A Bitter Taste

Judy Fayard’s “Taste of Travel: Paris” (Sept. 19) was our eating Bible on our recent visit to Paris. Le Petit Plat . . . proved to be nombre une in delight, but . . . Marie & Fils proved to be our greatest disappointment. The food was adequate, but service was Madame Steinberg’s short point. It was anything but “attentive and good-natured.” She met us brusquely at the door and pointed to our table across the room, then hurried away, leaving us alone to guess which table she meant.

The wine bottle was plopped onto the table, after it was uncorked out of sight at the bar, and was poured by a waitress who never smiled nor offered help.

When I used the wrong knife for my salad, it was returned to me dirty for the main course. Each course came on top of the other, dishes wisked away before others at the table had finished. We felt we were being rushed out to turn our table.

Our experience, apparently, was not unique. Madame treated most diners that evening with equal disdain. Our friendly neighbor diners sought dessert and coffee elsewhere, as did we. Apparently we were not as important as her “Paris fashion crowd” alluded to in the article as her usual clientele.

JUDY FLORMAN

Santa Ana