DINING AT THE PAVILLON

A golden encomium to Le Pavillon, its restaurateur Henri Soule, and the tradition of la grande cuisine it represents. As connoisseurs know, Le Pavillon, elegant, exclusive and expensive (a typical tab for two is close to a hundred dollars) can be classed with a handful of Michelin red letter XXXXX*** hostelries and this account tells a good deal about its origin- during the war; about ""showman, businessman and artist"" Soule who began as a busboy in Biarritz; about the fine foods served there and provisioning only the best butter to make a perfect sauce; and about his supervision of every flawless detail, his masterfully diplomatic dealings with the of his customers, his ""instinct for quality... and a slight sense of destiny"" which has given Le Pavillon its deserved eminence. Along with the story of bar"", there is a small excursion into the history of gastronomy in general, a view of one or two of his compeers, in France, and an inclusion of a few of the recipes which are created at Le Pavillon for its clientele. A reverential, fastidious and thereby appropriate appreciation.