Auberge du Mouton Blanc (The White Sheep Inn)

This "typical" Parisien restaurant is set in the chic 16th arrondisement of Paris near the Bois de Boulogne, and so with a clientele of mostly middle-aged or elderly "comfortable" French couples who can afford to dine out most nights. Sometimes accompanied by their dogs as is normal in Paris restaurants. Hard-working, professional waiter, bordering on servile - not at all normal in Paris restaurants. The menu has a set special for each night of the week as well as a "special" special for each night. Thusday's special was Confit de Canard but I choose to eat from the 29€ menu, which included a half bottle of Buzet with its five courses and so represented top value. I saved the Confit till Sunday night in another restaurant.
Hors d'oeuvre
Smoked salmon to start. Rarely disappoints. The menu didn't say where it was from but it was a substantial piece of succluent fish served with a panier of fresh sliced baguette, an oil dressing and some fresh corriander to counterpoint its subtle flavour.
Entrée
Magret de Canard. Simple and straightforward filet of duck breast, pan fried then sliced. Each slice with a sealed, slightly crisp skin with tender and slightly pink inner meat. Juicy but not particularly strong flavour. Lovingly laid, slice by slice, upon a hemisphere of spinach cooked (steamed?) to a perfect firm texture, avoiding the easy pitfall of over-cooked slush so common when I turn my hand to it in the kitchen. Served with its own wine-based sauce and more bread. The Buzet came in useful at this point. Soft, though no major nose or longevity.
The Cheese Course
A very thin slice of pungent Camembert served with thinly sliced tomato. Worth saving some of the wine for this slight but powerfully cheeky little entre-acte.
The Dessert
Moelleux au chocolat served with creme anglaise. Small but packed with chocolate flavour and such an interesting texture - half cake, half mousse, which comes from the runny inner sanctum of its delights. To an Anglais the custard is, of course, too thin but I loved it; a strong and natural vanilla flavour complemented the powerful chocolate impact of the moelleux. Too soon over.

With coffee to finish (included in the 29€) a satisfying experience to recommend to friends. I copied the couple next to me and left a 1€ tip, which seemed perfectly acceptable to the waiter.

Clifton Hotel, Folkestone

Previous experience of Folkestone had been a hotel where the restaurant was only open between 6-30 and 7-30 and a weary traveller arriving at 9-00 had to walk the streets in search of a pizza. This hotel was better. They had a restaurant which offered a 2 course meal for £15. Pate (usual taste) followed by steak and it was one of the best this year. Medium rare with the obligatory flame grilled effects but pink in the middle. Veg excellent, sauce very good. The chef only loses out in the onion rings department. Eleven of the buggers!

A useful Chilean merlot made the £15 into £28 but overall it was a very good standard. Lots of foreigners in the restaurant - most of them staff.

Bella Italia, Hanover Street, Edinburgh

Small but perfect chicken caesar salad for starters. Excellent Pepperoni with a really tangy topping - you could see real red chillies and their seeds! By far the most piccante pizza of the year. A cheapish sicilian red and very good value.

Nice ambience

Pizza Express, Belfast

My faith restored. A sloppy Guiseppe with extra jalapenos; a caesar salad, a half bottle of house red. The pizza was brilliant. the salad almost so; the wine not enough but that's another issue. Tasty food properly served and £18 the lot. Previous visit the main arrived too fast. This time almost too slow (the waitress confided in me that their first attempt had been too burnt and the manageress decided to cook it again). It was worth waiting 22 minutes for. Walked back to the Welly (a short trip with good food inside).