIS CALANDRE

Los Angeles