A new culinary capital?

Last month my sambo and I visited Paris. A Christmas gift, from me to him, I admit that my present was possibly more for me than for him. This became more apparent as we scoured the streets of the 1st arrondissement at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon in search of an open restaurant. As he bemoaned “It’s easier to get a bad meal in Paris than a good one,” it quickly became apparent that I should have chosen London instead.

Of course Spain has become one of the most important culinary destinations in recent years, but until recently, I would never have considered London, let alone the UK as a European culinary capital. Even I must admit, the economic crisis has done wonders for the country’s gastronomic scene. Last February we enjoyed a fantastic, long, boozy celebratory lunch for four at the two-star Atelier Joel Robuchon for an acceptable sum of 300 pounds, while a rather hurried, unremarkable, one-course dinner for two and a half bottle of wine in Paris’ famed Balzar brasserie was almost hit the 100 euro mark. During our holiday in England late last year, even in some of the tiniest towns in the South East we enjoyed surprisingly good meals that came without attitude, or denting the budget.

The opening of the new Heston Blumenthal restaurant, Dining at the Mandarin Oriental, can only further reinforce London's place as a culinary capital. Has France rested on its culinary laurels for too long? With the incredible selection of cuisines on offer, plus fantastic deals from discount restaurant booking sites, the French had better watch out.