TAPENADE, 7612 Fay Avenue, La Jolla

At first I was unsure what we were going to get at Tapenade. At reception the noise was almost unbearable but we were committed.

We were seated in the quieter backroom, though the music was still pretty annoying, and the walls drip with bad art. No, it's going to be good I told myself, after all the list of awards on their website takes as long to read as the menu.

Chef Jean-Michel Diot has a long and distinguished career and the restaurant was recommended from several contacts. His Park Bistro was the first bistro in New York to be rated 3 stars by the New York Times and he opened Les Halles, now famed for Anthony Bourdain.

An hors d'oevre of light pastry was served while we ordered but I was so distracted with the wine list (we went for a 2004 Sancerre from P.Jolivet and 2003 Chateau Mont-Perat) that I can't tell you much about it. Oops.

'Bisque de homard, crème à l'estragon' managed the difficult job of rich complexion and subtle taste while 'Escargots e Bourgogne au beurre d'ail' were infused, for me, with the memory of delicious snails eaten in Parisian brasseries: traditional and perfect. 'Mesclun à l'huile d'olive' was fine, but let's face it, you don't come to a place like this to order salad!

'Faux filet au poivre' - an aged sirloin, black peppercorn sauce with Cognac, pommes frites and mesclun salad - was well cooked and seasoned with a creamy sauce with no traces of peppercorn. John had previously explained why he didn't eat sirloin - "too sinewy and tasteless" - one swapped bite ended that argument.

Tastes of 'Noisettes de veau de lait aux morilles' and 'Duo d'agneau, l' épaule en boulangère, les noisettes poelêes' showed each to be just as well rendered while Graeme declared his scallops ('Saint Jacques, risotto d'asperges et artichauts', in all seriousness, "the best he'd ever had."

Desserts are by Jerome Maure who delivered a fresh and light 'Pêche blanche, sabayon citron, sorbet fraise'.

Although heavy looking 'Fondant au chocolat, crème à la menthe' simply melted in the mouth. A selection of cheeses was more substantial in quantity than at Georges, but not as exciting in variety.

Overall this was probably the most impressive food of our trip to San Diego and straight on to my personal favourites. Just get seated away from the audio system!