You do it to yourself you do.  And that’s why it really hurts. Here I am in Toulouse, surrounded by Michelin starred restaurants, and what do I do?  Find the worst Chinese in all France.  Maybe even Europe. But who is to blame.  Mrs. V perhaps?  She isn’t a fan of Chinese whereas I go quite mental for it when the need arises.  (It’s a need rather than a basic hunger).  So I reject the concept of fois gras and confit de canard which are supposedly quite good around these parts and go for some deep fried wontons and a beef satay dish with a chow mein side. 

Sounds like it would be not bad from the Emerald Garden in Mid Calder.  However, the China Town at 295 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Toulouse is more Purple Sage like.  It looks good on the outside but step in and eat the food and you will be disappointed. Here’s a tip for all you would be Vettese-like business travellers: be concerned when two beers costs more than your food.  Be deeply concerned when its two small beers too. So, to review the food…the deep fried wontons made me nearly yak.  I moved onto the beef and the chow mein….and quickly considered leaving at that point and trying the hotel restaurant (more on that point to follow) and chancing my arm at putting through two expenses receipts.   I ate maybe 40% of it.  The beer was wee cans of Kronenburg but I had been offered the Chinese beer.  Stay away from this is my best advice.  When the ingredients are likely water, water extract, beer flavourings and e numbers, it’s not going to be good.  Even you Tennants lager drinkers wouldn’t like it. I was in and out in 15 minutes tops.

So why didn’t I eat at the lovely Novotel restaurant?  The previous evening I had eaten in the Bordeaux equivalent and it was quite possibly the most tasteless meal I have had in France.  A gourmet burger with potato cakes as opposed to a bun sounds good but it was in fact under flavoured mince and tatties. I had the tart tatin but it was school dinner’s tart tatin.  I make a better one.  What the heck has happened to France???  Where have all the chefs gone? 

Highlight of the week: I made gold level again on my KLM frequent flyers club thingy.  Woo hoo!  An increased baggage allowance and a special welcome when I get on board the flight.  What a privilege.

So to summarise, its all go in the crazy sales world of Vettese.  My advice: learn to play the guitar.