Why am I writing this Blog?

June 2010

If you’re like me you don’t really trust the multitude of restaurant guides that are out there  – the only way to rate a restaurant is is to try it yourself.  With many years of eating out behind me I’ve tried places of all shapes and sizes,  but I don’t restrict myself to stars or guides – from palaces to beachfront bars they’re all on my list.   So what I’m setting out to do in this blog is to tell you about the restaurants in which I have eaten and what I thought of them, and sometimes to mention any places of particular interest in the neighbourhood. My main stomping grounds are the Languedoc-Roussillon area in South-West France, London and Paris, particularly the 14th and 6th arrondissements. But if I come across interesting places on my travels elsewhere I will also include them.

As I surf the net quite a bit, at times I find myself wondering if the reviewer has actually set foot in the places in question.  The information is often misleading and in some instances I have noticed that the sites even include restaurants that have been closed for several years.  My reviews will be recent and written to keep you in the loop and up for going places!  I will try to be as accurate as possible, and it goes without saying that restaurants which I haven’t enjoyed will not make it on to Plates and Plonk….

I have spent many years in France in various capacities and am very familiar with the customs and traditions of the country, which I enjoy comparing with their English counterparts.  And to tell the truth I never really know for which team I’m batting!   But good food is good food regardless of where you find it, and it is my hope that you will enjoy many memorable plates accompanied by  plenty of excellent plonk as a result of reading this blog.

Finally, if you have any friends who you think might be interested, please send them the Plates and Plonk link:  plates-and-plonk.luzzato.com and ask them to sign up for the newsletter in the space provided.

August 2013

In May 2013 the Plates and Plonk site crashed and we lost most of the information. Fortunately, after a great deal of effort,  we have been able to recoup most of the data and I will gradually be adding the reformatted posts to the new site, but sadly often without the corresponding photos.