As regards price, unless you are an _habitue_ or make special
terms, a fairly little simple dinner will average out at 10s. a head,
exclusive of wine. It is well to order dinner beforehand, as the
culinary arrangements are not very expeditious. In the evening the
cuisine is by way of being first-class French art, but it just lacks the
lightness of touch which is characteristic of the best French cookery.
Wine is rather dear, but the higher-priced brands of hock, Moselle, or
claret are in some cases excellent. As to the champagnes found abroad,
unless they are specially made for the English market, they must not be
judged from an English standpoint, being as a rule far too sweet for our
taste.
An instance of this occurred to me at Rheims, when staying with one of
the champagne magnates for some shooting owned by a syndicate of some
of the large champagne shippers. We met for _dejeuner_ at their Chalet
de Chasse or club-house, each gentleman bringing his own wine. The
result was that one saw from ten to a dozen different famous brands of
champagne on the table.
My host asked me which sort I would prefer. "Du vin Brut, if you have
any," I replied. "Ah! Vous buvez de ce poison-la?" exclaimed he,
smiling. So they evidently did not agree with our taste for dry wine.
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