Oddley, my statement as-is is that food in France is better than food in Britain. I haven't said that all food in France is better than all food in Britain, just that the average meal served in France is better than the average meal served in Britain, and that there is a level of care in the retail sector that doesn't exist in the UK (if you go to a French supermarket there will be a trained butcher selling meat, and you're not sure what cut you want he'll ask what you intend cooking and prepare the right cut for you; if you're buying fruit you'll be asked if it is to be eaten today or later in the week: compare that with Tesco, or your local market, where the fruit will be a nice one from the front and some crap from behind the counter). If you reread my last post, you might find that I was agreeing with you
I don't live in Central London, but I did return a dish at The Fat Duck and got a free bottle of wine for being right, so don't have a go at my palate. If I was a greasy-tongued, "MacDonalds-is-eating-out" barbarian I wouldn't be here on this forum.
Paul, I do disagree with the whelk thing, I'm a winkle man, but snails go on the path for the thrushes as far as I'm concerned. As worthless as mintless chewing-gum.