While staying at the incomparable Chateau de la Barre, our hostess made a reservation for us at Le Manoir de St. Quentin, one of her favorite area restaurants. Lucky us. It was one of the finest dinners we have ever had in France. The restaurant's setting is exquisite, in a jewel box of a 'maison de maitre', with a lovely garden and an impossibly perfect little medieval church sitting at the edge of the lawn. Most amazing of all is the fact that this small restaurant is a one-man show. The owner, Fai, (pronounced 'Fiye') greets guests at the door, seats them, discusses the menu and asks about possible allergies, writes down the order, delivers drinks, prepares the food, serves it - along with more drinks - clears the table, serves dessert, refills glasses again, pours coffee, all the while appearing completely unhurried. The night we were there Fai was serving 16 diners in the restaurant's two diminutive rooms. He never stopped for a moment, but he also never looked the slightest bit flustered. Everything we were served came at the perfect time, as I'm sure it did at the other tables. I could only compare Fai's movements to a superbly choreographed ballet. This is a man who knows exactly what he is doing and is happy doing it.The quality and flavors of the cuisine served to us would have done credit to any of the most celebrated restaurants in Paris. This is an experience not to be missed!
