Favorite Routiers and other European Truckstops

Saviem:
Evening all, have really enjoyed this thread
Many places mentioned I have enjoyed their food, (and of more relevance the company enjoyed),…for I always found that the “Craic” was the greatest stimulus to return…

But a little story…

Back in 78, I was tasked with “entertaining”, a collection of the “movers and shakers” of (then), current French "top hauliers…

So a table at George Cinque…a Parisien Hotel of some , (percieved), stature was booked by my superiors as the venue…
with dire warnings about “overcooking” the wine bill…Bordeaux OK…but forget the Bollinger…(of course… I did not)!!!

Now the repast arrived…and frankly it was awfull…and the assembled throng thought so as well…

So as the smartly dressed “flunky” arrived to clear the still not cleared plates…I wrote…(and forgive me, for any lack of accuracy…for it is a long time ago),…a little note to the Head Chef…

Sir, perhaps if you would care to ring this telephone number, 22.24.26.20…Jo, @ Chez Jo, Hautvilliers, may grant you a junior position in his kitchens to “learn your chosen trade”…

The “flunky” went white…and despite his remonstrations was sent kitchenwards at great speed…

The reaction was truly spectacular…and made the night of many half starved guests…

A large…20 stone plus…red faced, apoplectic goon in a Chefs outfit appeared… and he and I engaged in a war of words…(please remember that my French was learned in the world of lorry drivers, and a long time with the "shop floor " workers in "our " Blainville lorry factory)…so perhaps the same level as a “kitchen hound”!!!

Anyway the fracas attracted the attention of the management, other diners, and just about everyone else in that overpriced pretincious establishment…

Net result , we all left, (without paying a centime)…had a glorious meal in a cafe at Les Halles, went on to the “Crazy Horse”, became totally inebriated…and had a great time…and relished each others company!!!

Spardo, if you can write a little about “Chez Jo” @ Hautvilliers…then please do, many of us have supped there, for me the place and the staff have strong affection…for they helped me personally in a very dark time as a young man…and I shall never forget their kindness…

As for the Chef at Geprge V, in Paris…I hope that his indignation made him explode…he was a useless fat pillock who could never have managed Egg and Chips at the Sunset Transport Hotel…

Cheerio for now…I raise a (very) large Bollinger to you all…and to those many Routiers that I enjoyed stopping at…

Hello Monsieur Saviem. I hope this finds you well, and your good lady too.
If the restaurant you refer to was the Pied De Cochon, I had several hot (very) onion soups in there after unloading Scottish lambs for Guy Echallier in the early hours. Lovely establishment. Bat wing doors on both Loos but the ladies didn’t seem to care - probably straight from appearing in the Crazy Horse. Jim.